Anti-science, anti-government tactics seen at heart of health emergencies

Food defense information from Department of Homeland Security

Are you against vaccinations?  Do you believe the government is hiding facts about disease and related issues or exaggerating claims about it?  Do you deny climate change is in part caused by man's behaviors?  If so, you are among those seen as part of the growth in health emergencies.

It is a world problem, experts say. The growth of skepticism and those who foster beliefs that are contrary to science can hurt many people.

Growing trees helps save the planet

Oregon maintains and plants trees even in its flagship city, Portland

 "Agroforestry can deliver a wide range of benefits. It can
enhance food security, improve rural livelihoods, make better use of
scarce rainwater and absorb atmospheric carbon."

Dennis Garrity, Director General of the World Agroforestry Centre, made that 

statement in outlining the value of growing more trees on farmlands, especially in poverty-stricken areas.

Increasing trees on farmlands and the productivity of trees can positively affect
food security and poverty and reduce climate change, according to findings from scientists.

More trees can increase the fertility of trees and increase income from the sale of timber.

This has great potential to help the poor people of the world.  It is even being done in North Korea, one of the poorest countries. Agroforestry is a new but old practice but has yields many opportunities to help small farmers..

The World Agroforestry Centre several years ago launched an Agroforestry Policy Initiative at the XXIII World Congress of the International Union ofForest Research Organizations in Seoul, Republic of Korea to support policy reviews and reforms that will stimulate agroforestry and benefit rural people.

"This Initiative will support national and local policy reforms that will reduce barriers and improve incentives for private investment in agroforestry," said Dennis Garrity, Director General of the World Agroforestry Centre.

Changing policies about growing trees can help farmers produce income and help bring them out of poverty, the Centre maintains.  An example has taken place in Niger, where farmers have been growing new trees.  The country has seen a large increase of trees on over 5 million hectares in the past 20 years.

The benefits from growing more trees is substantial.  Trees can provide subsistence needs, people can earn money from the sale of their fruits,nuts, leaves, while producing animal fodder.  There is high value oils,gums and resins, timber and fuelwood for cooking and medicines from different parts of trees.

Many people in Kenya earn their money from trees.  Even in areas where tree cover is low, the impact of having them can be high, the Centre explains.

Agroforestry promises also to reduce future climate change according to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.   Frank Place, Impact Assessment Advisor for the World Agroforestry Centre, tells us. "It is one of the most effective land use systems in storing carbon above and
below ground."

August Temu, Director for Partnerships at the World Agroforestry Centre, said, in outlining the value of growing trees,  "It is also vital to develop smarter and harmonized forestry and agriculture policies that do not inadvertently affect tree management on farms, to recognize the environmental services generated by agroforestry, and reward farmers who nurture the trees that provide these services."

Oregon is one of those states known for its trees. It also has citizens who value the forests and feel they know the benefit of trees in helping spaces for people to enjoy and to help with going green and climate change.  Oregon has been awarded recognition a number of times for its efforts in growing trees.

It is a need around the world, with deforestation taking place from too much over-development of the land, and as scientists say there is great value in maintaining forests and planting trees for securing man's future. 

Hunger Kills: The Beginning

Bob Ewing --Hunger kills. Take a look at the following statistics from the World Food Progamme (WFP):

1- Hunger is the world’s number 1 health risk. Hunger kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
2- There are more hungry people in the world than the combined populations of the United States, Canada and the European Union.



Hunger, at the individual level, is a lack of food in the stomach. The WFP presents three stages of hunger: under-nourishment, malnutrition and wasting. When we consider countries, hunger means the want or scarcity of food in a country. World hunger expands this definition to cover the globe.

In 2010, there were 925 million hungry people in the world; 19 million of them lived in countries considered to be developed such as Canada and the United States.

The key question when it comes to hunger must be obvious, why? There is no shortage of food produced each year. So why are people hunger, easy enough, those who experience hunger do not have enough land to grow their own food or money to buy food in the marketplace. So, they and their children suffer and die, daily.

I have two questions, both of which I will explore over the next few weeks and, as always your thoughts are welcome.

1- Why does this global tragedy not get more coverage, both in the media, in elections and in general conversation?
2- How can we end hunger?

