Guest Author • Apr 21, 2021 •
By Mary Morgan-Richards Every year, in the lead up to Anzac day (25th April) when Australians and New Zealanders remember all those who died at war, we bake and eat sweet biscuits associated with WWI. After 100 years I wanted to calculate the impact of my biscuits on global warming. Each ingredient needs to be harvested, prepared and … Read More
Guest Author • Apr 05, 2021 •
Caitlin Clark, Colorado State University Whether baked as chips into a cookie, melted into a sweet warm drink or molded into the shape of a smiling bunny, chocolate is one of the world’s most universally consumed foods. Even the biggest chocolate lovers, though, might not recognize what this ancient food has in common with kimchi and kombucha: its flavors … Read More
Robert Hickson • Mar 17, 2021 •
Regenerative agriculture, where the health and wellbeing of the environment, animals and farmers is prioritised, is gaining cachet. I see that as a necessary but insufficient change to how we manage land and watery environments. In some respects discussions about regenerative agriculture are more backward- than forward-looking. Take, for example, the UK’s Food, Farming and … Read More
Guest Author • Feb 12, 2021 •
Understanding what happens to a chemical in the environment and where it ends up can help keep our environment safe. Guest writer Hannah Davidson from EPA explores the issue of chemical fate in NZ. If you don’t know what a slip and slide is, you have sorely missed out. All you needed for a whole summer’s worth … Read More
Guest Author • Feb 01, 2021 •
James Renwick, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand’s Climate Change Commission today released its long-anticipated advice to the government on how to reshape the economy to meet the country’s domestic and international climate change obligations. The document sets out three emissions budgets, covering 15 years to 2035 in five-yearly plans. It also provides advice … Read More
Eric Crampton • Nov 13, 2020 •
Imagine yourself in the place of the MBIE boffin tasked with deciding which application for a scarce MIQ space is most deserving or most needed. The job isn’t easy. The government keeps a small number of spaces in MIQ for getting critical workers in. But somebody has to decide which workers are most critical. Applicants fill in forms to make … Read More
Guest Author • Oct 15, 2020 •
Making eco-conscious choices at the shops can be tricky when we’re presented with so many options, especially when it comes to milk. Should we buy plant-based milk, or dairy? We’ve looked at the evidence to help you choose. Dora Marinova, Curtin University and Diana Bogueva, Curtin University Dairy has the biggest environmental footprint, by far Any plant-based milk, be it … Read More
Guest Author • Sep 04, 2020 •
To celebrate Bee Aware Month in New Zealand, guest writers Hannah Davidson and Elodie Urlacher from EPA describe why understanding the world of bees and other insects is important in protecting them from harm. It is a fresh spring morning, and you stretch your legs as you wait for your sister to return from a food run. Read More
Genomics Aotearoa • Feb 26, 2020 •
Dr David Chagné New Zealand is involved in a US$12.8 million USDA grant to improve the quality of blueberry and cranberry. The four-year project, led by North Carolina State University, is part of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative, which funds multi-year, multi-institutional collaborative projects. Genomics Aotearoa and Plant and Food Research Ltd have … Read More
Guest Author • Dec 05, 2019 •
Samuel Becher, Victoria University of Wellington and Jessica C Lai, Victoria University of Wellington Earlier this year, the New Zealand-based pizza chain Hell Pizza offered a limited-edition “Burger Pizza”. Its customers weren’t told that the “meat” was plant-based. Some customers complained to the Commerce Commission, which enforces consumer law in New Zealand. Yet, others did not mind … Read More