The Elephant and the Bee and Other Real Life
Stories

We know how valuable bees are. There’s no
food security without them, as the film Silence of the Bees tells us. It takes
a look at what’s at stake if honeybees disappear. Now we hear of innovative
beehive fences which have helped a community in Kenya to successfully protect
crops from elephants.

By Ella Davies , Reporter, BBC Nature (15
July 2011):

Farmers maintain the valuable hives

Innovative beehive fences have helped a
community in Kenya to successfully protect crops from elephants, according to
research.

Scientists found the hives to be a very
effective barrier; elephants turned away from them in 97% of their attempted
raids.

Conservationists suggest that elephants’
natural fear of bees could settle ongoing conflicts.

The hives’ honey also produced additional
profits for farmers.

Elephants and farmers compete for limited
resources Over the past 20 years, elephant numbers in Kenya have grown to
around 7,500 and the population boost is widely heralded as a conservation
success story.

However, conflict between elephants and
humans, especially farmers, is an ongoing problem.

Elephants frequently “raid” farms
searching for food such as ripe tomatoes, potatoes and maize.

To protect their livelihoods, some farmers
have resorted to extreme measures including poisoning and shooting elephants.

The honey production and consequent income
has really incentivised the farmers to maintain the fences”

Previous research into natural deterrents
showed that elephants avoided African honey bees.

In 2009, experts from the University of
Oxford, UK, and the charity Save the Elephants set up a trial project to test
whether beehives could prevent conflict on farmland boundaries.

After two years of observations, the full
results of the trial have now been published in the African Journal of Ecology.

“Finding a way to use live beehives was
the next logical step in finding a socially and ecologically sensitive way of
taking advantage of elephants’ natural avoidance behaviour to bees to protect
farmers’ crops,” said Dr Lucy King, the University of Oxford biologist who
led the study.

“It was very exciting to see that our
theoretical work has been converted into a practical application,” she
said.

AFRICAN BEE FACTS

Bees cannot sting through elephant hide, but
they can and do sting around elephants’ eyes and inside trunks

The bees in Kenya (Apis mellifera scutellata)
are small with short tongues and swarm frequently

African honey bees were crossed with European
honey bees in South America and are known as “killer bees” because of
their increased aggression

Find out more about African elephants

In 32 attempted raids over three crop
seasons, only one bull elephant managed to penetrate the novel defences.

The beehives were suspended on wires between
posts with a flat thatched roof above to protect from the sun in the
traditional Kenyan style.

The team created a boundaries for 17 farms,
incorporating 170 beehives into 1,700m of fencing.

“The interlinked beehive fences not only
stopped elephants from raiding our study farms but the farmers profited from
selling honey to supplement their low incomes,” Dr King explained.

“The honey production and consequent
income has really incentivised the farmers to maintain the fences.”

Conservationists now hope to roll out the
scheme to other farming communities.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Silence of the Bees

Introduction

In the winter of 2006, a strange phenomenon
fell upon honeybee hives across the US. Without a trace, millions of bees
vanished from their hives. A precious pollinator of fruits and vegetables, the
disappearing bees left billions of dollars of crops at risk and threatened our
food supply. The epidemic set researchers scrambling to discover why honeybees
were dying in record numbers — and to stop the epidemic in its tracks before it
spread further.

Silence of the Bees is the first in-depth
look at the search to uncover what is killing the honeybee. The filmmakers of
Bees take viewers around the world to the sites of fallen hives, to high-tech
labs, where scientists race to uncover clues, and even deep inside honeybee
colonies.

Silence of the Bees is the story of a
riveting, ongoing investigation to save honeybees from dying out. The film goes
beyond the unsolved mystery to tell the story of the honeybee itself, its
invaluable impact on our diets and takes a look at what’s at stake if honeybees
disappear. Silence of the Bees explores the complex world of the honeybee in
crisis and instills in viewers a sense of urgency to learn ways to help these
extraordinary animals.

