Coles shopper cuts open red capsicum to discover family of caterpillars The red capsicum purchased from Kurralta Park Coles in South Australia. Photo: Facebook It's The Very Hungry Caterpillar – the sequel. A shopper made a not so tasty discovery after buying fruit and veg at a Coles in South Australia, unearthing a family of caterpillars after chopping open a red capsicum. Matthew Wilson posted a photo of his multi-legged find on Coles' Facebook page on Monday, joking that he "took some friends home with us" after visiting the Kurralta Park store. The shopper said he would still eat the vegetable in his wife's "tasty chicken stir fry" but would probably look for "caterpillar-free red capsicum in the future". "I would like to thank you for providing me with groceries that are indeed fresh," he said. The post, which has been liked more than 7500 times on Facebook, has sparked a debate about the freshness of fruit and vegetables sold at the major supermarket chains. "How is Coles supposed to know there a bug in it?
How To Build A Solar-Powered Still To Purify Drinking Water The author’s solar still, with one pan in it. The still actually has room for two of these. Note that the glass top is at an angle, allowing the water to flow down to the catch tube. Everyone agrees that water is needed for survival and articles abound for how to find water and purify it for drinking. But all those articles have one thing in common: They are talking about purifying water from biological hazards. Normally, the biggest hazards we face from drinking water are microorganisms: bacteria, protozoa and other parasites which can enter our system and make us quite sick. While those biological hazards are important, they aren’t the only thing we can find in our drinking water. Distillation is a simple process, although it can be difficult to accomplish in quantity. The really great thing about distillation is that nothing else evaporates with the water. A solar still, like many solar collector devices, consists of a glass-covered box, which is painted on the inside.
Right of reply: Monsanto responds to the Undercurrent video | Science Last week the Guardian published a video called “Why are we being fed by a poison expert: Monsanto and Roundup” on its news website, under the science and agriculture banner. While the video was at times humorous, the content contained errors regarding Monsanto, the ethics of our people and the safety of our products. Some of the statements made in this video are incorrect and damaging not just to Monsanto, but to farmers and the important role they play in feeding and clothing the world’s rapidly growing population. Although there are several inaccuracies that we think deserve to be corrected, I want to directly address a couple of the most inaccurate claims made by this video. Firstly, the safety of glyphosate and any of Monsanto’s other agricultural products is a matter we take very seriously. Glyphosate has recorded over 40 years of safe use and has been the subject of over 800 studies all of which have confirmed its safety.
DIY Solar Still How To Make Your Own Distilled Water Make your own distilled water from stream or lake water, salt water, or even brackish, dirty water, using these DIY Solar Still Plans. With just a few basic building materials, a sheet of glass and some sunshine, you can purify your own water at no cost and with minimal effort. Distilled water is not just for drinking, and it’s always worth keeping a few gallons of it on hand. • Always refill the lead-acid batteries used for solar energy systems or automobiles with distilled water • Water delicate plants like orchids with distilled water; minerals and additives like fluoride or chlorine that are present in most tap water can harm plants • Distilled water mixed with antifreeze is recommended for car radiators, as it’s less corrosive • Steam irons become clogged with mineral deposits unless you use distilled water The box is built from 3/4 ” BC-grade plywood, painted black on the inside to absorb heat. How to Make a Solar Still 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Department of Agriculture 5.1 Maintaining food security in Australia Food security encompasses various factors that shape the food supply for individuals, families and communities. While there are many definitions of food security the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines food security as: when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO 2009). In Australia we are in the enviable position of having adequate quantities of high–quality food to feed our population. Australia’s food is supplied through domestic production and imports. We produce enough food today to feed around 60 million people (PMSIEC 2010). Australia faces challenges to food production, including climate change, resource constraints (such as water, fertiliser, energy and land) and a slowdown in agricultural productivity growth (PMSEIC 2010). Our Goal For 2025 5.1.1 Reducing food insecurity in Australia
How to Make a Solar Still - DIY With high energy costs and a warming planet that needs cleaner fuel sources, the time has never been better to get involved with solar energy. DIY Solar Projects (Creative Publishing International, 2011) by Eric Smith contains how-to instructions for many achievable, clever projects you can make and install in order to create your own solar lifestyle. Hundreds of people are doing it, and you can too. The following excerpt is taken from the chapter, “Solar Still.” You can purchase this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: DIY Solar Projects. Make Your Own Distilled Water Make your own distilled water from stream or lake water, salt water, or even brackish, dirty water, using these DIY Solar Still Plans. Distilled water is not just for drinking, and it’s always worth keeping a few gallons of it on hand. • Always refill the lead-acid batteries used for solar energy systems or automobiles with distilled water • Steam irons become clogged with mineral deposits unless you use distilled water
Department of Agriculture 5.2 Ensuring the safety of our food supply Australia has one of the safest food supplies in the world, with a world–class system to manage safety across the food supply chain. We work in partnership with state and territory governments and the New Zealand Government using a risk–based regulatory approach. This is consistent with international obligations and scientific best practice. The safety of our food supply is critical to maintaining the health and wellbeing of our population. Despite an impressive safety record, we cannot afford to become complacent. Ensuring food safety into the future will require vigilance. Our Goal For 2025 Australia will be considered to be in the top three countries in the world for food safety, increasing the reputation of Australia’s exports. By 2025 we would like to see Australia as one of the top three countries in the world for food safety, improving the wellbeing of Australians and increasing the already good reputation of our exports. Food as culture Food is part of all of our lives
