The little cubicles where lived the Chinese immigrant community in Manhattan

In times of crisis, opt for a smaller dwelling may have multiple advantages. However, for many people, the townhomes are so small that can be painful. Photographer Annie Ling documented this reality in the old Hangar 81, in Manhattan, New York City, where Chinese immigrant workers lived in little cubicles of six square metres.

Even this Hangar 81 have been closed in the last year, the building used was divided into several cubicles that buildings a generation of Chinese workers and that could be rented between €72 and €145 per month, referred to the Inhabitat. The apartments were very sought after, since most of these workers send much of the salaries for the family in China, from what these spaces at low prices were attractive options.

Ling's photographs highlight the pain and the daily struggle of these immigrants, but the photographer can also portray the ingenuity and sense of community of these people. Although it can be distressing to see Ling, the Hangar 81 functioned as a community and a vital support system for these people.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/Cubículos nova-iorquinos1of 20jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Airbnboi? Brazilian company rents pastureland during dry periods

There are technology companies increasingly turning to solutions to improve the lives of farmers. One of them, the Brazilian Graze, offers an on-line marketplace for farmers negotiate cattle and offers a search system of pasture for rent during periods of drought. A species of Airbnb for animals.

The idea belonged to Matheus Borders, of 20 years, who decided to start the business after follow the difficulties farmers faced during the dry period. "The drought that hit the Bahia, in recent years, was intense. When food reserves were on Thursdays, we needed to take the animals to other farms in the region, but we had no knowledge about the land available, "explained the sustainable planet Corridor, which is also an engineering student.

According to the company, the livestock of Bahia recorded a loss of €358 million (US $ 1.1 billion) in 2012, due to the loss of animals by drought.

Working alongside two partners, Matthew has the support of Cooperativa de Produtores de Vitória da Conquista to seek new customers. After the farmer to choose the property best suited to your case, the startup business brokerage takes place between the owners, with the signing of a contract notice.

"We deployed an automatic calculation for shipping and we will develop a geolocation system to the farmer find the best opportunities to land," says Borders. As a business model, grazing receives a percentage in the future negotiation of head of cattle.

More recently, Graze decided to study the creation of a monitoring system of low-cost beef so that landowners can get remote information of his flock and to know the conditions of the animals.

About 60 customers registered on the platform and four operations completed, the startup plans to close more than 200 2014 transactions between farmers, moving approximately €490 thousand (r $ 1.5 million). If that happens, will have been saved between two and three thousand animals.

Foto: francisco.j.gonzalez/Creative Commons

Read More

The 15 fruits and vegetables with less pesticides

Buy fruits and vegetables in any commercial surface and hope they don't contain pesticides is almost impossible today. However, contrary to popular belief, there are some vegetables and fruits that contain little or no pesticides, oddly enough.

Annually, the Environmental Working Group â€" an American entity â€" publishes a list of fruits and vegetables with less pesticides, as well as a list of products that contain more pesticides.

The "Clean 15" of 2014 bit differs from list of 2013 and, although the considerations are for the North American market, offers us a perspective of what we buy and eat. The drawing up of the list was based on an analysis of more than 28 thousand fruit and vegetable samples collected by the food authorities of the United States.

The Environmental Working Group catalogued after foods based on six degrees of contamination. The products that integrate the list this year, the entity did not find any food that would test positive for more than four types of pesticide and about 7% of the samples contained only one type of pesticide, referred to the Huffington Post.

See the list of fruits and vegetables with less pesticides of United States.

1. Corn

2. Onion

3. Pineapple

4. Avocado

5. red cabbage

6. Pea

7. Papaya

8. Manga

9. Espargo

10. Eggplant

11. There

12. Grapefruit

13. Meloa

14. sweet potato

15. Mushrooms

Foto: Muffet/Creative Commons

Read More

Startup offers DNA screening and creates virtual babies for customers

Two days after Anne to be double S. take home your newborn, received a chilling call. On the other end of the line, a stranger asked him if he was sure that his son was alive. Be double s. ran into the bedroom of a child to understand, with relief, that the baby was breathing, but the call he received from a doctor, indicating that a routine screening had revealed that her baby had been born with a rare genetic mutation and often fatal.

This condition, the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency of medium-chain (MCADD, English acronym), is caused by mutations in a gene involved in the metabolism of fat. Some babies who are born with a severe version of the mutation do not live more than 15 days, once your body is unable to obtain energy from fat by normal methods, when sugar reserves are exhausted.

"The first year was a mixture of anxiety and sleepless nights. I was worried that he might not wake up the next morning. I was worried when I got sick and didn't want to eat, "said to be double S., cited by the Guardian. However, once the genetic mutation of Alec was caught early, the child has a high probability of living a long and healthy life.

This occurred six years ago. However, those days were the beginning of something bigger to be double S. Anne. When surveyed about the son's mutation discovered that Alec had inherited the condition through a coincidence. The MCADD is a very rare condition. However, both be double S. as the sperm donor who used were carriers of genetic mutation. Mutations like this may be rare, but there are many and when the genes that carry are combined may affect millions of people.

However, be double S. is working on a way to minimize this likelihood of having a child with a serious illness or genetic mutation, so that other parents do not have to go through the agony.

Along with business partner, Lee Silver, a scientist at Princeton University, in the United States, be double S. will launch a company called Genepeeks. This startup will use the DNA of sperm donors and the DNA of the expectant mothers to create "virtual babies". These virtual descendants can be sorted for hundreds of genetic diseases, allowing discard donors whose combination of DNA with the future pregnant represents a risk for future child. The ultimate goal of the Genepeeks is that the technology could be available for any couple who wants kids.

This technology-which they called Matchright â€" might change the rules of the game of medical technology of reproduction, allowing the parents to obtain detailed analysis of possible diseases of children without having to deal with a real pregnancy.

However, it will allow an unprecedented glimpse of what the children of potential customers can be and can be used to detect other qualities or traits beyond diseases â€" such as the pain of the eyes and hair, height, propensity for obesity or even beauty. Since this new technology goes beyond the settings that are normally applied in testing with embryos, the method raises important ethical issues about privacy, choice of partner or donor and the role that the computation can play in the reproduction.

In fact, she continues to explore paths that calls into question the surprise and even innocence of nature. Is this beneficial?

