The best routes to ride in Lisbon (with video)

For years, the city of Lisbon was haunted by reports and rumors about the terrible inability to use the bike in its streets. The chaotic traffic but, above all, the slope of its narrow streets, alleys and sidewalks was the perfect argument to scare the more adventurous cyclists.

Today it is known that is not so. Lisbon is not behind cities like Rome and San Francisco, just to identify two that share the number of hills â€" seven â€" but there are more and more people pedaling on their routes.

One of the projects that have contributed to this change of mindset is the Cycle Our City Lisbon, which recommends the best routes for biking in the city. The site advises with more experienced cyclists on the basis of the three most important factors on displacement in Bike: distance, inclination and traffic.

The project took a while ago â€" December â€" and still seeks the support of the citizens. "As the system still has no knowledge of these factors, it enables its own users to sort the sections they know. In future research, the system returns the best routes, "he explained to the green economy Nelson Nunes, the Project Cycle Our City.

The project was developed by Nelson Narayanan during his master's thesis from the Instituto Superior Técnico and Instituto de Engenharia e computer systems, driven by John Bacon.

"If it wasn't for us to do so would other people because it is a tool that is lacking in cities that have reduced infrastructure. There has to be a way for the user, home or smartphone, search for the best route, "continued Nelson Nunes.

The Cycle Our City already has 300 users volunteers and thousands of visitors. "Knowing good routes and make good choices of routes makes the difference between having a very unpleasant experience or the inverse," concluded John Barreto.

In the future, the site will have an application for smartphone and insert tracks recorded on GPS. Finally, Nelson Nunes wants to extend the project to other cities of the country. See the episode 236 of the green economy.

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The 18 most beautiful photos of the year for NASA

A satellite image of the Canary Islands in Spain, received the award for best cinematography of the year for NASA â€" or rather, for audiences who chose from among 32 pre-selected by the American Agency.

The fantastic image had competitors and was captured by Earth satellite in June 2013.

The photos were chosen in the shape of a football tournament â€" in knock-out version, as Scolari â€" as you can see here.

See some of the other finalists and, below, the respective location.

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1. Canary Islands, Spain

2.Liege, Belgium

3.Alaska, United States

4. Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic

5. Kliuchevskoi, Russia

6. Belgrade, Serbia

7.vulcao Pavlof, Alaska, United States

8. Khartoum, Sudan

9. Etna, Italy

10. Glaciar de Pine Island

11. Yarlung Tsangpo, Tibet

12. Dasht-e Kavir, Iran

13.Alaska, United States

14. Malaysia and Singapore

15. Beijing, China

16. the Atlantic Ocean and South America

17. Tamshiyacu, Peru

18. Edinburgh, Scotland

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Portuguese project could revolutionize the fishing industry (with video)

A Portuguese project, led by the shipyards of Vila Real de Santo António, intends to take advantage of the heat of the engines of vessels to generate electricity. The idea is called Eco-Cooler is intended for fishing boats up to 18 meters and allows you to keep the fresh fish with minimal risk to the environment.

"Using an absorption refrigeration system, the heat that is released by the exhaust of the engines of vessels can be a means of functioning for the cooling system," explained to the green economy Paul Keys, INOV engineer.

This reuse of exhaust gases, which were, until now, dispensable, allows you to increase the energy efficiency of the cooling system. An intelligent solution, created by Nautiber and that will be implemented at this stage, a single ship. The GENERAL is responsible for the system that controls and monitors the entire process of refrigeration system, to ensure that it works in the best conditions.

Once tested and controlled, the system may be acquired by other vessels. As a first step, it is for the Portuguese market. Afterwards, will be exported.

After the pilot project to be validated, to be followed by mass â€" we're talking about a few hundred installations. If all goes as expected, the Eco-Cooler can revolutionize the fishing industry.

The innovation is being supported by the economic business forum of the sea and has a total budget of €580 million. See the episode 235 of the green economy.

Foto: martinwcox/Creative Commons

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Mysterious epidemic is killing Indian tribe in Paraguay

A mysterious epidemic is killing the elements of an Aboriginal tribe of Paraguay. The epidemic, which is similar to tuberculosis, is not detected in medical examinations.

The alert is to be given by Survival International, which States that this tribe, the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode, is being forced to leave the forest, once farmers and herders, they burn and cleanse the land.

The epidemic that threatens to extinguish this tribe is also a deadly precedent for the relatives of this tribe, who still live in the interior of the Amazon and are the last Indian tribe with no contact with the rest of civilization.

Since the elements of the Ayoreo were forced to leave the forest interior, they all have suffered from various respiratory diseases. As the elements of the tribes who have never had contact with civilization, also members of the Ayoreo people do not have immunity to external diseases, to which most of the population is immune.

