From the LOGIS news alert subscriptions (ending 17/04):

Business & management:
• The UN believes that the global tourism industry has a key role to play in the solution to climate change.
• The NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development is suggesting that prudent businesses should be looking at ways to cut waste from their processes now, with high public support for the Waste Minimisation Bill. The Bill proposes a $10 per tonne levy on waste, but the Council expects that rate to rise in the future.
• UK research shows that for working women, the gender pay gap for women earning less than men, jumps from 1% in their 20s to 20% in their 40s. Older women are more likely to have career breaks to care for children and elderly parents.
• There is much excitement at the possibility that a new oilfield has been discovered off the coast of Brazil with the potential to rival those in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, although doubts are already being expressed about the size of the field.
• A study released by the UN University shows that the “brain-drain” of migrants taking their skills to other countries, in some industries may actually promote growth in their native countries. However, one industry where this is not true is the health industry.
• An online survey of NZ companies has investigated local organisations’ perceptions around environmental sustainability, and what role IT played in organisations’ energy plans. The survey shows that IT managers and IT professionals were less likely to believe that New Zealand must be environmentally sustainable to succeed in the global economy.

Education
• A new publication has been launched that aims to help parents and teachers to identify and nurture gifted children: “Nurturing Gifted and Talented Children - A Parent-Teacher Partnership” (Printed copies can also be ordered.)

Environment & sustainability:
• The government has released a booklet containing eco-advice that can be downloaded from its sustainability website, aimed at the NZers who have said that they’d like to know more about how to protect the environment. Called “25 easy steps towards sustainability”, it won’t be printed, as that will save on paper.
• The Proposed NZ Coastal Policy Statement 2008 is available on the Dept of Conservation website, with submissions closing at 5pm 7 May 2008.
• Low-lying countries could be at serious risk from rising sea levels by the end of this century. New research presented at a Vienna conference suggests that the rise will be somewhere between 0.8m and 1.5 m.
• US studies show that energy use of new buildings certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification system are performing nearly 25 percent to 30 percent better than non-certified buildings.

Health & wellbeing:
• A review of medical studies has resulted in a group of influential scientists saying that special vacuum cleaners, mattress covers and chemicals are a waste of money in preventing asthma attacks due to dust mites.
• A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health has shown a "strong correlation" between deaths, engine exhaust fumes and other transport-related substances.
• Nutritionists in the UK are concerned about the food being given to children in nurseries – some are being fed a diet that is good for adults, but not for toddlers. There is confusion or misinformation about what entails healthy eating for the under-five age group.
• There is concern from UK MPs that there is over-prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs in nursing homes as a means to control dementia or Alzheimer’s patients.

People, culture & diversity:
• A noticeable trend in society is the 'freemales' phenomenon, part of a definite culture of singledom. The UK Office of National Statistics has recently released a report showing that the number of women living alone aged between 25 and 44 - when traditionally they’d be married, having families - has doubled in the past two decades. In Australia, they call single people living in cities “SPUD”s.

Science, technology & transport:
• This year’s Webby Awards have included 2 NZ websites as Official Honourees: Stuff for the News category, and the ACC’s Active Smart in the Health category.
• The government is calling for feedback on the Draft Digital Strategy version 2.0. Naturally, feedback is being sought through the website’s forum and blog and a wiki as well as the usual methods of making submissions. Consultation is from 14th April to 5.00 pm 12th May.
• American research indicates that building new rail transit schemes in an attempt to reduce greenhouse emissions doesn’t seem to be working. Not surprising, when a US reporter says that US think tanks embrace roads as a solution to traffic congestion, seeing them as "an expression of the free market and American individualism, and a rail line as an example of government meddling and creeping socialism."
• Since the 1990s, an invention by a Nigerian teacher has made a huge improvement to the lives of people in Africa by providing a means of keeping food cool so that it will last longer, and away from disease-carrying flies – without electricity.