Silence of the Bees premiered on PBS October
28, 2007.

Exclusive Podcast: In this podcast,
scientists and bee experts featured in the program discuss the crucial role
that honeybees, a “keystone species,” play in our economy and ecosystems, as
well as bees’ fascinating social organization and what we can do to reverse the
decline of nature’s pollinators.

Source: www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/introduction/38/

Building Cities for Liveability &
Sustainability

The United Nations expects 16 out of 27 megacities
in the world to be in Asia. The world’s population is currently more than 6.8
billion, and will exceed 9 billion by 2050, according to UN estimates. With a
central theme of “Building Liveable Cities of the Future through Green Design
and Good Governance”, the 3rd Annual Sustainable Cities event aims to explore
how good design and planning can improve city management, drive economic
growth, promote sustainable development and deliver a better quality of life.
Special Offer for Sustain Ability Showcase Asia Members and abc carbon express
readers: Quote the VIP Code: P10445SAS10 to enjoy a 10% discount off the
published rates.

3RD ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE CITIES

27 – 30 September 2011, Pan Pacific Hotel,
Singapore

Asia’s Premier Eco-City Event Is Back For Its
3rd Annual Run This September 2011

Following the success of last year’s
conference, IBC Asia is delighted to announce this year’s 3rd Annual
Sustainable Cities event, which will take place from 27 – 30 September 2011 at
the Pan Pacific Hotel in Singapore.

The United Nations expects 16 out of 27
megacities in the world to be in Asia. The world’s population is currently more
than 6.8 billion, and will exceed 9 billion by 2050, according to UN estimates.
Most of those additional people will be born in cities.

With the majority of the world’s population
living in urban areas for the first time in history, the race is on to design
the perfect eco-city. At the same time, governments and businesses recognise
the critical need to revitalise their existing cities, and have introduced
policies to encourage, incentivise and finance the green retrofitting of these
cities.

With a central theme of “Building Liveable
Cities of the Future through Green Design and Good Governance”, the 3rd Annual
Sustainable Cities event aims to explore how good design and planning can
improve city management, drive economic growth, promote sustainable development
and deliver a better quality of life.

Leading industry players and experts will
come together in Singapore this September to examine key issues affecting
property development and the green business as Asia races to accommodate the
expected urban population boom.

The 3rd Annual installment of this premier
event will showcase sustainability trends that are shaping future cities, the
latest national and regional government policies and initiatives driving
sustainable city development, as well as how renewable energy, waste management
and water treatment solutions are transforming the way cities are designed,
built and managed.

The 2011 programme will feature award-winning
eco-city master planners and sustainability experts, including representatives
from the Greater London Authority, City of Sydney, Japan’s Ministry of Economy
Trade & Industry, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore, Skidmore,
Owings & Merrill, Arup, dwp and AEDAS.

Attendees at this year’s event will also be
among the first to hear findings from the International Eco-Cities Initiative’s
Eco-Cities 2011 Global Survey, which Lead Coordinator, Professor Simon Joss,
will deliver as part of his presentation on “Setting the Agenda for Current and
Future Eco-Cities”.

“Investing in the greener, more resilient
city of tomorrow is an essential insurance policy for a more disaster-prone
world. It is one of the smartest, most cost-effective investments we can make
in our common future.” – Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations Secretary-General

Boasting an international array of
sustainable city case studies, Sustainable Cities 2011 will provide access to
direct insights into green best practices and solutions for both new projects
and existing cities. Among the city highlights this year are London’s Low
Carbon Capital drive, Abu Dhabi’s Masdar – the world’s first Zero Carbon, Zero
Waster City, Japan’s Yokohama Smart City Initiative, Australia’s City of
Sydney, and the Chenjia Town Eco Community and Wanzhuang Eco-City projects in
China.

Urban design for tropical climates,
integrated transport systems and building liveable communities at higher
densities will also come under the spotlight through case studies on the BSD
City Green Office Park in Indonesia, Singapore’s experience with Sustainable
Land Transport Master Planning, as well as Vietnam’s Green Tech City and FPT
City projects.

