April 17 is International Bat Appreciation Day! In celebration of these sometimes unsung nocturnal pollinators, a new study has demonstrated how bats can be allies of agriculture, as they feed on important crop “pests.” The researchers found that encouraging bats can be beneficial for conservation efforts, as well as local farmers, a press release from […]
The European Union’s nature restoration law, which had set out to restore 20% of land and sea areas in the EU by 2030, has now been postponed indefinitely after a vote to pass the bill on Monday was canceled. The nature restoration law was initially proposed in June 2022 and has spent the last several […]
According to key findings from the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s latest Annual Methane Tracker, in 2023, global methane emissions from fossil fuels stayed close to a record high despite new global reduction pledges. Human activities like agriculture, oil and gas production and the accumulation of food waste in landfills produce methane — a much more […]
Quick Key Facts The Endangered Species Act To understand what “endangered species” means, it’s important to unpack the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which followed the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the first piece of federal endangered species legislation. Enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1973, the ESA states that the federal government has a […]
Nutrient depletion in agricultural soil is nothing new. There have been numerous studies and concerns about the depletion of nutrient-rich topsoil and the loss of nutrients like carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, but scientists are now warning about the depletion of potassium in soil. In a study published in the journal Nature Food, scientists highlight how […]
Our food choices can have substantial environmental impacts. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, worldwide food production — especially animal agriculture — is the main cause of biodiversity loss. One of the major reasons is that livestock and their feed require a great deal of land. Certain foods — such as Indian kidney bean […]
Some grocery chains are moving to help protect pollinators by requiring their suppliers to stop using nitroguanidine neonicotinoids, or neonics. Chains including Whole Foods and Kroger have recently outlined policies that will ban the use of neonics in crop production. Whole Foods’ policy also applies to its floral department. According to the Whole Foods policy, […]
Government employees in Bangkok have been ordered to work from home for the next two days in order to avoid a thick layer of noxious smog covering the city. On Thursday, authorities warned that air pollution levels in Thailand’s capital and neighboring provinces had reached unhealthy levels, reported Reuters. Non-government employees have been urged to […]
The latest Census of Agriculture from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) raises concerns over a loss of small farms and a growth in larger farms, while also showing some promise with the growth of renewable energy implementation in agriculture. The USDA completes a Census of Agriculture every five years to count the nation’s farms […]