Senior Trips Greycations Rock with the Whole Family
Sweet Survival Bees & Superbees Update
While bee colonies die off around the world, pesticide chemical companies continue to protect their businesses by lobbying against bans on neonicoti- noids, a group of nicotine-based toxins designed to paralyze insects by attack- ing their nervous systems. And that, claim critics, includes honeybees. Mounting authoritative research undermines the pesticide industry’s long-repeated arguments that bees are not being harmed, and increases pressure on U.S. and UK authorities to follow other countries in banning the suspect chemicals, blamed for the “colony collapse disorder” that has been decimating bee populations. The current double-whammy for honeybees is an Asian mite, the var- roa, which feeds on honeybee young and adults and spreads viruses. To fight the pest, commercial beekeep- ers have turned to heavy feeding and medication to try to keep hives alive. Now, scientists at the U.S. De-
partment of Agriculture’s honeybee lab, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that have studied for the last decade why some hives had low mite levels, have determined that the bees in those colonies were able to detect mites hiding in sealed cells and feeding on developing young. The researchers’ goal is to breed a queen that will pass on to her colony the traits of resis- tance to pests and disease, gentleness, productivity and winter hardiness, thus creating a superbee. The project is ongoing.
Source: Environmental Health News natural awakenings July 2012 11
The U.S. Travel Industry Association estimates that more than 5 million fam- ily vacations a year in the United States now encompass three generations, with grandparents often footing the bill. Multi-generational travel is a hot trend, having increased from 22 to 32 percent in the last five years, with the phenom- enon expected to grow as the U.S. population ages. Travel companies, hotels and theme parks have taken notice and are eager to cater to the trend. Cruise lines are especially active in marketing fixed-price packages that include activities for all ages, meals and group discounts. All-inclusive resorts and vacation rental agents are also on board, offering plans to accommodate all budgets.
Source: Orlando Sun-Sentinel
Earth Quaking Vermont Says, ‘Don’t Frack on Me’
Vermont has become the first U.S. state to ban fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, the contro- versial practice used to extract natural gas from the ground by injecting water, sand and chemicals deep into the Earth to crack shale rock, which frees oil and gas. Proponents claim that fracking is pro- ducing energy and jobs, but critics fear the chemicals are seeping into the groundwater.
The process is also suspected of causing mild earthquakes. “This is a big deal,” says Governor Peter Shumlin. “This will ensure that we do not inject chemicals into groundwater in a desperate pursuit for energy.”
Petition your legislators to ban fracking in your state and around the country at
Tinyurl.com/banthefracking. Source: CNN
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