News and Media

Organic Week, September 18-24!

Organic Week, September 18-24!

Organic Week, September 18-24!  This week, September 18-24th is Canada’s National Organic Week, which is the largest annual celebration of organic food, farming and products across the country. Hundreds of individual events showcase the benefits of organic agriculture and its positive impact on the environment. Read more about it and various events at Organic Week […]
UBC Farmers’ Market: A One of-a-kind Treasure

UBC Farmers’ Market: A One of-a-kind Treasure

UBC Farmers’ Market: A One of-a-kind Treasure  September 4, 2023 Down at the UBC Farm on Saturdays through June to November, buskers come to the market from all over to perform from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. On a recent Saturday, Barb Fraser and Dennis Henderson—who make up the Fraser-Henderson acoustic, electric folk-pop duo—were playing. Barb and […]
The underappreciated benefits of wild bees 

The underappreciated benefits of wild bees 

The underappreciated benefits of wild bees  September 14, 2023 More than 80 percent of flowering plants depend on insect pollinators to reproduce. When pollinators visit flowers — which act as the plants’ reproductive organs — to eat their nutritious pollen and nectar, the insects inadvertently transport the pollen between plants, which fertilizes the blooms, leading […]
‘Needle in a haystack’: Experts say finding daycare E. coli outbreak source complex

‘Needle in a haystack’: Experts say finding daycare E. coli outbreak source complex

‘Needle in a haystack’: Experts say finding daycare E. coli outbreak source complex. September 13, 2023 As of Tuesday, there have been 264 lab-confirmed cases of the bacterial infection since the outbreak at 11 Calgary daycares was declared Sept. 4. Twenty-five patients were in hospital, with 22 having hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication affecting the […]
Canadians want urgent climate action, but cost of living stands in the way: poll

Canadians want urgent climate action, but cost of living stands in the way: poll

Canadians want urgent climate action, but cost of living stands in the way: poll   September 1, 2023 Dr. Kai Chan (Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability; Institute for Oceans and Fisheries) commented on a poll about climate change action.  Dr. Chan said attitudes about climate change have only become more entrenched over time as people find […]
BC farmers are at the mercy of climate change, and things look grim

BC farmers are at the mercy of climate change, and things look grim

BC farmers are at the mercy of climate change, and things look grim   August 25, 2023 Land and food systems professor Dr. Sean Smukler said no one grasps the fact that if we don’t deal with climate change now, the next generation can’t deal with it.   “We are facing a climate emergency and we’re pretending like it’s […]
Trash pandas: Volunteer your backyard for a UBC raccoon study 

Trash pandas: Volunteer your backyard for a UBC raccoon study 

Trash pandas: Volunteer your backyard for a UBC raccoon study  August 14, 2023 Professor Dr. Sarah Benson-Amram (forestry; science) and graduate student Hannah Griebling (forestry) are looking to learn more about how raccoons’ brains work.   “We are very interested in trying to understand how raccoons are able to live in cities alongside people, and we think that […]
Successfully managing forests must include stewarding the hidden life belowground

Successfully managing forests must include stewarding the hidden life belowground

Successfully managing forests must include stewarding the hidden life belowground August 7, 2023 Forestry professors Drs. Cindy Prescott and Sue Grayston say forest-harvesting practices that retain living trees throughout the harvested area sustain belowground life.  “Half of the biodiversity in forests is unseen because it lives belowground.” Read the full article at The Conversation, Yahoo, and […]
Children in food-insecure homes visit doctors, ER more than peers, study says

Children in food-insecure homes visit doctors, ER more than peers, study says

Children in food-insecure homes visit doctors, ER more than peers, study says July 24, 2023 Jennifer Black commented on a study that found children without a reliable food source make more visits to doctors and emergency departments. “The toll food insecurity takes on families is clear,” Dr. Black said. Read the full article at The […]
How to keep the fun and ditch the food poisoning this summer

How to keep the fun and ditch the food poisoning this summer

How to keep the fun and ditch the food poisoning this summer July 21, 2023 Enjoying food outdoors with family and friends is a quintessential summer activity, but foodborne pathogens can thrive in the summer heat and humidity. Dr. Siyun Wang, a food safety researcher and professor in the faculty of land and food systems, […]