What are digital babies?

According to, be double S. "technology simulates the genetics of reproduction and literally creates sperm and eggs that give rise to digital digital babies". Subsequently, are sorted the possible diseases that these children may develop.

Subsequently, the company uses this information to provide customers with your own catalog of sperm donors â€" the client hires us and we make various digital babies with each donor of our network and then filter all conjugations with high risk of disease, "explains Morris.

The tria Matchright more than 600 recessive genetic mutations, when compared with the technologies used to test the donor sperm. According to be double S., this will be the first time in human history that these diseases may begin to be prevented. Together, diseases sorted by this new technology represent about 20% of child mortality and 18% of paediatric hospitalizations.

The topic is controversial and we'd like you to comment on all our platforms: Web site, Facebook and Twitter. Share with us your opinion.

Foto: iandeth/Creative Commons

Read More

Old wooden bike creates footballer in honor of Eusebius (with video)

It was professional football player. However, due to health problems, Nuno Zamaro â€" or Tulika Amaro â€" was forced to abandon his career. Since 2003 which is linked to projects in the area of two wheels. In 2010 created the Wise-U, a creative agency headquartered in Águeda and dedicated to the development of ideas and product promotion.

One of these ideas was the creation of a wooden bicycle, the ANGEL (Art Now Give Energy to Live), which hit the market last year. Now, Nuno Zamaro released a special edition of ANGEL dedicated to Eusebio. The aim is to auction off the bike and donate the value enraptured to Mozambikes.

Mozambikes is a social organization of Mozambique and Nuno Zamaro intends to help this institution to raise revenue to distribute bicycles to the needy population.

"ANGEL is a bicycle. With this project and, specifically, in the case of ANGEL Eusebius, we want that people gain mobility and better quality of life while pursuing the player's dream, a man of great causes and with a sense of social responsibility that we want to honor, "says Nuno Zamaro said in a statement.

Remember the green economy dedicated to ANGEL.

Read More

Iceberg with 660 square miles exude of Antarctica

Scientists are monitoring an iceberg almost six times bigger than Manhattan, which snapped in Antarctica and follows now into the ocean. This is one of the largest icebergs.

Second explained last glaciologist Kelly Brunt, NASA, Reuters, the iceberg covers about 660 square kilometers and has a thickness of 500 meters. Known as B31, the iceberg broke away in November of the Pine Island glacier, in Antarctica

"It's one of those that is so large that it needs to be monitored," explained Brunt told Reuters. According to the scientist, the u.s. Government monitors about 12 icebergs per day.

Scientists are especially interested in the B31 for two reasons: the size and its location in the Southern Ocean. "It's a great piece of cake floating in the Antarctic Ocean," he explained.

The breaking of the glacier that originated this iceberg has been detected in 2011. This glacier has been studied closely in the last 20 years, incidentally, because it's getting thinner at a speed very fast, and can be an important contributor to sea level rise.

"We're doing some research on local ocean currents and trying to explain the movement [of the iceberg]. Surprisingly, there are times when he's practically stop, and other begins to float at high speed, "explained Reuters Researcher Grant Bigg, University of Sheffield, England.

According to scientists, however, the iceberg is not endangering any ship. "There's not much maritime traffic down there," concluded Kelly Brunt.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/O desprendimento do B311of 2jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Ollie, the dog who thinks he's human

Ollie, a weimaraner two years, doesn't have a dog's life. He reached the British press due to its day-to-day human: sharing an ice cream cone with his companions-these Yes, humans-, asleep in bed next to them or taking a shower.

With 1.2 meters and 40 pounds, he has a little careful feeding: eat cereal and drink tea. "Take a walk with him every day. When we return, he goes straight for the shower. It's not a dog, it's more a human ", explains one of the owners, Eliot Alexander, of 38 years.

But Ollie has other singularities. Is "crazy" when you hear the ice cream truck pass by the door, bypassing several children on the run to the place. Ollie eats ice cream so much that even their owners have to pay for it in advance.

Due to their independent lifestyle, the companions of the weimaraner have you considered putting him a driver around the neck. "He appropriated the House and don't have ways of being", jokes the owners of Ollie, who also have two cats.

Learn more about feeding dogs here and here.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/Ollie, um cão diferente1of 3jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

China wants to ban the dietary consumption of endangered species

China has approved a draft law to punish the dietary consumption of endangered species, with the aim of reducing poaching in the country. The law provides for imprisonment for those who ask for dishes that are prepared with protected species or for those who try to buy the meat of these animals for cooking.

Although hunting of endangered species is already illegal in China, this new law is intended to cover the high demand for the meat of these animals and to punish consumers who knowingly to consume or buy. Depending on the failure, prison sentences ranging between three to ten years, referred to the Dodo.

"This is the first time that concrete measures are proposed to prohibit the consumption of endangered species. In some parts of China the consumption of these animals is a tradition with many centuries ", writes the China Daily.

The list published by the Chinese Government are part 420 species of animals, which cannot now be hunted down, killed, sold or consumed. Among the most iconic species on the list belong to the pandas, Golden monkeys, the Asian black bears and pangolins. The proposal should be examined and voted on this week.

Here are some pictures of the most mammal Ding-a-Ling trafficked in the world.

Fotos: Marc Eschenlohr/PLeia2/Toro Mojado/Creative Commons/Wikimedia Commons

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/Pangolim, um mamífero em vias de extinção1of 8jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Environmental Defense associations distinguish Carla Castle and Carlos Pimenta (with video)

Today, instead of Messenger, the green economy is notice. Or rather, the program coordinator and SIC journalist Carla Castle, which received yesterday the National Environmental Award, awarded by the Portuguese Confederation of associations of environmental protection (CPADA).

"Unlike the environmental activists, it's my job, to inform journalistic. But I think it's a fundamental work to raise awareness of this issue and for your connection to quality of life, "said Carla Castelo in Mãe D ' Água, Amoreiras, where took place the event.

In the same ceremony, the former ruler Pimenta received from the Minister of the environment, spatial planning and energy, Jorge Moreira da Silva, the Career Award. "We have a moral obligation to take care of the heritage that we have inherited, which is our Earth. We have an obligation to those who will succeed us, "explained Carlos Pimenta.

