OpEd

submitted by Steve Gabell

I was somewhat shocked to recently read an article published in Farmers Forum (and reprinted in the NG Times) decrying the COP 15 agreement to protect biodiversity. Biodiversity is literally the diversity of life on Earth, and humanity has done an incredible job in reducing biodiversity just in recent years.

It’s estimated that 60% of the mammals on Earth by weight are livestock, that humans account for 36% and that wild mammals make up just 4%. For birds, poultry makes up 71% and wild birds only 29%. We have also seen a precipitous decline in insect populations, with numbers falling at a rate of 2% per year. Many scholars consider us to be in the midst of a sixth mass extinction event, with species extinction rates estimated at 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than natural extinction rates.

Why should humans care about the loss of population in other species, or even their complete disappearance? All life on Earth is interconnected and we are related to every other species on Earth. Humanity does not exist in a vacuum, separate from the natural world, rather we are utterly dependent on it. We rely on the natural world for the food that we eat, the water that we drink and the air that we breathe.

Insects are responsible for pollinating 75% of global crops, and about 80% of wild plants. Plants underpin ecosystems, and insects are just as important, acting as the first step in food webs for many other species. The entomologist Doug Tallamy’s research has shown that a single pair of chickadees must catch between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars to rear just one clutch. Fewer insects means less food for humans and a decline in many other species which will further impact on the ability to support life on Earth.

There are many culprits behind the decline in biodiversity. Agriculture is responsible for 90% of global deforestation, and accounts for 70% of global freshwater use, significantly altering the habitats available for wildlife and pushing species out of their ecological niches. Use of pesticides and monoculture crops further deplete habitats. Light pollution and climate change are also contributing to the decline in biodiversity.

Doug Ford’s plans for development in the Greenbelt and stripping the authority of Conservation Authorities to review development applications for impacts on woodlots, fish habitats, or species at risk further threatens natural habitats and wildlife populations in Ontario.

We can make changes to address the loss of biodiversity we’re seeing across the world and in Ontario. Reducing pesticide use will reduce the damage we are inflicting to insect populations. Reducing fertilizer use and subsequent nitrate run-off reduces eutrophication thus increasing biodiversity in aquatic habitats. Eating less meat, particularly beef, reduces deforestation and habitat destruction and reduces the overall amount of food required to feed people. Over 75% of global farming land is used to support livestock yet this produces only 18% of the world’s calories. Changing from monoculture lawns to a more diverse landscape featuring a wide range of native plants is something everyone can do.

Ultimately, we need to use less of the plan-

Is it safe to have an alcoholic drink before dinner?

makes tiny blood platelets more slippery, less likely to stick together causing a fatal coronary attack.

No one in our family has ever needed to cling to a telephone pole on the way home after drinking too much alcohol. Rather, we have long held that moderate amounts of alcohol can be healthy. But are we right? Now, a new Canadian report claims more than one or two drinks a week increases the risk of health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Professor Dan Malleck of Brock University, who specializes in alcohol regulation, and who has written several books on this topic, is skeptical of these generalized guidelines. He says they remind him of the Temperance Movement of long ago. Moreover, he states, the study used relative rather than absolute risk. This means that just three ounces and a half of alcohol shockingly increases the risk of larynx cancer by nearly 100 per cent! But this cancer et’s land for human activity. Over 40% of all land globally has been converted for food production and Doug Ford is promoting sprawling development instead of the sensible densification proposed by Mike Schreiner and the Ontario Greens. The late, great naturalist E.O. Wilson launched the Half-Earth project to protect half the land and sea in order to manage sufficient habitat to reverse the species extinction crisis and ensure the long term health of our planet. To quote Sir David Attenborough, “It’s surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth.” is known to be primarily related to the smoking of tobacco.

The possibility of developing cancer from alcohol is real. Some studies do show an increase in a variety of malignancies. So, if you do not consume alcohol, do not start. Perhaps this decision will prolong your life.

But the attempt to extend your life by the abstinence of alcohol is a nebulous affair. For instance, if you say “no” to a glass of red wine before dinner, would this alone increase your longevity? Unlikely.

It’s been said, “alcohol is for the elderly what milk is for the young”.

Getting older is hazardous but alcohol can mediate it, particularly for the cardiovascular system where blood flow to the heart and other organs decreases with age. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, decreasing the risk of coronary attack. It also increases good cholesterol. Possibly even more vital, it

What about the psychological effects of alcohol?

As a surgeon, I often used a routine post-operative order which sometimes surprised nurses. They would counter, “But it’s never been done before!” The order allowed patients who typically enjoyed an alcoholic pre-dinner drink at home, to enjoy one on the second post-operative surgical day, normally the most difficult day of recovery.

It also reassured patients that they were not going to die, but were getting better.

Why do we accept the potential risk of partaking one or two ounces of alcohol daily? Because it relieves the chronic pain of an aging body more effectively than drugs. Or because it relaxes the soul after an intense day of work. Not recommendations for others, but the plain facts for us.

Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of Britain, and a noted heavy drinker, made an amusing pronouncement on this issue. He stated, “I’ve taken

Baldwin's Birds

more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.” He started his alcohol routine early in the morning and continued during the day. He was hardly the poster boy for the Temperance Union. But he lived to 90 years of age with his mental facility intact.

Past studies such as France’s National Institute of Health and Scientific Research reported an interesting finding. Elderly people who drank moderate amounts of wine were less likely to suffer from senility and Alzheimer’s Disease.

We also know that Hippocrates, “the father of medicine”, supported the use of alcohol. Although we are not religious experts, we are told that Jesus transformed water into wine!

One of us now in the 100th year of life, hell will freeze over before this doctor dispenses with a pre-dinner cocktail. Does anyone lay blame?

to have survived it all, and are now experiencing some quite cold, but sunny days.

One such bird is our delightful "Upside-down Bird", the White Breasted Nuthatch, which I managed to get a picture of as it fed on one of my peanut feeders surrounded by the overhanging icicles glistening in the sun. The frozen and sometimes watery stalactite formations don't seem to put the birds off from feeding, so I have no concerns for their continuing welfare. In fact they, the icicles, provide a little contrast to show up and enhance their somewhat drabber winter coloring, as does the pure white fresh snow for those birds who are ground feeders. A good example of this are the Rock Pigeons and the Mourning Doves and some of our other birds, like the Cardinals and Bluejays. Perhaps you too have noticed the sharper bird colors when you are trying to cope with, and seeking some enjoyment, on these cold wintery, snowy days. Stay safe and well.

Cheers, John Baldwin