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Loading ...Paraná Seeks to Cut Pesticide Use
Monday, August 4th, 2008Synopsis in English: Starting with the next major planting this month, Paraná plans to substantially increase its Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program with the goal of reducing pesticide use in plantings by its farmers 30% over the next four to five years. The new Program push is motivated in large part about foreign market scrutiny […]
A Solid Waste Plan for Costa Rica
Friday, July 18th, 2008Recently Costa Rica was presented its long-awaited Solid Waste Plan (PRESOL) by the entities belonging to the Inter-Institutional Platform of the Competitiveness and Environment Program (CYMA): the Health Ministry (MinSalud), the Planning Ministry (Mideplan), the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), the Institute for Municipal Development and Advice (Instituto de Fomento y Asesoria Municipal – […]
State of the North American Environment
Saturday, June 21st, 2008The North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has just released a “state of the environment” (SOE) report entitled The North American Mosiac (English, Spanish, French). The CEC is the main vehicle for environmental cooperation between Canada, Mexico and the US, and as I stated in a prior post, like it or not, Mexico has […]
LAC Environmental Trivia, Revisited
Thursday, June 19th, 2008The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) recently published the latest edition (covering up to 2007) of its annual statistical yearbook for the region. As in recent years, one section covers natural resources and the environment. If you are seeking a basic set of comparative environmental data for the region, […]
Bahia to Adopt Paraná’s Zero Waste Program Model
Saturday, October 13th, 2007I’ve mentioned here several times the innovative Zero Waste Program (Programa Desperdício Zero) of the southern Brazilian state Paraná, such as how it applies to glass recycling, pesticide packaging, aseptic packaging and finding new ways to reuse/recycle plastic (PET) bottles (such as building solar water heaters). At some point I should do a comprehensive post […]
A Call for a Reality Check on Biofuel
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007If you listen to their proponents, biofuels are the answer to many environmental, energy and economic ills and can do no wrong. They are destined to unseat OPEC and free us all from hydrocarbon dependence. If you listen to their detractors, biofuels are a sham that may bring environmental disaster and servitude to multinational corporations, […]
A Huge Donation for Brazil’s Chief Consumer NGO / Uma donação grande para a ONG brasileira principal de defesa do consumidor / Una donación grande para la ONG brasileña principal de defensa del consumidor
Thursday, August 16th, 2007This grant from the MIF is a major coup for the Brazilian Consumer Defense Institute (IDEC), probably increasing their operating funds by 50% and cementing their lead as Latin America and the Caribbean’s (LAC) best funded consumer group. Parabéns, IDEC e Marliena Lazzarini (a Presidente do Instituto). To understand better the importance of IDEC and […]
Guyana Joins Ranks of LAC Nations Ratifying POPs Convention
Sunday, July 29th, 2007The Guyanese Government announced this week that it will ratify the Stockholm Convention on Pesistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The Stockholm Convention (text: English, Spanish) commits Contracting Parties (CPs) to eliminate, severely restrict and/or minimize the production, use and trade of 12 POPs — nine pesticides, three byproducts of industrial processes and of combustion (dioxins, furans […]
WHO & FAO Call for Countries to Improve Food Safety Vigilance / OMS y FAO: paises tienen que mejorar su vigilancia de la seguridad de los alimentos
Friday, July 20th, 2007I already had on my “to do” list for this blog a look at food safety in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC); I think with this public call from WHO and FAO, perhaps I should move it up on the schedule and list of priorities. So look for posts coming soon on the roles […]
Sustainable Agriculture as a Key to Protecting the Mesoamerican Reef
Wednesday, June 20th, 2007Synopsis in English: WWF has concluded an agreement with major Honduran producers of palm oil — specifically Palmas de San Alejo and AGROTOR, subsidiaries of the JAREMAR Group — to adopt specified good agricultural management practices in order to reduce the impact their production has on the nearby huge Mesoamerican Reef (MAR). The agreement has […]