The CPADA awards are awarded since 1999 and, this year, gave an honorable mention to the draft keg and photographers Louis Fifth and Ricardo Warrior.

The National Environment Award is named after Fernando Pereira, one of the martyrs of the environmental cause who was killed aboard the Rainbow Warrior, the Greenpeace vessel that was trying to stop nuclear testing at Muroroa atoll in the Pacific.

In previous years, the national prize of environment was assigned to the EPAL (Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres) Diário de Notícias, Arq. Ribeiro Teles, SEPNA â€" Special Service of protection of nature and Environment of the GNR, the journalist Pedro Almeida Vieira, the lawyer José Sá Fernandes, the magistrate and Prosecutor Helena Cluny, Cine Eco Jose Maria Saraiva, Sociedade de Advogados Miranda Correia Amendoeira and Associates, John Lawrence, the secondary school of Barcelos, José Carlos Marques, the Editors Always standing, and the Television Program biosphere.

The prize is intended to distinguish the person, institution or company that year, stood out in their activity as "environmentally friendly".

Released in February 2013, the green economy is the result of a partnership between the SIC Notícias, Green Savers and the Green Project Awards. All episodes can be seen on our page of Megavideo and the site.

Read More

Joke can take American city empty reservoir with 143 million gallons of water

At a time when drought proliferates by several u.s. States, the city of Portland, Oregon, are studying the emptying of a reservoir with 143 million gallons of water.

This thread is recurring in the United States, and the reason is usually the same: someone peed to the tank, which is filled with treated water.

The cameras recorded the action of the 19-year-old boy, at the beginning the morning of Wednesday, April 16 â€" a week ago. Because of the joke, the authorities are doing tests of water quality and one of the possibilities is to empty the reservoir.

In an interview with Associated Press Agency, the spokeswoman for the local water company said that the urine presents little risk, and that animals routinely deposit waste in the tank without creating a public health crisis. The problem is that, now, the company does not want to serve water that was deliberately contaminated.

"I may be wrong about this, but the reality is that our clients will receive drinking water that has been contaminated by someone who decided to pee in the tank," explained David Shaff.

If the disposal occurs, the water will drain to the sewer system that eventually, and after treatment, is dumped on the Columbia River.

Click here to see the video, released by the Associated Press.

Foto: Tom Topped/Creative Commons

Read More

Brazilian environmentalist movement wants to promote world day of the Environmentalist to June 4

The environmental movement the Greens, a member of the International Environmentalist Federation (FAI), launched a petition to ask the United Nations establishing the day 4 June as world day of Environmentalist.

"[We want], in all nations where the defenders of the Environment Act, of animals and of human life, is celebrated the date for reflection and support for environmental causes, in defence of planet Earth," says the petition.

The objective of the environmental movement is reaching the 5,000 signatures. If you agree with this action, you can subscribe to it here.

On 5 June, recalled, the United Nations celebrated the world environment day.

Foto: aloshbennett/Creative Commons

Read More

Exhibition on packaging reuse kicks off Thursday at NorteShopping

The NorteShopping receives, on 24 April, about 40 pieces of art â€" hearts constructed from reusing cartons for liquid foods â€" which were developed within the framework of a school contest sponsored by Tetra Pak, in collaboration with the ABAE-blue flag Association of Europe and the network of Eco-schools.

The exhibition, open to the public in the square 0 floor industry, combines environmental awareness to children's art, arousing us more new the ability to reuse the packaging used in the creation of original parts which, by its high originality, led to Tetra Pak to consider their public display, by selecting for effect more than four dozens of the best works that will be featured now at NorteShopping.

The show makes known the works that were up for tender in the initiative "on mother's day, the heart is Yellow" and whose motto of the hobby took students of Eco-schools around the country to create hearts, from cartons for liquid foods, combining the theme of mother's day the preservation of "mother nature".

Parallel to the exhibition, visitors can also participate, Norteshopping on 25 April and on weekends (from 10:00 to 11:00 pm), in the workshops of construction of useful objects from Tetra Pak cartons, through which you can prepare the gift to give on mother's day, for example, or take a photo against a backdrop drawn, from the theme of the exhibition, and they can take with them at the moment.

Learn more about the exhibition at Protects What's good.

Read More

Quercus will help municipalities to promote green economy. Murtosa and Vouzela have already joined.

The municipalities of Murtosa and Vouzela were the first two to join partnerships for Biodiversity, a network of Portuguese municipalities that will collaborate with Quercus to demand that can be positively discriminated, with more revenue and more public investment directed to their economic and environmental recovery.

According to Quercus, the project aims at increasing the values transferred to the municipalities with classified areas, by means of a better weighting of allocation coefficients laid down in the law of Local Finances and from other taxes.

On the other hand, it assumes the increase of national and Community funds allocation to carry out private investments which allow the creation of jobs linked to the preservation and enhancement of biodiversity.

Is the proposal promoting entrepreneurship still connected to the environment, to encourage the sustainable recovery of hazardous areas; the creation of alternative models of taxation that discriminate positively investments and economic activities; and the implementation of local strategies for the conservation of biodiversity and adaptation to climate change, actively involving local communities.

The Protocol between the municipalities and the Quercus will be signed next tomorrow, marking the world day of the Earth.

Photo: Vouzela.  guymoll/Creative Commons

Read More

Italy will sell Islands, castles and palaces

The new Italian Government, led by Matteo Renzi, will alienate a good portion of its real estate and natural heritage â€" from the island of Poveglia (View gallery), of which we have already talked in Green Savers, until a castle on the border with Slovenia.

The aim is to allocate the money raised from these sales to reduce its public debt, which amounted to 130 percent of GDP. According to El Pais, the Italian Government is unaware of the magnitude of its heritage, but it is estimated that he is among the €218 billion, according to a recent report by the Ministry of economy and finance in the country, and the €400 billion, as various private organizations.

Despite having 634 thousand buildings, which occupy a total of 300 million square meters, the Italian State spends $ 1000 million a year to rent offices and offices for officials.

Renzi's plan â€" which had already been put into practice by the new Prime Minister at the time of their passage by the House of Florence-provides for the disposal of empty buildings, neighbourhoods semi-abandonados or other infrastructure that are not being used â€" including castles, palaces and abandoned Islands, as Poveglia, which can be leased for 99 years.

