657: Vicki Hird on Rebugging the Planet.
Renewing Our Relationships with Bugs.
In This Podcast:
Wait…Don’t step on that bug! Vicki Hird introduces us to the fascinating world of bugs, showing us a whole new way to think about our insect and invertebrate friends. She invites us to look a little closer so we can begin to appreciate bugs not only for the many essential services they perform, but also for the amazing diversity they represent. Vicki describes the many dangers they face, then talks about what we can do to protect them from harm and even encourage them to thrive and flourish. Don’t Miss an Episode!! Click HERE to visit the Urban Farm Podcast library
Our Guest:
Vicki Hird is the Head of the Sustainable Farming Campaign for Sustain: The Alliance for Better Food and Farming (over 100 non-profit organizations), and she runs an independent consultancy. She has a Masters in Pest Management and is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (FRES). As an experienced and award-winning environmental campaigner, researcher, writer, and strategist working mainly in the food, farming and environmental policy arena, Vicki has worked on government policy for many years. Vicki is the author of Perfectly Safe to Eat? The facts on food, and her latest book is titled Rebugging the Planet (published by Chelsea Green). Her passion is insects and other invertebrates.
Listen in and learn about:
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- Looking down instead of up
- Learning ways to control pests without chemicals
- Appreciating the importance of bugs
- Providing a critical refuge for invertebrates
- Shifting people’s perceptions of bugs
- Writing the book, Rebugging the Planet… why now?
- “Insectageddon”
- Working better together
- Imagining a world without bugs
- Vicki’s favorite bug
- Finding insects and invertebrates in water?
- Investigating the habits and communication of honeybees
- Supporting the bugs….what can each of us do?
As well as:
Her failure – Trying to get a piece of legislation passed in 2010, but getting let down by a politician
Her success – Legislation that she did get passed
Her drive – The people she comes across that are doing good things to protect the environment.
Her advice – Spread the word about bugs, especially pictures.
Vicki’s previous podcast episodes:
635: Rebugging Your Farm And Garden
Books written by Vicki:
Perfectly Safe to Eat? The Facts on Food
Vicki’s Book recommendations:
Flight Behavior: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake
How to reach Vicki:
Website: www.rebuggingtheplanet.org
UrbanFarm.org/rebugging
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