Catering to the trend for regenerating
existing cities with green retrofitting and urban landscaping, this year’s
attendees will also have the option for more in-depth study on these topics
with a Special Focus Day featuring 2 dedicated master classes.

Special Offer for Sustain Ability Showcase
Asia Members:

Quote the VIP Code: P10445SAS10 to enjoy a
10% discount off the published rates.

The 3rd Annual Sustainable Cities 2011 this
27 – 30 September 2011 in Singapore will explore how good design and planning
can improve city management, drive economic growth, promote sustainable
development and deliver a better quality of life.

At Sustainable Cities 2011, leading industry
players and experts will examine key issues affecting property development and
the green business as Asia races to accommodate the expected urban population
boom.

Be among the first to hear findings from the
International Eco-Cities Initiative’s “Eco-Cities 2011 Global Survey” and
interact directly with representatives from award-winning cities and urban
planners, who will share their green best practices and solutions for new
projects and existing cities.

Play your part in building liveable cities of
the future through green design and good governance. Don’t miss this
opportunity to join national planning authorities, urban master planners, sustainability
experts, property developers, investors and financiers at the 3rd Annual
Sustainable Cities!

Source: www.ibc-asia.com

A call for ethics at all levels of the corporate world

Ken Hickson comments on the big questions about media behaviour in the UK and the Murdoch

“As we sit and watch Parliamentary enquiries on live TV and see Rupert Murdoch and son James put through the hoops by earnest MPs, and we learn day by day of further resignations and arrests, we can only wonder where this will lead to.

“Such behaviour by numerous journalists from more than one newspaper, who not only invade the privacy of innocent individuals, but also use all sorts of illegal means to gain incriminating evidence or gossip, is not to be condoned in any way whatsoever.

“Now you well ask, what this has to do with abc carbon express or Sustain Ability Showcase Asia (SASA).

“Sustainability is about more than helping the environment and committing to charitable causes. In a business sense, it involves corporate social responsibility, governance, ethics and transparency. It impacts on labour policies and trade practices. It means running the business in a sustainable way for the benefit of all stakeholders, not just major shareholders

“We need to see the corporate world, including media owners, committing to genuine sustainability – the four E’s of sustainability include economic, environment, energy and ethics – and setting some high standards in the boardrooms, offices, newsrooms, factories, as well as through their communications”.

Commentary from Ken Hickson:

As someone who has worked in the communications industry – media, publishing and public relations – for 49 years, I cannot but be horrified at the revelations in the on-going “hacking and denial” saga unfolding in the United Kingdom, involving Murdoch-owned News Corporation newspapers.

Of course, many will try to dismiss it as “quite normal” goings-on that are to be expected of the tabloids, also variably described as “gossip” and “gutter” press. But such behaviour by numerous journalists from more than one newspaper, who not only invade the privacy of innocent individuals, but also use all sorts of illegal means to gain incriminating evidence or gossip, is not be condoned in any way whatsoever.

And to learn that members of the police force have been bribed and private investigators paid to solicit all sort of unsavoury facts and fantasies, is beyond belief.

But as we sit and watch Parliamentary enquiries on live TV and see the Rupert Murdoch and son James put through the hoops by earnest MPs, and we learn day by day of further resignations and arrests, we can only wonder where this will lead to.

More press freedom or less? More resignations and arrests? The downfall of a media empire? More revelations of cosy relationships between politicians, police and media?

Media and public relations (PR) people – working for police, Government, business or media – have never enjoyed a guilt free existence or lily-white reputation.  But as someone who has worked in media – newspapers, radio, television, magazines and online – as well as in PR, I have often come to the defence of the professionalism and dedication of many fine men and women, who are doing their job – often in trying and tiring circumstances – to bring news, facts, comments, features and visuals to the general public.

