Depression Rates Increasing

Over the last 30 years, rates of depression have been steadily increasing in Western societies. In the last 10 years, consumption of antidepressants has doubled in the most advanced Western countries. Today, more than 11 million Americans are taking antidepressants. The estimated number of people in Britain taking antidepressants is 2 million. In Australia, 66 percent of those seeing a GP for the first time about depression have a chance of being medicated - in most cases with antidepressants. This data is so stark that most of us and our institutions prefer not to think about them.

Quote from Healing without Freud or Prozac by Dr David Servan-Schreiber.

New Eco Friendly De-Inking Process Developed

A new technology utilising enzymes (biological molecules) has been shown to remove ink from recycled paper. A research project conducted by the University of Malaysia Sarawak reported the use of a crude enzyme preparation for the enzymatic de-inking of mixed office paper. Traditional de-inking methods have involved the use of large quantities of chemicals, causing pollution to the environment. The enzyme material was prepared by growing endoglucanase (enzyme use for the enzymatic treatment) producing Bacillus licheniformis BL-P7 in a liquid culture media containing sago pith waste and rice husk. Furthermore, the process proved to be more effective for the removal of larger ink particles. Also, properties such as brightness, air permeability, tensile, and tear were enhanced in the preparation of the recycled mixed office paper.

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