The local doctors indicate that elements of the tribe have tested negative for tuberculosis, but have symptoms similar to those of the disease. See the before and after four members of the tribe.

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Bat population decreases in Portugal

A report by the Monitoring program of underground shelters of national importance of Bats, which examined data between 1988 and 2012, there has been a 30% decline in population in the shelters of bats, noting that the small rat bat is increasingly threatened.

In a statement, Quercus, environmental NGOS who played data provided, draws attention to the need to invest more in research and conservation of these species of mammals, regretting that, after more than 20 years since the publication of the National Plan for the conservation of Bats Cavernícolas, there are no further details about the presence of different species in each shelter. On the other hand, there is also a detailed characterization of each shelter that identify threat factors â€" and the measures taken for its preservation.

According to the data provided, Quercus found that identified 76 shelters of national importance and, in accordance with the population trend of the colonies, there was a decrease in the populations of bats in 30% of shelters â€" and an increase of the population in 20%. In 14% of these, it turns out that the population is stable. The remaining 36%, a very significant part, does not present sufficient data.

Of the nine species monitored, only was presented a population trend for four, and, of these, the large-bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) Horseshoe, the big rat bat (Myotis myotis), the bat (Miniopterus schreibersii) Teddy-show a stable population, while the small rat bat (Myotis blythii) presents a population decrease.

Of the four species listed, the most representative is the bat-to-Teddy, having been identified in 23 shelters, followed by the Myotis myotis, present in 16 shelters and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, 13 shelters. The rest were classified as "Undetermined" or "non-hazardous".

The morecego-mouse-small is the species less representative and more threatened, since it is currently classified as critically endangered on the Red Book of vertebrates.

"This program demonstrates that, despite the efforts made, in particular between 2006 and 2012, there are knowledge gaps on most species which occupy underground shelters, and there is a very significant percentage of shelters that showed a worrying decrease of population (30%)," advances the ONGA.

"There is a species-the small rat bat â€" which should be the subject of particular attention and a specific plan of conservation and monitoring, under penalty, if nothing is done to counter the trend, to reach a situation of pré-extinção", concludes the Association.

Foto: Guilherme Jófili/Creative Commons

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Radio show joins Green Project Awards, Company green dot and TSF

Code Green is the name of the heading of TSF which premiered last week, in a radio station's partnership with the Green Project Awards and the company green dot. The program will be broadcast weekly on Wednesdays â€" after the 8:30 and the 5:30 pm.

The Green Code intends to speak of actions and activities that aim to satisfy the current needs of consumers, without compromising the future of next generations.

Remember the first program.

"Talking about companies, products, services aimed at economic development and material without damaging the environment, using natural resources intelligently, is fundamental for achieving sustainable development. We believe that the Code Green will contribute to this mission, explained José Manuel Costa, President and CEO of GCI, one of the Organizing Committee of the Green Project Awards.

"The Green Code will be an important supplement to the information conveyed about sustainability, reason which led the company green dot to be part of this project. We want to continue to contribute to the awareness of the population and spread of best practices, "said Luis Veiga Malik, director-general of the company green dot, said in a statement.

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USA: why are increasing public transport tickets?

In recent months, there were several companies which manage public transport Americans who have increased their rates, from Boston to San Francisco or Los Angeles. Almost every week there is a carrier to increase the prices of their tickets in the United States.

The real reason for these increases seems to reside in the inability of these companies making inadequate management between the cost of a trip and the cost of providing this same trip to the client.

The latest data from the US Administration may understand this discrepancy. Analyzing travel fares per kilometre, between 2000 and 2010, transport companies of the ten largest cities in the United States, one realizes, unlike what is reported, that there was no major change in prices of the trips. In 2000, the average price of a trip per kilometre was €2,63. In 2010, the same trip would cost an average of €2,90, which represents an increase of 10% over a decade, says the Atlantic Cities.

Comparing the average cost of travel with the average cost of operating services, also per kilometre and for the same period, notes that in 2000 this cost was €6,58 and in 2010 was $ €7,87. The difference represents an increase of 19% in annual terms, is almost twice the value of increased rates.

In this way, the difference between profits and operating costs are increasing. In 2000, the major transport companies recovered only 40% of operating costs through the tickets, a percentage that has declined over the years.

And why is this discrepancy is increasing? There is not a single answer to this question, but the difference is due mainly to the increase in operating costs since 2000. This increase is not based mainly on increasing salaries for employees â€" which increased only 4%. Are labour benefits, like health insurance, which increased about 45 percent throughout the Decade.

In General, the carriers maintain low fares on purpose to provide public transport accessible, depending on Government funds and grants to finance. In other words, these companies do not expect to eliminate the difference. But until they can do a better job at the management level of these cost differences, it is likely that the ticket prices continue to increase.

Foto: Dhanan Sekhar Edathara/Creative Commons

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