• Re: New research finds commuting by bike can improve mental health

    From Peter Keller@21:1/5 to Simon Mason on Tue Jan 16 20:47:17 2024
    On 16/01/24 06:54, Simon Mason wrote:
    A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to work can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be prescribed antidepressants.

    The research published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology (link is external) is the work of Chris Dibben, Laurie Berrie, Zhiqiang Feng, David Rice, Tom Clemens and Lee Williamson, and is titled: 'Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of
    mental ill-health? An instrumental variable analysis using distance to nearest cycle path'.

    Linking commuting data from Glasgow and Edinburgh, accessed via the Scottish population census, with mental health prescriptions from the National Health Service Prescribing Information System records, researchers were able to note cycle commuters had
    a lower level of mental health prescriptions than among other commuter types.

    A mean average 15 per cent reduction in prescriptions for antidepressants in the five years following the census was estimated for those who travel to work by bike compared with those using any other mode of commuting.

    "This work suggests that cycle commuting is causally related to reduced mental ill-health and provides further evidence in support of the promotion of active travel to encourage commuters travelling shorter distances to shift to cycle commutes," the
    research concluded.

    At the time of the census just 1.85 per cent of commuters in Glasgow and 4.8 per cent of commuters in Edinburgh cycled to work. Speaking to STV (link is external), the professor who led the study, Chris Dibben, commented: "Our finding that this
    economical and sustainable method of travelling to work also enhances mental health suggests that a policy of investing in cycle paths and encouraging active commuting is likely to have wide-ranging benefits.
    In total, 378,253 people aged 16 to 74 and living and working in the City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City council areas at the time of the 2011 census, and who lived within one mile of a cycle path, were included in the study. Among cyclists, nine per
    cent were found to have a prescription for mental health, compared with 14 per cent in the non-cyclist category.

    "Not only could this improve people's mental health, it could also help reduce carbon emissions, road congestion and air pollution."

    Dr Laurie Berrie added: "Our study used the fact that otherwise similar people are more likely to cycle to work if they live close to a cycle path. Using this property, it was possible to mimic a randomised controlled trial and compare the mental
    health of those who cycled to work to those using other modes of transport but who were otherwise comparable."

    https://road.cc/content/news/new-study-finds-cycle-commuting-can-improve-mental-health-306203

    Fatal word 'can'.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Spike@21:1/5 to Peter Keller on Tue Jan 16 09:08:19 2024
    Peter Keller <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 16/01/24 06:54, Simon Mason wrote:

    A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has
    highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to work
    can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be prescribed antidepressants.

    […]

    https://road.cc/content/news/new-study-finds-cycle-commuting-can-improve-mental-health-306203

    Fatal word 'can'.

    It doesn’t matter, the one crucial aspect that this ‘research’ does NOT address is *improvements* in mental health from taking up cycling. Rather,
    it compares two self-selecting groups, which has nothing to with the
    claimed ‘beneficial effect of cycling’ as the two populations may have arisen from different mental approaches to travel, and so compared apples
    with oranges.

    Road.cc is not noted for critical thought.

    --
    Spike

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Brian@21:1/5 to Spike on Tue Jan 16 14:52:19 2024
    Spike <[email protected]> wrote:
    Peter Keller <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 16/01/24 06:54, Simon Mason wrote:

    A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has
    highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to work
    can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be prescribed antidepressants.

    […]

    https://road.cc/content/news/new-study-finds-cycle-commuting-can-improve-mental-health-306203

    Fatal word 'can'.

    It doesn’t matter, the one crucial aspect that this ‘research’ does NOT address is *improvements* in mental health from taking up cycling. Rather,
    it compares two self-selecting groups, which has nothing to with the
    claimed ‘beneficial effect of cycling’ as the two populations may have arisen from different mental approaches to travel, and so compared apples with oranges.

    Road.cc is not noted for critical thought.


    If the regular cycling advocate who posts here is an example of the mental benefits of cycling there is a case for banning it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Spike@21:1/5 to Brian on Tue Jan 16 15:54:56 2024
    Brian <[email protected]> wrote:
    Spike <[email protected]> wrote:
    Peter Keller <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 16/01/24 06:54, Simon Mason wrote:

    A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has
    highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to work >>>> can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be prescribed antidepressants.