Until then, however, Renzi has no other remedy that continue to sell State-owned companies, for which looks for a recipe between eight and € 10 billion in the short term.

Remember the photos of the island of Poveglia, considered the most haunted of Italy â€" maybe that's why the Italian Government the ponders to divest.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/

Read More

Toyota has already begun to replace robots by humans

Carmakers have long embraced automation and replaced humans for robots. However, Toyota is taking a step back and replace the machines by people in some factories in Japan.

Toyota's decision is an unconventional choice for a Japanese company. The Japan has by far the largest number of industrial robots of any country. Is only surpassed by South Korea with regard to the ratio of robots for humans.

This new Japanese manufacturer's strategy is based on two aspects. First, Toyota wants to make sure that their workers perceive the work they are doing rather than just do get machinery and parts do not have utility when they malfunctioned. Second, the brand wants to develop ways to increase the quality of the Assembly process and make it more efficient in the long run. Automation assumes that the enterprise has many average workers and few artisans and masters.

Since Toyota has implemented this strategy in 100 factories, the waste of material on the production line has decreased 10% and the Assembly process has become shorter. Improvements were also recorded in the process of cutting of parts and reducing the cost of assembling the chassis.

"We can't just depend on machines that repeat the same task over and over again," said project director Mitsuru Kawai, quoted by Quartz. "To be master of the machines it is necessary to have the knowledge and tools to teach the machines", asserts.

Foto: epSos.de/Creative Commons

Read More

The nine lives of Lions

If they say that cats have seven or nine lives, depending on the culture that says, so the Lions will have more. That's the whole idea of photographer Nina Sundén, who spent hundreds of hours photographing them and who claims to have seen it all: "I've seen them break bones, being cut in half and, a few days later, walking around like it was nothing," wrote Nina in your blog.

Last week, says Nina, she received the news that one of the lionesses of Bila Shaka, in Kenya, was attacked by a Buffalo, with lesions that speak for themselves (see image gallery).

Siena, so called the lioness, was cut on his back leg, and when we see the photos, it seems a miracle that she had survived. However, when the handlers found and contacted the veterinarians of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the future of Siena came out again.

The giant wound was cleaned and treated for 30 minutes, with Siena to sleep, and the two Italian veterinary, Francesca and Matteo, say she must regain 100%. See pictures and learn more of the work of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust here.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/A força de Siena1of 14jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Global warming will change the beer flavor

Much of what we have for granted today will be in the medium term, as the climate change on knock and are changing the way we have become accustomed to certain products. One of them is the beer, whose flavor will never be the same.

Who says is the PhD student Peter Gous, who is worried about the effects of climate on production of beer and, therefore, decided to investigate this link at the University of Queensland, Australia.

The study was published in the Journal of Cereal Science and tested as the lack of water can affect the quality of the grains of barley. Gous believes that the starch in the barley grains grown with little water is different from starch from grains of barley well watered. Barley that grows with little water has a kind of hydric stress, what changes the structure of the starch.

From this discovery, Gous raised the hypothesis that, in the future, it will be more difficult to consume a quality beer. That's because climate change will make droughts more frequent and more severe in all the world. This can affect the quality of grains, such as barley used in beer.

This means that consumers will have to pay more for a beer with the same quality of today. "If you ask any Brewer, the starch quality and fermentation affect the taste of beer," explained Gous the Brisbane Times. "Rather than pay €3,6 ($ 11) for a beer, for example, will pay € 10 to €14 ($ 33 to $ 44)," he concluded.

And the reader is willing to pay that amount for a beer?

Foto: edans/Creative Commons

Read More

Molecules can store solar energy indefinitely

Solar power walks with great strides for the MIT scientist: microscopic and Harvard University found a way to store solar energy in molecules that can be used to heat homes, water or for cooking.

These molecules can store the heat forever and be used indefinitely, not emitting greenhouse gases. Although the investigation is still at the beginning, the laboratory tests have demonstrated the feasibility of the phenomenon, called photoswitching.

"There are molecules, known as photoswitching, can take on two different forms, as if they had a hinge in the Middle", explained researchers in a press release published in the journal Nature Chemistry. "Expose them to light allows them to absorb the energy and change from one configuration to the other, who then stays stable over a long period of time".

To release this energy, simply expose the molecules to a small amount of light, heat, or electricity, and then switch to the other way. "In fact, they behave as loadable batteries: take the energy from the Sun, store it indefinitely and then release it in the request", explained the Nature Chemitry.

According to The Atlantic, this technology could be used in countries where people still use wood for cooking, which creates dangerous levels of air pollution inside the House, leads to deforestation and contributes to climate change.

"To Cook, simply leave the unit in the Sun during the day," said Timothy Kucharsk, leader of the investigation. Another one of the versions of the appliance can be used to heat buildings. Kucharski said that the MIT and Harvard are now investigating molecule that can absorb more than the energy of the Sun, so that they can be more easily used.

Foto: Moyan_Brenn (back soon, sorry for not commenting)/Creative Commons

Read More

London opens first coffee for cats

It's called Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium. And as the name indicates, the space is a place for cats-cats coffee, more specifically.

This cafe where cats are the hosts opened in February and is the first cat Cafe in London, in Shoreditch. However, the fashion of cafés of cats is not new â€" in Japan, where it is sourced, these establishments are common and in 2012 and 2013 opened cat cafes in Vienna, Paris and Madrid.

The idea of the Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium is simple: cats â€" that were adopted in an institution â€" roam freely through space and customers can interact with the animals while they eat or drink. Additionally, the cat lovers who do not have conditions to have its own cat can help take care of the cats of this coffee or help in animal nutrition.

A visit to space costs €6,20-amount that helps pay health care and feeding of animals â€" and is limited to a maximum of two hours. Children under eight years can not enter the room once, as shown in the website, "cats are afraid of the children". It is also not allowed to take photographs inside with flash.

Despite the prohibitions, the coffee is already quite popular among Londoners, referring to Atlantic Cities, and has bookings until June. Second, Anna Kogan, owner of space, the intention is to adopt more cats in the future, but required the prior approval of the Board of London. Currently the Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium has 11 cats.

