Energy-efficient houses will be doing us harm?

A toxic spill caused by poor circulation of air may cause the "sick building syndrome", thinking to be present in new or renovated buildings half English, informs the media of that country.

The most common symptoms are headaches, lethargy, lack of concentration, skin irritation, dry itchy eyes and a runny nose. In rarer cases, mold spores can damage lung tissue and affect breathing

Efficient buildings are an important part in combating the world energy crisis. However, these structures can be a threat to humans because they are likely to retain moist air, in which toxic chemicals can spread.

The new buildings and hermetically sealed can produce moisture and toxic mold dangerous to health. About two-thirds of the most severe crises â€" and potentially fatal â€" of asthma may be triggered by these fungi, which can also cause serious lung infections.

Fungi can also be linked to Parkinson's disease. A recent American study showed that a compound emitted by fungi reduces dopamine levels produced by the brain, something which usually cause symptoms of Parkinson 's, although more research is needed on this matter.

Foto: USACE Europe District/Creative Commons

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A 17TH century cottage left to abandonment

The country house of Old Crow in Willersey, Herefordshire, United Kingdom, is grade II listed, namely architectural, is considered a particularly important structure and local interest.

However, this certification does not prevent Old Crow is the abandonment since 2009 and, these days, practically in ruins. The building, dating back to the 17th century, was once a village pub and, in recent decades, it housed several generations of the same family.

However, an investigation by the English press, based on photos of the urban Explorer Dan Circa, discovered a building about to collapse and with articles of historic interest unprotected: photographs, newspapers, clothing, furniture or even watches.

"The cabin was for several years in the possession of the same family, and it seems that every generation has filled the home of several articles. There we can find everything, "explained Dan, who confirmed that the building has seven rooms, one of which is completely burnt.

The first reference to the building dates back to 1841, when it was occupied by James Matthews. It is also known that the building was a pub and a pension, having had several names.

"The House is on its last legs, structurally insecure and may fall at any moment," says Dan Circa. "I wish the House and some objects that are inside could be saved. Have an incredible story and should not continue to fester, "he concludes.

And the reader, know any monument in Portugal, which is left to abandonment? Let your complaint in the comments to this news, on Twitter or Facebook.

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Tetra Pak recycled 43 billion packs in 2013

The multinational company Tetra Pak food security recycled more than 43 billion packs in 2013, another four billion the previous year, totalling 24.5% recycling rate.

In the Iberian market, Tetra Pak packages have reached a recycling rate of almost 50%, having been forwarded for recycling about three million packs.

"Achieving environmental excellence is part of the company's strategy for 2020, because we believe is crucial to the future of the company and its customers. We influenced the environmental performance at all stages of our operations since the election of the raw materials, the development of treatment and packaging systems and support to our customers, "said Claes Du Rietz, Tetra Pak ' s Vice President for the environment, cited by Protects What's good.

In Portugal and Spain were placed on the market in 2013, about 7,520 million FSC certified packaging, which represents 44% of all packaging placed in the two markets. The goal of the company is to achieve the 100% up to 2015.

Meet all the environmental results of the Tetra Pak Protects What's good.

In the long run, Tetra Pak's goal is to develop a totally renewable. In 2013 was given a big step in that direction, with the worldwide release of the aperture system LightCap 30, bio-based and produced with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) derived from sugar cane. In 2013, reached 1.1 billion packaging market with this opening system, almost double the figure recorded in 2012.

On average, 75% of a Tetra Pak packaging consists of cardboard from wood. "While company certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Tetra Pak is committed to stocking up with forests are managed responsibly and other controlled sources, with the objective of using 100% FSC-certified card. This percentage amounted to 38% in 2012 to 41% in 2013. In the last year, were placed on the market 32 billion Tetra Pak's packaging with the symbol of the FSC, which translates into an increase of more than 5 billion packages in the face of 2012, "explains Protects What's good.

Reduce the environmental footprint

Tetra Pak has established as a goal, until 2020, the limitation of climate impact along the value chain 2010 levels, maintaining the growth of their business. To achieve this goal, a number of initiatives were launched, including the development of a system of control and registration in line with the standards of the Business Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions along the value chain (Green House Gas Protocol Corporate Value Chain). The system shows that, between 2010 and 2013, Tetra Pak has reduced emissions from its operations in 2.000 tons CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), while it recorded a growth of 12% in the total number of packages sold.

Tetra Pak reports publicly the progress of your emission control program through the CDP. In 2013, Tetra Pak has improved their rating from 77 to 91 CDP, considered very high value value vis-à-vis industry average is 49. CDP (formerly known as Carbon Disclosure Project) is an independent, non-profit organization that supports companies in the evaluation, dissemination, management and sharing of environmental information.

In 2013, were also released a series of innovations in the field of equipment and support services to clients in reducing their environmental footprint. For example, was made available the Tetra Alcross RO Lite for small and medium-sized producers of cheese allows you to transform the serum with excess water, considered waste of production, a commercial product.

Foto: Mark Morgan Trinidad B/Creative Commons

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The Andes viewed by a Portuguese photographer

The respected Portuguese photographer George Sampson spent part of a flight over the Andes to photograph this force of nature, somewhere in Ushuaia, southern Argentina. "For me it was an experience that I will never forget, feel the power of the mountain. I saw a light and unique colors clear and transparent to infinity ", explained the photographer on your site.

Son of photographer, George Sampson grew up in Trás-os-Montes and always had the photo gift. His first camera was a Minolta, offered by her father, but over time began to use only digital machines.

