Global food shortages, soaring prices and alarm over the environment. But every day, Britain throws away 220,000 loaves of bread, 1.6m bananas, 550,000 chickens, 5.1m potatoes, 660,000 eggs, 1.2m sausages and 1.3m yoghurts A new study has exposed the staggering amount of food thrown away every day by the British public, calculating that the annual total of wasted products adds up to a record £10bn. Each day, according to the government-backed report, Britons throw away 4.4 million apples, 1.6 million bananas, 1.3 million yoghurt pots, 660,000 eggs, 550,000 chickens, 300,000 packs of crisps and 440,000 ready meals. And for the first time government researchers have established that most of the food waste is made up of completely untouched food products - whole chickens and chocolate gateaux that lie uneaten in cupboards and fridges before being discarded. The roll call of daily waste costs an average home more than £420 a year but for a family with children the annual cost rises to £610. The Government's waste campaign Wrap (Waste & Resources Action Programme) revealed the extent of Britain's throwaway food culture after sifting through the dustbins of 2,138 people who signed up to an audit of food detritus. Other items on the daily list included 1.2 million sausages, 710,000 packs of chocolate or sweets, 260,000 packs of cheese, 50,000 milkshake bottles and 25,000 cooking sauces.
A new study has exposed the staggering amount of food thrown away every day by the British public, calculating that the annual total of wasted products adds up to a record £10bn.
Each day, according to the government-backed report, Britons throw away 4.4 million apples, 1.6 million bananas, 1.3 million yoghurt pots, 660,000 eggs, 550,000 chickens, 300,000 packs of crisps and 440,000 ready meals. And for the first time government researchers have established that most of the food waste is made up of completely untouched food products - whole chickens and chocolate gateaux that lie uneaten in cupboards and fridges before being discarded.
The roll call of daily waste costs an average home more than £420 a year but for a family with children the annual cost rises to £610.
The Government's waste campaign Wrap (Waste & Resources Action Programme) revealed the extent of Britain's throwaway food culture after sifting through the dustbins of 2,138 people who signed up to an audit of food detritus. Other items on the daily list included 1.2 million sausages, 710,000 packs of chocolate or sweets, 260,000 packs of cheese, 50,000 milkshake bottles and 25,000 cooking sauces.
In the States, at least some of this waste comes from the tendency for many families to go food shopping once a week -- fresh foods spoil. Americans could go shopping more frequently, but that would mean more driving and a shorter work week to make it possible.
I fully understand how children can increase food waste -- kids will turn up their noses at some of the most delicious foods, but first they will destroy the meal to make it unappetizing. Parenting advice discourages too forcing kids to clean their plates to avoid eating disorders.
Brazil plans to massively expand the production of biofuels but environmental campaigners worry about the effect this will have on the rainforest. Germany's environment minister, who recently visited the country, thinks demand for cheap meat presents an even great danger. When Germany's Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel visited the Amazon research center in Belém, Brazil, cries suddenly drowned out the discussion over the dangers the rainforest faces. "Lower the food prices!" an angry crowd of people yelled, as they marched past the Goeldi natural history museum, waving red flags. At that moment Gabriel saw with his own eyes why his visit to Brazil is so politically explosive.Global food shortages and the destruction of the rainforest have both recently been blamed on biofuels -- which happened to be the focus of Gabriel's negotiations with the Brazilian government during his one-week visit. As a green giant, Brazil wants to climb the world league table of energy powers, using bioethanol grown from sugar cane. Around 70,000 square kilometers have already been planted with the fast-growing plant. In four years time the area is meant to grow to 120,000 square kilometers and by 2025 to 210,000 square kilometers -- around the size of Great Britain.
Brazil plans to massively expand the production of biofuels but environmental campaigners worry about the effect this will have on the rainforest. Germany's environment minister, who recently visited the country, thinks demand for cheap meat presents an even great danger.
When Germany's Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel visited the Amazon research center in Belém, Brazil, cries suddenly drowned out the discussion over the dangers the rainforest faces. "Lower the food prices!" an angry crowd of people yelled, as they marched past the Goeldi natural history museum, waving red flags. At that moment Gabriel saw with his own eyes why his visit to Brazil is so politically explosive.
Global food shortages and the destruction of the rainforest have both recently been blamed on biofuels -- which happened to be the focus of Gabriel's negotiations with the Brazilian government during his one-week visit.
As a green giant, Brazil wants to climb the world league table of energy powers, using bioethanol grown from sugar cane. Around 70,000 square kilometers have already been planted with the fast-growing plant. In four years time the area is meant to grow to 120,000 square kilometers and by 2025 to 210,000 square kilometers -- around the size of Great Britain.
