Following The Ecologist's revelation about Ecover's use of synthetic biology to make laundry detergent, the company has put its trials on hold, writes Jim Thomas. But to regain public trust, the company must re-engage honestly with its critics, and its customers.
… Synthetic biology - Ecover must come clean Jim Thomas | … revelation about Ecover's use of synthetic biology to make laundry detergent, the company … using an algae oil produced using synthetic biology (Syn Bio), sometimes called 'extreme …
Farmers' first line of defence against pests is the ecosystem in and around their fields, write Jonathan Lundgren & Scott Fausti. With widespread or indiscriminate use of pesticides essential biodiversity is lost - and the result is more frequent and serious infestations, and a decline in food security.
Biodiversity is the best defence against corn pests Jonathan Lundgren Scott Fausti | 14th August 2015 Comment Farming Ecology USA Toxics Food Insects corn-beetle-cut.jpg Farmers' first line of …
Members of the food movement share an infectious vision, writes Jonathan Latham - one which is constructive, convivial, classless, raceless, international, and embraces the whole world. Unled yet inspirational, it rests on a novel, harmonious philosophy that combines science, recognition of planetary boundaries, and the universal need for wholesome sustenance.
… them with an understanding based on pure biology , the food movement is therefore in a … vision is wrong in that it trivialises biology. Food philosophy replaces this view … look past the standard mechanistic view of biology offered by celebrated scientists like …
The health of our soils is more important now than ever, says the Soil Association’s Helen Browning - especially with the challenges that climate change will bring ...
… and physics of soils than we were about the biology, and given scientists have recently … chemicals and fertilisers affect soil biology. All farmers need to know whether and …
With the UN Ocean Conference beginning in New York next week, Elizabeth A Kirk asks: can we devise a legal system that promotes the ecological resilience of the oceans? To do so will mean placing ecosystems at the heart of decision making, over and above countries' selfish 'national interests'. It will be tough, but if we fail it's hard to see how the gamut of problems - from ocean acidification to plastic pollution and overfishing - can ever be solved.
UN Ocean Conference: can the law protect our ocean ecosystems? Elizabeth A Kirk Nottingham Law School | 1st June 2017 News Oceans Law Pollution Un Fishing Commons plastic-ocea-2-cut.jpg With the UN …
President Obama will shortly be on his way to India. In this Open Letter, Vandana Shiva invites him to join in securing the essential human freedoms to seeds and food - and to set aside any plans to pressure India into changing its laws to allow the corporate domination of life.
Obama - stand up for Seed Freedom and Food Democracy Vandana Shiva | 23rd January 2015 Comment Food Farming Seeds India USA Human Rights Law varanasi_green_chickpeas-cut.jpg President Obama will …
Research on the biological effects of radiation near the Fukushima nuclear disaster site finds a powerful response in rice seedlings, writes Gregory McCann. The discovery will do nothing to boost consumer confidence in resumed rice exports from the Fukushima region.
Fukushima radiation damages rice genome Gregory McGann | 18th September 2014 News Radiation Japan Food Farming Science Nuclear Power rice-fukushima-cut.jpg Research on the biological effects of …
Campaigners against GM foods have long reviled 'terminator technology' - GM plants whose seeds are engineered never to grow. But are fears of the so-called 'suicide seeds' misplaced?
Terminator technology - what's the fuss about? Mark Lynas Lúcia de Souza | 27th November 2013 Comment Gm Gm Food GMOs Food Farming Health terminator-technology.png Campaigners against GM foods have …
With USDA proposing to redefine GMOs for the purposes of food labeling, the issue is more important than ever, writes Jonathan Latham. It's not just to give consumers' the 'right to know' when they buy GM food, it's also a vital means to empower citizens to fight back against the industrialisation of food and farming, and the monopolies of agribusiness corporations.
… the private sector ( Lima, 2015 ). It's the biology, stupid! The biological truth of GMOs …
The US looks set to approve GM crops that resist the 'Agent Orange' pesticide 2,4-D as well as glyphosate, writes Helena Paul. If it does, the toxic chemical - created in WW2 to destroy enemy food supplies - will soon end up in animal feeds, and the food we eat.
Coming to your table? GMO crops resistant to 'war herbicide' 2,4D Helena Paul | 8th May 2014 News GMOs USA Brazil Argentina Toxics Farming Food EU crop duster-cut.jpg The use of 2,4D - a toxic …
A new paradigm of forest conservation is gaining ground, writes Isaac Rojas: 'financialising' them and the climate and ecological services they provide to global investors. But this is a false solution - and one that excludes the local and indigenous forest communities who can truly be relied upon to sustain their sylvan heritage.
Local communities, not global financiers, are the best forest managers Isaac Rojas Friends of the Earth International | 2nd November 2015 Comment Forests Commons Finance Indigenous Peoples …
A broad community of independent scientific researchers and scholars challenges claims of a 'consensus' that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are 'safe' to grow and eat. The claims - which continue to be widely and often uncritically aired - are a false and artificial construct that have been misleadingly perpetuated through diverse media.
