As Alfred Heineken invented the upcycling in 1963

The term upcycling was coined in 2002 by the authors William McDonough and Michael Braungart, Cradle to Cradle in the book â€" despite having already been used at least by two other authors, in the years 90. However, forty years earlier, in 1963, as the Dutch Brewer Alfred Heineken, grandson of the founder of the namesake beer, had developed a futuristic project that basically created this need to transform useless or disposable waste in new materials.

The product in question, as it should be, was a bottle of beer â€" the Heineken WOBO. Designed by Alfred in collaboration with the Dutch architect John Habraken, this bottle was also known as "brick with beer".

The idea of Heineken had as a backdrop for a visit to the Caribbean, where he immediately realized two problems: a huge amount of garbage on the beach and lack of construction materials. The result of this double vision was the Heineken WOBO, a bottle that unia to another bottle, forming a glass brick.

The final design of the WOBO was produced in two sizes-350 and 500 mm â€" but both versions aimed at a horizontal placement, uniting the two bottles (as you can see in the photos).

According to Inhabitat, the first production placed on the market 100 thousand bottles, many of them used subsequently to construct a hut of Heineken in Noordwijk, Netherlands. "One of the greatest challenges was realizing how you construct the corners," explained so Heineken.

In spite of the initial success of the project, the truth is that Heineken was eventually cancel â€" or rather, suspend-the project. In 1975, due to the sudden interest of Martin Pawley, author of Garbage Housing, project leader, Heineken teamed up with designer Rinus van der Berg to designing a building with columns made from oil drums, bits of Volkswagen buses as ceiling and bottles WOBO as walls. However, the structure never left the paper.

Today, the cabin of Heineken and a wall made of WOBO on Heineken Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, are two of the only structures made of beer bottles Heineken WOBO. Four decades ago, the idea was futuristic and yet has been fulfilled. The most incomprehensible of all this history, however, is to realize that, forty years later, no one picked up on the concept.

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How to value a property in €2,8 million?

An 18th-century mansion, purchased in ruins for 30 years by €1,25, is on the market again, this time by €2,8 million. The House, which is listed as a place of public interest English, was about to be torn down twice, by real estate interests, until it came into the hands of Save Britain Heritage, who purchased and renewed.

With eight rooms, five meeting rooms and bathrooms and a plot of 1.8 acres, the historic building has been used by the Bank of England during World War II and is again for sale, after an intense recovery work.

According to British media, the work of restoration of Barlaston Hall-so called property â€" is one of the most impressive success stories of English Heritage. Built in 1756 by Thomas Mills, the House was passing from generation to generation until it was acquired by the company Wedgwoo Pottery, in 1937.

During World War II, the House was used by the Bank of England and, later, as Academy for Wedgwoo Pottery. Over the years, however, the wood started to rot and security conditions were reduced dramatically â€" so, the building was abandoned and was at the mercy of vandals.

Twice the Wedgwoo Pottery tried to demolish the building, but its historical classification never allowed. In 1981, the House has been bought by Save Britain's Heritage, restored and subsequently sold to the current owners, James and Carol Hall in 1992. By €375 thousand.

So, the House was again restored, as well as other neighboring buildings. Now, you're in the market for €2,8 million. Not bad for a property that was about to be demolished.

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Switzerland rejects factory village to protect couple of bearded vultures-

I would sacrifice a couple of bearded vultures-to reduce the electric bill? This was the dilemma of 138 inhabitants of paradise village of La Punt, Switzerland in Chamuesch, which were called by the local Government to make a decision is not always easy: biodiversity or the wallet.

According to the Dodo, the town urgently needs to renew its energy infrastructure, and a new power plant on the table. However, the site chosen for the new building hit a bump with the habitat of a couple of vultures-bearded, in a remote Valley.

Actually, these are not vultures-bearded normal. The inhabitants of La Punt Chamuesch believe they are the most prolific of all bearded vultures-the Swiss Alps, a romantic couple that could forever be without your love getaway.

The construction of the factory, according to some environmentalists, would put at risk the very lives of the couple of vultures, so the decision was decided through a referendum.

According to the Dodo, the inhabitants of La Punt Chamuesch were the votes and the decision has not been easy â€" however, the plant was rejected by 64 votes against 74. In La Punt Chamuesch will continue to pay a high price for electricity consumed, but the couple of bearded vultures-at the top of thank your innocence, the jury's decision.

Foto: Noel Reynolds / Arjan Haverkamp /A.Davey / jayhem /  Creative Commons

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Nicaragua's army will protect nesting turtles

Nicaragua's Government sent the army to the beaches in the country so that the nests of tortoises, which by this time start coming ashore to lay their eggs, are protected from hunters.

According to the local press, more than 2,500 olive turtles â€" otherwise known as small turtles â€" reached already the beaches of Chacocente Wildlife Refuge to lay their eggs. This is one of the few places in the Western Pacific where the species breeds every year.

The theft of turtle eggs for sale later in the coastal towns of Nicaragua has been a threat to the species, which is already threatened. However, in recent years the number of turtles that hatch has increased, much in part due to the efforts of conservation and protection of the eggs, but also the education of local communities, referred to the Dodo.

Still, the Government of Nicaragua decided to send this year the army to patrol the beaches and make sure the eggs are not stolen or destroyed.

Foto: nicholaspix / Creative Commons

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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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