    […]

    https://road.cc/content/news/new-study-finds-cycle-commuting-can-improve-mental-health-306203

    Fatal word 'can'.

    It doesn’t matter, the one crucial aspect that this ‘research’ does NOT
    address is *improvements* in mental health from taking up cycling.
    Rather, it compares two self-selecting groups, which has nothing to with
    the claimed ‘beneficial effect of cycling’ as the two populations may
    have arisen from different mental approaches to travel, and so compared
    apples with oranges.

    Road.cc is not noted for critical thought.

    If the regular cycling advocate who posts here is an example of the
    mental benefits of cycling there is a case for banning it.

    I’d LOL if that wasn’t so apposite.

    --
    Spike

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JNugent@21:1/5 to Peter Keller on Tue Jan 16 16:07:03 2024
    On 16/01/2024 07:47 am, Peter Keller wrote:
    On 16/01/24 06:54, Simon Mason wrote:
    A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has
    highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to
    work can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be
    prescribed antidepressants.

    The research published today in the International Journal of
    Epidemiology (link is external) is the work of Chris Dibben, Laurie
    Berrie, Zhiqiang Feng, David Rice, Tom Clemens and Lee Williamson, and
    is titled: 'Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of mental ill-health?
    An instrumental variable analysis using distance to nearest cycle path'.

    Linking commuting data from Glasgow and Edinburgh, accessed via the
    Scottish population census, with mental health prescriptions from the
    National Health Service Prescribing Information System records,
    researchers were able to note cycle commuters had a lower level of
    mental health prescriptions than among other commuter types.

    A mean average 15 per cent reduction in prescriptions for
    antidepressants in the five years following the census was estimated
    for those who travel to work by bike compared with those using any
    other mode of commuting.

    "This work suggests that cycle commuting is causally related to
    reduced mental ill-health and provides further evidence in support of
    the promotion of active travel to encourage commuters travelling
    shorter distances to shift to cycle commutes," the research concluded.

    At the time of the census just 1.85 per cent of commuters in Glasgow
    and 4.8 per cent of commuters in Edinburgh cycled to work. Speaking to
    STV (link is external), the professor who led the study, Chris Dibben,
    commented: "Our finding that this economical and sustainable method of
    travelling to work also enhances mental health suggests that a policy
    of investing in cycle paths and encouraging active commuting is likely
    to have wide-ranging benefits.
    In total, 378,253 people aged 16 to 74 and living and working in the
    City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City council areas at the time of the
    2011 census, and who lived within one mile of a cycle path, were
    included in the study. Among cyclists, nine per cent were found to
    have a prescription for mental health, compared with 14 per cent in
    the non-cyclist category.

    "Not only could this improve people's mental health, it could also
    help reduce carbon emissions, road congestion and air pollution."

    Dr Laurie Berrie added: "Our study used the fact that otherwise
    similar people are more likely to cycle to work if they live close to
    a cycle path. Using this property, it was possible to mimic a
    randomised controlled trial and compare the mental health of those who
    cycled to work to those using other modes of transport but who were
    otherwise comparable."

    https://road.cc/content/news/new-study-finds-cycle-commuting-can-improve-mental-health-306203


    Fatal word 'can'.

    Indeed.

    We have copious evidence to the effect that it has the opposite effect
    on some!

    The ones who imagine that they can fly, for instance.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JNugent@21:1/5 to Simon Mason on Tue Jan 16 20:27:59 2024
    On 16/01/2024 05:41 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

    "Not only could this (cycling) improve people's mental health, it could also help reduce carbon emissions, road congestion and air pollution."

    on Sunday I was cycling through Camden (N London) when this car started hooting, then raced past me, brake checked me, then raced another 20m and slammed the brakes on cos the lights were red. I drew up alongside and looked at the bloke, he wound his
    window down, I asked him why he hooted at me and then he started a demented scream out about cycling in the middle of the road, I'm gonna run you over etc. He definitely was mental. I told him to calm down and then cycled off whilst he remained in the
    traffic. I could still hear him screaming in the distance. "

    :-0

    Did you go all the way from 'Ull to Camden on your chav-bike?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JNugent@21:1/5 to Simon Mason on Wed Jan 17 00:37:55 2024
    On 16/01/2024 09:49 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

    Brauchsel replied to ReadingCyclist | 4 hours ago
    0 likes

    I haven't read the study, but the authors' conclusion is that there is a causal link rather than simply a correlation. If they're right, then it's not the other way round.

