environment – Page 13

A Change of Focus for the UN

You are excused if you do not know that this year is the United Nations International Year of Soils in the same way that you would be excused if you were not aware that 2014 was the International Year of Family Farming. It has not been terribly well advertised. This is certainly true if you live inContinueContinue reading “A Change of Focus for the UN”

The Rally for Nature

Although one wouldn’t know if relying on BBC news to learn what is happening in the world, today was the day that the crowds descended on the politicians to protest about conservation’s low profile in British politics. Twitter however, a much more reliable source of true news than the papers or certainly the BBC willContinueContinue reading “The Rally for Nature”

One Fifth of China’s Soil Contaminated

The title of this post says it all. China’s Environmental Protection Ministry has released a report of an official study conducted between 2005 and 2013, which showed that 16.1% of China’s soil and 19.4% of its arable land are contaminated, principally with excessive levels of cadmium, nickel and arsenic. It is well known that China’sContinueContinue reading “One Fifth of China’s Soil Contaminated”

Sheepwrecked – Environmentalists v Farmers

Over the last week I have been helping out on a farm in the Scottish Borders in the lambing shed (hello to you all at Overlangshaw!) and while I was there I began reading Alan Butler’s book ‘sheep’, a work that sets out an argument for sheep being some of the most important historical actors ofContinueContinue reading “Sheepwrecked – Environmentalists v Farmers”

Small is Beautiful – four aims for positive land management

I have recently been re-reading E.F. Schumacher’s classic work, first published in 1973, Small is Beautiful. It is a book that remains relevant for the Western world and, I would hasten to guess, will remain increasingly relevant as time marches on this century. Rather than carry out an elongated review or synthesis of ideas contained inContinueContinue reading “Small is Beautiful – four aims for positive land management”