Navigation Links
Cheap love costs the Earth
Date:2/13/2009

Ecology and conservation biologist at the University of Leicester, Dr David Harper, who has conducted research for over 25 years at Lake Naivasha in Kenya, today warned that cut-price Valentine roses exported for sale in the UK were 'bleeding that country dry'.

Dr Harper, of the University's Department of Biology where he is a senior lecturer, claimed that cheap roses grown by companies that had no concern for the environment were having a devastating effect on the ecology of Lake Naivasha- the centre of Kenya's horticultural industry.

Instead, Dr Harper urged UK shoppers to buy Fair Trade roses, produced by companies that were conscientious and had a transparent supply chain.

Dr Harper said: "Roses that come cheap are grown by companies that have no concern for the environment, who cut corners and avoid legislation, who sell their flowers into the auction in Amsterdam so that all the buyer knows is the flowers "come from Holland".

"In reality, they have come from Kenya where the industry is - literally - draining that country dry."

However, some companies took a more responsible approach and sold direct to British supermarkets - many of them being "Fair Trade" certified.

Said Dr Harper: "These companies want a sustainable future for the wildlife and the environment, as well as the people, where they grow their roses. Sadly, there are not enough of them.

"At Lake Naivasha, the good companies make up about half of the total. That is not enough; together, the industry is sucking the lake dry. The country's legislation is strong, but its enforcement is weak so companies whose only interest is profit take advantage of that."

Dr Harper said the demand for the ten thousand tonnes of roses sold in the UK for Valentine's Day and for Mother's Day had contributed to the devastation of the ecosystem at the lake.

Almost half a million people now live around the shores of the lake - drawn ther
'/>"/>