    The article also notes a reduction in prescriptions over time for the group who both cycled and had a mental health issue, which also points to the likely direction of causality.

    Oh... the irony...

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Peter Keller@21:1/5 to Simon Mason on Wed Jan 17 15:30:08 2024
    On 17/01/24 01:03, Simon Mason wrote:
    On Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 7:47:21 AM UTC, Peter Keller wrote:
    On 16/01/24 06:54, Simon Mason wrote:
    A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to work can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be prescribed antidepressants.

    The research published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology (link is external) is the work of Chris Dibben, Laurie Berrie, Zhiqiang Feng, David Rice, Tom Clemens and Lee Williamson, and is titled: 'Does cycle commuting reduce the risk
    of mental ill-health? An instrumental variable analysis using distance to nearest cycle path'.

    Linking commuting data from Glasgow and Edinburgh, accessed via the Scottish population census, with mental health prescriptions from the National Health Service Prescribing Information System records, researchers were able to note cycle commuters
    had a lower level of mental health prescriptions than among other commuter types.

    A mean average 15 per cent reduction in prescriptions for antidepressants in the five years following the census was estimated for those who travel to work by bike compared with those using any other mode of commuting.

    "This work suggests that cycle commuting is causally related to reduced mental ill-health and provides further evidence in support of the promotion of active travel to encourage commuters travelling shorter distances to shift to cycle commutes," the
    research concluded.

    At the time of the census just 1.85 per cent of commuters in Glasgow and 4.8 per cent of commuters in Edinburgh cycled to work. Speaking to STV (link is external), the professor who led the study, Chris Dibben, commented: "Our finding that this
    economical and sustainable method of travelling to work also enhances mental health suggests that a policy of investing in cycle paths and encouraging active commuting is likely to have wide-ranging benefits.
    In total, 378,253 people aged 16 to 74 and living and working in the City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City council areas at the time of the 2011 census, and who lived within one mile of a cycle path, were included in the study. Among cyclists, nine per
    cent were found to have a prescription for mental health, compared with 14 per cent in the non-cyclist category.

    "Not only could this improve people's mental health, it could also help reduce carbon emissions, road congestion and air pollution."

    Dr Laurie Berrie added: "Our study used the fact that otherwise similar people are more likely to cycle to work if they live close to a cycle path. Using this property, it was possible to mimic a randomised controlled trial and compare the mental
    health of those who cycled to work to those using other modes of transport but who were otherwise comparable."

    https://road.cc/content/news/new-study-finds-cycle-commuting-can-improve-mental-health-306203
    Fatal word 'can'.

    The "Theory of Evolution" is still just a theory. :-/

    And the price of oysters is still too high.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Spike@21:1/5 to Peter Keller on Wed Jan 17 09:19:54 2024
    Peter Keller <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 17/01/24 01:03, Simon Mason wrote:
    On Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 7:47:21 AM UTC, Peter Keller wrote:
    On 16/01/24 06:54, Simon Mason wrote:
    A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has
    highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to
    work can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be prescribed >>>> antidepressants.

    The research published today in the International Journal of
    Epidemiology (link is external) is the work of Chris Dibben, Laurie
    Berrie, Zhiqiang Feng, David Rice, Tom Clemens and Lee Williamson, and >>>> is titled: 'Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of mental ill-health? >>>> An instrumental variable analysis using distance to nearest cycle path'. >>>>
    Linking commuting data from Glasgow and Edinburgh, accessed via the
    Scottish population census, with mental health prescriptions from the
    National Health Service Prescribing Information System records,
    researchers were able to note cycle commuters had a lower level of
    mental health prescriptions than among other commuter types.

    A mean average 15 per cent reduction in prescriptions for
    antidepressants in the five years following the census was estimated
    for those who travel to work by bike compared with those using any
    other mode of commuting.

