Costa da Caparica celebrates 30 years of protected landscape

30 years ago today that the Costa da Caparica fossil cliff, on the South Bank of the Tejo, was classified as a protected landscape. The aim was to preserve the geomorphologic characteristics and natural communities exist on site, promoting your biological equilibrium and scenic, but not everything went well.

"The Costa da Caparica protected landscape is located near major urban centres and bathing with interest, [for it] has undergone several changes caused by human activities, which manifests itself in high pressure urban motor traffic, illegal construction and dumping of waste," explains the NGO environment Quercus.

The strong tourist pressure is reflected in the construction of second homes, illegal camping and misuse of the dune area to practice sport all-terrain. On the other hand, the intensive farming and grazing practices not contralado contribute to the degradation of the quality of surface and ground waters. "Despite having already been implemented a dune recovery program, the invasive alien species continue to be a concern due to its Adaptive character and strong urban pressure, which favors its spread," continues the Quercus.



It's not all bad news, however. The arriba fossil, which is the result of an ancient arriba that due to marine regression, is no longer in contact with the sea, constitutes the most significant landscape element of the protected area, extending to the Lagoa da Albufeira.

The creation of protected landscape allowed value the existing natural heritage and increase knowledge about the site. Programs have been developed for monitoring of waterfowl in ponds of Albufeira, Small and of the Stockade, with the development of studies on ecological distribution of relevant species such as Otter, cabrera's rat and Vipera latastei.

Were also identified and monitored bats and increased scientific research in the lagoon and maritime domain. There was also an increase of biodiversity of marine fauna in the lagoa de Albufeira, due to the implementation of a plan which included the correct opening of the lagoon to the sea, conducting periodic drainage and imposition of limitations to anthropogenic activities.

Today, there are 169 terrestrial fauna species inventoried, 10 of which have ecological values higher.

The opportunities

The unique features that characterize the landscape protected from Costa da Caparica fossil cliff, explains the Quercus, give it enormous potential in sectors such as tourism, agriculture, fishing or scientific research.

To this end, the Quercus proposes a set of actions, ranging from creating a program of renaturation of coastline that includes the dune vegetation recovery and demolition of infrastructure built on top of the dunes to the total conditioning construction and urban and tourist expansion.

It is also necessary to establish protection zones for priority species, implement conservation measures of the forest area of the National Forest of Fears â€" including sustainable forestry â€" promote ecotourism activities and promote the development of scientific research studies.

Quercus also developed a framework with an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Costa da Caparica. See more below. Before, remember some of the most breathtaking landscapes of the coast.

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Fotos: iketaka/Gusty/andruby/berther/mimolag/Creative Commons



Forces

Weaknesses

Diagnosis

Prognosis





Opportunities

Threats

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Green House: an eco-hostel that blends with the beauty of Baleal (with video)

In February, we talked about the Green House, a hostel of Baleal which leads to ecology and sustainability to the next level. It is present everywhere: in decoration, furniture, food, products or services.

Today, our colleagues in the green economy went through the Green House and put some color and movement to our report. Or rather, the concept of green economy this Villa transformed into 100% ecological accommodation by Telmo Vital, a year ago.

"The Green House had part of its decoration made with pallets. It was here that started the idea, in the reuse of materials, both for decoration and for the structure of the House itself, "said Telmo Vital.

When he entered the project, explains the responsible, his idea was to turn any site into a cathedral of sustainability. "If we had six pallets, wanted us to spend for the 300, or pass of 10 boxes of fruit for the two hundred", he stressed.

Part of the decoration is created with the garbage that gives to the coast, which is then worked by local artists, by employees or volunteers, especially foreigners, to travel and work in Exchange for stay. "The typical profile of our guests looking for surfing and the beach, but there is also a concern for the environment".

The Green House has three bedrooms and space for ten guests, who are instilled with concerns the environment, through the bet in habits and products: organic and biodegradable detergents, bulbs of low consumption, the homemade breakfast and products purchased locally, rather than small producers.

To complete the cycle of sustainability, Green House promotes trade fairs and is the collection of books and toys to some institutions of Peniche. Learn more in episode 255 of the green economy.

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Brazil prepares fine for those who throw cigarette butts on the floor

The Chamber of deputies of Brazil is studying a project that establishes a eur33 ticket ($ 100) for those who throw cigarette butts on the ground or any other product linked to the habit of smoking, like cigarillos and cigars.

If the proposal is approved, it will be forbidden "throwing down cigarettes filters of the roads, squares, parks or any other areas and public places of public access". The fine shall be in charge of federal, State or municipal transit and double will be charged in case of recurrence.

According to the sustainable planet, the project puts in restaurants, bars and establishments that sell cigarettes to obligation to provide suitable containers to put the crumbs. Then, the materials will be recycled unusable â€" the rest will go to landfills.

On the other hand, the cigarette companies will be required to provide posters with the determinations of the law, which should be fixed in places of sale and consumption of these products. Who disrespect the rule will be penalised with a fine of €265 ($ 800), which will be charged double in case of recurrence.

The draft says that the Government and the manufacturers of cigarettes must develop educational policies aimed at popular awareness "when it comes to proper disposal of post-consumer waste, avoiding future environmental impacts."

The text will now have to spend in committees for environment and Sustainable Development and on Constitution and justice and citizenship. Then, and if approved, it will go directly to the Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

Photo: Ramon Cutanda / Creative Commons

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Ferrero wants to generate 75% of the energy consumed by their factories

The Ferrero group, the world's fourth largest company in the area of confectionery, is promoting an international energy efficiency plan that will produce the equivalent of 75% of the energy consumed by all its European factories by the end of 2014.

