The pros and cons of using 1080
Sunday will see a series of rallies held nationwide to protest aerial drops of 1080 poison to control pests that prey on native birds.
The debate over use of 1080 seems to have intensified, thanks in part to the debate created by a high-profile documentary on the subject provocatively titled: Poisoning Paradise: Ecocide in New Zealand.
But what do scientists think of 1080 use? The SMC wrapped up comment from a wide range of scientists – you can read their views here.
Are we greenwashing our image?
Overnight the Guardian’s Fred Pearce issued a scathing attack on New Zealand’s record on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and claimed we were unfairly trading on our clean, green image.
The story has generated some heated debate already and experts have weighed in to support some of Pearce’s claims.
Victoria University Professor of Public Policy Jonathan Boston told Stuff:
“While we are not despoiling the environment as badly as some countries, we cannot in my view consistently call ourselves 100 percent pure and lean and green and so on, given the robust data that challenges that.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand climate scientists gathered in Wellington this week to brief journalists on the latest climate science, the IPCC process for the upcoming 5th Assessment Report and what is to be expected at Copenhagen. Listen to a podcast of the presentations and Q&A here.
What you missed at SCANZ
The Science Communicators Association of New Zealand conference in Palmerston North this week saw nearly 100 science communicators come together to share ideas on how better to communicate the great science going on in New Zealand.
If you weren’t able to make it, here’s a taster:
PODCAST: Keynote speaker Andrew Waterworth, executive producer at Natural History New Zealand talks about the changes in TV science programmes and documentaries over the last 20 years.
PODCAST: Ministry of Health communications strategist and former TV journo Spiro Anastasiou gives the inside story on how the ministry responded to the swine flu pandemic.