Zoo celebrates 130 years with enchanted forest made of recycled packaging waste

More than 16 tonnes of recycled packaging was used in street furniture that will retrain the enchanted forest of the Zoo. The new space, renovated with the support of the company green dot, was today presented at the Lisbon Zoo, coinciding with the celebration of 130 years.

To support the renewal of this space, the company green dot intends to demonstrate to citizens that several useful objects may result from recycling of used packaging, also contribute to promoting the use of recycled materials. Being a Zoo space of information and awareness about environment and biodiversity dedicated above all to a very young audience, it is very important that may have real examples of application of packaging after their recycling.

"The Zoo plays a fundamental role in the protection and conservation of nature, reason why we support this project. At the same time, the company green dot intends to demonstrate that recycling may give rise to various objects we use every day, giving a new life to used packaging that they put in the recycling bin, "pointed out a moment ago Luis Veiga Malik, CEO of green dot Corporation.

This new area will also provide info on birds that are part of the presentation, as well as some that are, in Portugal, facing extinction. It was also renewed the existing signs and created a play area for children with "bird houses", all made from recycled plastic.

Also in commemoration of his 130 anniversary, the zoo will be certified by FSC Services green dot 3R6. For the first time in its history, the zoo will have ecopoints for the public can separate the used packaging around the enclosure.

The intervention in space of the old parque das merendas will allow green dot society demonstrate that packages placed in the recycling bin and recycled can transform themselves into new materials closing its cycle.

See what products were recycled to create the enchanted forest, and in what quantity.

â€" 150,000 packets of crisps

66,000-shampoo packaging

90,000-yogurt cups

100,000-shopping bags

230,000-plastic bottles

250 â€" recycled tires

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As the small fish escape their predators

Hundreds of thousands of fish moving as one, forming a gigantic swirling around a group of divers in the Devil's Cave in the Cayman Islands, Caribbean.

The magnificent photographs were taken by Ellen Cuylaerts, Belgian of 44 years, during a trip of several divers on this famous cave. The photos speak for themselves: the school creates a sort of silvery light wave, swimming inside of underwater caves the cave.

The little fish believes in strength in numbers, confusing predators while nothing like a great wave.

"Every year, the predators and divers await the arrival of these fish. But, to swim in unison, they manage to escape and make the growing wave, "explains Ellen, which resides in the Cayman Islands.

Every year, millions of small fish arrive ashore the Caymans, between June and August. with a size between 2.5 and 10 centimeters, these fish have to hide in caves until they have sufficient size to survive alone.

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New urbanization opposite the beach of Carcavelos will today vote

The restructuring Urban detail plan of Carcavelos South at Quinta dos Ingleses in Carcavelos, tonight voted at the Centro Cultural de Cascais, where will be held the municipal Assembly.

If approved, the plan provides for an investment of €393 million over 20 years and the creation of 4500 jobs. The works arising from the plan to integrate in the public domain, are calculated at €29 million.

The plan provides for the restructuring of the urban territory, aiming at the implementation of an urban park of relevant dimension, a health centre, a school EB1 (pre-school and first cycle), two playing fields â€" with and without stands-a parish Center with day care center, a training center ever, culture equipment, nest of 930 companies and, above all, Fireworks, a hotel and trade. Will be also built new parking de apoio à praia.

It is recalled that this plan has already been criticized by various associations, having been created, including petitions to keep the project going forward â€" the petition Save Carcavelos already has 3,200 signatures.

The signatories of the petition claim that this "urban play that is being undertaken will destroy the entire coastal zone of the parishes of wall and Carcavelos", not only in terms of quality of life but also environmentally and socially ". Also moves as the forum for Carcavelos or Citizenship Cascais appealed to citizens who do not agree with the adoption of the document to move tonight, the center of Cascais, Culture as a sign of protest.

According to Cash, the two movements should proceed to judicial remedies, if the plan is approved, claiming that the construction will have a negative impact on the environment as well as prevent the practice of surfing in the area.

Also the Assembly of the Union of parishes of Carcavelos-wall is against approval of the plan. And the Assembly of the Republic already has a request for qualification of the historical heritage area, through the left bloc.

Remember what is at stake tonight, in Cascais.



Photo: João Dias-Photographer/Creative Commons

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NASA discloses collective selfie of planet Earth

Remember this invitation made by NASA to the commemoration of Earth Day? More than 50 thousand people posted their selfies in social networks â€" with the hashtag #globalselfie â€" to help the space agency to celebrate earth day, celebrated on April 22, in a different way.

Last Thursday, exactly one month after the commemorative date, NASA disclosed the huge selfie for you built in the form of mosaic â€" composed of more than 36 thousand pictures of people who participated in the game.

The collage was made up of a picture of the planet taken April 22, from NASA's own satellites and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

If the reader put a picture on the net â€" with the hashtag #globalselfie, of course â€" you can see in this image of 3.2 gigapixels, whether it was used. But beware, of course, this is a Herculean task. Still, the picture can be enlarged, to facilitate â€" or hinder, depends on â€" the search.

This global selfie also marked the launch into space of eight NASA missions, which will spend the next year to observe the Earth to help solve some of the greatest environmental challenges of today, such as global warming, rising mean sea level and lack of water.

Foto: MAURO CATEB/Creative Commons

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Japan will build ice wall to prevent leaks of nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture

In March, the Japanese Government announced a plan of €344,6 million for the construction of a giant wall of ice, hoping to contain the radiation from the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. Now, the bizarre project received the green light and the construction is expected to begin soon.

