-
In a first, UK scientists estimate the economic impact of herbicidal resistance
Scott E. Rupp Food & BeverageScientists from the Zoological Society of London have recently done something significant, if not innovative. These researchers are part of an effort that, for the first time, has placed a number on the damage caused by herbicidal resistance of a major agricultural weed. An estimated 4 million tons of pesticide are applied to crops worldwide each year, the report noted. As of 2019, 253 known herbicide-resistant weeds exist, and estimates of the costs of resistance to agricultural xenobiotics are severely lacking.
-
F-Gas turns the screw again
Andrew Gaved Facilities & GroundsThis column has reported many times over the years on the progress of the F-Gas regulations, as the legislation seeks to achieve its ultimate goal of reducing refrigerant emissions in Europe. But 2020 marks a significant year for both the legislation and the industry that must comply with it. It is expected to change refrigerant buying habits as the once-ubiquitous R404A disappears from wholesalers' shelves. The F-Gas legislation, now in its second iteration, came into force in 2015 and has put the industry under pressure with its unique combination of restrictions.
-
The significant food trends of 2020 include vertical farms, periodic fasting
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageFood trends for 2020 will follow a green and sustainable pattern. A recent New York Times article stated that the cause of the year is our planet. In the midst of rising climate change, food insecurity, and consumers' worry about the environmental impact of foods, choices will matter. The focuses on vertical farming and earth-friendly ingredients and practices will increase as farmers try out regenerative techniques to control weeds, improve soil, and sequester carbon for improved soil health.
-
During bushfire crisis, Australia’s koala ‘beds are burning’…
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalAs the world watches Australia burn, recall the indignant 1987 song "Beds are Burning" by Sydney band Midnight Oil. The lyrics prove prescient: "Four wheels scare the cockatoos/From Kintore, east to Yuendemu/The Western Desert lives and breathes/In forty-five degrees." The country's devastating wildfires make four scary wheels the least of the cockatoos' problems, and recent numbers indicate Australia's planetarily unique biodiversity and surrounding interdependent human communities are changed forever.
-
How travel will change in 2020
Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementA travel and tourism forecast by the U.S. Travel Association projects that global long-haul travel will see 4.8% growth annually through 2023. However, the way we travel will change. According to a recent Forbes article, travel in 2020 will embrace sustainability in all forms. The intense focus on responsible travel and tourism will be reflected in travelers' choice of transport. Modes of travel are already shifting from airlines and automobiles to trains, trams, boats, ships, and pedal bikes. 2020 will redefine travel by reintroducing "slow" travel.
-
Diminishing bug populations may cause ecological ‘collapse’
Dave G. Houser Waste Management & EnvironmentalWe have a major bug problem — and ironically it is the bugs, not we humans, that are threatened. The first global scientific review of insect populations published last February in the U.K. reveals that insect population declines around the world threaten to cause a "catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems." A follow-up report last November in the journal Biological Conservation concluded, "Insects around the world are rapidly declining. Their absence would have devastating consequences for life on the planet."
-
As 2020 begins, news from the Arctic offers scant environmental hope
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalThe late 2019 Madrid U.N. Climate Summit didn’t offer much in the way of good news regarding international consensus on climate goals. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has also produced its annual report on the Arctic that does not bode well for the future, as a major climate date, the year 2020, is now here. There's perhaps no better litmus test for climate health than Arctic ice, which is melting at a pace that concerns more than just scientists and climate change activists.
-
Big agribusiness firms move toward biologicals, away from chemical-based…
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalIs agribusiness going green? Increasingly, the sector appears trained on becoming more natural and sustainable compared to chemical alternatives. The change is driven by consumers demanding non-genetically modified foods and concerns over Big Ag’s role in pollution and chemical waste. These changes are being made possible by innovations and developments with beneficial microorganisms in the soil, including seed coatings of naturally occurring bacteria and fungi that can do the same work as traditional chemicals.
-
New trade era will require pro-labor policies, green manufacturing
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingFor those scratching their heads over the fate of U.S. manufacturing, recent global economic developments don't halt the confusion, but do offer guidelines for any Green New Deal-type initiatives in the works. The Dec. 12 U.K. general election confirmed pro-Brexit Boris Johnson as Prime Minister just as the U.S. finalized talks with China in a deal to be signed at a later date. Key provisions in the U.S.-China agreement cover strengthened intellectual property protection, currency manipulation avoidance, and financial service access. Additionally, the U.S. will export $200 billion in energy and agricultural and manufactured products while lifting tariffs on Chinese goods.
-
USMCA covers international labor rights, leaves out climate change
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingAfter a recent deal between the White House and Democrats in the House of Representatives, an updated version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) — the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) — will likely be approved by Congress, albeit not imminently. How are trade relations and prevailing concerns for labor, the environment, and human rights addressed in the USMCA?
All Waste Management & Environmental Articles