A Hong Kong vertical vision

Hong Kong is not exactly known as a town of low-rise buildings, but this set of photos prepared by Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze captures the true scale of the colossal city.

Ironically, the French photographer chose a little-known corner of the metropolis â€" the floor â€" to reveal the extraordinary looks and often ignored by Hong Kong residents.

The pictures are placed in the perspective of who looks up and can even cause nausea, but it's for a good cause: understand how contractors and real estate managers have the green light to reach the limits of infinity, at the expense, sometimes, the well-being of its tenants and owners.

"In Hong Kong has always existed a lot of leeway to contractors build what they want. There are no limits, "explained Jacquet-Lagrèze to CNN.

"I am used to big cities. Tokyo is very dense and giant, but less impressive in terms of height â€" is much more widespread. Hong Kong is more violent in that aspect, "he continued.

To continue to thrive, the megacity needs include sustainability strategies in its urban planning. This is the only way the city pollution levels will decrease and she will enter the lists of the most endangered sites in the world. Fortunately, some steps have already been taken to join the sustainability to environmental education.

See some of the photos of Jaquet-Lagrèze.

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The marketing agency dedicated to beekeeping

The advertising and marketing agency Wolff Olins, founded in 1965 by Michael Wolff and Wally Olins, is one of the most known, award-winning and renowned creators of brands in the world â€" many of them in Portugal.

With offices in various parts of the planet, is in the main office in Central London, that the Agency has its most amazing creative creation â€" passed the redundancy: an Apiary. Yes, you read well, the Agency is dedicated to the creation of bees.

For many, this may be a hobby very tense, but the truth is that the Wolff Olins entered this world in May 2011 and, so far, don't have given bad. "People are always talking about bees, seeking new information. Many of them are concerned with nature and feel happy to see that these bees are in a safe environment, in the city centre, "he explained to The Drum the company's building manager, Stuart Robertson.

The bees feed from hanging baskets, trees and shrubs, and the kick-off of the project until it was given by one of the world's leading experts on the subject, the author Brian McCallum â€" who wrote the book "bees in the city". "It was a little annoying in the early days, have 20 or 30 thousand insects in our side, we knew, we could poke," explained Robertson.

However, the course given by McCallum and normalcy in the situation, as the days went by, eventually calming things down: "the bees are not snakes, they're not going to do anything. The only thing that worries them is making honey, "joked.

From a professional point of view, the bees also give a hand. According to Robertson, many employees of Wolff Olins took the opportunity to learn a new skill, while agency executives invite customers to visit their unusual pets.  And in Portugal, how many companies promote environmental sustainability and biodiversity in the workplace?

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Silvia Ferreira: "the invasion of palm oil"

"Palm oil is a COOKING OIL TYPE that derives from the palm-oil-Africa, originating from the West coast of Africa (Gulf of Guinea). At present, palm oil is produced in Africa, Asia, North America and South America, with 85% of its production and export the world have origin of Indonesia and Malaysia. Most of this production is not under the safeguarding of any policies of sustainability or forest protection.

Palm oil broke in literally the whole market, being present in numerous consumer products: cleaning products (detergents), toiletries and cosmetics (SOAP, toothpaste, shampoos, lotions), desserts and snacks (cookies, ice creams, snacks), among many others, being often disguised under the single name of vegetable oil or vegetable shortening (not specified). On the labels of some products may also identify him under the names of "palm oil", "sodium palmate" or "sodium palm kernelate."

The planting of Palm trees is linked to serious environmental problems, such as deforestation, habitat destruction, climate change, animal cruelty and abuse of the rights of indigenous peoples. According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), an area of forest equivalent to 300 soccer fields destroyed every hour to create farmland for the production of palm oil. Large-scale deforestation is pushing many species to extinction and studies indicate that, if nothing changes, species like the orangutan can be extinct wildlife over the next five to ten years, and Sumatran tigers could be extinct in less than three years.

In total, 50 million tons of palm oil are produced in Indonesia and Malaysia annually, supplying over 30% of all global consumption. This vegetable oil is approximately in 40% to 50% of all household products consumed in Europe, Canada and Australia United States.

To counter this destructive tendency, is a consumer focused and responsible and check the labels of the products they consume in their everyday life. at present are already on the market many products that appeal to an ethical consumption and do not contain this ingredient. Look for alternatives. You can also choose to do some home-made products such as cookies and crackers, handmade soaps or detergents. As vegetable oil food consumption, give preference, for example, to the traditional olive oil. "

Silvia Ferreira is reader of the Green Savers and, to my mind, this text was based on several information collected on the website Say No to Palm. Want to publish your article in our aggregator? Send us your text to info@greensavers.pt or cmartinho@gci.pt. We're looking for inspiration or rant.

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Architects Iranians invent building with rotating divisions

Tehran would be one of the last capitals where architectural innovation, we expected to see that that breaks barriers uncharted, but the truth is that the building Sharifi-Ha, in the Iranian capital, is very close to getting this done.

With five floors, the building has rotating rooms, creating new spaces and adapting to the seasons. According to the Studio of Iranian architecture Nextoffice, who developed the project, this mobile feature of the divisions is achieved with just a touch of a button â€" there are three rotating rooms: the breakfast room, the guest room and Office. The three corners can run looking for new spaces, views or light.