Shoreditch should have briefly also a café for dogs, the Happiness of Hounds.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/Um café para gatos1of 20jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Global warming is making the smaller salamanders

For many centuries were considered immune to fire but, after all, the heat is affecting the size of the salamanders. A new study has revealed that the wild salamanders of North America are getting smaller as their natural habitat is becoming hotter and drier, forcing a greater expenditure of energy to survive in this climate more austere.

Researchers at the University of Maryland concluded that the salamanders of the Appalachian mountains are almost one tenth smaller than its predecessors of the mid-twentieth century. The difference in sizes is sharper in the Appalachian South and the smaller highs â€" places where the data indicate that temperatures have risen more and more land dried up.

Previous studies indicated that some animals would get smaller as a result of global warming and this new study reinforces this assumption. According to Karen Lips, one of the main authors of the study, this is one of the larger and faster mutation rates ever recorded in any animal ". "We don't know exactly how and why that is happening, but our data clearly indicate that there is a correlation with climate change," said Lips.

There is also a simulation study that shows that the modern salamanders are so active as their ancestors were. However, to maintain this rate of activity, the contemporary animals need spend more 8% 7% of energy. To get this extra power, the salamanders must make choices. May have to spend more time looking for more food or resting in cooler locations than looking for potential partners.

Foto: GGL1/Creative Commons

Read More

C&A launches campaign to draw attention to the shortage of organic cotton

"We're taking Bio Cotton every person, every day", is the objective and also the name of the most recent C&A campaign for promoting the use of organic cotton. To encourage the purchase of products made from organic cotton, but also to draw attention to the shortage of this same product, the clothing brand has released a brochure on this raw material.

The booklet explains the additional value and current challenges in the production of organic cotton and indicates opportunities for organisations involved in the global supply chain, as well as the particular responsibility of the garment industry in maximize the use of organic cotton.

Following this environmental concern, the C&A establish as a goal for all of its cotton from sustainable production by the year 2020. "Companies can make a difference, not only in producer countries as well as sales markets, to alert its customers to the theme of organic cotton. Our experience tells us that it is possible to realize, meet demand and make a profit ", indicates in a statement Thorsten Rolfes, director of corporate communications for Europe.

Currently, the C&A is the largest buyer of organic cotton, having sold more than 100 million products made with the material in fiscal year 2013. The percentage of organic cotton used in clothing the brand, given the totality of cotton, is 38%.

About 75% of organic cotton processed by the company, grown without the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers, comes from agricultural projects that are supported by C&A-near 60 thousand Indian farmers benefiting from these projects.

The scarcity of organic cotton

Despite the growing demand for organic cotton by international markets, global production of this matter is decreasing. Compared with the total output of cotton on a global scale, the cultivation of biological variant is only 1%.

Organic cotton production increased until 2011. However, after this year, the yield of crops subsequently decreased by 8%. Even though, at the same time, 50% of the producing countries have increased production of organic cotton. According to C&A, the reasons for the decrease of production relate to the "lack of knowledge with regard to organic farming methods and a lack of cooperation between the communities."

Foto: moria/Creative Commons

Read More

Caixa Geral de Depósitos adheres to the 10 principles of the Global Compact

Caixa Geral de Depósitos just signed a commitment with the United Nations Global Compact, the UN (United Nations), the largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative in the world.

"This membership stems from the CGD commitment to work towards continuous implementation of the ten principles which that organization advocates", explains the Portuguese institution in a statement.

The Global Impact is an initiative that proposes strategic policies for companies undertaking to align its business with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour practices, environmental protection and anti-corruption.

These principles derive from the Universal Declaration of human rights, the Declaration of Principles of the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme.

By subscribing to these principles, CGD will integrate and collaborate actively in Portuguese network, as well as in the Global Compact networks that exist in the countries where it has operations with relevant impact on society, economy and environment â€" and therefore contribute to the development of local communities.

"This bond strengthens the CGD commitment to Corporate Sustainability Program, allowing you to assign a practicality and greater reach to the values and principles that we advocate for the group," concluded the institution.

Foto: USAID_IMAGES/Creative Commons

Read More

Norwegian fisherman finds vibrator in cod (with video)

The news is as unusual as worrisome. A Norwegian fisherman found a vibrator inside the stomach of a cod in Norway. Bjørn Frilund explained to The site that he was "amazed" by the discovery, but believes he has an answer to this event.

"Fish eat all sorts of different things. And this vibrator is orange and it looks like your food. We have octopi on Norway, multicolored thought he was eating one of them, "explained Frilund, of 64 years.

"I've never seen anything like this, it was completely unexpected," continued the Norwegian fisherman, which explains why the subject should have been thrown out by a passenger on one of the cruises that passes in the Barents Sea.

Frilund discovered the vibrator â€" a wireless object and with a small electric motor â€" on April 7, but the news just now reached the international press.

Despite the unusual, this news is so worrisome as expected. Is not a Virgin: every year, thousands of animals â€" and not only â€" die due to ingestion of plastic and articles wrongly placed in their habitat.

According to Paula Sobral, the Portuguese Association of Marine Trash â€" an entity created in November â€" the swabs are more residues found on the beaches in Portugal. Remember that episode of the green economy.

Read More

Ecover laundry detergent produces from algae oil

Soon it will be possible to wash the clothes with detergents produced from algae oil, a more sustainable alternative to Palm oil, which is used today in most detergents.

The new laundry detergent cleaner was produced by Ecover, a company that produces and markets more sustainable cleaning products as part of the brand's commitment to replace the use of palm oil.

Palm oil is widely used in cleaning products and in food industry and is one of the causes of deforestation, once the rainforests and peat areas are replaced by palm plantations, particularly in Southeast Asia. Deforestation, in turn, increases carbon emissions and threatens biodiversity, especially orangutans.

"The algae oils have a high value of functionality and a lot smaller ecological footprint than most tropical oils such as palm oil, which makes them ideal for products for the home, where the tropical oils are widely used. The research carried out, it was discovered that algae are able to produce one of the most pure and clean oils available, "says Dirk Develter, director of the Department of research and development of Ecover, in a statement.

Already in 2009, the Ecover replaced, in its range of cleaning products, surfactants from Palm oil rapeseed alternatives with origin in Europe. Currently, the tropical oils (coconut and Palm) are currently the main sources of all surfactants, after crude oil.