There is now, obviously, a very large credibility gap which seems impossible to fill. But we have to remember not to lump every journalist in the same heap of “hacks”. (The uninitiated might be interested to know that journalists are often – amongst themselves – described as “hacks”, but whichever meaning of the word you take from the Oxford Dictionary, none refer to the disgusting practice of illegally “hacking” into private telephones, mobiles, computers and the like.)

We need to put this in perspective. We have all heard of unsavoury and illegal behaviour coming from various professionals. There have been rogue doctors, lawyers, accountants, bankers – even politicians. But we don’t put the whole profession in the “bad basket”.

So let’s hear it for the very professional and capable and ethical journalists and PR people. And let’s  expect – even encourage -  the authorities to deal very firmly and finally with those amongst them, whether they be in the media, Government services, legal profession, public relations or the police, for the crimes they have committed.

Now you well ask, what this has to do with abc carbon express or Sustain Ability Showcase Asia (SASA).

There is a connection – or a few actually:

• The News Corporation has been rated very highly for its commitment to deal with climate change. It was announced by Rupert Murdoch himself in May 2007 that the global empire would become carbon neutral by 2010. It achieved that and set some very good examples around the world. This received some very favourable mentions in my book “The ABC of Carbon”.
• Sustainability is about more than helping the environment and committing to charitable causes. In a business sense, it involves corporate social responsibility, governance, ethics and transparency. It impacts on labour policies and trade practices.  It means running the business in a sustainable way for the benefit of all stakeholders, not just shareholders. The Dow Jones Industrial Index measures performance in all these areas.
• A few years back I wrote an article for the Journal of Communication Management on Ethics, pointing out areas of importance for professional communicators: Cultural practices, Personal, Professional, Political, Religious & Racial, Trade & Business, Legal, Financial, Environmental, and Social.
• Recently, I gave a paper to the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore on the four E’s of Sustainability – Environment, Economic, Ethics and Energy. This goes beyond the accepted triple bottom line, to give added emphasise energy and ethics as critical factors.

We need to see the corporate world, including media owners, committing to genuine sustainability – the four E’s of sustainability – and setting some high standards of ethical practice in the boardrooms, offices, factories, as well as through their communications.

This has added relevance, not only as I edit and produce an online newsletter – therefore I am “in the media” and consider myself a journalist (which is what I was trained to be many years ago) – but I also practice as a sustainability advisor and directly assist companies in the sustainability sector, which incorporates energy efficiency, carbon measurement, clean tech, clean energy, water and waste management.

This is all leading up to the fact that I am, once again, embarking on the business of running a public relations firm. Some will know that for many years in Singapore I started and ran a consultancy called Hickson Public Relations for many years, before selling it to the US firm, Fleishman Hillard.

In addition to my responsibility for SASA and its clients, as well as ABC Carbon and this newsletter, I will now take on a PR consultancy in Singapore. This came about through my contact over many years with a fellow long-time communications professional Tony Turner in Hong Kong.

Here’s the news:

Tony Turner, Chairman, Asia of the Racepoint Group announced that the Group has appointed PR veteran Ken Hickson to take over the management of the Singapore office of Racepoint, which previously operated as Professional Public Relations Singapore.

“We can see this as good for existing clients and staff, as well as a way to effectively grow the business in Singapore, where Ken has previously run a successful PR operation,” Mr Turner said.

Ken Hickson comes on board as Managing Director and with equity in the Singapore business.

The PR consultancy will continue with the Racepoint name and will remain affiliated to the Group, which has offices in Hong Kong, China, as well as the United States and Europe.

I will be taking this on as a going concern, including a small full-time team of experienced practitioners and an office in Chinatown, as well as being able to call on the added capability of communications professionals I know in Singapore and further afield.

I look forward to continuing to serve existing clients of Racepoint and SASA, as well as welcoming the opportunity to offer new clients a full range of PR and communication services.

Source: www.sustain-ability-showcase.com and www.abccarbon.com