After the earth was created, soil formed slowly over geological time from the weathering of rocks. It began to support early plant life, which protected and enriched it until it [ … ]
Tag: africa
Cheap Human-Powered Generator Brings Light to East Africa
A few months ago, I took a look at the difference micro solar systems were making for people in the developing world: a small system that provides enough energy to [ … ]
Concern and Encouragement In The News About Climate Change and Food
Last week, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization released a report which described the current upswing of global food prices (see chart above). They characterized it as a “polite [ … ]
Five for Friday: Great Green Blog Posts (7/16/10)
Yep… it’s still all oil spill in terms of the top subjects indexed by Regator. Fortunately, it’s been a good week on that front: the cap seems to be holding, [ … ]
Green Business Blog Carnival #1 Up at Triplepundit
I’m a little late to the game here (see yesterday’s Five for Friday for my excuse), but definitely wanted to give a “heads up” for the inaugural editor of the [ … ]
Solar Irrigation Increases Food Supply, Economic Opportunity in Benin
If you live in the developed world, you likely take turning on the lights or the water for granted. So, it may be difficult to imagine the lifestyle (if you [ … ]
Raising an Ethical Issue in the Farming Technology Debate
[social_buttons] The Image above is corn growing in Zimbabwe. There was a scholarly article published late last year by Dr. Robert Paarlberg entitled “The Ethics of Modern Agriculture.” I would encourage [ … ]
Should “Charismatic Megafauna” be the “Face” of Climate Change
[social_buttons] A polar bear is the perfect example of “Charismatic Megafauna” – the kind of animal whose image can easily be used to generate sympathy. I care about polar bears [ … ]
Desertec Advances: Massive Solar Power Project No Longer a Mirage?
It’s not diamonds. Nor is it gold. But it might be just as lucrative. European firms this time have their eyes on North African deserts as the location of a [ … ]
Rethinking Food Production for a World of Eight Billion
by Lester R. Brown In April 2005, the World Food Programme and the Chinese government jointly announced that food aid shipments to China would stop at the end of the [ … ]
Earth Policy Institute: Shrinking Forests — The Many Costs
By Lester R. Brown In early December 2004, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo “ordered the military and police to crack down on illegal logging, after flash floods and landslides, triggered [ … ]
Westward Ho! Hong Kong Tycoon to Invest in Africa-based Biofuels
Hong Kong magnate Stanley Ho is at it again. Not formulating a “Ho Plan” for Hong Kong energy security that centers around wind power, as the growing similarities between him [ … ]
Earth Policy Institute: Health Challenges Growing
Lester R. Brown http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/Seg/PB3ch06_ss3.htm Health challenges are becoming more numerous as new infectious diseases such as SARS, West Nile virus, and avian flu emerge. In addition, the accumulation of chemical [ … ]