I will state, briefly, for now, my position, hunger is a result of poverty which results from deliberate political policies and personal beliefs which reinforce those policies. We can end hunger and build strong, local, sustainable communities at the same time.

Have you ever been hungry? Have you been in a situation were you are unable to stop the hunger by getting something to eat? Have you ever watched a child die because you could not feed him or her?

Fortunately, for me, my answer to all the above is no, although I have come close on the first two. However, empathy goes along way when it comes to understanding the tragedy both individual and community, that hunger brings.

What do you think?

Bees on decline threaten pollination, food security

TORONTO, ON - GHN News - Bees are declining in numbers.  Why is that important?  It means
pollination is also on the decline, and likely due to climate change,
according to scientists from the University of Toronto.

  “Bee numbers may have declined at our research site, but we suspect that

a climate-driven mismatch between the times when flowers open and when
bees emerge from hibernation is a more important factor,” says James
Thomson, a scientist with U of T’s Department of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology.


Thomson’s did a study over 17 years, in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado,
is one of the longest studies of its kind on pollination.  His results
show the decline in bees has occurred significantly and progressively
during that period.  The results of his study will be published in the
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
on September 6.


“Early in the year, when bumble bee queens are still hibernating, the
fruiting rates are especially low,” Thomson says.  “This is sobering
because it suggests that pollination is vulnerable even in a relatively
pristine environment that is free of pesticides and human disturbance
but still subject to climate change.”


Thomson initiated his research project during the 1980's when he bought
land in a remote area, built a log cabin and set about learning the
habits of bees among the glacier lilies.

Issues of contaminated foods doubly hits Oregon

Carol Forsloff - Oregon is faced not only with the widespread egg recall but also the recall of  some milk products , according to recent health warnings.

The
milk products recall involves Umpqua Dairy.  The recall  has been issued
to retailers in Washington, Oregon and Northern California from the
Oregon Health Authority.  It follow reports of 23 people becoming sick
with the same strain of bacteria that laboratory reports declare is
Salmonella Braenderup.

"This
outbreak has unfolded slowly, and it was just recently that we were
able to confirm the matching salmonella strain in the Umpqua milk
plant," said Dr. Paul Cieslak of the Oregon Public Health Division. "We
want to tell consumers that if they have any Umpqua milk at home, they
should discard it or ask for a refund from the store where it was
purchased. The risk to consumers is very low. We have had approximately
one illness reported for every million containers that Umpqua has sold
during this period."

The
products affected include milk, half-and-half, cream, buttermilk,
orange juice and fruit drinks. Products not affected include ice cream,
sour cream and cottage cheese.

Pat
Walsh of the Eugene-based Ulum Group, said the product recall "is well
in process and will be out (of stores) as soon as possible."  Walsh is
Umpqua's public information spokesman.

Walsh
said he did not have a list of specific retailers in the Salem area
that carry the products but the brand names under the Umpqua label
include Cascade, Great Value, Lady Lee, Market of Choice and Sherm's.
The company also supplies milk to Dairy Queen restaurants in Oregon and
Washington.

Umpqua
Dairy temporarily has suspended operation and is working with state
health and agriculture officials to review its processing systems.

Walsh
stressed that Umpqua products are pasteurized, which is 100 percent
effective at removing salmonella. The outbreak, he said, appeared to be
related to exterior product packaging.

In
addition to the recall related to the dairy products, warnings have
been given to Oregon residents about the major egg recall as Oregon is
among the states that potentially received some of the 380 million
contaminated eggs.

Salmonella victims may have signs that show up 12 to 48 hours after eating or drinking infected food or liquids.  Some of these signs
include watery diarrhea or BMs. possibly with blood in it.   The victim
may have diarrhea with mucus or blood in it, abdominal pain, fever,
headache, chills, sweats, or fatigue.   Other signs include nausea,
vomiting or loss of body water or loss of appetite.

Salmonella is found by testing your BMs. Mild cases last 1 to 4 days and can be treated at home.

There
can be, however, significant side effects for young children, seniors
and those with compromised immune systems.  Rare and unusual problems
are reactive arthritis or Reiter's syndrome, which can create visual
problems and joint pain.