Contact: Dr. David Harper
dmh@le.ac.uk
University of Leicester
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Nanotech could make solar energy as easy and cheap as growing grass
2. Twinkle after-effect can help retinal patients detect vision loss quickly and cheaply
3. The power of multiples: Connecting wind farms can make a more reliable - and cheaper - power source
4. Cheaper drugs now closer to realization with new DropArray technology
5. Iowa State researchers look for smaller, cheaper, 1-dose vaccines
6. Pharmaceutical breakthrough may make a range of drugs cheaper and more available
7. Substantial improvement in essential cheap solar cell process
8. New cheaper method for mapping disease genes
9. TGen investigators devise faster, cheaper way of analyzing the human genome
10. Caltech scientists develop barcode chip for cheap, fast blood tests
11. Biologists expose hidden costs of firefly flashes
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/24/2013)... Studying complex systems like ecosystems can get messy, especially ... big unknowns like climate change. , In a ... Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , ... a fundamental assumption at the very heart of a ... To model how climate changes may impact biodiversity, researchers ...
(Date:5/24/2013)... frequently expressed concern in the ongoing public health debate ... those that are nutrient dense. A new study, ... Most Nutrients Per Penny," published in the journal ... the best nutritional values in the produce aisle, providing ... most other raw vegetables and delivering one of the ...
(Date:5/24/2013)... of the world,s largest and fastest growing open-access publishers, ... Frontiers in Physics . , A broad scope journal ... provide an open-science and interactive web platform for the ... articles. , Frontiers, real-time and interactive peer-review enables ... article types. With an average of three months from ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Understanding the past and predicting the future by looking across space and time 2New research shows that potatoes provide one of the best nutritional values per penny 2Frontiers launches new open-access journal in physics 2Frontiers launches new open-access journal in physics 3
... Salts Emerging as New Recreational Drugs, (#1120069, Wednesday, ... bath salts as recreational drugs has greatly escalated in ... Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma describe an incident ... who also exhibited violent behavior upon his emergency department ...
... Exposure in the womb to bisphenol A (BPA) ... other consumer goods is associated with behavior and ... led by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health ... Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia. BPA ...
... identifying ideal drug combinations from billions of others which ... in Nature Chemical Biology , could be the ... to combat severe diseases and conditions. Most non-infectious ... by inflammation, which is the body,s natural defence mechanism. ...
Cached Biology News:CHEST 2011: Embargoed studies highlight new lung health research 2CHEST 2011: Embargoed studies highlight new lung health research 3CHEST 2011: Embargoed studies highlight new lung health research 4CHEST 2011: Embargoed studies highlight new lung health research 5CHEST 2011: Embargoed studies highlight new lung health research 6Exposure to chemical BPA before birth linked to behavioral, emotional difficulties in girls 2Manchester's 'first step' to perfect drug combinations 2
(Date:5/25/2013)... 25, 2013 Significant research in quantum ... been recognized with presentation of awards by the ... made 16 April during the SPIE Optics and Optoelectronics ... for optics and photonics , is an International Society ... University was presented with the 2011 ICO Galileo Galilei ...
(Date:5/25/2013)... Dennis R. HIll M.D. Radiation Oncologist at ... that recently there has been a promotion of the idea ... permanent seed, or low dose rate, brachytherapy for prostate cancer. ... energy, a shorter half life, and gives a higher biologically ... 131 has a higher average energy than the other commonly ...
(Date:5/24/2013)... Dr. Ingrid Warmuth and Anamaria Newport, MHS, PA-C, with ... announce an Open House at their Swedesboro location, 95 Woodstown ... from 10 AM to 2 PM. , During the ... will be on hand to talk to people about the ... complimentary cosmetic consultations. There will also be specials offered, such ...
(Date:5/24/2013)... WA (PRWEB) May 24, 2013 ... engineers, and industry suppliers will present technologies with ... at the annual SPIE Optics and Photonics ... Organized by SPIE, the international society for ... largest international, multidisciplinary optical sciences and technology meeting ...
Breaking Biology Technology:ICO Honors Three with Awards during SPIE Optics and Optoelectronics 2ICO Honors Three with Awards during SPIE Optics and Optoelectronics 3Dennis R. Hill MD HDR Prostate Brachytherapy Specialist Compares Prostate Cancer Treatment Options: Not All Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy Isotopes Are the Same 2Dennis R. Hill MD HDR Prostate Brachytherapy Specialist Compares Prostate Cancer Treatment Options: Not All Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy Isotopes Are the Same 3See What’s in Earth’s Future ? and Out in Space Now ? at SPIE Optics and Photonics 2See What’s in Earth’s Future ? and Out in Space Now ? at SPIE Optics and Photonics 3See What’s in Earth’s Future ? and Out in Space Now ? at SPIE Optics and Photonics 4
... Mass. and CLEARWATER, Fla., Sept. 10 ... whole blood analyzers, and CCS Medical, Inc. a leading ... have reached a definitive agreement under which Nova Biomedical,s ... certain assets of Sanvita, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of ...
... , , HOUSTON, ... a provider agreement with Beech Street Corporation, one of the ... Beech Street will assist SpectraCell with the ever-increasing administrative needs ... , , Beech Street addresses the ...
... , , HORSHAM, Pa., ... today announced that it received a Complete Response letter from ... Drug Application (NDA) for trabectedin when administered in combination with ... the treatment of women with relapsed ovarian cancer. The ...
Cached Biology Technology:Nova Biomedical and CCS Medical Reach Definitive Agreement for a Subsidiary of Nova Biomedical to Acquire Assets of CCS Medical's Subsidiary, Sanvita Inc. 2Nova Biomedical and CCS Medical Reach Definitive Agreement for a Subsidiary of Nova Biomedical to Acquire Assets of CCS Medical's Subsidiary, Sanvita Inc. 3SpectraCell Contracts With Beech Street Corporation 2FDA Issues Complete Response Letter For Trabectedin Combined With DOXIL 2
... NOS assay kit measures NOS activity by ... citrulline. This assay is simple, sensitive, and ... used with both crude and purified enzyme ... reagents for 50 total reactions. Radiolabeled arginine ...
Human Complement Component C5a MAb (Clone 295003)...
Human OSCAR MAb (Clone 259501)...
Homo sapiens retinoid X receptor, alpha...
Biology Products: