Stories about Environment from October, 2012
France : Mystery of Blue Honey Bees Solved
Vkarole writes [fr] that bees in Ribeauvillé, France (Alsace region) started to produce a mysterious blue honey. After an investigation, the beekeepers determined that the color came from a dye used by M&M's factory in the vicinity where a few bees would gather.
Preserving Southeast Asia's Peatlands
Peat swamp forests in Southeast Asia cover approximately 35 million hectares in the region. An inter-nation network was set-up to preserve the peatlands which play a ‘critical role in the economy and ecology of the region – providing timber and non-timber forest products, water supply, flood control and many other...
Mauritania: Destructive Gold Mining
From Mauritania, Ahmed Jedou writes [ar] about the the abuse of multinationals of gold mining in his country. Despite having the world's second largest gold mine, he says government corruption means Mauritanians benefit very little from the operation. Jedou also highlights the environmental impact of mining.
China: Golden Week Holiday Chaos
China's week-long National Day holiday has again brought chaos due to limited capacity, with news and images of blocked roads and littered tourist spots spreading across micro-blogs. Some suggest that it is about time to review the Golden Week Holiday policy.
Puerto Rico: Urban Gardens Instead of Trash
The blog Huertas urbanas [es] (Urban Garden) highlights different efforts on the island to promote agriculture, especially the urban gardens. Of special interest is the urban garden created for the residents of the Capetillo community in San Juan, whose land was transformed from a land dump to a community garden for the...
Macedonia: Skopje Zoo Improvements Continue
Vasil Buraliev blogged [mk] about further improvements of the Skopje Zoo, noted in 2010 by Global Voices [en, mk, sq, nl, zh, zh, es].
France, Africa: The Debate on Genetically Modified Organisms Grows Contentious
A two year scientific study studying the effects of genetically modified organisms on laboratory rats has been conducted by a team of French researchers. The researchers arrived at conclusions which have reawakened debate on the effects of GMOs.
Brazil: Sany Kalapalo – Young, Indigenous and a Xingu Activist
Sany Kalapalo, a young indigenous from the Xingu region, is only 22 years old and is one of the more active voices against the construction of Belo Monte hydroelectric powerplant, in the Xingu river, in the Brazilian state of Pará. Meet her in the first part of this interview she gave to Global Voices Online.
China: Holiday Trash
Alia from Offbeat China collected some pictures from social media platforms showing the trash scenes in touristic sites as a result of 8-day holiday for the Mid Autumn Day and the National Day.
Peru: Monoculture Puts Iquitos Water at Risk
In this third and final post about the water problem in the city of Iquitos we focus on monocultures in the Nanay River and the controversy this issue causes between those who support this type of crop and those who advise avoiding it.
Amazon: Improving Public’s Perception of the Forest
InfoAmazonia is a platform that brings together organizations and journalists from nine countries of one of the most biodiverse areas in the world to freely provide news and reports of the endangered Amazon region. The website maps deforestation, fires, oil and mining, and calls for public participation through the submission...
Burkina Faso: Architect Innovates with Sustainable Primary School
Architect Diébédo Francis Kéré has designed a sustainable primary school in Gando, Burkina Faso, using mud bricks and corrugated iron. The innovative design allows much needed light and ventilation in a village where temperatures sometimes reach 104° F.