    "This work suggests that cycle commuting is causally related to
    reduced mental ill-health and provides further evidence in support of
    the promotion of active travel to encourage commuters travelling
    shorter distances to shift to cycle commutes," the research concluded. >>>>
    At the time of the census just 1.85 per cent of commuters in Glasgow
    and 4.8 per cent of commuters in Edinburgh cycled to work. Speaking to >>>> STV (link is external), the professor who led the study, Chris Dibben, >>>> commented: "Our finding that this economical and sustainable method of >>>> travelling to work also enhances mental health suggests that a policy
    of investing in cycle paths and encouraging active commuting is likely >>>> to have wide-ranging benefits.
    In total, 378,253 people aged 16 to 74 and living and working in the
    City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City council areas at the time of the
    2011 census, and who lived within one mile of a cycle path, were
    included in the study. Among cyclists, nine per cent were found to
    have a prescription for mental health, compared with 14 per cent in
    the non-cyclist category.

    "Not only could this improve people's mental health, it could also
    help reduce carbon emissions, road congestion and air pollution."

    Dr Laurie Berrie added: "Our study used the fact that otherwise
    similar people are more likely to cycle to work if they live close to
    a cycle path. Using this property, it was possible to mimic a
    randomised controlled trial and compare the mental health of those who >>>> cycled to work to those using other modes of transport but who were
    otherwise comparable."

    https://road.cc/content/news/new-study-finds-cycle-commuting-can-improve-mental-health-306203
    Fatal word 'can'.

    The "Theory of Evolution" is still just a theory. :-/

    And the price of oysters is still too high.

    And the report still has the same selective basis in it, even when twice reposted.

    --
    Spike

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JNugent@21:1/5 to Simon Mason on Thu Jan 18 00:01:18 2024
    On 17/01/2024 06:29 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

    On Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 2:30:12 AM UTC, Peter Keller wrote:

    And the price of oysters is still too high.

    English shellfish could be contaminated with sewage as untreated human waste was dumped 29,000 times by water companies last year in the water where they are cultivated.
    The new statistics found sewage was dumped into waters containing shellfish for 207,013 hours in one year. The worst offenders were South West, Southern Water and Anglian Water. There are fears that this could be happening again this year.
    Some of England’s best-known fishing areas have been marred by sewage, raising fears the shellfish could be contaminated. The longest sewage dump event into shellfish water last year took place at Morecambe Bay by United Utilities, lasting 5,000
    hours. However, Environment Agency data shows the sewage monitor worked only 15% of the time, meaning that figure could be much higher. In Sussex, Southern Water dumped sewage into Chichester Harbour for 4,996 hours in just one overflow.
    The Liberal Democrats have called for a sewage tax on water companies, pointing out that firms that pump sewage into lakes and rivers made more than £2.8bn in profits, with large amounts going out in dividends for shareholders and bonuses for
    executives.

    Do the LibDims not know that what they have described for crestacean and mollusc seafood applies the world over?

    Do they (and you) "think" that no sewage is discharged into the
    Mediterranean? Or into any of the inshore waters around Africa and South America?

    They say that the tax on their profits would produce a fund worth hundreds of millions to prevent sewage polluting rivers.
    Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, said: “England’s treasured shellfish, our prawn, crayfish, lobsters and crabs, are the forgotten victims of this environmental scandal.

    None of them are likely to survive, if that's what you meant.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Peter Keller@21:1/5 to JNugent on Thu Jan 18 20:45:51 2024
    On 18/01/24 13:01, JNugent wrote:
    On 17/01/2024 06:29 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

    On Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 2:30:12 AM UTC, Peter Keller wrote:

    And the price of oysters is still too high.

    English shellfish could be contaminated with sewage as untreated human
    waste was dumped 29,000 times by water companies last year in the
    water where they are cultivated.
    The new statistics found sewage was dumped into waters containing
    shellfish for 207,013 hours in one year. The worst offenders were
    South West, Southern Water and Anglian Water. There are fears that
    this could be happening again this year.
    Some of England’s best-known fishing areas have been marred by sewage,
    raising fears the shellfish could be contaminated. The longest sewage
    dump event into shellfish water last year took place at Morecambe Bay
    by United Utilities, lasting 5,000 hours. However, Environment Agency
    data shows the sewage monitor worked only 15% of the time, meaning
    that figure could be much higher. In Sussex, Southern Water dumped
    sewage into Chichester Harbour for 4,996 hours in just one overflow.
    The Liberal Democrats have called for a sewage tax on water companies,
    pointing out that firms that pump sewage into lakes and rivers made
    more than £2.8bn in profits, with large amounts going out in dividends
    for shareholders and bonuses for executives.

