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EcoUniv Weekend Reads: Dec 2020
EcoUniv Weekend Reads #43
6 December 2020
Pre-historic art: Rock art from around 12000 years ago in the Amazonian rainforests shows humans living with (and hunting) megafauna.
https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/amazon-rainforest-ice-age-paintings-scli-intl/index.html
Animal Behavior: Breakthrough theory suggests emotions and mood underpin animal behaviour, much like in humans
Green Business: Nestle reveals a plan to get to net zero emissions by 2050. It involves working with over 500K farmers and 150K suppliers to support them in implementing regenerative agriculture practices. The company also plans to plant 20 million trees every year for the next 10 years in the areas where it sources ingredients.
Press Release: https://www.nestle.com/media/pressreleases/allpressreleases/nestle-efforts-combat-climate-change
Detailed Plan: https://www.nestle.com/sites/default/files/2020-12/nestle-net-zero-roadmap-en.pdf
EcoUniv Weekend Reads #44
13 December 2020
Research – Ecology: Introducing herbivores into a landscape may actually improve ecological function. They “restore trait combinations that have the capacity to influence ecosystem processes, such as wildfire and shrub expansion in drylands.”
Extinction & Conservation: In an update from IUCN on the status of 130,000 species of plants and animals, 31 species were found to be extinct, while some degree of conservation success was reported for around 25 species. All of the world’s freshwater dolphins are now threatened.
Environmental Education: In the “Understanding the Learner” series, this week we focus on ten-year olds (fifth grade).
Pollution: Coca-Cola, PepsiCo & Nestle are the world’s worst plastic polluter for third consecutive year.
EcoUniv Weekend Reads #45
20 December 2020
The uneasy relationship between birds and powerlines:
In Scotland, murmurations of starlings cause power outages…
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-55334891
…and in India, the window to save a majestic bird from going extinct is closing fast, because we are not ready to move powerlines underground.
Biodiversity: 20 new species found, and lost wildlife rediscovered, in the Bolivian Andes
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/13/americas/new-species-bolivian-andes-spc-intl-scn/index.html
Conservation: Interview of a snow leopard expert
EcoUniv Weekend Reads #46
27 December 2020
Economics: A new framework for understanding ecological inequity combines ideas from sociologist Johan Galtung and economist Herman Daly.
Agriculture: 40% of India’s farmers want to quit their profession due to the growing spiral of debt.
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/here-s-why-40-of-india-s-farmers-want-to-quit-61177
Forests: Many of the world’s oldest trees are dying. From 1900 to 2015, the world lost more than a third of its old-growth forests.