Solar Water Still Construction You can use stills in various areas of the world. They draw moisture from the ground and from plant material. You need certain materials to build a still, and you need time to let it collect the water. Aboveground Still To make the aboveground still, you need a sunny slope on which to place the still, a clear plastic bag, green leafy vegetation, and a small rock (Figure 6-6). To make the still-- Fill the bag with air by turning the opening into the breeze or by "scooping" air into the bag. To get the condensed water from the still, loosen the tie around the bag's mouth and tip the bag so that the water collected around the rock will drain out. Change the vegetation in the bag after extracting most of the water from it. Belowground Still To make a belowground still, you need a digging tool, a container, a clear plastic sheet, a drinking tube, and a rock (Figure 6-7). To construct the still-- Dig a bowl-shaped hole about 1 meter across and 60 centimeters deep. Back to Water Procurement
What Eating 40 Teaspoons of Sugar a Day Can Do to You - The New York Times Soda has been a major target in the debate over sugar and its role in the obesity crisis. But high levels of added sugars can be found in many seemingly healthful foods, from yogurts to energy bars and even whole-grain bread. A new movie called “That Sugar Film” seeks to educate consumers about the hazards of consuming too much added sugar, which can be found in an estimated 80 percent of all supermarket foods. The new documentary stars an Australian actor-director, Damon Gameau, who modeled his movie after “Super Size Me,” the 2004 film that followed Morgan Spurlock as he consumed an all-McDonald’s diet for 30 days. To see the full article, subscribe here. Soda has been a major target in the debate over sugar and its role in the obesity crisis. A new movie called “That Sugar Film” seeks to educate consumers about the hazards of consuming too much added sugar, which can be found in an estimated 80 percent of all supermarket foods.
Atmospheric water generator Device that extracts drinkable water from humid air An atmospheric water generator (AWG), is a device that extracts water from humid ambient air, producing potable water. Water vapor in the air can be extracted either by condensation - cooling the air below its dew point, exposing the air to desiccants, using membranes that only pass water vapor, collecting fog,[1] or pressurizing the air. AWGs are useful where potable water is difficult to obtain, because water is always present in ambient air. AWG may require significant energy inputs, or operate passively, relying on natural temperature differences. History[edit] The Incas were able to sustain their culture above the rain line by collecting dew and channeling it to cisterns for later distribution.[2] Historical records indicate the use of water-collecting fog fences. Brine extraction technology was contracted by the US Army and the US Navy from Terralab and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).[3] Technologies[edit] Power[edit]
Gina Rinehart moves into milk WITH construction of her massive Roy Hill iron ore mine past the halfway mark, Gina Rinehart has turned her attention towards another highly lucrative commodity: milk. MS Rinehart's Hope Dairies is looking to spend around $500 million on 5,000 hectares of Queensland farmland to create what's tipped to be one of the country's biggest dairy farms. The plan is to produce baby formula and UHT milk to meet rising demand for dairy products in China. Once up and running, the farm is expected to produce an estimated 30,000 tonnes of infant formula a year, all of it for Chinese consumption. "Gina Rinehart has had a lifelong association with the agriculture industry and she has teamed up with a great deal of expertise in Queensland to build another export industry with huge potential for Australia," a spokesman for Ms Rinehart said.
'Food deserts': Grocery dead zones have serious health impacts for residents, experts say Updated Public health experts have begun mapping Australia's so-called 'food deserts' and are finding the consequences for the people who live in them are extremely serious. The term is used to describe places where there is limited access to shops that sell healthy food, and an abundance of unhealthy takeaway options. A food desert exists where it is more than 1,600 metres to the nearest grocer, and less than that distance to the nearest takeaway shop. Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek. Audio: Food deserts cropping up in Australia. Doctor Thomas Astell-Burt from the University of Western Sydney has spent the last year mapping Australia's food deserts. "A person gets home from a hard day's slog at work or picking up the kids or looking after dependents, then it's easier, and more convenient to go to the fast food retailer or the take away", he said. He said the high rate of type 2 diabetes was having flow on effects.
What’s On My Food? :: Pesticides On Food The biggest cause of global warming that nobody’s talking about LAST UPDATED: 21 August 2015 Even if Prime Minister Tony Abbott hasn’t come around to the idea yet, most of us would agree that if we want planet Earth to sustain life for generations to come, we need cleaner energy. We need cleaner energy to fuel our cars, our homes, our cities… If advances in green tech can overcome these challenges, we will have solved a big piece of the climate puzzle. But not all the big pieces… What about the energy we use to fuel our bodies? Turns out, this is the biggest question of all. What makes animal agriculture so inefficient? Efficiency 101: Farmed animals consume more food than they produce. That doesn’t even begin to address the damaging greenhouse gas emissions released from the millions upon millions of ‘food’ animals belching and farting all day long. So why is nobody talking about it? The good news is that people are now starting to talk about it. So it is being talked about. Slaughter-free meat cultured in a lab could help solve the climate crisis