In fact, these divisions are nothing more than wooden boxes, views from the outside, with a rotating base. During the harsh winters of Tehran, they can close the building, keeping the House warm. In summer, however, they open to ventilate the House.

The House has two cellars, to the gym and other leisure facilities. On the ground floor is a garage, while the first and second floors is the space dedicated to conviviality: the main room. The two top floors House guest rooms, bathroom, Hall and a kitchen.

"The House adapts to functional needs of its occupants. The guest room can be reconfigured for different purposes ", explained a spokeswoman for Nextoffice. "With this innovation, it is possible to have different light scenarios and seasons".

The House is inspired, in fact, in traditional Iranian homes that have summer and winter rooms, depending on temperature differences of the time. Thus, these rotating divisions may be important to keep the House warm in winter and cool in summer, and not solely for marketing purposes and visibility.

The Sharifi-Ha was nominated for the World Architecture Festival, in 2014.

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Climate change: Taro village moved to the neighboring island

Little by little, thousands of people leave their home Islands for sheltered places of mean sea level rise. Last week, New Zealand announced to accept the refugee claim of a family of Tuvalu, a group of nine atolls that is being sunk by climate change.

Today, the Reuters news agency that a small town of Taro Island, Solomon Islands, plans to relocate its entire population to a nearby island. Taro Island is only two meters above sea level, and the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change predicts that the sea climb 90 centimetres by the end of the century, that site â€" a conservative estimate.

Thus, after consulting engineers, scientists and urban planners, the island decided to build a city from scratch, on a neighboring Island, changing its population-between 500 to 1,000 people â€" at various stages. The land cost €2,2 million and can accommodate about 5,000 inhabitants, as soon as it's complete.

Some of the essential infrastructure, such as hospitals and a high school, will be built over the next five years-all other basic constructions such as roads or Government buildings, will also have priority. Still, the only change will be complete within several decades.

"Is a city created out of nowhere," said Reuters Philip Haines, project manager of BMT WBM consultant, hired for this purpose. "We must be competent and build something that lasts for generations. The relocation is the only option available to ensure the safety of the community and allows for future growth and prosperity. "

In April, the cyclone caused several Ita filled in the Solomon Islands, killing 23 people and injuring 50, 000. "We've just seen how vulnerable is Taro to natural disasters", explained the Choiseul province politician responsible, Jackson Kiloe. In the neighboring Island, the scenario will be slightly better, but the specter of climate change, even though further away, will continue to hover over the head of the population.

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The South Korean's 20 years photographing the aurora borealis

One of the greatest desires of travelers is seeing something that stay forever in your memory. For the astrophotographer Chul Know, and given his profession, this desire has a whole other meaning, and he was firmly seated on the photographs that the South Korean picked up in Yellowknife in Northern Canada.

The site, known as one of the best in the world to see the "northern lights", did not disappoint Chul, who for 20 years travels the world to capture the magnificent phenomenon.

"The last time, when [my fellow tourists] began to dance, I realized that something extraordinary was about to happen. I put my machine in continuous mode and photographed. Was right. ", explained Chui to the press.

"The auroras were so bright that were easily visible. The tourists, many of them just stood by to view the Aurora, responded with joy, "he continued. The aurora borealis-or aurora australis, as known in the southern hemisphere â€" is a natural light show seen above all in regions of the Arctic and Antarctica, as in Norway or Northern Canada.

See some of the photos captured by the South Korean photographer, looking for magnificent phenomenon, already passed through Norway, Finland, Alaska (United States), Iceland, Scotland and Russia.

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American City appoints first Executive Director for resilience

The city of Oakland, in the United States, appointed his first CRO (Chief Resilience Office), what if you can translate, in Portuguese, as Executive Director of resilience. The position now occupied by Victoria Salinas, a Chilean-American resident in the city, aims to create a map for resilience or urban resistance.

"The strategy will be linked to subjects such as earthquakes and climate change, ageing of infrastructure or economic crisis. The city will receive technical support and other advice through participation of the Rockefeller Foundation, "explained the city said in a statement.

In fact, the philanthropic foundation created by billionaire American family will invest approximately €74,5 million in 100 Cities Resilient Challenge, which Oakland is part. In all, will be 32 cities intervention stock, from all points of the globe.

According to the city of Oakland, Salinas will have between six to nine months to create an urban and social emergency plan. The responsible risk management specialist, has worked in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in post-conflict civil war or natural disasters.

In Oakland, Salinas will have four fundamental objectives: develop an action plan for seismic phenomena, especially at the level of 24 thousand families living in dwellings that are not prepared for the violence of the phenomenon; sea level rise, extreme warming and rainfall accentuated; social vulnerability of many inhabitants of the city; and advanced age of many of the public infrastructure and dwellings.

In recent years, much of the innovation of cities has emerged of sustainability strategies and risk management. This appointment of Oakland, a city with 400 000 inhabitants, is proof that the future of cities is on social, economic and environmental coordination of all phenomena that surround it. And that must be managed in an integrated and integral.

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