    Do the LibDims not know that what they have described for crestacean and mollusc seafood applies the world over?

    Do they (and you) "think" that no sewage is discharged into the Mediterranean? Or into any of the inshore waters around Africa and South America?

    They say that the tax on their profits would produce a fund worth
    hundreds of millions to prevent sewage polluting rivers.
    Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, said:
    “England’s treasured shellfish, our prawn, crayfish, lobsters and
    crabs, are the forgotten victims of this environmental scandal.

    None of them are likely to survive, if that's what you meant.

    This thread was something about biking and mental health.
    Then it changed to the (un)connected subject of shellfish.
    Sorry about that, guv.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Spike@21:1/5 to JNugent on Thu Jan 18 09:23:12 2024
    JNugent <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 17/01/2024 06:29 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

    The Liberal Democrats have called for a sewage tax on water companies,
    pointing out that firms that pump sewage into lakes and rivers made more
    than £2.8bn in profits, with large amounts going out in dividends for
    shareholders and bonuses for executives.

    Do the LibDims not know that what they have described for crestacean and mollusc seafood applies the world over?

    Do they (and you) "think" that no sewage is discharged into the Mediterranean? Or into any of the inshore waters around Africa and South America?

    A blow to Mason’s Little Englander worldview; one wonders what the LimpDems are doing about it, other than cynically using it as an election ploy:

    “More than 80% of the world’s sewage is discharged untreated into the environment. In some places, the percentage is even higher (e.g., 85% in
    the Caribbean) or the ocean actually is the toilet (known as ocean defecation)”

    [is village green defaecation more acceptable, if done by cyclists?]

    <https://octogroup.org/news/more-80-worlds-sewage-discharged-environment-untreated/>

    --
    Spike

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JNugent@21:1/5 to Peter Keller on Thu Jan 18 15:41:01 2024
    On 18/01/2024 07:45 am, Peter Keller wrote:
    On 18/01/24 13:01, JNugent wrote:
    On 17/01/2024 06:29 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

    On Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 2:30:12 AM UTC, Peter Keller wrote:

    And the price of oysters is still too high.

    English shellfish could be contaminated with sewage as untreated
    human waste was dumped 29,000 times by water companies last year in
    the water where they are cultivated.
    The new statistics found sewage was dumped into waters containing
    shellfish for 207,013 hours in one year. The worst offenders were
    South West, Southern Water and Anglian Water. There are fears that
    this could be happening again this year.
    Some of England’s best-known fishing areas have been marred by
    sewage, raising fears the shellfish could be contaminated. The
    longest sewage dump event into shellfish water last year took place
    at Morecambe Bay by United Utilities, lasting 5,000 hours. However,
    Environment Agency data shows the sewage monitor worked only 15% of
    the time, meaning that figure could be much higher. In Sussex,
    Southern Water dumped sewage into Chichester Harbour for 4,996 hours
    in just one overflow.
    The Liberal Democrats have called for a sewage tax on water
    companies, pointing out that firms that pump sewage into lakes and
    rivers made more than £2.8bn in profits, with large amounts going out
    in dividends for shareholders and bonuses for executives.

    Do the LibDims not know that what they have described for crestacean
    and mollusc seafood applies the world over?

    Do they (and you) "think" that no sewage is discharged into the
    Mediterranean? Or into any of the inshore waters around Africa and
    South America?

    They say that the tax on their profits would produce a fund worth
    hundreds of millions to prevent sewage polluting rivers.
    Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, said:
    “England’s treasured shellfish, our prawn, crayfish, lobsters and
    crabs, are the forgotten victims of this environmental scandal.

    None of them are likely to survive, if that's what you meant.