Initially, 7% of the ingredients of the new Ecover detergent will be produced based on seaweed, and the aim is to increase its presence as the algal oil is being studied and developed.

The product should be launched on the European market â€" and in Portugal â€" at the end of 2014. In the domestic market will be possible to find in the new detergent, as well as other products from Ecover, Jumbo stores, El Corte Inglés, Supermarkets and other specialty shops Panache Biological, referred to the Ecover in notified.

Read More

The forest engineer that transforms the furniture of our grandparents in contemporary objects (with video)

When inherited several pieces of furniture from his grandmother, Paula Jorge decided to restore them and put them in your own home. At the time, realized he had to broaden their knowledge on the subject, and sought a way to do it.

The successive successes of restoration took on later in 2009, launching the project Workshop of the garbage, which restores furniture in a small annex of his house, at Estoril. The example, of rest, of which I spoke in the first episode of the green economy, with the brand Once Upon a Trash or in episode 217, with the Skiff.

"The pieces are coming mainly from the trash. Gather them together to containers. However, in recent years I have noticed that people leave fewer things next to the garbage, I find it difficult to find them, "explained Paula Jorge to the green economy.

This forest engineer decided to turn to the business of junk and the stuffing of houses, allowing raw materials to work with. In addition to restoration of furniture, Paula transforms other old parts in new products â€" wardrobe cabinets transformed into television, cabinets or doors which are now dressing. To broaden their skills, the workshop of Garbage made partnerships with a Carpenter, a Glazier and an upholsterer.

"I do a lot of night tables and chairs. See also coffee tables, bathroom cabinets, kitchen cabinets, chests or trunks, "continued Paula George. Other services requested by clients who want to recover antique furniture. Some of the deals are made on the blog and Facebook page of the workshop of the trash, but it's especially in fairs that the brand has won more interested.

The shop sells garbage between two to three pieces per month. "There is the need for containment of expenditure of money, and the reuse of parts that we have in the House, which passed from grandmother to mother, and who have a history. There are those who want to continue this story or make it contemporary, "he explained. See all the latest episode of the green economy.

Read More

Shops of CTT will receive textbooks used

The 623 stores of CTT will start receiving textbooks used, the institution announced on its website. "CTT will open your network, free of charge, to all Portuguese who wish to donate textbooks for reuse. To do this, just go to any of the 623 stores of CTT, ask for the packaging, depositing her books and deliver it to Reuse ", explains the institution.

The Reuse Movement is the partner of CTT on this project and adds more than 150 banks of books scattered throughout the country. These banks support the parents and students in obtaining textbooks at no cost. "CTT see your Association for this initiative within the framework of social responsibility and corporate citizenship as a form of one of the largest networks in the country â€" the postal network â€" take an active role as an element of the community," continued the institution.

Books fundraiser campaign coincides with the approaching end of the current academic year, which should mean a "significant collection of textbooks". All who wish additional information must be taken to a shop of CTT or consult the website of the Reuse Movement.

This news gets a special dimension, to the Green Savers, because they are dozens emails we have received every month from people who want to donate their schoolbooks. Now, they have the answer to the question that has long made us.

Foto: wohnai/Creative Commons

Read More

Oikos search Coordinator for Mozambique

The OGN for the Portuguese development Oikos seeks a Country Coordinator for Mozambique, a person who will be responsible for all aspects related to the management of Oikos and its institutional and legal representation in this country.

According to the Green Savers Mozambique, citing the Organization's own website, the Country Coordinator is responsible for the program of Oikos nationally and represents the organization before local authorities, agencies, donors and partners. It is also responsible for the strategic management and financial maximum of organization and management of human resources of the country, which includes engineers and project administrator. All this work is developed in conjunction with headquarters.

See the announcement on the site of Oikos.

In addition to the application, which can be made by filling in a form on the website of the Organization, the applicant must send the updated CV and a motivation letter. The deadline of nomination is the day April 25. The Oikos does not inform what the remuneration provided for.

Foto: Stig Nygaard/Creative Commons

Read More

Arid regions help to retain part of the excess CO2

Washington State University researchers found that the arid areas, which are among the largest ecosystems on the planet, absorb an unexpected amount of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

With this discovery, you can now know how much of the carbon remains in the atmosphere as CO2, and how much is stored on land and in the ocean, other forms of the substance.

The study, published last week in Nature Climate Change, is the result of 10 years of experience, in which the researchers exposed tracts in the Mojave desert in California, the high levels of CO2, similar to those you would expect to find in 2050. They collected the soil and plants, up to three feet deep, and measured how much carbon was absorbed.

The work comes to a unknown facets of global warming: the degree to which land ecosystems absorb or emit CO2 when its presence increases in the atmosphere.

The arid areas receive less than 25 cm of rain per year, occupying an extensive range of 30 degrees North and South latitude. With the semi-arid areas, which receive less than 50 cm of rainfall per year, they account for almost half of the planet's surface.

In fact, as we stated in the Green forest soils, Savers have more organic matter and, if we make the account per square metre, retain more carbon. But as the arid soils cover much area, according to Science20, they can have a considerable role in the evaluation of carbon and in how much the Earth warms when greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere.

Foto: geographyalltheway.com/Creative Commons

Read More

NASA invites the global selfie to celebrate earth day

If so many people make selfies â€" photos of themselves, made by a mobile phone â€" a day, why not make one for the planet Earth? This is the proposal that the American space agency, NASA, is making all of us: celebrate the planet with a very peculiar image, which will be released in May.

The idea is to create a global selfie composed of self-portraits of people from the four corners of the world, encouraging people to have environmental awareness. The proposal has as its backdrop the day 22 April, eight from tomorrow, the day that commemorates earth day.

To participate, simply choose a beautiful landscape â€" can be a City Park, mountain, River, Lake or anywhere else near the reader â€", reach in with your mobile phone and aim for the face and the landscape in the background. Then, you must put the picture on social networks. To better identify the place, the reader can download the official logo of the action, print it and use it during the selfie.

Don't forget to mark the publication with the hashtag #GlobalSelfie. In this way, NASA will be able to monitor all images published for the campaign and create a mosaic of photos with the shape of the planet. Social networks participants are Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google and Flickr.

