- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
UC Davis Cooperative Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen appeared on ABC's Good Morning America today in an interesting nearly four-minute-long segment on bees. The story opened with scenes from a 1978 horror movie "The Swarm," and then dispelled myths about Africanized honey bees, aka "Killer Bees."
Mussen said contrary to bees' portrayal in movies, "Bees are not out to get you. You probably can't get further from the truth."
The story then turned to colony collaspe disorder and its threat to the American food supply.
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The Sacramento Bee today ran a story about research by a retired Texas A&M professor that points to wood decay following a wildfire as a major source of carbon in the atmosphere. The professor, Thomas Bonnicksen, is quoted in the story as saying the effects of wildfire negates any efforts to reduce California's carbon footprint.
"No matter what anybody does in California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as long as these forests are burning, they are wasting their time," Bonnicksen is quoted.
Bonnicksen's report said removing dead trees and storing the carbon they contain in solid wood...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Hidden camera footage of animal treatment at a Chino slaughterhouse has raised public interest in meat production. A few days ago, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune (Los Angeles County) ran a piece to shed light on the types of cattle that enter the food chain.
Jim Oltjen, livestock specialist with the department of animal sciences at UC Davis, told reporter Mark Petix, "They're all edible," including Hereford, Angus, Waygu and dairy cattle.
In addition, "If you did a blind taste test, not many would be able to tell the difference," Oltjen is...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The media were on hand last Friday when 4-H member Laura Webber led a group of fellow 4-H'ers in planting 15 trees at Elkus Ranch near Half Moon Bay to launch her 4-H Million Trees initiative.
The San Mateo County Times posted a story today. It outlined Laura's lofty goal - to inspire 4-H clubs across the nation to join her in planting one million trees to help combat global warming.
"Fifteen down, 999,985 to go," wrote reporter Julia Scott. She also recorded Laura's optimism.
"There's 6.5 million 4-H members total. If we can get everybody...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The Riverside Press-Enterprise ran a story over the weekend about the recovery of native plant species in Southern California deserts recently burned by wildfire. The article says scientists believe it is too soon to determine how plants will recover.
Reporter Gail Wesson gathered the bulk of her material for the story at the UC Natural Resources Continuing Conference, held last week in Palm Desert. She quoted conference speaker Jan Beyers of the U.S. Forest Service as saying a lot of native plants came up in the area affected by the 2006...