According to the Consumer, the plan was presented at the Embassy of Italy in Lisbon, and also wants to express the company's commitment to human rights, environment, natural resources and the promotion of healthy living habits.

The company explains that materialized in advance one of the objectives for 2020 â€" reduce energy consumption per unit of output by 5%. In the same report, the company explains that also declined in 20% of global water consumption.

On the other hand, the six raw materials used in the manufacture of its products â€" cacao, hazelnuts, sugar cane, palm oil, coffee and eggs-are sustainable source and in balance with the natural resources development.

The Italian group, responsible for the Nutella and Ferrero, Kinder brands, will still implement traceability plans and ensure natural sources of supply for its agricultural products such as hazelnuts or sugarcane.

Ferrero set still targets for reducing emissions and greenhouse gases and will decrease by 40% CO2 emissions derived from production activities.

In 2013, the company has reduced by more than 30 thousand tons of CO2 emitted, which is equivalent to the total annual emissions of 14 thousand cars. Additionally, because CO2 emissions also derive from the product distribution, was also established the objective of 30% reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases originated in the activities of transport and storage.

Foto: ninacoco/Creative Commons

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Barbados will host world environment day

Barbados, a small Caribbean island with 280 000 inhabitants, will host of world environment day, which commemorates the day on June 5. The tiny island was chosen by UNEP (United Nations Environment) the measures it has taken to combat global warming.

This year, UNEP intends to draw attention to the challenges faced by small island developing States. The celebrations will flow date for five days, with the theme "expand your voice, not sea level".

During this week, the UNEP will discuss adaptation technologies, the sustainable business, resource management, and protected areas and local culture.

To combat the rise in mean sea level, Barbados included the green economy in their six key objectives of the national strategic plan. The nation has undertaken to increase to 29% the participation of renewable energies in the energy matrix until 2029, a goal that would cut more than €205 billion ($ 620 billion) on total cost of electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by 4.5 million tonnes.

See some pictures of this beautiful â€" but threatened-island.

Fotos: Ben124. /Creative Commons

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Serbian architects build Noah's Ark against natural disasters

The architects Serbs Aleksandar Joksimvic and Jelena Nikolic have designed a floating city, self-sustaining and resilient to natural disasters. Able certainly to survive at diluvianas rains that have originated the biblical story of Noah's Ark.

The city's name is Noah's Ark and can be installed in the middle of any ocean safely. According to the architects, she can manage themselves alone, without relying on the rest of the world to survive.

In fact, this town does not stick to a single infrastructure. Are several arcas interconnected through submarine cables, and all will have flexible stalks prey with columns at the bottom of the ocean.

According to the architects, the sides of the island are large enough to protect the residents of strong storms and even tsunamis â€" each has about 64 feet long.

In case of an emergency there is also a plan B, no less futuristic: the potential residents can flee to giant air balls that are in tunnels covered, not vulnerable to external climate, which are flood-proof.

One of the vital factors for the sustainability of this town relates to energy. She will come from three sources: tides, Sun and wind. The water will be collected through a funding system that extends through the entire island. The entire structure of the project will be covered with artificial coral, which attracts marine life and encourages the emergence of new ecosystems with.

Here are some pictures of the project.

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Giant virus discovered in the Brazilian Amazon

A team of researchers from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), in partnership with the University Aix-Marseille in France, a new giant virus discovered in the waters of the Rio Negro, in the Amazon in Brazil. The virus, strangely named Samba, is the largest ever identified in the country: he is 12 times the size of the dengue virus and 100 times more genetic material.

Scientists analyzed the samples in the laboratory and have managed to isolate the virus inside an Amoeba â€" to reproduce, the virus need parasitize other organisms. The discovery was published last Wednesday, in the journal Virology.

According to Jonathan Abraham, professor of Virology at UFMG and lead author of the study, a possible explanation for the size of Samba is the high amount of genetic material necessary for the adaptation of the virus to the place where he lives. "The Rio Negro is a acid medium, unlike other rivers," said the researcher to See Brazilian magazine.

The virus encodes proteins, 1,000 Samba is comprised of 1.2 million base pairs of DNA and has 600 nanometres in size (each nanometre equals the millionth of a millimeter), against 50 nanometres of the dengue virus.

It may not be dangerous for man

It has not yet been possible to establish whether this virus can bring consequences to man, but Abraham explains that the fact that it is bigger and more complex doesn't make it necessarily more dangerous. The mimivirus (generic name given to the giant viruses) have been found in animals and in humans. "The mimivirus have been associated with cases of pneumonia, but the studies are not yet conclusive. If this is true, the disease must manifest itself only in people who have already had immune problems. I can't believe a mimivirus is the cause of an epidemic, "says Abraham.

Following this investigation, the scientists also announced the discovery of a virus, dubbed of Rio Negro, which infects the Samba. For this feature, the Black River is classified as a virófago, name given to a virus that another parasite. He is able to reduce the multiplication of Samba and cause defects in training in descendants.

According to Abraham, the Rio Negro is important for maintaining the Samba in balance. "Samba infects and destroys the amoebas very easily. Without the Negro River to curb their proliferation, he would eventually destroy all amoebas and become extinct, since you wouldn't have to reproduce, "he explains.

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