Mark Post from Maastricht University said: “If we took stem cells from one pig and multiplied it by a million, we’d need a million fewer pigs to get the same amount of meat.”

Related posts:

• Brand New Blog

Do make sure that pesky animals do not decide to share the wonders you have placed in the garden. Use containers, bowls, and cake covers as effective defences from garden animals.

These factors are not considered by a majority of people, and is one of the main reasons why we take water for granted. Supplying water has a great impact on natural water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and fresh water sources, which most people do not realise when involved in everyday tasks.

The energy used to filter, purify and pump water to the public is ever increasing, and in some cases, unnecessary. For example, the total rainfall in the U.K. in 2008 was 1299.3mm, but it is surprising that only a handful of Britons collect this rainfall to use in their garden or the home. The amount of water saved from partaking in such a small task would benefit the environment greatly.

Benefits

The main benefit of saving water is to preserve these natural water bodies for wildlife and for future generations. With the increasing population in towns and cities, these natural water bodies are taking the strain for our ever-increasing demand for fresh water in our homes. If we all did our bit to preserve our water supply, we could lower the demand for this water, which would improve wildlife in natural water bodies, and lower demand on water pipes throughout the towns and cities.

As the population increases, the demand on water mains and sewerage pipes is also increased. With this growing demand comes burst water and sewerage pipes leading the wasted water, contaminated water which is of no use to the population, and increasing costs to fix these problems.

By implementing the following steps into your daily routine, we can benefit the environment, lower water meter bills and lower the amount of wasted water through burst water mains.

How can I save water?

There are many simple ways to save water throughout the home including the following:

By turning your taps off whilst brushing your teeth or shaving can cave up to 1 litre of water every 10 seconds.

Storing water in the fridge saves you from running the tap for prolonged periods just to get cold water.

By using products such as a “Hippo water saver”, you can save up to 3 litres of water every time you flush the toilet. Alternatively, place a brick or a bottle of water in your cistern to lower the amount of water needed to flush the toilet.

Use a watering can in the garden to water your plants. By directly watering your plants at their base, the amount of wasted water that usually ends up on the plants’ leaves is lowered.

In addition to using a watering can, collect rainwater in anything that holds water. Buckets or empty dustbins are a good way of collecting rainwater, and your plants will benefit from the lower amount of chemicals in the water.

Take 5-minute showers instead of baths. Baths use around 230 litres of water, whereas a standard shower uses around 9 litres per minute. By taking quick showers instead of baths, you could make 1000 cups of tea with the saved water each week.

Finally, always use your dishwater or washing machine when it is fully loaded, and use the “Economy” setting if you have one.

If everybody was to apply these techniques into their everyday lives, just think how much water could be saved, and how many burst water mains would be prevented.

Our first seasonal recipe for January, with pork belly and pears. Serves 4 generously, 6 reasonably:

Ingredients

2-2.5 kg Pork Belly (skin scored)
3-4 pears
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
200ml pork/vegetable stock
Soy Sauce
Table salt and ground black pepper

Before roasting the pork, place on a rack in the sink and pour boiling water over the skin, this will help to form better crackling later on. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, and dry off the excess water.

Chop the garlic cloves finely, and then crush using the knife blade with a pinch of table salt. Mix with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper, and rub into the meat of the pork belly, making sure none of the mixture ends up on the skin.

Rub 1 tsp of salt into the skin of the pork belly. Try to get the salt into the scores of the skin t0 get a better crackling.

Roast in an roasting tray for 1.5 hours (skin side up) at 200C | 400F. Add the halved pears and cook for another 15-18 minutes. Increase the temperature to 240C | 475F for another 25 minutes, or until the prok belly skin has turned golden and crisp. If the skin hasnt crisped, remove the pears and transfer the pork belly to a grill for 1-2 minutes.

Transfer the pork belly and pears to a serving dish and keep warm.

Remove the fat from the roasting tray, leaving the meat juices behind. Place onto hob on a medium heat and add 1 tbsp of soy sauce. Stir for 30 seconds to remove the sticky juices from the tray, then add the stock. Leave to reduce until preferred consistency is reached, then season to taste.

Serve and enjoy.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Watch at YouTube