If it has a bill and webbed feet like a duck, lays eggs like a bird or a reptile but also produces milk and has a coat of fur like a mammal, what could the genetics of the duck-billed platypus possibly be like? Well, just as peculiar: an amalgam of genes reflecting significant branching and transitions in evolution. An international scientific team, which announced the first decoding of the platypus genome on Wednesday, said the findings provided "many clues to the function and evolution of all mammalian genomes," including that of humans, and should "inspire rapid advances in other investigations of mammalian biology and evolution." The research is described in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature by a group of almost 100 scientists led by Wesley C. Warren, a geneticist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The single subject of the study was a female platypus named Glennie, a resident of Glenrock Station in New South Wales, Australia, whose DNA was collected and analyzed... In their investigation of the platypus genetic blueprint, the scientists found that its genome contains about 18,500 genes, similar to other vertebrates and about two-thirds the size of the human genome. The platypus shares 82 percent of its genes with the human, mouse, dog, opossum and chicken. Some repeated elements in the genome, the scientists noted, hold hints as to the chronology of changes in the platypus. Of particular interest, the researchers reported, the analysis identified families of genes that link the platypus to reptiles (like those for egg-laying, vision and venom production), as well as to mammals (antibacterial proteins and lactation). The platypus lacks nipples; the young nurse through the abdominal skin.
An international scientific team, which announced the first decoding of the platypus genome on Wednesday, said the findings provided "many clues to the function and evolution of all mammalian genomes," including that of humans, and should "inspire rapid advances in other investigations of mammalian biology and evolution."
The research is described in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature by a group of almost 100 scientists led by Wesley C. Warren, a geneticist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The single subject of the study was a female platypus named Glennie, a resident of Glenrock Station in New South Wales, Australia, whose DNA was collected and analyzed...
In their investigation of the platypus genetic blueprint, the scientists found that its genome contains about 18,500 genes, similar to other vertebrates and about two-thirds the size of the human genome. The platypus shares 82 percent of its genes with the human, mouse, dog, opossum and chicken. Some repeated elements in the genome, the scientists noted, hold hints as to the chronology of changes in the platypus.
Of particular interest, the researchers reported, the analysis identified families of genes that link the platypus to reptiles (like those for egg-laying, vision and venom production), as well as to mammals (antibacterial proteins and lactation). The platypus lacks nipples; the young nurse through the abdominal skin.
Italy facing [EU] court action over mounting rubbish piles in Naples - Times Online
The rubbish crisis in Naples, where heaps of toxic and foul-smelling waste have been left rotting in the streets since Christmas, is heading for the courts after the European Commission announced yesterday that it was taking Italy to the European Court of Justice. Italy's Prime Minister-elect, Silvio Berlusconi, responded by promising decisive action to resolve the emergency and avoid EU fines. The developments came as barricades and protests returned to the streets of Naples, amid public fury over the crisis. Firemen have been called out to dozens of fires over the past few days as desperate residents burn the rubbish mountains, which are a growing health risk as warmer weather arrives.
The rubbish crisis in Naples, where heaps of toxic and foul-smelling waste have been left rotting in the streets since Christmas, is heading for the courts after the European Commission announced yesterday that it was taking Italy to the European Court of Justice.
Italy's Prime Minister-elect, Silvio Berlusconi, responded by promising decisive action to resolve the emergency and avoid EU fines. The developments came as barricades and protests returned to the streets of Naples, amid public fury over the crisis. Firemen have been called out to dozens of fires over the past few days as desperate residents burn the rubbish mountains, which are a growing health risk as warmer weather arrives.
Melting glaciers release toxic chemical cocktail - New Scientist Environment
Decades after most countries stopped spraying DDT, frozen stores of the insecticide are now trickling out of melting Antarctic glaciers. The change means Adélie penguins have recently been exposed to the chemical, according to a new study. The trace levels found will not harm the birds, but the presence of the chemical could be an indication that other frozen pollutants will be released because of climate change, says Heidi Geisz, a marine biologist at Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester in the US. She led a team that sampled DDT levels in the penguins.
Decades after most countries stopped spraying DDT, frozen stores of the insecticide are now trickling out of melting Antarctic glaciers. The change means Adélie penguins have recently been exposed to the chemical, according to a new study.
The trace levels found will not harm the birds, but the presence of the chemical could be an indication that other frozen pollutants will be released because of climate change, says Heidi Geisz, a marine biologist at Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester in the US. She led a team that sampled DDT levels in the penguins.
