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In Hogs We Trust - Part V

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                 This is hardly the first body of research pointing to the hazards of red meat consumption. As the respected Worldwatch Institute concluded some years ago, "The amount of meat in people’s diets has an impact on human health. Eaten in moderation, meat is an important source of iron, zinc, and three vitamins. But a diet high in red and processed meats can lead to a host of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer." So our ruling politicians can hardly plead ignorant of the downsides. And now, even less so. This newest study, the most comprehensive of its kind yet, takes a step beyond past findings."Most strikingly, impacts of (even) the lowest-impact animal products typically exceed those of vegetable substitutes, providing new evidence for the importance of dietary change." The research concludes that meat and dairy provide only18% of the calories and 37% of the protein we consume. Yet they require 83%

International organizations slam Trudeau for pipeline support

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ricochet  One of the many protests against the Kinder Morgan pipeline in Vancouver. Photo by  William Chen. Groups say prime minister’s stance on tar sands negates attempt to position Canada as a global climate leader. Story here.

Special Investigation: How the common agricultural policy promotes pollution - the View From Europe.

The Ecologist. Almost a trillion Euros in taxpayers' money is handed to EU farmers as part of the Common Agricultural Policy. The money is supposed to leverage environmental practices. But an international team of investigative journalists, today publishing with THE ECOLOGIST, has found the cash actually feeds significant pollution. More here.

Nipah virus outbreak in India 'definitely a concern,' Canadian scientist says

CBC news Much is unknown about the virus that is spread by bats, but here are some answers. More here. RELATED: "In Hogs We Trust. Part 3 - the magnitude of disease in the livestock industry."

'It’s wrong to stink up other people’s lives': fighting the manure lagoons of North Carolina

The Guardian Pigs outstripped people in Duplin county long ago - but now the residents are fighting back . More here.

Canada should ban bee-killing neonics in 2018!

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DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION A PinP photo. Europe will ban neonics by the end of the year.  We need parallel action to protect bees in Canada! More here.

Human race just 0.01% of all life but has eradicated most other living things

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The Guardian A clearcut at Bugaboo Creek, B.C. Groundbreaking assessment of all life on Earth reveals humanity’s surprisingly tiny part in it as well as our disproportionate impact. More here. RELATED: "The Sixth Extinction - an Unnatural History," a book review.

Climate change on track to cause major insect wipeout, scientists warn

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TheGuardian A PinP photo. Insects are vital to ecosystems but will lose almost half their habitat under current climate projections. Story here.

Climate change puts city's ash trees at greater risk from killer insect, researchers say

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Winnipeg Free Press Winnipeg's ash tree canopy may be in more imminent danger than anticipated from an invasion of destructive insects because of significant changes to the city's climate. More here. Trees in Pennsylvania killed by the emerald ash borer.  Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service

One-Third of Protected Areas 'Highly Degraded' By Humans, Study Finds

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EcoWatch A traffic jam on the road to the famed Lake Louise in Jasper National Park, Canada. PinP photo. A study published in  Science  Friday presents what authors call a sobering "reality check" on global efforts to protect  biodiversity —one third of all conservation areas set aside as wildlife sanctuaries or  national parks  are "highly degraded" by human activities. More here.

Salmon with side effects: Aquacultures are polluting Chile's rivers with a cocktail of dissolved organic substances

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ScienceNews Salmon farming in Reloncavi Estuary, Chile. Photo by  Pablo RodrĆ­guez Tasty, versatile, and rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids: salmon is one of the most popular edible fish of all. Shops sell fish caught in the wild, but their main produce is salmon from breeding farms which can pollute rivers, lakes and oceans. Just how big is the problem? Scientists are working to answer this question by examining the dissolved organic compounds which enter Chile’s rivers from salmon farms. They warn that these substances are placing huge strain on ecosystems and are changing entire biological communities. More here.