Posted by Ted Hopton on August 3, 2008
I remember being terrified of jellyfish when I was a small child, but I don’t think I ever actually was stung by one. This NYT article about the dramatic increase in jellyfish along shorelines around the world is worrisome not just from a tourism standpoint. When nature sends us a message as loud as this one, we’d better listen. There’s no simple answer, of course — there never is to big problems.
Let’s just add it to the long list of daunting challenges we are facing these days…
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Posted in Animals, Environment, Outdoors, Science, Travel, Trends | No Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on May 31, 2008
I got my first detailed, in-depth look at the problems of the industrial farming complex when I read Michael Pollan’s eye-opening book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma (which I highly recommend). This NYT editorial cites two reports, one by the Pew Charitable Trust and one by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
As new reports make it clear, the efficiency of industrial animal production is an illusion, made possible by prisonlike confinement systems.
Not only is the efficiency an illusion, it’s actually a disaster all around. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Animals, Economics, Environment, Ethics, Food, Health, Human Interest, Politics, Research | No Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on May 11, 2008
Farming has the potential to go through the greatest upheaval since the Green Revolution, bringing harvests that are more healthful, sustainable and flavorful.
Posted in Economics, Environment, Food | No Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on May 1, 2008
It’s pretty funny that this reporter for the Huffington Post tried contacting all kinds of different experts to find anyone who would say the gas holiday proposed by McCain and Clinton is a good idea. He got no takers!
Over the past several days, some of the nation’s leading economic and political pundits have weighed in critically on the proposal of both Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain to institute a gas tax holiday this summer.
Frankly, you only need to understand Economics 101’s fundamental concept, supply and demand, to understand why the gas holiday won’t do anything constructive. And you just have to do the math to figure out how little extra money you might possibly have in your pocket, anyway, to realize that the benefits promised to consumers are minimal.
But if you understand American Politicians 101 even a little, it’s easy to see why McCain and Clinton have proposed this plan. It’s politics as usual.
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Posted in Economics, Environment, Politics, Trends | No Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on May 1, 2008
This column by Nicholas Kristof is not so much about bats as it is about ways to approach rain forest conservation.
Instead of living in harmony with the rain forest — or only as parasitically as, say, a vampire bat — we’re destroying the jungle in ways that contribute hugely to global warming.
Posted in Animals, Environment | No Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on April 24, 2008
Fascinating! First, because it’s amazing to consider how close “we” came to extinction and second, that such understanding can be achieved through studying the human genome.
The human population at that time was reduced to small isolated groups in Africa, apparently because of drought, according to an analysis released Thursday.
Posted in Environment, Human Interest, Research, Science | No Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on April 21, 2008
As a rule, you should always read NYT Magazine articles by Michael Pollan. They are long but worth it.
There are so many stories we can tell ourselves to justify doing nothing, but perhaps the most insidious is that, whatever we do manage to do, it will be too little too late. Climate change is upon us, and it has arrived well ahead of schedule.
(Photo: Thomas Hannich)
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Posted in Environment, Ethics, Human Interest, Science, Trends | No Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on April 19, 2008
If you been dreaming of picking up roots, living on the edge, or literally going out on a limb in terms of eco-lifestyle possibilities, then Finca Bellavista: A Sustainable Rainforest Community might be just the thing for you.
Posted in Costa Rica, Environment, Travel | 2 Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on April 19, 2008
A Costa Rican trek served as a metaphor for the difficulty many executives are having as they transition from niche marketers to big-business men.
Posted in Costa Rica, Environment, Ethics, Innovation, Management | No Comments »
Posted by Ted Hopton on April 19, 2008
Ultimately, it is the consumer who will pay the greatest price if the federal government continues to prevent the local food movement from expanding.
Posted in Economics, Environment, Health, Politics | No Comments »
