Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Pesticides have contaminated the US fruit and vegetable supply – even some organics – a new analysis by Consumer Reports shows What’s safe to eat? Here is the pesticide risk level for each fruit and vegetable Watermelon, green beans and bell peppers are among the many common fruits and vegetables found in US supermarkets that contain potentially unsafe levels of pesticides, according to an analysis published today by Consumer Reports. The new report – which analyzed seven years of US Department of Agriculture data on commonly eaten fruits and vegetables – offers one of the most comprehensive evaluations to date of pesticides found in US produce. The data was based on nearly 30,000 fruit and vegetable samples, including fresh, frozen, canned and organic, collected from supermarkets by the USDA as part of routine pesticide testing. Continue reading...

Even organic produce can contain unhealthy amounts of pesticide – see which fruits and vegetables rank best and worst After reviewing the results of thousands of tests on fruits and vegetables, Consumer Reports has found unhealthy levels of pesticides in about 20% of US produce. This chart, in alphabetical order, shows the risk from pesticides in conventional and organic produce, as well as whether the fruits and vegetables are domestically grown or imported. Consumer Reports “recommends those rated as very low, low or moderate risk. When possible, replace a food rated high or very high with a lower-risk one, or choose organic. Keep in mind that the risk comes from repeated servings over time.” Can you wash pesticides off your food? A guide to eating fewer toxic chemicals Kale, watermelon and even some organic foods pose high pesticide risk, analysis finds Blueberries and bell peppers: six fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide risk What’s safe to eat? Here is the pesticide risk level for each fruit and vegetable Continue reading...

As nature falls silent in most cities around the world, New Zealand’s capital has been transformed by the sound of native birds returning to the dawn chorus Read more: No birdsong, no water in the creek, no beating wings: how a haven for nature fell silent Some time in the pre-dawn darkness, the commotion starts. From her bed, Danae Mossman hears the noise building: loud romantic liaisons, vomiting, squeals, the sound of bodies hitting the pool at full tilt. Things get particularly loud between midnight and 4am, Mossman says, “when they are getting busy”. A kororā, or little penguin, colony live under Danae Mossman’s house – and show no signs of wanting to leave Continue reading...

Passengers report being stranded in the desert city as the international hub struggles in the wake of unusually heavy rain Don’t blame cloud seeding for the Dubai floods Dubai is wrestling with the aftermath of extraordinary torrential rains that flooded the desert city, with people describing harrowing stories of spending the night in their cars, and air passengers enduring chaotic scenes at airports. Up to 259.5mm (10.2in) of rain fell on the usually arid country of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, the most since records began 75 years ago. The state-run WAM news agency called the rains on Tuesday “a historic weather event” that surpassed “anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949”. Continue reading...