Trees of public interest are unprotected from 2012

Two years ago the law on monumental trees of Portugal was abrogated and therefore is waiting to be regulated, reports yesterday the newspaper Público. The law, originally passed in 1938 was revoked in 2012, but are yet to define what criteria of classification or sanctions to be applied.

So, the trees of public interest are unprotected: an intervention without monitoring may affect the health and longevity of a sorted tree, as well as its stability.

"There are at least a few dozen trees per sort right now," says Miguel Rodrigues. "In recent years, although there are more and more people attentive to these trees, we saw that there is less interest of central services and forestry services for this subject," explained the charge to the public.

To draw public attention to the problem, the Trees of Portugal, with other associations, launched an online petition.Take care this rich natural heritage is, in our opinion, more than a legislative imperative a moral obligation, in order to preserve the memory of the past and ensure their future, "reads the petition.

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Namibia, one of the most beautiful places in the world

Our environmental Day couldn't end without a more direct reference to the event. And do it the best way we can, namely through photographs. This time, we traveled to one of the most beautiful countries in Africa, Namibia, in search of their mountains and endless coast.

Regarded by many as the emerging tourist destination of the year, Namibia is not only one of the quietest places and Africa insurance but also one of the most diverse. The country has one of the lowest population densities in the world â€" 2.1 million people to 825,615 square kilometres-but you have to keep attention: tourism will grow 9.1% over the next ten years, and the Government has to consider not only the positive aspects of this phenomenon, but also the challenges that he adds.

The photos in our gallery are by Paul Goldstein, who termed the northern Namibia as an "empty calm". See the wonders of this country.

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The company that fights for the native Portuguese plants (with video)

Launched in Instituto Superior de Agronomia by Filipe Soares, Sigmetum is dedicated to the study, experimentation, production and commercialization of indigenous plants in Portugal. This landscape architect, passionate about botany, wants to not only develop a business but also foster the natural Portuguese heritage.

"The idea is to produce species of native flora and spontaneous of Portugal, by collecting seeds in the landscape," said Filipe Soares to the green economy.

In Sigmetum, which has its own nursery on Tapada da Ajuda, field work is essential, and each plant Gets a kind of identity card. Who knows where the seed was collected, for which the species is identified later.

After collected the seeds, there is a procedure for cleaning and separation that should be respected: many are stored, other placed in trays or cells, to produce new plants.

Depending on the species concerned, this whole process can last more than a year. But demand has increased. "We have the private client, you want to reconvert your space and garden and reduce maintenance costs. We also have the little nursery gardeners and the specific projects in which there are orders for the collection of seeds in a particular location, "said Filipe Soares.

One of the major objectives of Sigmetum is to save on the costs of maintenance of green spaces. "There is an attempt of the habituation of own plants to less water consumption," concluded the Manager.

See the episode 263 of the green economy.

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CGD has reduced electricity consumption in 22% over the last seven years

In 2013, the Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) has reduced electricity consumption by 3% over the previous year, 2012, and in 22% compared to 2006, equivalent to an annual consumption of 5,540 households, the company announced in a statement.

Leveraging the world environment day, which is celebrated today, to present some of the environmental performance indicators, the CGD announced a reduction of 7%, in the face of 2012, water consumption, and 15% from 2011 â€" equivalent to the consumption of about 73 000 ten-minute showers.

"Optimization of resources and combating waste [originated] a 44% reduction in the consumption of envelopes, in the face of 2012, what takes place in [bet] and development of digital communication," explains the CGD said in a statement.

On the other hand, all paper consumed in the premises of CGD is Portuguese and is certified. "[It] ensures that source forests are managed in a sustainable manner, respecting rigorous and internationally established criteria".

The box further explained that already achieved and surpassed some of the environmental targets set for 2015. Thus, reduced by 15% global carbon emissions per employee and in 4% reduced power consumption on the premises â€" except in the data center â€" per collaborator.

"All measures of environmental efficiency which since 2006 have been developed are, now, in the implementation of an environmental management system, being the first Portuguese institution to do so," concluded the comp any.

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Researchers turn cow manure into clean water

If life gives us lemons, the saying goes, we should make lemonade. But that's not the formula applied by the University of Michigan on a colossal project and that took ten years ago: investigating the production of clean water from cow manure.

The technology, made public now, extracts nutrients and pollutants from manure from cows and produces enough clean water for livestock drinking. Technology has a name â€" McLanahan Nutrient Separation System â€" and began to be developed for ten years, in American University. Is not yet at the marketing stage but, if it comes, will have a significant impact on reducing waste of agricultural holdings and resource management.

"In Michigan, we have a tendency to take water for granted. But in the West, for example, drought continues to be an important issue. And access to clean water can make the difference between a farm stay viable or go bankrupt, "said a professor at the University of Michigan, Steve Safferman, the site of the institution.

