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A breath of life for bees

Amy Leech — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:45:30 GMT

Today’s news that Waitrose are suspending the use of the three neonicotinoids in their supply chain is a ray of hope for the bees amidst predictably grey skies and gloomy headlines.

What came first? Organic chicken or egg?

Amy Leech — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:34:48 GMT

Years before horsemeat made a joke of our food system, I made a resolution to eat less but better quality meat - making it affordable to buy food I can trust. But despite the string of supermarkets that I’ll pedal past, I’ll be hard pushed to find organic meat on the shelves. If I can’t choose it, I can’t buy it.

Providing choices for people with none

Amy Leech — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:55:27 GMT

The prevalence of obesity in the most deprived 10% of the population is approximately twice that of the least deprived 10%. Is there any wonder? Today’s report on obesity from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges identifies a “food culture in which highly calorific food is available at literally, pocket money prices.” It’s easier and cheaper to eat badly. If you want cheap calories you are not going to grab a handful of good for you grapes – crisps, chocolate, cake, cost less and go further to meet your energy needs. The horsemeat scandal has served to highlight the inadequacies of a food system driven by profit, and the fact that it’s those buying the cheapest food who are falling victim to them.

Good hospital food doesn't sell papers, it saves lives

Amy Leech — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:17:14 GMT

In the last 10 years, no fewer than 20 initiatives have been put in place to improve hospital food. And yet, the bad news stories are still rolling in. Last week's was another to add to the long list of headlines. Of course, good news rarely turns heads, or newspaper pages for that matter. The Soil Association welcomes the Government's renewed efforts to improve hospital food. But it's not just policy changes that will improve hospital food's bad image or the food that ends up on patient's plates. Change begins in the kitchens and wards that care for patients - with the people in hospitals around the country who are serving thousands of meals three times a day.

A witch in my wardrobe

Amy Leech — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:24:54 GMT

The contents of my wardrobe don’t change much - you’re more likely to find Narnia in there than this season’s print or cut of jeans. When I do go clothes shopping, the way the fabric has been produced doesn’t influence whether I’ll take it home or not. But having spent the last few months digging deeper into the impacts of cotton production, I have learnt that my attitude to clothes and how they are produced is in need of makeover.

The Gates Foundation puts a new spin on altruism

Amy Leech — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:26:58 GMT

It didn’t come as a surprise to hear that billionaires Bill and Melinda Gates had decided to throw £6.4 million at a problem that doesn’t need solving. Bill’s spent all his life looking for quick technical fixes - why change the habit of a lifetime for the sake of a bit of common sense? No seriously, thanks Bill. On behalf of the UK Government and the GM companies - thank you. Because our cash strapped researchers (who are already getting just £42m from the UK taxpayers) and 'our short of just about everything' Government, really need your support. We’re desperate to lead in scientific research you see, it’ll help us get out of the recession. And as for the GM companies, they can’t afford to do their own research, so it’s great that you’re paying for it for them.

The birds and the bees - a fact of life?

Amy Leech — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 09:05:59 GMT

The birds and the bees...that’s life, or so we say – as we try to explain the ways of nature in a way that saves our blushes, and our children’s ears from hearing the facts of life too early. They’ll soon learn of course. But when will we?

Will your university’s food take you to the top of the table?

Amy Leech — Wed, 30 May 2012 09:31:25 GMT

When I chose my University, I used my own lens of good practice to sort through the pile of well-produced prospectuses. My criteria? Nearest city, nightlife, length of the swimming pool, course content, campus location. I didn’t take a moment to consider what food my catered halls, the uni café and other campus food outlets were going to serve me. Having grown up on a pretty good diet of local, free range and fresh food, in the quiet confines of Cornwall, I landed at University a naïve being (in many ways!) with no reason to think my catered meals would be any different. How wrong I was! From the first evening at university my diet and eating habits took a turn for the worse.

Pigs might fly

Amy Leech — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:04:10 GMT

The news that Jim Paice, our Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, was in China last week sealing a £50 million pork export deal was enough to make anyone with knowledge of the UK pork market squeal. Six UK plants have been approved to export quality pork cuts and 'fifth quarter' meat (offal, ears and tripe) to China. The market for exporting live breeding pigs to China is also expanding.

Sunny side up please

Amy Leech — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:06:14 GMT

The first law of thermodynamics, and probably the only one I can ever remember, says that energy cannot be created or destroyed - it may be transformed or moved – but it definitely does not appear from thin air. Plants use a lot of energy. Every day they busy themselves converting all sorts of energy, gases and matter into the elements and nutrients they need to grow. The energy they have converted is then passed on to us via these nutrients – they make up the food we eat.

Asking the wrong questions

Amy Leech — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:12:09 GMT

In the debate on food security, there’s a lot to play for, finding the right answers is the key to our existence. But any good scientist will tell you that the answer you give is only as good as the question you’re asked. Pictures of people starving, and projections of a rocketing world population certainly make you gulp, and wonder, how on earth are we going to feed everyone? It’s easy to jump to the conclusion that we just need to produce more. Let’s look at the bigger picture.