… funding and/or those trained in molecular biology were very likely to have a positive …
The Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology appears to have violated scientific standards by withdrawing a study which found that rats fed on a Monsanto GM corn were more likely to develop cancer than controls. William Engdahl investigates.
Scientific journal retracts study exposing GM cancer risk F. William Engdahl | 5th December 2013 News GMOs Food Health lab-rats.png The Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology appears to have …
Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, has personally attacked eco-defender Carlos Zorrilla in TV broadcasts for resisting a vast new copper mine in a precious area of pristine cloud forest, and opposing the advance of oil exploration into the Amazon. Fearful for his life, Zorilla is now seeking international support for his, and his community's, battle for land, water and the natural world.
Letter from Ecuador - where defending nature and community is a crime Carlos Zorrilla | 25th March 2015 News Ecuador Mining Ecocide Forests Commons Natural World wood-lizard-cut.jpg Secuity guards at …
The rapid deterioration of the world's oceans and the life they contain calls for a breakthrough in their governance, writes Deborah Wright. The seas must be protected, respected and policed as the common heritage of all mankind, and of all generations present and future.
Conserving the Great Blue - a new Law of the Sea to protect our oceans Deborah Wright | 11th February 2015 Comment Oceans Law Commons Fishing Un kelpforest noaa-cut.jpg The rapid deterioration of the …
As 300 protestors gather at the European Commission to protest at the resumption of TTIP trade talks between the EU and the USA, Oliver Tickell finds that the EU's newly released draft 'chapter' on food safety and animal welfare is a disastrous capitulation to corporate interests that will strip governments of their powers to regulate.
… cloning, genetic modification or synthetic biology. The purpose of the draft proposal, in … technologies like nanotechnology, synthetic biology, animal cloning and genetically … microbes being introduced through synthetic biology, unless plant pests are involved." And …
The Royal Society purports to provide unbiased information on scientific issues, writes Steven Druker. But its new guide on GMOs is grossly misleading - glossing over the many dangers inherent to the technology with bland, unsupported re-assurances. The Society must end its partisan promotion of GMOs or risk its reputation as Britain's premier scientific body.
Royal Society must end its partisan, unscientific support for GM crops and food Steven Druker | 13th July 2016 News GMOs Science Health Food Farming royal-society-cut.jpg The Royal Society purports …
As industrial agriculture continues to erode our wildlife, Dave Goulson challenges the methods and objectives of ever-increasing food production. We need to move towards sustainable, evidence-based farming systems that produce healthy food, rather than allowing the agrochemical industry to reshape our farming, countryside and nutrition to its quest for profit.
… January 2016. Dave Goulson is Professor Of Biology (Evolution, Behaviour and Environment) … of London's Marsh Award for Conservation Biology in 2013. He was elected Fellow of the …
Today on World Fisheries Day, fisher peoples and their allies are taking to the streets and beaches to fight against ocean grabbing in all its forms - including Marine Protected Areas imposed without consultation that rob and criminalise local communities and benefit only privileged outsiders.
Marine Protected Areas in South Africa - ocean grabbing by another name Mads Barbesgaard Carsten Pedersen Timothé Feodoroff | 21st November 2014 News Oceans Land Grabs Fishing Africa South Africa …
Scotland's decision to maintain its GM-free status is in the best interests of the country, its people and its farmers, 30 scientists write to Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead. It is abundantly justified by the scientific evidence and will support the sustainable, agroecological farming systems of the future.
… Biosafety Dr David Hookes , PhD in molecular biology, Honorary Senior Research Fellow in …
Jordans cereal bars and Warburtons bread have been found to contain traces of glyphosate - a controversial herbicide that campaigners say poses a risk to human health. Andrew Wasley reports ...
… to mammals. CYP enzymes play crucial roles in biology, one of which is to detoxify … Gilles-Eric Seralini, an expert in molecular biology - triggering an international storm of …
There's no such thing as 'healthy food' if it's not produced by sustainable farming systems on living soils, Patrick Holden told the recent 'Food: The Forgotten Medicine' conference. But after 70 years of industrial farming, there's a huge job to be done to restore our depleted soils and the impoverished genetic diversity of our seeds and crops.
… We need to move away from chemistry to biology in the way that we farm. Nitrogen … are one of the principal reasons why the soil biology has diminished, along with the … and also to re-manure and reinstate the lost biology of the soil. And to give the farmers …
The Oxford Real Farming Conference 2014 begins on Monday. Graham Harvey and Colin Tudge set out its mission: farming systems producing healthy, affordable food in harmony with environment and wildlife.
Manifesto for a new agriculture Graham Harvey Colin Tudge | 2nd January 2013 Comment Food Farming vegetables.png The Oxford Real Farming Conference 2014 begins on Monday. Graham Harvey and Colin …
Vandana Shiva reminds us that the very future of food security in India (and indeed worldwide) lies in protecting and promoting the country's small farmers.
Small is the New Big Vandana Shiva | 28th February 2014 Other Farming Agricutlure Food Food Security Trade Development smallisthe.jpg Vandana Shiva reminds us that the very future of food security in …