This nutrient separator uses an anaerobic digester, in which bacteria break the manure to release gas that can be collected and used as energy. The digester is coupled to a system that combines the air extraction, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis to remove pollutants and keep the water clean.

The system not only creates energy and water from the water, but reduces the environmental impact of manure, extracting nutrients such as ammonia, which can be harmful to the environment, and turns them into usable compost.

If it is tradable, this system will certainly be a success. In 2011, every American farm had averaged 179 cows. A cow produces 37,800 gallons of manure a year, scientists say, but 90% of this is water. The system capture 190 liters of clean water for every 380 gallons of manure, although the researchers themselves want to increase this number to 250 liters of water to 380 of manure.

IE: If a farm accumulates 6.7 million gallons of manure per year, it can produce almost 3.4 million liters of water, almost at zero cost.

According to the University, the system may start to be marketed at the end of the year. It is likely, however, that only here for many years to reach the European market â€" and Portugal.

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Daphne Sheldrick: the "grandmother of the elephants" makes 80 years

Known as the "grandmother of the elephants", Daphne Sheldrick has dedicated the past 60 years to wild animals, especially orphans in Kenya. In the years 60, she helped create the Tsavo National Park in Kenya, and spent many of the years following the fight against poaching.

Daphne, who lives a few miles from Nairobi, capital of Kenya, led many animals to your House, the elephant gazelles and hippos. Geri, a Gazelle orphan who rescued many years ago, became even in your pet, having refused to leave the tie that with Daphne created.

Today, she is one of the most respected names in wildlife and a day to 80 years, continues to lead the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, on whose achievements so often write in Green Savers.

"Build the Tsavo National Park, over many years, it was pretty special," recalled the almost octogenarian. "But to see the love of my children and grandchildren by nature and his loyalty to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is very rewarding. And I know that the legacy for which we have worked will continue for many years, "he explained.

Now, however, things have changed. Despite the Sheldrick family continue with conservation projects and the Daphne itself not be properly reformed, the truth is that the increased poaching and reduced funding is putting enormous pressure on the sustainability of their projects, confessed to the British press.

Daphne explained, including that the own Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is in danger, despite the efforts that the family has done to ensure support for all orphaned animals found.

See some of the pictures from the life of Daphne.

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Sustainable projects in Cape Verde (with video)

Cabeólica, Turtle Foundation of Cape Verde, Mariventos, Ruy Spencer Lopes dos Santos and Spinguera were the big winners of the first edition of the Green Project Awards in Cape Verde. The award, which took seven years in Portugal and has arrived to Brazil, landed finally in Cape Verdean lands and the results are in sight: 15 winners, between winners and honorable mentions, and the certainty that, in Cape Verde, sustainability is not a valid Word.

"There is a broad movement of environmental protection in Cape Verde", explained to the green economy Antero Veiga, Minister of the environment of Cape Verde. "This move should be encouraged".

One of the winners, the Cabeólica, is a privately held company in which the State of Cape Verde is minority shareholder. "Last year we produce 75,000 MW/h, representing about 20% of total electricity distributed in the country," explained Anthony, Sources of Cabeólica.

Another of the winners, the Spingera Ecolodge, on the island of Boa Vista, is supplied by wind and solar energy. And is the result of an old dream, as he explained to the green economy the proprietor, Larissa Lazzari. "The Spinguera Ecolodge arose from a dream of my father, who fell in love with the island for 22 years and saw in this abandoned village something special," he revealed.

"I've also fallen in love, so I made the suggestion of reconstruct the ancient ruins, instead of creating a project from scratch," he continued.

In addition to the cultural heritage, the Boa Vista has natural values the preserve. With the turtles caretta caretta, arriving in the island of Boa Vista between mid-June and September to spawn. For years, they were slaughtered by the thousands, for human consumption. More recently, this number has dropped dramatically, due to the intervention of the Turtle Foundation, another award-winning agencies.

Among the honorable mentions and the finalists are several companies and institutions such as Banco Comercial do Atlântico, school of Business and technology in Cape Verde, the Gesture, the Association for the defense of the environment and development, school nº 24 of Juncalinho São Nicolau, the Waters of Coimbra, City Hall of São Domingos, PromoSan, Vivo Energy Cape Verde and Caritas Cape Verde.

"We were sure, preliminary contacts made by companies, Government and NGOs, who had a huge appetite for this topic. The number of applications submitted and their quality reinforces that was a bet wins, "explained John Sebastian, CEO of GCI, a consultant that co-hosting the GPA in the three countries.

Learn why sustainability is Queen in Cape Verde in episode 261 of the green economy.

Foto:  sheilapic76 / Creative Commons

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