“It’s the coffee we have for breakfast, the chocolate we eat, the coal in our barbecues, the paper in our books.”

What’s going on here? These are the words of Pascal Canfin, of the European Parliament (environment committee) which has recently passed a law banning the importation of goods that are linked to deforestation. This approach aims to prevent products entering the European market which are produced at the expense of natural forests and habitats. What does this mean?  The new rules will…

No pollinators, no food: Saving the birds and the bees (mostly the bees)

Without bees pollinating our crops, we would be hard-pressed to grow much of anything without costly and time-intensive intervention. The relationship between bees and plants is a win-win. The plant provides the pollinator with nectar and pollen for food, and the pollinator transfers genetic material for the plant that allows it to reproduce. This makes another crucial bee fact particularly concerning: The…

The mammoth and the meatball

Whatʼs going on here? The mammoth and the meatball. Sounds like it could be one of Aesop’s fables, right? Well, the life lesson you could pick up from this article is about your future food choices, based on how the meat industry is shifting; this is spotlighted by the recent  creation of a meatball using cells that replicate that of the long-extinct…

Beyond Veganuary: How climate change is affecting our food supply, and what we can do about it.

an aerial photo of two harvester machines moving across a wheat field

It is well documented that our addiction to meat and dairy is harming the planet, emitting nearly 15% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Campaigns like Veganuary encourage us to switch to plant-based diets in order to reduce our impact on the climate. Because of this, veganism is on the rise and many of us, especially in January, are thinking more consciously…

Agroforestry: the future of farming?

A white sheep is in the centre of the frame looking towards the camera. It is standing on grass in-between two rows of trees. A group of sheep can be seen in the background underneath the canopy of the trees.

Agroforestry isn’t a new phenomenon; Indigenous peoples have been practising it for thousands of years, but it’s now gaining popularity across the globe. What is agroforestry?  Agroforestry is a land management approach in which trees are grown on the same area of land as crops or pasture. There are many types of agroforestry, but the two most common approaches are:  1. Silvopastoral…

Ancient water conservation methods resurface in Spain 💧

Acequia

What’s going on here? A project in Spain is restoring ancient water channels which have been around as far back as the mediaeval times. These channels are important for dealing with drought and the increasing demand for water from intensive farming. What does this mean? Acequias are networks of irrigation streams. They distribute water from snow melt in the Sierra Nevada mountains…

Neonicotinoids – What’s the buzz?

What’s Going On Here? After an application from the National Farmers Union (NFU) and British Sugar, last week Defra authorised the ‘emergency’ use of a neonicotinoid pesticide treatment on sugar beet crops planted in England in the 2022 season. In 2018, the EU banned all outdoor uses of neonicotinoids due to evidence that they cause harm to bees.  What Does This Mean? …