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Everyone here knows that China produces lead toys, flame attracting pyjamas and the odd gyoza (savoury dumpling) made from boiled cardboard. But who knew that pesticide tainted ginger would be added to the list??? Now I know a lot about China and I must say, having visited the place many times, consider myself a friend of China. But to tell the truth, I really don’t trust Chinese organic producers. I think that is because I know the country – money is king. Now, I don’t blame the people. Why if you were living on around a dollar and a half a day, you’d probably boil cardboard and sell it too. You may not even care for the environment, as the folk over at thenvironmentalblog.org point out often enough (check that link out – 460,000...

What do you call a vacation where you don’t go anywhere? According to JT from The Environmental Blog you call it a “staycation”. I like that idea – a stay at home vacation. Think about it for a minute – no rushing around in planes, trains or buses, no credit card bills to pay immediately following your vacation, and no long car journeys involving a repetitious series of questions starting with, “Are we there yet?” Yep – this is the only no aggravation, low carbon footprint, money saving vacation idea I’ve heard of. And what’s more, if approached sensibly, it has the potential to deliver a lot of fun for everyone in the family! JT, I take my hat off to you… Okay, so what do you do on a “staycation”? Well, The...

Australian scientists have found that fish exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of endosulfan and chlorpyrifos showed significant reductions in the ability to survive in warmer waters. Both endosulfan and chlorpyrifos are commonly used in cotton, horticulture and sugar cane production. The study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry predicts that global warming will make fish more susceptible to dying from pesticide-contaminated water. According to the study affected fish displayed “erratic swimming…, uncoordinated movement with body quivering, rolling over on sides or back” and loss of the ability to swim upright. Combine this with the strain already imposed on global fish stocks as a consequence of over-fishing...

The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) und the Foundation Ecology and Agriculture (SÖL) will present the latest statistics about organic agriculture worldwide at BioFach 2008. The results of this year’s study titled “The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2008” will be presented at the world’s largest trade fair for organic products on Friday February 22nd 2008 at 10:00 in Room Shanghai. The study shows that 30.4 million hectares are currently certified according to organic standards (data as at the end of 2006). Australia continues to account for the largest certified organic surface area, with 12.3 million hectares, followed...

A recent decision by Australia’s Victorian and New South Wales State Governments to allow the planting of GE herbicide tolerant canola represents a significant blow for both Australia’s organic industry and those seeking out alternatives to Genetically Engineered food. “The announcement today by Victorian and NSW governments that they will allow the planting of Genetically Engineered food crops next year is a major affront to the organic food industry, and in turn consumers in Australia”, said Scott Kinnear, BFA GMO spokesperson today. “The planting of GE herbicide tolerant canola will make it impossible to know whether organic or non-GE farmers are at risk, where GE canola has been planted and its pollen remains...