    This thread was something about biking and mental health.
    Then it changed to the (un)connected subject of shellfish.
    Sorry about that, guv.

    It happens...

    Don't fret.


    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JNugent@21:1/5 to Spike on Thu Jan 18 15:42:23 2024
    On 18/01/2024 09:23 am, Spike wrote:
    JNugent <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 17/01/2024 06:29 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

    The Liberal Democrats have called for a sewage tax on water companies,
    pointing out that firms that pump sewage into lakes and rivers made more >>> than £2.8bn in profits, with large amounts going out in dividends for
    shareholders and bonuses for executives.

    Do the LibDims not know that what they have described for crestacean and
    mollusc seafood applies the world over?

    Do they (and you) "think" that no sewage is discharged into the
    Mediterranean? Or into any of the inshore waters around Africa and South America?

    A blow to Mason’s Little Englander worldview; one wonders what the LimpDems are doing about it, other than cynically using it as an election ploy:

    “More than 80% of the world’s sewage is discharged untreated into the environment. In some places, the percentage is even higher (e.g., 85% in
    the Caribbean) or the ocean actually is the toilet (known as ocean defecation)”

    [is village green defaecation more acceptable, if done by cyclists?]

    He never wants to respond on that point.

    Either he "thinks" that the practise is acceptable or he is (rightly)
    ashamed of it.

    <https://octogroup.org/news/more-80-worlds-sewage-discharged-environment-untreated/>

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JNugent@21:1/5 to Simon Mason on Thu Jan 18 15:47:46 2024
    On 18/01/2024 09:24 am, Simon Mason wrote:
    On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 7:45:54 AM UTC, Peter Keller wrote:

    This thread was something about biking and mental health.
    Then it changed to the (un)connected subject of shellfish.
    Sorry about that, guv.

    You mentioned the price of oysters. Due to Brexit "freedoms".

    "Sewage spills threaten to ‘wipe out’ Whitstable’s oyster farmers"
    On a sunny day over the Easter weekend, Whitstable’s seafood stalls had tourists queueing down the harbour front for their prized oysters.

    With the shellfish selling at up to £4 each — £1.50 for smaller ones — the oyster sellers are still doing a roaring trade locally. But the future of the seafood industry is in the balance because of a series of sewage spills marring its
    reputation.

    The Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company (WOFC) was devastated last summer following revelations of Southern Water sewage leaks along the coast. At a public meeting in February, fishermen condemned the water company for “destroying” the Kent town’s
    reputation for seafood.

    After the first spill event at the end of June, the next three months we had close to zero sales as each time we tried to open, there was another spill event and associated cases of norovirus.”

    He said the company employs 12 people on its farm directly and many more depending on the supply of oysters.

    Green asked: “How is Southern Water going to compensate both the industry and the people that will lose their jobs if their use of combined sewer overflows continues on a regular basis due to a lack of infrastructure investment?”
    Ed Acteson, a founder member of SOS Whitstable, a campaign group, told The Times: “The impact of sewage pollution and the reputation damage caused to fishing in Whitstable is potentially terminal for the industry down here. People are associating
    Whitstable with sewage and they don’t want to eat something that has been caught in the sea here.

    “Local fishermen are either selling up their boats or moving to different coastal areas away from pollution. Our heritage, which goes back centuries, is being wiped out by Southern Water.”

    Graham West, who heads West Whelks in the town’s harbour, told Kent Online that 150 years of heritage had “gone out of the window in one hit”. He blamed Southern Water dumping wastewater into the sea for his struggle to sell shellfish.

    <https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife-resources/animals/freshwater-mussels/#:~:text=Diet,bacteria%20trapped%20by%20their%20gills.

    QUOTE:
    Mussels live their entire adult life embedded in the bottom of streams,
    lakes and rivers [and, elsewhere than in Indiana, in the sea - Ed.].
    They mostly stay in one place their entire life, but can use their
    single foot to move short distances along the bottom of a waterway.

    Diet
    Mussels are filter feeders. They eat detritus (decaying organic
    material), plankton (microscopic plants and animals), and bacteria
    trapped by their gills.
    ENDQUOTE

    Don't worry too much about bi-valve mollusc shellfish.

    They LOVE sewage. It's their favourite food.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)