La Mode Verte
Environmental Awareness Through Media ProductionsArchive for Nike
Plagues of Pests Sweeping Britain
Independent on Sunday 21st November 2010
Plagues of wasps, cockroaches, moths, rats and bedbugs are sweeping across Britain as the cash-strapped local councils reduce extermination services. In 2002, 99%of the UK’s 402 councils offered extermination services, according to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, but now 1 in 10 have stopped with almost a third charging for the service. Private pest control is booming. Beaver Pest Control, based in London and the Home Counties, have experienced a 44% increase in rat and mice related call-outs in the past three years alone. With bedbugs, infestations have risen 38% since 1992, mostly due to an increase in the ‘upcycling’ of second hand furniture. Wasps have had the biggest increase in call-outs with a rise of 231% since last year. The rise has been attributed the warm summer, as well as the reduction in council extermination services. The problem may only get worse however. John Davison, chief executive of the National Pest Technicians Association, cited New York (see here) as an example of how bad things can get if local government cuts back on extermination. After scaling back five years ago, the problem is now so bad that Nike had to temporarily close its flagship store due to bedbugs.
Bedbug Epidemic in USA
www.theglobeandmail.com 21st September 2010
Quoted from source:
‘Scientists, experts and exterminators are holding an extraordinary summit in a suburb of Chicago today to deal with the growing problem of bedbugs. While the bloodsucking bugs are a nuisance, they’re taking an increasing bite out of retailers, particularly in New York City, where several stores have been forced to shut down temporarily. It’s the first North American Bedbug Summit, and comes amid what ABC News says is an alarming increase in complaints, almost 11,000 in New York alone. The problem has affected apartment buildings, university dorms and several retailers, including Nike, which closed its flagship outlet in New York temporarily, Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie and Fitch.’
These Green Boots Are Made for Walking
www.independent.co.uk 15th September 2010
Due to a growing demand for eco-friendly hiking gear, several companies have started to produce environmentally friendly footwear. Timberland have just screened an advert for their ‘Earthkeepers Movement’ line of footwear and the UK brand Hi-Tec, alongside the National Trust, have released a pair of walking boots called ‘Altitude IV WPi Enviro’. Hi-Tec’s boots use recycled rubber and minimal amounts of dyes and chemicals in their production. US based Patagonia have also declared the production of an eco-boot called the P26 which will be available early 2011. Other companies with environmentally footwear are North Face and Nike.
