Mals, Italy, has long been known as the breadbasket of the Tyrol. But recently the tiny town became known for something else entirely. A Precautionary Tale tells us why, introducing readers to an unlikely group of activists and a forward-thinking mayor who came together to ban pesticides in Mals by a referendum vote—making it the first place on Earth to accomplish such a feat, and a model for other towns and regions to follow. For hundreds of years, the people of Mals had cherished their traditional foodways and kept their local agriculture organic. Their town had become a mecca for tourists drawn by the alpine landscape, the rural and historic character of the villages, and the fine breads, wines, cheeses, herbs, vegetables, and the other traditional foods they produced. Yet Mals is located high up in the eastern Alps, and the valley below was being steadily overtaken by big apple producers, heavily dependent on pesticides. As Big Apple crept further and further up the region’s mountainsides, their toxic spray drifted with the valley’s ever-present winds and began to fall on the farms and fields of Mals—threatening their organic certifications, as well as their health and that of their livestock. The advancing threats gradually motivated a diverse cast of characters to take action—each in their own unique way, and then in concert in an iconic display of direct democracy in action. As Ackerman-Leist recounts their uprising, we meet an organic dairy farmer who decides to speak up when his hay is poisoned by drift; a pediatrician who engaged other medical professionals to protect the soil, water, and air that the health of her patients depends upon; a hairdresser whose salon conversations mobilized the town’s women in an extraordinarily conceived campaign; and others who together orchestrated one of the rare revolutionary successes of our time and inspired a movement now snaking its way through Europe and the United States. A foreword by Vandana Shiva calls upon others to follow in Mals’s footsteps.

Master's Thesis from the year 2013 in the subject Law - Civil / Private, Trade, Anti Trust Law, Business Law, grade: 360 of 400 credits "very good", University of St. Gallen, course: European and International Business Law, language: English, abstract: The Precautionary Principle (hereinafter PP) provides a justification to act where scientific uncertainty about the nature and extent of detected indications of harm would otherwise possibly impede regulatory interventions. The PP is considered to be one of the most controversial principles and attracted much scholarly attention. Despite the vast array of books and shorter articles about the topic, less documents are available that are not limited to a single aspect of the principle or − if discussing several aspects − do not fill a whole book. While the present thesis will also not be able to cover all aspects on a limited amount of pages, it nevertheless should allow readers to gain an overview of all essential points linked with the role of the PP in the framework of risk regulation in the European Union (EU). To begin with the most important, the principle is introduced by describing its main characteristics. As these are heavily dependent on those who breathe life into the principle, the characteristics the EU assigned to it shall form the centerpiece of the first part of this paper. Based on this clarification, allegations brought against the PP are critically assessed. In the second part of the thesis, the focus is shifted to the actual application of the PP in EU risk regulation. After shedding light on the origins of the principle in EU risk regulation, three case studies from the agrochemical, pharmaceutical and food packaging sector reflect current applications as well as the relevant institutional and procedural framework. Insights from the theoretical part and the case studies are melted in the final discussion section that also includes recommendations for EU risk regulators. The thesis concludes with a general summary of main findings. The established systematic approach as applied in the case studies would allow to be extended to further cases or could be adapted to other countries or international settings. However, in this paper international aspects are only treated to a limited extend and not all sectors where the PP is applied can be presented.

Meet Lily White, Long Island criminal defense lawyer. Smart, savvy, and down-to-earth, Lee can spot a phony the way her haughty mother can spot an Armani. Enter handsome career con man Norman Torkelson, charged with strangling his latest mark after bilking her out of her life's savings. As the astonishing twists and reverses of the Torkelson case are revealed, so too is the riveting story behind Lee;s life. Critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Susan Isaacs has crafted her most dazzling novel of manners and morality. Lily White is a brilliant story of con artists and true lovers, of treachery and devotion—and of one brave lawyer's triumphant fight for justice.