Although the project may seem like a joke and analogies with the series Game of Thornes more than evident, the Japanese project has its differences from the saga. The proposed wall will be built underground, where engineers will freeze the soil under the Fukushima nuclear plant, in an attempt to prevent radiation leaks that are contaminating the soil and water.

The authority for Nuclear Regulation indicates that construction should start in July and will begin with the blocking of groundwater from nearby hillsides, referred to Inhabitat. These waters have drained into the basement of the central and has mixed with contaminated water with radiation, which were used to cool the reactors after the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.

Subsequently, the water will circulate in a special refrigerator in order to create a great wall of 1.5 kilometres which will contain the entry of groundwater. Although the project has been approved, the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) will have to review other parts of the project if there is danger to existing structures, such as the underground drainage systems.

Although scientists assert that the project might work, nothing has been built on this scale previously, especially in the temporal period proposed. If the ice wall works and contains the radiation leaks, TEPCO can continue to dismantle the central Fukishima, an operation that can take several decades. The area surrounding the power plant still off-limits due to high levels of radiation.

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SPV ensures compensation of the carbon emissions of Rock In Rio

For the third consecutive Edition, Rock In Rio will be carbon neutral, relying on the certification for forwarding for recycling of 3R6 waste generated in their enclosure. This offsetting carbon emissions have the seal of the green dot services, which assigns the label Zero carbon Premium.

This one, which will be awarded for the first time to a music event, ensures that are offset all carbon emissions into the atmosphere, issued the public wants for part of the Organization, including movement of bands and their goods, energy consumption, movement of people and goods from partners (sponsors and suppliers), treatment of waste produced.

To compensate for the emissions that may be generated in the 2014 Edition, the Organization of Rock In Rio will plant 118 thousand trees, until 2016, in burnt areas of Portugal.

"Rock in Rio was the first event in Portugal and in Brazil to join the 3R6, and also for being the first music event to neutralize the climate impact with the seal Zero carbon Premium. The image that used to be usual at the end of concerts, abandoned waste on empty enclosure, belongs to the past increasingly. Rock in Rio has pioneered and has been an example of good environmental practices and is the event where more recycles in Portugal, raising the bar for sustainability that intended for the big events, "pointed out in comunicdo Luis Veiga Malik, CEO of green dot Corporation.

In total the last three editions of the Rock in Rio-Lisbon were forwarded for recycling more than 80 tons of plastic and metal containers; 37 tons of paper and cardboard and 9 tonnes of glass packaging.

In close collaboration with the company green dot in the 2012 Edition were sent for recycling approximately 32% of the waste produced, between the Assembly and disassembly of the event. Of the remaining residues, 56% were recovered energetically and 2% received organic.

Giant recycling facility "feeds" social cause

The success of the waste management strategy of Rock in Rio-Lisbon depends on a lot of cooperation from the public. Indeed, the recycling of packaging will join the animation of the enclosure, sensitizing the participants of the event to its benefits. In return of packaging waste deposited by the participants, such as plastic cups, pizza boxes or bottles of water, Green Point society will offer prizes and support a social action, contributing to more meals arrive who else needs.

In addition to contributing to a social cause and to improve the environment, to deposit their packaging in ecoponto green dot society all who travel to the Rock in Rio-Lisbon can still claim one of the t-shirts designed specially for music festivals in which the company green dot's presence, in which the logos of iconic Portuguese bands and musicians were associated with recycling.

Implemented for the first time in Rock in Rio-Lisbon 2008, 3R6 joined forever the history of the event to the genesis of the seal, which ensures that the waste produced in the events are properly forwarded to the final destination by following the management hierarchy of 3R: reduce, reuse and recycle. The objective is the reduction of waste production and maximising the quantities sent to recycling and recovery.

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The first renewable energy co-operative in Portugal (with video)

The roofs of the daycare tortoise and the Hare, right in the Centre of Lisbon, were covered by photovoltaic panels that enable an annual production of electricity of more than 30,000 Kw/h, enough to supply 13 families.

All this was made possible due to the emergence of Coopérnico, the first cooperative dedicated to the production of renewable energy in Portugal, an idea of a group of 16 citizens who share a concern with sustainable development.

"[The partnership] is doing a lease the roof â€" or another space that will allow us to install our production plants. At the end of this period, we have given the equipment free of charge to the institution or association. Thus, this shall benefit from all the electricity that is produced, "explained to the green economy Jorge Nuno Brito, President of Coopérnico.

Currently, the rental period is 15 years, being that the equipment have a guarantee of production of 25 years. In the case of the kindergarten Turtle and the Hare, owned by the Portuguese Association of parents and friends of mentally deficient Citizen (APPACDM), alia, spectacularly, to social solidarity.

"To be aligned on projects of this nature and being able to bring other organizations for this type of projects, is an advantage for everyone, for the Country and children who are here," said John Davis, one of the leaders of MENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN.

Is also a form of the Coopérnico help social economy associations or organisations to find an alternative source of funding. "In this case, a day-care center, is also a way to contribute to education," concluded Nuno Brito Jorge.

The Coopérnico has several other projects designed for the short and medium term, but lack legislation for its compliance. "We are living through a period of transition, in Portugal, between the previous scheme, subsidised rates, and the new regime of self-consumption. Right now, that delays the implementation of new projects ", explained Nuno Jorge.

Anyone can be a member of this ecological cooperative and participate in energy projects. For it is only necessary to fill in the membership form available on the page Coopérnico and acquire at least three titles of share capital, amounting to € 60 (R$184,7).

Foto: bradleygee/Creative Commons

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