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GreenFacts Newsletter - Autumn 2006Table of Contents
PCBs - Polychlorinated Biphenyls GreenFacts’ most recent online publication assesses the health risks associated with PCBs. PCBs are a group of man-made chemicals that were widely used in the past, mainly in electrical equipment, but were banned in many countries at the end of the 1970s. Because these compounds are still present in the environment today, public concerns remain. The Digest on PCBs is a faithful summary of a report by the World Health Organization. To what extent can a healthy lifestyle and regular physical exercise reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer? To provide some answers, GreenFacts has published a Digest on Diet and Nutrition. The publication is a faithful summary of the joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation titled "Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases". Biodiversity – the first GreenFacts Digest available on paper For the first time, GreenFacts has produced a paper version of one of its Digests: an attractive foldout containing Level 1 of the Biodiversity Digest, a faithful summary of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Biodiversity Synthesis report published on the GreenFacts website in English, French, Spanish, and Dutch. This Digest was completed thanks to a collaboration with Countdown 2010, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP WCMC). Additionally, our partner Kennislink contributed to our first translation into Dutch. Distributed not only by the European Commission to all the participants of its Green Week in May 2006, but also through networks across the world including in Africa and Latin America, this paper publication has generated a lot of positive feedback and proved to be a major success. Similar foldouts may be produced for upcoming Digests (see list).New Digests to be released this month Desertification is an acute form of degradation that has already affected many drylands and the livelihoods of millions of people. In order to better understand the causes of this process and its consequences for ecosystems and human well-being, GreenFacts is summarising the Desertification Synthesis report of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment with the support of the World Bank and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. To build on the success of the paper version of the Digest on Biodiversity, a similar foldout will be produced for the Desertification Digest, notably to be distributed at the next session of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CRIC 5) in spring 2007 (see list of foldouts). Psychoactive drugs such as tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs impose a substantial health burden on society. How do psychoactive drugs affect the brain and how does drug dependence develop? With the financial support of the WHO GreenFacts provides information to the public by popularising the WHO report “Neuroscience of psychoactive substance use and dependence". Major traffic increase on www.greenfacts.org In our Spring 2006 newsletter we announced that the readership of the GreenFacts website had for the first time exceeded 1 million visitors over the past 12 months. This time, we are proud to announce that this figure has reached 1.5 million. Also, the traffic from January to September 2006 has more than doubled in comparison to the same period in 2005. This boost in traffic is mainly due to increased linking to and quoting of our Digests by relevant institutions and organisations. For instance, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment links to our popularised versions of their reports, and the European Commission DG Environment lists GreenFacts among their “key environmental links”. Also, www.greenfacts.org is increasingly becoming a valued source of information for journalists (see our press book) who quote and refer to GreenFacts publications. Translation of GreenFacts’ Digests: informing developing regions Providing information in French and Spanish is key to ensuring a wider access to GreenFacts Digests, especially in developing regions of Latin America and Africa. This summer, GreenFacts stepped up its translation rate thanks to a strengthened translation team. The French and Spanish versions of four Digests were released (Level 1 only):
So far, all language versions of www.greenfacts.org have already attracted over a million visitors in 2006. According to recent web statistics, visits to GreenFacts’ Spanish-language pages now equal or exceed visits to the English pages thanks to our growing readership in Latin America. Although Internet penetration in Africa is still low, GreenFacts Digests have been consulted by readers from over 40 African countries. Paper versions of our Digests on biodiversity and desertification will enable GreenFacts to reach out to others who may not yet have access to the Internet. Donate online: individual contributions make a difference As a non-profit organization providing its services free of charge, GreenFacts relies on external funding to maintain the quality of its work. A new donation webpage makes it easier for interested individuals to support GreenFacts’ work through a donation. Besides presenting various payment methods, the page provides details on how the money is being used and why individual financial support makes a difference. See also the "Get involved" section for other ways to support GreenFacts’ activities.Winner of the GreenFacts Quiz on Biodiversity During this year’s European Commission Green Week, which took place from 30 May to 2 June 2006, visitors of the GreenFacts stand actively participated in a Quiz on Biodiversity, the theme of the four-day event. The winner of the GreenFacts Quiz was Mr. Fracassi from ERSAF, Regione Lombardia. He was awarded a book with over 400 photographs of marine landscapes entitled “Planète Mers” by Laurent Ballesta and Pierre Descamp, which was kindly provided by the IUCN. If you wish to check your knowledge on biodiversity you can take the online quiz.
The GreenFacts team would like to thank you for your ongoing interest in our work. Thanks to our faithful readers, the GreenFacts website is becoming a valued source of unbiased scientific information.
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