Farmed salmon and toxins: "Santa Says no, no, no, to farmed salmon," says Bruce Sandison of the Salmon Farm Protest Group, which is organising a protest in Dublin this month.
Factory salmon farms, like all battery farms, rely upon toxic chemicals to control infectious diseases, parasites and fouling around cages - a typical salmon farm in Scotland, for example, is authorised to use more than 30 antibiotics. In tests of 73 types of fresh and canned salmon, the UK Pesticides Residues Committee found 71 contained residues of pesticides and 32 contained multiple residues - of DDT and other harmful substances. And farmed salmon is not as good for you as wild: it contains more fat and, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it contains two to three times less Omega 3 than wild salmon. www.salmonfarmmonitor.org
Awá reserve in Brazil
There is a reprieve for the Awá people in eastern Brazil. Nomadic hunter-gatherers, some of whom have never met outsiders, the Awá have been at risk of being wiped out as ranchers moved on to their land and hired hitmen to kill them or drive them off. Now, reports Survival International, they have a chance of survival as a judge has ordered that their land be recognised as an Indian reserve. Survival, which campaigns on behalf of threatened tribal peoples, is looking for an intern to work in its campaigns department in London for 11 months, and the position will be paid. www.survival-international.org
Sponsor a tree
Still looking for that perfect Christmas pressie? Give the gift of a lifetime and help plant the forest in Coolbawn, Co Tipperary. You can also sponsor a tree in someone's memory. For more information contact Crann at 0509-51718, www.crann.ie
Frog survey
Hop to it - and take part in the Irish survey of frogs, from January 2003. "Frogs are barometers of environmental health," says Noreen McLoughlin of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council, which is co-ordinating the survey of every adult frog, frog spawn and tadpole in the country. It is five years since the last frog survey and 40 per cent of the country has no frog records at all. To check out where frogs have been found in your county, see www.ipcc.ie. Survey cards are available from the website or IPCC, 119 Capel Street, Dublin 1. Tel. 01-8722397
In the US, male frogs are becoming hermaphrodites because the water contains the widely used pesticide atrazine, according to Nature magazine. They change sex in water containing 0.1 parts per billion of it, yet the US Environmental Protection Agency allows three parts per billion in drinking water.
A cool plaice
Regular shoppers at the fish shop, Nickys Plaice on the West Pier in Howth, Co Dublin, will already be familiar with their innovative scheme replacing plastic bags with plastic tubs for fish. Not only are these airtight tubs reusable, but they reduce the smell of fish in your fridge and can be used with crushed ice to keep fish fresh for longer.