Pesticide use by country

A packet of crisps today can have up to seven layers of wrapping - that’s a whole lot of plastic and foil. In fact, the world is producing 20 times more plastic now than it did 50 years ago – a number that’s fast growing – despite politicians and campaigners calling for a ‘zero waste economy’. But did you know that just one plastic carrier bag can take up to 100 years to decompose? As Britain's waste problem continues to hit record levels, one couple reckon they have what it takes to get the planet back on track. Their answer? A zero waste shop. Richard Eckersley, his wife Nicola and their baby, Willow, are the family behind the UK's first ever 'no packaging' supermarket - here's how it works. How much Brits are throwing out a year 177 million tonnes of waste is thrown out in England every single year Gov.uk Earth.Food.Love Earth.Food.Love is an organic shop based in Totnes, Devon. It's the first zero waste store in the UK, retailing a range of up to 200 … [Read more...] about The shop where packaging is banned – meet the couple tackling Britain’s waste problem and winning

The Pope has arrived in Iraq for an historic weekend visit which carries both symbolism and risk. With a message of inter-faith tolerance, Francis will spend four days in Iraq in what is his first foreign trip in more than a year and the first-ever papal pilgrimage to the war-hit nation. Francis, who wore a facemask during the flight, took it off before descending the stairs to the tarmac and was greeted by two masked children in traditional dress. A red carpet was rolled out at Baghdad International Airport with prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on hand to greet the pontiff. A largely unmasked choir sang songs as the Pope and Mr al-Kadhimi made their way to a welcome area in the airport. Advertisement The Pope has since been welcomed to Iraq's presidential palace by the country's president Barham Salih. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player A motorcade escorts Pope Francis during his historic tour in … [Read more...] about Pope arrives in Iraq for historic first-ever papal trip to nation despite fears over security and coronavirus

Six books by Dr. Seuss will no longer be published or sold because of racist or insensitive imagery, the company that oversees the late author's legacy announced on Tuesday. In a statement , Dr. Seuss Enterprises said it had made the decision to discontinue And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street , If I Ran the Zoo , McElligot's Pool , On Beyond Zebra! , Scrambled Eggs Super! , and The Cat's Quizzer . "These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,'' the statement, which was released on the author's birthday, said. "We are committed to action." The Associated Press earlier reported on the discontinuation of the Dr. Seuss books. Theodor Seuss Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, and his wife Audrey pose with the Cat in the Hat Wildly popular children's author Born Theodor Seuss Geisel in the US state of Massachusetts in 1904, Dr. Seuss became one of the world's best loved children's book authors. His works have been translated into … [Read more...] about Dr. Seuss books pulled over depictions of minorities

When Melanie Leupolz was presented with the chance to swap Bayern Munich for Chelsea last year, it was an offer she simply couldn’t refuse. The allure of the Women's Super League (WSL), and the opportunity to experience something new was a dream come true. After finishing the season at Bayern, she packed her bags and headed for London. "I always wanted to play abroad," she told DW. "For me the English league is the best in the world because it is really equal and there are so many good teams. It was my first wish to go here, and I am really happy that everything worked out." It had been going so well at Bayern — where Leupolz was club captain. She had joined in 2014 from Freiburg and won back-to-back Women's Bundesliga titles in her first two years in Bavaria. But Leupolz explained how the German top flight had become repetitive over the years, with the same two teams winning the league over and over again. She had a point. Since 2012, the title has been won exclusively by … [Read more...] about Melanie Leupolz: Germany can learn from Women’s Super League

Beijing has declared that only "patriots" should rule Hong Kong - and unveiled plans to change the city's electoral system to ensure just that. Candidates for election to the Legislative Council - Hong Kong 's parliament - will be vetted, according to the proposed changes. And elections scheduled for 2020, already postponed for a year, will be pushed back to 2022. "The rioting and turbulence that occurred in the Hong Kong society reveals that the existing electoral system in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has clear loopholes and deficiencies," said Wang Chen, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, according to state media. The NPC, China 's annual parliament, is meeting in Beijing this week. The changes to Hong Kong's electoral system are only a proposal but will almost certainly be approved given the rubber stamp nature of the NPC. "Loopholes" is one of Beijing's favourite terms for describing aspects of … [Read more...] about Beijing declares only ‘patriots’ should rule Hong Kong as elections delayed again