Some stories on the environment that caught my attention today.
Smarter Housing Development with Eco-Towns
Shelter England, a housing and homeless charity, is one of the leaders of a coalition of organizations in the creation of a number of eco-towns spread around England. These eco-towns aim at affordable housing with a zero carbon impact as a whole. I hope that this is an idea that will spread to other places.
Where has the Sea Life Gone?
A video comparing the ocean life seen on two trips across the Pacific, from California to Hawaii, titled Empty Oceans.
The first trip took place in 1958, and the second in 2008.
Loss of Biodiversity Illustrated in New Stamps
The Australia Post is working to raise awareness of the loss of biodiversity in Australia with a new series of stamps, which were issued today.
One of the MegaFauna stamps shows a Kangaroo weighing 200 kilograms (Procoptodon goliah). Another features the Tasmanian Tiger. Four other ancient animals fill out the set. The artist, Peter Trusler, has created other stamps for the Australia post, including a series on birds of prey to support conservation, and dinosaurs.
I was first introduced to the idea of Fair Trade a few years back when a nearby store opened, selling Fair Trade clothing, crafts, coffee, and chocolate. I’ve discovered since then that the term “Fair Trade” refers to a few different concepts.
There’s a Fair Trade certification, run in the US by TransFair USA.
Fair Trade certification is a market-based model benefiting over a million farmers and farm workers in 58 developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. When a consumer buys something with a Fair Trade label, they are making sure that the makers and growers of these products are getting a fair wage for their efforts.
What is covered under the TransFair USA Certification?
Coffee,
Tea and herbs,
Cocoa and chocolate,
Fresh fruit,
Sugar,
Rice,
Flowers,
Vanilla,
Honey and spices
More than 35,000 retail establishments in the United States carry Fair Trade certified products.
