USA: a House able to withstand tsunamis

Despite being the world's largest economy, the United States still cannot avoid the most extreme atmospheric phenomena. Since Hurricane Catrina the Polar Vortex, the United States are often affected by extreme events that remind us that the results can be devastating.

The most common are hurricanes and tornadoes, which every year reach several cities, mainly destroying dwellings. To avoid that the houses remain destroyed year after year, the workshop of architects Designs Northwest Architects have designed a House that supports the worst natural phenomena: from strong winds, heavy rainfall, storms and even tsunamis.

Situated in an area of full bed on Camano Island in Washington, the two-story house is supported by pillars of 1.5 meters, designed to withstand high-speed wave. The ground floor, called "riding full" is a multipurpose space, whose walls are designed to leave in case of tsunami, thus leaving the top intact housing, refers to Gizmag.

The decor is simple and industrial style, however, the architects gave him a more cozy by entering a few pieces of wood and lots of Windows for natural light. The housing consists of a kitchen, living room, bathroom, master bedroom and a smaller room. Although the House be tsunami-proof, just know if you resist when it is hit by a.

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6 mistakes we made when we go shopping

How many times are you going to shopping a week? And belly full or empty? Are issues such as these that concern Katie Hill, coach of American well-being, alerting you to some mistakes we all make when it comes to read from the grocery store.

"As a coach, I noticed that my clients feel anxious when they have a house full of food. And many basic mistakes when we buy our food, "he explained to the Huffington Post.

The educator has compiled a list of the six mistakes that we all make when we go shopping. And some of them are quite pertinent.

Katie leaves a also a word of advice: sometimes delegate the purchases to someone: "Many times, it's my husband who goes shopping. He is the most patient customer in the world ".

Mistake no. 1: go shopping only once per week

This is a very common mistake in the United States. Many families fill their shopping carts once a week, hoping that these are sufficient for the rest of the week. With this strategy, we tend to buy foods that last longer, i.e. abuse of processed foods.

On the other hand, this also means that, sometimes, we leave expiry of foods, which leaves us upset. If we buy less food but we increase the trips to the supermarket, save money and have more fresh food every day.

Mistake no. 2: go shopping without a plan

There are more and more people with shopping lists, but often the foods that are part of this are not coordinated. Before we left home, we must know what we need for two or three days. I.e. we should buy enough for nine meals.

Katie explains that sometimes comes home-coming of the supermarket â€" and has nothing to eat, just food scattered: some carrots, some canned.

Mistake no. 3: go shopping on a full stomach

It was known that shopping on an empty stomach is disastrous, now we can add a full stomach. According to Katie, many of his clients who go to the supermarket with a full stomach will buy everything but food: toilet paper, detergents, toiletries, but no food. That is, you must return to the supermarket a few hours later.

Mistake # 4: buying too much convenience food "healthy"

There are hundreds of food whose manufacturers consider "gluten-free", "organic", "fat-free" or "natural" and that, in fact, are not. We must opt for real food, preferably that don't come in a package that survives everything â€" including nuclear holocausts.

Mistake # 5: not knowing what days your supermarket renews the stock

This is one of the great advice I ever published in Green Savers. The secret to buying fresh food is knowing what day your supermarket renews the stock. Ask the Manager and he will tell you, certainly. Then, plan purchases that day â€" which does not necessarily have to be at the weekend, although give more way to most consumers.

Mistake # 6: not having patience

It sucks to wait hours for their time on fresh fish or deli? Yes, it's true, but know that the food is fresh. Try to resist buying packaged products â€" sometimes they are several days ago at the same venue.

Foto:  Polycart / Creative Commons

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Black dogs are the last to be adopted in animal shelters

The black dogs are not as often adopted as dogs with other hair colors and usually are the last to be chosen among the animals that are in shelters for adoption. Although there are no official data, the institutions that receive the animals noticed that the black-haired are the last to be adopted.

The main reason for the phenomenon occur relates to some prejudices in relation to dogs with black fur. Often people associate these bad animals dogs and potentially violent. The black dogs are also often portrayed on television and in movies as aggressive animals, which contributes to the stigma.

Prejudices regarding these animals already have name-Black Dog syndrome. The fact that the animals of other colors are deprecated in relation to black dogs causes these animals have much higher eutanização rates in relation to other.

According to popular folklore, the black dogs are associated with death and the superstitions, such as the black cats. Many people consider even if you have a black dog brings bad luck.

However, the owners of these animals contend that are sweet and adorable, but also recognize that they are not well-seen.

