In this fabulous episode from the Environmental news network we are looking at more news that actually matters.
First of all Jason tells us about malaria and the epidemic within Africa. The issue of malaria is not just an issue in Africa because it does exist in other countries. There are breeding techniques that change the males sterile and therefore destroy the concentration in certain areas. There is a clever idea that’s come out of Burundi which is in east Africa and they have made a bar of soap. The soap contains sheer butter and African marigold that are naturally anti malaria. Now this invention was very clever because they have made a natural repellent which people can use all over South Africa and is contained within the soap. Now the soap is affordable and that is a good example of a natural invention using natural ingredients and is very environmentally friendly.
Next for discussion is the UK and how wind turbines have been causing health problems such as headaches and sickness. There has been an invention of new small turbines called micro turbines. This is good because it helps to decentralised the grid. Moreover there has been research into whether there is any actual health damage from wind turbines which it shows there is not.
There is a strong possibility that the sound that is coming from a massive wind turbine is not actually as bad as is made out. It is more of an aesthetical issue for people that live within the range of the turbines. Sadly some people value the look of their hills and valleys more than the good that’s brought from wind turbines.
Next we hear about the new genetically modified salmon that Canada has created. Should the genetically modified salmon go into the wild however what will be the end result if the modified salmon breeds with a real salmon? This is an issue because we are playing around with the creation of life and is this something as humans we are really permitted to do.
It’s not been long since the largest deep water oil spill and the Norwegian government has opened up a massive area of the sea to oil exploitation. This is a step backwards because Norway is otherwise a very forward thinking country but they are now going back into making money from oil.
We are still being distracted by irrelevant news around the world and it seems to be at times that ENN are the only ones that care about the real matters.
Links: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/uk-wind-power-production-record-britain-renewable-energy-a8164081.html , https://www.ft.com/content/a120d578-567e-11e7-9fed-c19e2700005f , https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/first-genetically-engineered-salmon-sold-in-canada/
By Alex Mitchison
