Giant bubbles of fresh air can be solution to Chinese pollution

Record pollution levels recorded in the large cities of China have served to stimulate the creativity of policymakers and architects and designers when it comes to finding innovative solutions to combat or minimise the effects of pollution.

One of these innovative solutions was proposed by a workshop of architects Londoners, the Orproject, who proposed the creation of giant bubbles full of pure air in Beijing. These inflatable bubbles would have parks and botanical gardens that would produce pure air. The bubbles would be built in a microlight structure resembling the wings of a butterfly with veins of leaves.

The system would use a material known as ETFE, the same that was used in the construction of the Olympic Aquatic Center for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. This transparent and malleable plastic could be used to create giant bubbles that then would allow the passage of sunlight at the same time protect the inhabitants of Beijing of high levels of pollution.

Christoph Klemmt, founder of Orproject, believes that this biome can create different microclimates within the same space, referred to in Inhabitat. The heating and cooling of giant bubbles will be made through a heat exchange system and energy requirements will be supplied by solar panels integrated into the structure.

. 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 novas bolhas chinesas1of 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); }); });

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More United Kingdom sustainable House will be destroyed

Matthew Lepley and Jules Smith, a British couple, took five years to build more green house United Kingdom and now will be forced to destroy it. The couple didn't ask for permission to build the House and refuses to ask, since, in accordance with their moral convictions, the process requires a lot of paper and energy, that challenges their ecological principles.

The couple moved from the apartment he owned in London in 2009 for Devon, looking for a more sustainable life. During the time when they built the House, Matthew and Jules lived in tents. As a means of livelihood, lived on agriculture. The dwelling was built with muscular strength and most of the material was reused. The House has no electricity, running water and the bathroom runs through a composting system.

"We wanted to build a House that would allow us to live in communion with nature. We used recycled materials, an AX to chop wood and hand tools to assemble the structure, "says Matthew Lepley. "The construction process was a little slow but very rewarding. We wanted to reduce carbon emissions as much as possible. The plans for the House were changing over the years, according to our needs. The heat from a stove that heats the water for the bath. We don't have electricity but use paraffin lamps and candles. This life is not for everyone, but we love.

Following the refusal of the couple in obtaining the license, the municipal authorities notified them that "removed" the House. "We took the decision to build the House without permission because the procedure of autarky is no friend of the environment and goes against our personal values," explains Lepley.

Initially, the neighbors supported the couple's lifestyle, but when they discovered that the intention was to turn the place into a kind of retreat, with workshops in Permaculture and green engineering, many of the inhabitants were against and launched a petition for them to be expelled.

Matthew and Jules already appealed against the decision of the local authority for the destruction of the House and now await the decision of a second appeal.

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The Aurora Borealis as we have never seen

Yesterday, the British Sky was overrun by red and green lights, a fantastic spectacle of the Aurora Borealis â€" a phenomenon typical of the regions of the Arctic and Antarctica. According to British media, the regions of Norfolk, Essex, South Wales, Cumbria and Scotland were the privileged by the northern lights.

Many of these photos were taken by meteorologist Chris Bell and placed on Twitter. Bell says he saw the lights at 8:0 pm yesterday at his home in Foxley, Norfolk.

"There is a thing called the solar wind, which are electronically charged particles and it takes between two and three days to arrive. When they do, that these gas atoms in the sky begin to shine. It's as simple as this ", explained to the BBC Mark Thompson, of Stargazing Live.

Countries such as Canada or the region of Alaska are some of the other privileged to see, on a regular basis, this Aurora Borealis. In the United Kingdom, he took place for the first time in twenty years. See some of the pictures.

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Spur, Lipor, UCASUL and Companhia das Lezírias win EBAEpis (with LIST)

Spur, Lipor, UCASUL and Companhia das Lezírias are the big winners of the European Business Awards for the Environment-innovation award for sustainability (EBAEpis). The winners were revealed a few minutes ago, in the course of the Conference "innovation and sustainability in the cities of the future", held at Culturgest.

During the ceremony were distinguished three categories of entities: management, process, products and services, and was also awarded the Biodiversity.

In category Management the great winner was Li, with the project "sustainability strategy of Lipor", which is based on an integrated approach of the values and principles of sustainability management systems, operations and activities, practices and decisions, giving particular emphasis to dialogue and interaction with stakeholders in a transparent and open relationship.

The award category was assigned to Process UCASUL, with the REFINOLEA project that focuses on the valorization of olive-residue oil extratado (residue after extraction of olive-residue oil) and the study of its implementation of technically and economically feasible way, to allow recovery of the entire integrated biomass.

In the category of products and services won the Spur with a project of sustainable agricultural production, in which bet on improving the health of their soils and plants, preserving natural resources. In addition to the preservation of biodiversity, the project aims to protect and study almost extinct vine varieties in the country and establish auxiliary fauna, fundamental in natural control crop pests.

The Companhia das Lezírias won the prize the Biodiversity with EVOA project, which aims at the promotion of natural values, being the primary motivation avifauna conservation. In addition to the increase of areas of refuge for nesting and tide, the project, which has the support of Breeze since its founding, intends to attract birds and generate ideal conditions for the observation of the same, maintaining its tranquillity.

Sonae Sierra, WeDoTech, EPAL and Docapesca were distinguished with honourable mentions.

The EBAEpis is organized by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) in collaboration with the Directorate-General of economic activities, the BCSD Portugal and the GCI and has been responsible for the selection phase of Portuguese candidates to European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE), which will be unveiled in November. The EBAE are an initiative of the European Commission which aims to recognise and promote businesses and organizations that give a relevant contribution to sustainable development.