Foto:  michimaya / Creative Commons

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TASA project: handicraft which combines the algarvian tradition to local artisans

The TASA project-Current Solutions Ancestors Techniques â€" is an initiative that aims to combine the algarvian traditional knowledge of regional artisans to knowledge of the designers, which synergistically produce typical objects with products of the region.

Thus, this project focuses on the strategic innovation of handmade product, from the perspective of its recovery, re-identification and re-interpretation, contextualizing it with contemporary needs, in order to rehabilitate the cultural and commercial status.

Thus, each produced piece tells a story. Not only the hands that worked as well as ancestors who printed them the collective memory of work what the earth offers and make it their art and their artifacts.

In addition to producing goods for home, the project develops eco-products and eco-urban leisure. Among the main materials used are prefabricated blocks in the region, the wicker and Cork. The products manufactured are several, including the catchphrase, Walker bags to transport bikes boiling pans and amaze birds.

The TASA project is an initiative of the Algarve Regional coordination and development that began in 2010. Currently the project is stimulated by ProActive Tur, a tourism company responsible.

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Python moves the jaw to devour Antelope

The snakes are the world's most fascinating animals, of which cause more fears and phobias and, definitely, the Queens wildlife programmes. Despite its characteristics are already well known, never cease to amaze us with some of the tricks they use when it comes time to hunt.

The last proof of infidelity comes to us of Moremi, in Botstwana, where the photographer Fred von Winckelmann caught a Python eating an antelope whole and without major problems.

"View an African Python swallowing a young Antelope is something that only happens once in a lifetime", explained the Dutch photographer. "The snake was eating calmly your meal, didn't even notice us. This allowed me to download and shoot it at the level of your eyes ".

When von Wincklemann arrived at the scene, the snake was starting to move the jaw to eat the antelope, something he continued to do for about 45 minutes. "So, we let her digest the meal. They are very vulnerable when they do, "he explained.

See some of the pictures.

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Australia: heatwave is a consequence of climate change caused by man

Southern Australia is experiencing a wave of extreme heat, with the thermometers to exceed 40° c. Despite being summer, abnormal temperatures are causing several fires, the electrical supply failures and even lead to withdrawals of tennis in Australia Open, taking place in Melbourne.

Scientists indicate that the wave of extreme heat is a clear example of how climate change caused by human species are having consequences on natural climate variability.

According to Sarah Perkins, New South Wales University, a specialist in Australian climate, the latest heatwaves have occurred in the absence of El Ninõ, climatic phenomenon of atmospheric and ocean nature, which causes abnormal warming of surface water and shallow Equatorial Pacific Ocean. "Usually we hope the higher temperatures occur more frequently during the phase of El Ninõ, however, we're checking consecutive heat waves that are not caused by climate variability", says the expert, quoted by the Financial Times.

This week, temperatures exceeded 40° C several times and this is the second wave of extreme heat in 15 days. Recently, the Institute of meteorology Australian confirmed that 2013 was the hottest year since annual temperature monitors in the country. Average temperatures were 1.2° C above average long-term, surpassing the record of 2005, when the thermometers were 0.5° C above average.

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The Portuguese revolutionary innovation that joins the wind and solar energy (with video)

For years, Portugal was seen as an example for renewable energy. This investment has spread not only by companies but also universities and even citizens, being today well rooted in society.

To ride this boom came the Omniflow Omni-directional turbine, a motionless, low visual impact, which captures the wind and the Sun in all directions, allowing you to produce energy through wind or sunlight-or both, simultaneously.

This innovative infrastructure was developed by Pedro Rouen, materials engineer who launched the namesake company just over three months. "We were well received by the market. People were able to understand the message and what is the product, "explained Peter Rouen, who is now CEO of Omniflow.

The entrepreneur explains that has several customers that already have grid connection and who are thinking of expanding into wind production. "Many of these clients have electric cars," continues Peter Rouen.

The company also already has several foreign customers reside in Portugal, which demonstrates that the infrastructure has the potential of globalization.

One of the great advantages of Omniflow is its characteristic facing installation in urban areas. The company is working with the Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto in product testing. "We have an infrastructure that allows us to measure, with excellent quality, the performance of the equipment. Above all, it enables us to measure the performance of the equipment in an environment very close to the ideal, because the lab simulates a low voltage electricity network, "said Louis dryness, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto.

The system does not depend on the direction of the wind, this being the great asset of the equipment and the characteristic that is attracting foreign investors. In 2013, Pedro Rouen pretended to have a turnover of around € 25 million ($ 80,000), but the value was folded. In 2014, the aim is to reach € 1 million ($ 3.2 million).

France, Brazil and Angola are the three markets where Omniflow has sold equipments â€" there are three different sizes, between € 1,400 ($ 4,500) and €14 thousand ($ 45,000). See the episode 85 of green economy.

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