The celebration also happens because the launch into space of five missions, NASA, for Earth observation in just one year. The mission number 17 is already in orbit, taking pictures of the daily planet to help answer critical current challenges such as climate change, sea level rise, extreme weather events and lack of drinking water.

Read More

Surf and sustainability have created 200 jobs in Peniche since 2009 (with video)

In Peniche, surfers, fishermen, population and tourists share the sea, and all that moves through it, the local economy: hostels and environmentally friendly hotels, schools that develop the sea economy and innovations related to the energy of the waves.

Such as Nazareth, also the city of Peniche won a new impetus with the surf and the increasing flow of tourists who seek to view or even surf the next wave. This connection dates back to 2009, when the city became part of the world tour of surfing, receiving one of the stages of the sport.

"[We have benefited from the surf], mainly in the area of hospitality, which goes far to meet what is the profile of the people accompanying the circuit, regardless of age and social stratum. There is a common trait [these people], that has to do with issues of environmental sustainability, "said the green economy António José Correia, Mayor of Peniche.

Since 2009, it's been around town about 120 thousand people, attracted by the waves and quality of athletes. In each contest, the tourists leave in the city approximately € 7 million. The success of the world stage has been the best advertising to draw tourists to other times of the year, and today Peniche ceased to be a city, solely, of summer.

These tourists want quality of accommodation services, but also more sustainable options. The revolution generated by surf passes by the creation of new businesses, such as shops, factories or schools boards of the sport â€" the high performance center dedicated to water sports was founded in 2012.

The other axis of Peniche overboard is related to the energy of the waves. The project is based on a submarine device, called Wave Roller. "It's a structure placed on the seabed, with wings, and that depending on the movement of water in the bottom of the sea, it generates energy that is harnessed. The curious thing is that the space where is licensed this device matches the projected nuclear power station in 1975 and 1976 ", joked the President of the municipality. The project expects European funds to boot the cruising speed.

Foto: Gusty/Creative Commons

Read More

Pollution in Nordic cities helps to create a artificial aurora borealis

The aurora borealis has attracted many tourists to the Nordic countries, especially Finland. But this natural phenomenon now faces an artificial competition produced indirectly by man.

The phenomenon was recorded by photographer Mika Wist from its balcony, and was captured at a temperature of minus 19 degrees Celsius. But what is then this artificial phenomenon similar to the aurora borealis?

According to experts from the North American Space Agency (NASA), the visual phenomenon is caused by a combination of excessive light pollution that interact with small particles of ice crystals suspended in the air, referred to Inhabitat.

"Lately, the communities near the Arctic Circle people have seen colored lights in the sky. Although it resembles the auroras are not ... Are pillars of light, caused by ice crystals in the air that interact with the urban lights and diffuse in colored columns. Solar activity is not required for this phenomenon. The only ingredients needed are ice and light pollution ", explains Tony Phillips, NASA.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/Aurora Borealis artificial1of 2jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Students create biodegradable membrane to replace water bottles

A biodegradable organic membrane, which can store water, was created in London by three students of industrial design. The aim is to reduce the use of disposable bottles.

Called Ooho, the bubble is created by a process of "esferificação", the same technique popularized by Spanish chef Ferran Adriá, which made famous the elBulli restaurant, in Barcelona. Through this method, the liquid is shaped in the form of spheres, which generate a double membrane, protecting water and the hand that's drinking.

The structure is composed of algae and calcium chloride, which create a gel around the water.

While the wrapper is created, the water is in solid state â€" as if it were frozen, and you can thus generate a larger ball, which keeps the ingredients in the membrane and water separated.

According to the creator of the membrane, the aim is to reduce the use of disposable bottles by society. "Eighty percent of the bottles we use and throw away are not recycled. This consumerism reflects the society in which we live, "says Rodrigo Garcia González, who developed the Ooho with his college friends, Pierre Paslier and Guillaume Couche.

Garcia also claims that, in addition to being ecologically correct, the "bubble" will reduce costs, since most of the cost to produce water comes from own production of bottles.

The Ooho can be produced for only €0,01 ($ 0.04), according to the sustainable planet.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/Membranas biodegradáveis substituem garrafas1of 6jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Don't blame the camels by global warming

Never accuse science of neglecting the smallest and seemingly least dignificantes details in the search for better understanding the functioning of planet Earth. It is common knowledge that many large animals produce large amounts of methane-gas that results from your digestive process and which is much more damaging than carbon dioxide.

However, a new study by a team of Swiss investigators recently revealed why we should not blame the camels by global warming. The camels â€" like its relatives: llamas, alpacas, dromedaries and vicunas â€" produce methane during its digestion, which is 20 times more potent in terms of greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide. However, these animals produce methane in smaller quantities to ruminants such as cows, goats and sheep.

When digest the food, ruminants emit large amounts of methane, which correspond to approximately 20% of the total emissions of this gas, reports the Guardian. The assumption that was made so far was that the camels produced similar quantities to ruminants. However, researchers at the University of Zurich found that camels emit less methane than ruminants.

Ruminants and camels are similar, but not identical. Both groups of animals have compartmentalized stomachs, which allows them to regurgitate the food from camera to camera to be better digested. Is this resemblance that he the idea that camels produce an amount of methane similar to ruminants. But this idea has now been ruled out.

During the study, the research team collaborated with the Zurich Zoo and private owners of camels. The scientists then measured the amount of methane produced in three types of camelids and concluded that the three species had a lower metabolism that ruminants, because they ate less and therefore produce less methane.

Foto: jemasmith/Creative Commons

Read More

Monique Pool, the woman who rescued and lived with 200 sloths

The passion of Monique Pool by sloths began in 2005, when after losing the dog adopted a baby sloth animal welfare society of Suriname. Since then, many sloths have passed the House with the Pool before being returned to the natural environment. On average, there is always a lazy new every week.

In October 2012, the animal welfare Society has asked the Pool to host several sloths that were found on land near Paramaribo â€" Suriname's capital â€" it would be desflorestado for the construction of a breeding farm.

Accustomed to dealing with these animals and have several at home at the same time, Monique Pool accepted the challenge, since you indicated that would be near 14 sloths rescue.

