Sugary drinks are a killer: a 20% tax would save lives and rands in South Africa: Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular conditions account for over 70% of global deaths annually. In South Africa, non-communicable diseases cause more than half of all deaths. Diabetes ranks as the second leading cause after tuberculosis. A …
Africa’s elephants have been in dramatic decline for 50 years. What can be done to save them – new study: Surveying elephants is hard, risky work. Dedicated biologists have been doing this challenging task across Africa for decades. Systematic surveying started in the late 1960s but has been sporadic, as access to remote areas takes …
Coughing won’t save you if you’re having a heart attack, despite what people claim on social media: P.Kasipat/Shutterstock A recent trend on social media has revived a curious technique from the late 1970s called cough CPR. A post claims that this method can help people, if they are alone, to survive a heart attack by …
Seychelles: floating baby corals can help save damaged reefs – new study: The Seychelles archipelago of 115 islands stretches across a vast area of the western Indian Ocean. Each island is fringed by coral reefs. Coral reefs are formed by colonies of invertebrate animals that build hard skeletons and grow in a myriad of forms. …
Planting trees in grasslands won’t save the planet – rather protect and restore forests: Tree planting is one of the nature-based solutions being used to offset greenhouse gas emissions. Trees absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. Many of these tree planting projects target Africa’s rangelands (open grasslands or shrublands used by livestock and wild animals). They include …
Pregnant women in South Africa should be offered social grants – it’ll save the state money in the long run: A baby’s first 1,000 days, from the time of conception until their second birthday, is a crucial window of opportunity to optimise their potential – through healthy nutrition for the mother during pregnancy, and then …
80% of premature baby deaths happen in poorer countries. Five simple measures that can help save them: Worldwide in 2020 a baby died every 40 seconds because of complications of prematurity. Preterm birth is the leading cause of death among children under 5 years old. The burden of preterm birth is heavier in in low- …
BA Systems Will Save Our Precious Energy Resources: Embracing the Power of C-Bus, EcoXpert and Beyond In a world where energy conservation is becoming increasingly important, building management and automation systems have emerged as superheroes, ready to save the day (and the planet!). These systems, like the renowned C-Bus, offer a range of benefits that go …
Switching to plant-based diets means cleaner air – and it could save more than 200,000 lives around the world: Foxys Forest Manufacture/Shutterstock Adopting a healthier diet will probably feature prominently in many of our New Year’s resolutions. But it’s often challenging for people to live up to their intentions. But there are good reasons to …
How Building Management/Automation Systems Can Save Precious Energy Resources: 7 Reasons Why You Need BA Systems Building Management/Automation Systems, such as C-Bus, have revolutionized the way buildings are managed and operated. These systems utilize advanced technology to automate various processes and optimize energy consumption. In this article, we will explore the benefits of Building Management/Automation …
Can golf courses help save the planet? Ask a herd of wild pigs: Mathilde.LR/Shutterstock An Arizona golf course, so picture-perfect it was described as “the Imax of golf”, was wantonly trashed by intruders in the autumn of 2023. But no, this was not Just Stop Oil back for another round, nor the result of a …
How much could the NHS save if people had healthier lifestyles? Hundreds of millions according to research: encierro/Shutterstock The NHS spends a lot of time and money looking after people who smoke, or drink too much or don’t do enough exercise. Hospital admissions and treatments are an expensive business. So what would happen if these …
From trash to power: how to harness energy from Africa’s garbage dumps – and save billions in future damage: New research on garbage dumps in 44 sub-Saharan African countries shows that 95% are unregulated. The landfill sites still take in new garbage even when they are filled to capacity. As the waste decomposes, these sites …
Growing African vegetables on buildings can save space and feed cities – new study: The Eco Green Wall is an example of a sustainable living wall system. Karen Botes As cities grow, more people need food. However, space for farming is limited in cities. Building facades can offer a solution for growing food. We asked …
Shops can’t save UK high streets but a dose of local character could help them thrive again: High St, Conwy, Wales. Some places have already started to inject some local flavour to their high streets. James Clarke/Shutterstock Cratering consumer confidence and the collapse of major UK retailers like Wilko are causing concern about the future …
Democrat failure to save US speaker hands victory to Republican right: California Republican Kevin McCarthy has become the first ever speaker of the US House of Representatives to be ejected from his position. In a 216 to 210 vote, Democrats joined with far-right Republicans to remove McCarthy from office. The “motion to vacate” the speakership, …
One in six UK species threatened with extinction – here’s what we could lose (plus how to save them): Water voles are endangered mammals in the British Isles. Ben Andrew/RSPB The UK is considered one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. This is not surprising given its history of early industrialisation and agricultural …
Why an entry fee may not be enough to save Venice from 20 million tourists: A bridge too far? Bumble Dee/Shutterstock Venice’s history, art and architecture attract an estimated 20 million visitors every year. The city, a Unesco World Heritage site, is often crammed with tourists in search of special memories. But for the people …