Mercury exists in several forms and is a naturally occurring element found in air, water and soil. Mercury in the air eventually settles into either water or soil. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change Mercury into methylmercury, a highly toxic substance that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. Mercury exposure at high levels can damage the … [Read more...] about How much are health and the environment worth?
Learning to Listen/ Listening to Learn in Nicaragua
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to carry out a study to understand rural communities in Nicaragua as part of a team of social science and medical researchers. The topic of our study was childbirth – how do men and women decide whether to give birth in a hospital, a clinic, or at home? We made the journey in an ambulance from the hospital in the closest city to a town … [Read more...] about Learning to Listen/ Listening to Learn in Nicaragua
Belize’s “New Price Tag”
“Without prices being set, nature becomes like an all-you-can-eat buffet – and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t overeat at a buffet.” (Richard Sandor) As someone who loves adventures and the outdoors, I was more than thrilled about the tourism slogan “Belize: Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret” and, as soon as I touched ground at the International Airport in Belize City in … [Read more...] about Belize’s “New Price Tag”
The Verdict Is Still Out on PES
As of 2014 only 15.4% of terrestrial and inland water areas were under some form of protected area status . Conservation experts know that this is insufficient to protect critical biodiversity, which underpins ecosystem services, and that the best projections will never reach a level that would come close to protecting and maintaining the ecosystem services that we as humans … [Read more...] about The Verdict Is Still Out on PES
If Dollars Rule the World, Why Don’t the Bees Get a Bailout?
Attempts to put a dollar value on the natural world – so-called “natural capital” or “ecosystem services” – have produced some frankly staggering numbers. A seminal 1997 paper valued the world’s ecosystem services at US$33 trillion a year. This estimate was controversial, given that it dwarfed the entire global market economy, which at the time stood at roughly US$18 trillion a … [Read more...] about If Dollars Rule the World, Why Don’t the Bees Get a Bailout?