At the end of the rescue, Pool realized that wasn't the deal only with 14 sloths â€" but rather with 200 sloths, which were installed in your home. "At the end of the first month of rescue we had close to 100 and at the end of the operation reached 200 sloths", indicates the BBC Pool.

Despite being slow and generally peaceful animals, sloths are wild animals â€" often shriek, struggle and pinch the hand that feeds them. "Sometimes fought at night and I was awake by cranes," Pool. "In most cases were males fighting each other. A fight between sloths is a special event to observe. They dangle a on another and sometimes bite each other's feet ".

Most of the sloths has been reintroduced in the natural habitat, but still shares its Pool House with five sloths and three cubs. In June this year, Monique going to rescue another group of sloths to another terrain near Paramaribo that will also be desflorestado. The land owner calculates that may exist 15 sloths, but once the area is slightly larger than the previous one, Pool estimates that may exist about 300 sloths.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/As preguiças de Monique Pool1of 15jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Dog missing for seven years back to reunite with their owners (with PHOTO)

When in 2007 John Hartman and his wife lost their Labrador retriever, Buddy, during a violent wave of fires that hit California, thought it never would see your four-legged friend.

However, during a visit to his son, who lives in Southern California â€" shortly after the animal disappear, Hartman moved to the Oklahoma State â€" the couple received a strange call from animal Service Department of California. A passerby found the family dog wandering near the beach and took it to the pound.

Thanks to a microchip that Hartman had deployed as a precaution, the animal, the Kennel employees realized that Buddy was missing for seven years and belonged to John Hartman and his wife. Later, the animal was handed over to the owners, who never expected to be able to see the animal after all this time.

"I give a lot of animals to their owners here in California and elsewhere in the world, but return an animal after seven years was our record," says Dan DeSousa, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Services, cites the Huffington Post.

The Hartman, who lost the House in the wake of the fires never realized what happened to Buddy. The dog was found in 2007 but eventually escape and never knew of his whereabouts until now.

Foto: BAD MOUTH/Creative Commons

Read More

2014 FIFA World Cup mascot is facing extinction, but FIFA refuses to help in their conservation

The banded, common name for the species of Armadillo in the genus Tolypeutes, was chosen for the World Cup 2014 symbol. He is in all promotional materials of FIFA, which organizes the tournament, and its partners; posa alongside celebrities and ex-futebolistas and have your image marketed in various products.

However, the banded-the real, which is threatened and endangered â€" not yet profited nothing with this promotion. That's what says the NGO Association Caatinga.

"FIFA does not passes nothing for conservation, or a portion of them to profit by exploiting the brand Fuleco mascot," said Roberto Castro, Executive Secretary of the NGO, the Folha de s. Paulo.

Roberto Castro has been working for several years to save the species and led a campaign to become the official mascot of the World Championship. The responsible asked FIFA to distribute any part of the World Cup profits, even if it's a small part, to the conservation of the banded.

"When the banded was chosen to be the mascot, in 2012, we were very optimistic. Now, the practical result is that almost nothing has changed, "explained the charge, which also criticizes the lack of information on the natural characteristics, habitat and conservation status of banded in products linked to you.

The banded lives mainly in caatinga and has suffered from the destruction of its habitat. In the last ten years, there has been a 30% decline in population.

Contacted by Folha de s. Paulo, FIFA explained that admires the work of the Caatinga and that one of his sponsors, Continental tires, financed for 2013. According to Roberto Castro, however, support has ended and FIFA and other partners have already decided they will not invest in the conservation of the banded.

Here are some pictures of the banded. The real, as Jose Mourinho.

. fancybox-wrap {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 8020; }. fancybox-skin {position: relative; /* margin-top: 20px! important; */background: #222222; color: #74b32e; text-shadow: none; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 2px; border-radius: 2px; }. fancybox-opened {z-index: 8030;} . fancybox-opened. fancybox-skin {-webkit-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); -moz-box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.5); }. fancybox-outer,. fancybox-inner {position: relative;} . fancybox-inner {overflow: hidden;} . fancybox-type-iframe. fancybox-inner {-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;} . fancybox-close {background: url('wp-content/themes/codistage/styles/fancybox/exit.png') no-repeat; width: 25px; height: 25px; float: right; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 5px; }/*. ng-gallery-image img {width: 565px; height: 393px;}*/O tatu-bola1of 9jQuery (document). ready (function ($) {var thumbContainerWidth = 0, thumbs = Array (), selectedIndex = 1, thumbIndex = 1, imageOffset = 7; $ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail-box '). each (function () {thumbs.push($(this)); }); /* thumbnail navigation */$ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-next '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex< == (thumbs.length-imageOffset)) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left:-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex]). position (). left}); thumbIndex + +; } }); $ ('. ng-greensavers-thumb-prev '). unbind (). bind (' click ', function (e) {e.preventDefault(); if (thumbIndex >1) {$ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). stop (). animate ({left: $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). position (). left + ($ (thumbs [thumbIndex-1]). position (). left-$ (thumbs [thumbIndex-2]). position (). left)}); thumbIndex--; } }); $ (window). load (function () {/* set thumbnail container width */$ ('. ng-gallery-thumbnail '). each (function () {thumbContainerWidth = thumbContainerWidth + $ (this). width () + 10; }); $ ('. ng-thumbnails-container '). width (thumbContainerWidth); }); });

Read More

Panasonic hit solar cells efficiency record

Solar cells HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer), from Panasonic, reached a new record in terms of energy conversion efficiency â€" 25.6%. The improvement is almost 1%, compared to 24.7% efficiencies attained in February 2013. According to the manufacturer, this is a new record for a crystalline silicon solar cell of "practical".

The Panasonic sorts a cell of "practical" as one that has an area greater than 100 square centimetres. The February record of last year was registered to a cell with an area of 101.8 square centimetres. The new record was observed in a device with 143 inches square, referred to Gizmag.

However, the Panasonic indicates that this last record is also an improvement over the previous record of 25% efficiency for small cells, about four inches square. Still, these energy efficiency values are below the values recorded for other types of cells, such as the multijunção solar cells and solar cells of triple-compound joint hubs about 38.8% and 44.4% efficiency, respectively.

The new record of efficiency achieved by Panasonic was possible due to the development of the properties of hetero-junction technology.

Foto: Mountain/\Ash/Creative Commons

Read More