The GPA Portugal and the EBAEpis-innovation award for sustainability initiated last year a merger, having regard to the common objectives and synergies. So, from this year, national candidates EBAE premiums are named by Portugal GPA.

Foto: epSos.de/Creative Commons

Category: Management

Category: Process

Category: products &amp; services

Prize

The Biodiversity

EVOA â€" Space of Visitation and birdwatching

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Sustainability: trade can contribute to the change of behaviors

Trade has a proximity factor with the consumer and, therefore, can contribute to behavioural change, in the sense of a larger appeal to sustainable consumption. This was the main idea advocated by the Director-General of the Portuguese Association of distribution Companies (APED) during the first GPA Conference 2014, dedicated to sustainable cities.

"The Portuguese consumer is wise," said Isabel Moral Wheat. "Sustainable consumption is central to the distribution sector, so the proximity factor of trade can contribute to this behavioral change", advanced the responsible.

On sustainable cities, one of the great pillars will be the technology. According to Miguel Moreira, administrator of Portugal Telecom (PT), this may "respond very well to the challenges of the cities of the future, both in terms of improving living conditions or resource efficiency. Here, the Manager gives an example.

"There is a blatant misuse of resources. The average rate of occupation of offices around the world, is 50%. They are there, they cost millions, consume energy, resources and are semi-vazios. Technology can help end this, "he explained.

The administrator of PT gave another example: the absence of telework strategies in companies. "The so-called commute to compute is ridiculous. In the cities, there are people moving 30 kilometers every day to stay hours in front of the computer. They could be making your work much closer to home, "he explained.

"This makes no sense. That person will pollute, will travel by car and contribute to the traffic ... technology can be an essential tool for improving the lives of people living in cities and reduce business costs, "concluded Michael Moreira.

The debate brought together the President of still waters of Portugal, Afonso Lobato Faria, and the Managing Director of Dalkia, José Manuel Bandeira. You can read the main conclusions of the two managers in this link.

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Green Project Awards launches series of conferences in 2014

The Green Project Awards organization intends to create, through 2014, great moments of reflection and debate on the most pressing issues for sustainable development. Sustainable consumption, sustainable cities, green economy and Natural Capital give the motto for the development of a series of conferences, which will be promoted in partnership with a number of prominent entities in different practice areas.

This cycle of conferences kicked off today with the debate on "innovation and sustainability in the cities of the future", taking place at Culturgest, and with the intervention of different speakers: Ana Morais Wheat, Director-General of the APED â€" Associação Portuguesa de Distribution Companies, Miguel Moreira, Director of PT, José Manuel Bandeira, Managing Director of Dalkia, and Afonso Lobato Faria, President of Águas de Portugal, the newest partner of the Green Project Awards.

Sustainable consumption is another preferential areas, giving name to one of the new categories of Green Project Awards. Thus, the Conference will be held June 5, in partnership with Ikea and the Continent. To help draw the themes and projects to be addressed in this area, the Green Project Awards counted with the collaboration of APED, DECO, and the Institute of social sciences of the University of Lisbon.

The Green Project Awards and EDIA-development company and the Alqueva infrastructures will create an award for the promotion of sustainability in the region of Alqueva, in 2014. And in this context, the EDIA is also a partner in the GPA in conducting a Conference on Natural Capital, where agriculture, forest, sea and biodiversity will be highlighted.

In 2014, the theme of the green economy will continue to earn featured, ending the cycle of conferences, together with the delivery of prizes to the winners of the 7th Edition of the Green Project Awards.

Present in Portugal, Brazil and Cape Verde, the Green Project Awards already received over 1000 applications and recognized more than 60 projects. The GPA aims to arrive later this year to Angola and Mozambique.

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Viewpoints of Portugal featured in Condé Nast Traveler

The Portuguese Lisbon belvederes â€" and not only â€" were highlighted this month by the Spanish edition of Condé Nast Traveler magazine that devotes an extensive article to these sites.

The text begins by the miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara (1st photo gallery), in Lisbon, described as a "balcony overlooking downtown, downtown", passing then to the Miradouro de Santa Luzia Sanctuary (2), in Viana do Castelo, a perfect place to enjoy the sunset over the estuary of the river Lima.

Again in Lisbon, the highlight goes to the miradouro do Castelo de São Jorge (3), where there is one of the best panoramic views of the Portuguese capital, followed by the Moorish Castle (4), in Sintra, from where the landscape that can be seen largely compensates for the effort of the climb.

Note, also, to the Miradouro de Santa Luzia (5), in Lisbon, whose walls are lined by hundreds of tiles, and once again coming out of the Portuguese capital, the journalist draws the attention of the reader to the currency scenario from Monsanto (6), presented as "the most Portuguese village of Portugal".

Read the article.

The following are the Palácio da Pena (7), in Sintra, formerly Kings scenario, the Cabo da Roca (8), located in the westernmost point of continental Europe, passing then to the North, more specifically to the Miradouro da Serra do Pilar (9), which provides a magnificent view of the city of Porto.

The article, signed by Alvaro Anglada, ends in Marvão (10), Alentejo village where the landscape you enjoy from your Castle is odd.

Fotos: Cebete, MiguelVieira, Bernt Rostad, tiseb, guymoll, guymoll, Angel T., Bert Kaufman, Leandro's World Tour, Jsome1/Creative Commons

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