Member of the Photographic Society of America, George Sampson graduated in cultural anthropology and is defined as documentary photographer and humanist.

Follow George Sampson on Facebook.

"This series is a bit away from conservative and functional documentary that guides my work, but a unique opportunity to admire the power of the Andes through the air, sometimes is a bit abstract, and at one point got lost looking for images drawn by nature. I hope that happens to you, "said the artist.

See the photos.

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The pros and cons of traffic congestion

Who every day have to face traffic jams and congested traffic crossing the city considers a horrible trip. However, small business owners and companies located in the congestion zone tend to have differing opinions. On the one hand, these small traders don't like the bad traffic flow will prevent consumers from attending their spaces as soon as possible. On the other, these owners recognize that the places where usually there is frequent traffic jams are good places to establish the business.

Matthias Sweet, researcher in the area of transport of McMaster University, tried to balance the pros and cons of traffic metropolitan areas. The main conclusion of the study, published in the Journal of Transport Geography, indicates that traders tend to leave urban areas with much regional congestion but, curiously, like city areas with local congestion.

"In short, while regional congestion seems to be a hindrance, the local congestion seems to work like a convenience-which implies that they are true the arguments of engineers and economists, indicating that congestion is unfavorable for the economy, but also the arguments of urbanists, who consider the traffic congestion a convenience," reads the study, quoted by the Atlantic Cities.

In a previous study, Sweet it focused on benefits and losses on productivity of a city. The main conclusion of the study, which examined 88 congested urban centers, reveals that the congestion, at an early stage, encourages economic growth but, over time, becomes an obstacle to growth â€" more specifically, when a small movement takes more than 4.5 minutes.

From this point, traffic ceases to lead people to a certain area, and starts to create quality of life for everyone who lives or works there.

The work of Sweet looked specifically for more than 30 thousand business from Philadelphia, United States, 2003 to 2007, and analyzed the local traffic during this period. The American wanted to answer one simple question: companies leave sites that are very congested? The answer is: No.

The responsible discovered that companies believe that congestion in a regional area increase the time between work and home, while Central and local congestion help increase corporate and personal interaction. And the crowding-Soon, are beneficial for a business.

Foto: zigazou76/Creative Commons

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The brand of organic products which have already entered the HP (with video)

When he became unemployed, the 53-year-old Teresa Rodrigues moved from Lisbon to the village of Monte Gordo, in Mafra, and began to figure out what to do to the land that was purchased in 1995. After some recovery work, Teresa ripped with a brand of organic farming, which he called Quinta da Pedra Branca, and called his three sons to the project.

"My husband and I were unemployed and had to have a livelihood. There's nothing like working together, and that's what we did, "explained the entrepreneur to the green economy.

Teresa says that organic farming was an option. "[The products] are healthier and flavorful, although they are more difficult to work," he explained.

The Quinta da Pedra Branca kiln was built with the help of EU funds and, in addition to the four farmers, today already provides employment to others. With a wide variety of cultivated products, the brand has other partners of biological products, which raise their own crops in baskets of Quinta da Pedra Branca.

Hampers distribution has grown in the Lisbon area, with home delivery. The requests are received online, but there are also direct sales in the markets or in the fifth, which always has the doors open.

"What the Quinta da Pedra Branca is doing is an entrepreneurial idea, rejecting a specific audience to reach new people. And that's very important in organic farming. Right now, I'd say it's the most important factor, "explained to the green economy Andrea Pereira, the Agrobio.

Today, Quinta da Pedra Branca, arrived at the business park of Oeiras. Every Wednesday (today), the brand is on HP, leading products to employees of one of the most advanced and technological companies in the world.

Enter the HP was a conquest, and the Protocol signed may be replicated, perhaps, to other companies in other business parks in the greater Lisbon.

See the episode 137 of the green economy.

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Global warming will lead to an increase in the number of crimes along the century

Global warming will not only enhance the melting of the polar ice caps, flooding more frequently and droughts more severe. A recent study reveals that global warming will also increase the crime rate.

The study was prepared by Matthew Ranson, Economist, who crossed data on the history of crime and temperatures, checking that the warmer weather tends to boost more murders, rapes, robberies and other crimes. "Looking at the past, we see a strong relationship between the temperature and the crimes", indicates the author, quoted by Atlantic Cities. "Everything indicates that it will continue in the future," he adds.

But what the increase in crime rate that should be expected? Using the projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Ranson has calculated that between 2010 and 2099, climate change will cause "22 thousand murders, 180 thousand violations, 1.2 million serious assaults, robberies, 2.3 1.3 million scams, 2.2 million cases of theft by stretching and 580 thousand stealing cars" additional to the normal crime rate. The data are only for the United States, but the principle could be applied to other countries, with different values.

And the reason for higher temperatures stimulate the increase of crimes? According to Ranson, justification varies from crime to crime. The crimes that involve properties, such as theft or fraud, tend to increase with increasing temperature, but decrease when temperatures are mild, more on the order of 10 degrees Celsius. This suggests that cold weather can create obstacles for committing this kind of crimes â€" Windows closed due to the cold, for example.

Also the relationship between violent crime and temperatures is linear â€" as the thermometer rises, also increases the number of crimes. According to the study's author, this pattern supports the idea that "warmer temperatures increase the frequency of social interactions, of which a small percentage result in violence".

There is also another factor that Ranson considers relevant: previous studies indicate that, with the rising temperatures, people tend to become more aggressive.

Foto: Alan Cleaver/Creative Commons

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