Green matters. Episode 20

Description

Artificial Reef- It looks a bit like giant, underwater Lego, but this is actually an artificial coral reef near the Red Sea resort, Eilat. A collaboration between Jordan and Israel, it's being built as an alternative diving site to take the pressure off existing reefs, at least half of which have already been destroyed. Eco-friendly Estate On Old Gravel Pit- It's hard to imagine, but this idyllic English housing estate was once an old gravel pit. The 240 hectare rural setting is in the picturesque Cotswold Hills. It's a getaway for city people who escape the big smoke of London and Birmingham for the scenic lakes and elegant, architect-designed homes. China Electric Bikes- Bikes, motorcycles and scooters have long been a popular way of getting around Chinese cities. China's 1.3 billion residents, already grappling with pollution, are now faced with severe fuel shortages and soaring prices. Old News Is Of Growing Importance- Every year around the world billions of tonnes of peat is dug out of the ground to supply nurseries and home gardeners. But peat-lands are the carbon vaults of our earth. When the peat is dug up, harmful greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. Now, British plant researchers have created a new peat substitute for growing plants. And it uses a waste by-product of newspaper recycling. Water Harvester- In an arid province of Zimbabwe, lives the man they call the water harvester. Zephaniah Phiri Maseko has spent much of his life conserving water and coaxing wondrous growth from meagre rainfall. In 1964, politically oppressed, he lost his job. With eight mouths to feed, his only option was the family holding of three parched hectares. With a natural Instinct he developed the means to capture and preserve the precious rains. Bee Colony Collapse- Some experts say that the bee is 'the canary in the coal-mine'. If it really is an early warning sign of a sick planet, then we should take notice, because our bees are disappearing fast. In just the past few years, quite literally billions of bees have died off around the world. In some countries it is feared they will become extinct. Beekeepers in Germany were among the first to report the problem. Throughout the country, bee populations have fallen by 25 per cent and up to 80 per cent in some areas.

Runtime

23 min

Series

Subjects

Genre

Date of Publication

2009

Database

Alexander Street

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