Wildleaks: the new platform of complaints against illegal hunting

The environmental and biodiversity-related projects already have a global platform of denunciation, the Wildleaks â€" a kind of Wikileaks for wildlife. The project was developed by a group of conservationists and pick the anonymous complaints to try to stop the crimes.

According to one of its founders, Andrea Crust, of 25 years, the links of poachers to the police and business elite turn out to protect them. Thus, the project focuses on the ivory dealer and not on who kills elephants and rhinoceroses.

There are reports of tigers hunting in Northern Sumatra, especially monkeys smuggling chimpanzees â€" in Central Africa, illegal logging activities in Mexico, Russia and Malawi and illegal fishing off the coast of Alaska.

According to Crust, and once checked the veracity of the information, the Wildleaks have three options: start an investigation with their own resources and partners; share the complaint with other groups or with law enforcement agencies.

Still according to the Crust told Deutsche Welle, the great challenge of the project is to become known. With 25 years of experience in conservation projects and 15 years of risk management training, Andrea Costra is the right man to do the project grow.

Foto: William Warby / Cretive Commons

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Detergent packaging made from plastic collected at sea (with video)

One of the most exciting global sustainability projects of recent times is Portuguese and is being developed by Logoplaste, plastic packaging manufacturer headquartered in Cascais.

Called Ecover, this is a detergent packaging made from plastic collected seas and beaches. "We intend to enhance these residues, because this means that they are collected and integrated into the recycling circuit," explained to the green economy Paulo Correia, director of Logoplaste.

The project was developed in partnership with Waste Free Ocean and collects plastic waste off the Belgian coast and British. Initially, only 10% of the new plastic packaging will be taken from the sea, but the Logoplaste hopes to increase this percentage.

"The Waste Free Ocean created a circuit of collection, developed by fishermen. These residues have been integrated in the recycling and integrated into the production circuit, "continued the charge of Logoplaste.

In addition to the inclusion of plastic collected at sea on the packaging, the shape of the bottle itself was thought to promote sustainability. "Were applied the principles of structural design of the radiolaria and, deep down, was applied the principle of structural design of diatoms," explained to the green economy Carlos Rego, Logoplaste designer.

Were these microorganisms that influenced the design of the packaging, a process known as biomimicry. These two principles of structural design allowed a reduction in the weight of the packing in 20% â€" while the standard weight of this packaging is around 30 or 32 grams, Logoplaste packing has only 25 grams.

This was the first project of Logoplaste with these specific features, although the plastic recycling is not exactly a novelty in company: between 30 to 40% of the products developed by Portuguese giant have the recycled plastic as the base. "Talking about recycling is normal today, but for 15 years, when we started working on this concept, it wasn't. All projects that come out of a very large component have Logoplaste of recycling ", explained Paulo Correia.

See the episode 289 of the green economy, one of the most amazing I've ever published here.

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Endless City: the skyscrapers that is a self-contained community in height

The SURE Architecture developed an ambitious and complex project to host residential areas, offices, shops, entertainment and leisure in one building. Appropriately named "Endless City", the project was designed for the reality in londrina, United Kingdom.

The building consists of a series of ramps that connect different sections of the structure to create a vertical city and was designed to reduce environmental impact and increase sustainability through some technological concepts.

When built, the project may be a complete ecosystem and, in theory, allow any person to make your personal life, professional and leisure without leaving this structure.

According to the SURE, the building will save a lot of space in a dense city like London â€" hence the British capital was the first to be designed for this concept.

With more than 300 feet tall, the Endless City will have an area of 165 square meters and its shape maximizes the passive energy and reduces the need for artificial lighting, cooling and heating. "The aim of the design is to design a building that is inviting and a powerful symbol in all directions," said Alina Valcarce, Director of SURE.

The design of the project belies its beauty, but it is unlikely that it will be implemented in the coming years. Or decades.

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Scotland: wave energy project will bring electricity to 175 thousand homes

The biggest wave energy project in the world just got more a portion of investment â€" €62 million (R$188 million) â€" which will lead to first clean energy through the waves the House of 42 thousand Scottish citizens. The MeyGEn consists of a set of 269 submerged turbines that, when completed, will bring electricity to about 175 thousand homes.

The first phase of the project will work with 61 turbines â€" that electrificarão such 42 thousand homes â€" and will start at the end of this year. The electricity will reach the public network in 2016. "Today we are witnessing the transformation of a sector. The MeyGen is one of the most exciting renewable energy developments and innovative in the world and the energy of the waves is a serious player in the global energy market, "explained the director of MeyGen and CEO of Atlantis, the company behind the project, Tim Cornelius.

When fully completed, the MeyGen will have 398 MW in underwater turbines, which will be linked to an infrastructure built out of water.

According to Inhabitat, the MeyGen is the first project of large-scale wave energy to get financing, which is being seen as an opportunity for the sector to expand and become desirable for the players of the energy area.

According to experts in energy, the energy of the waves has the potential to provide 20% of all energy in the United Kingdom. Too striking to be ignored.

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NGOS ensures micro-casa for homeless in just six hours

The tiny houses are no longer appreciated â€" just â€" in Japan, and are now chosen by those who want to live sustainably and with fewer possessions. The United States, as expected, are already at the forefront of this trend, and it is precisely in this country that an NGO (nongovernmental organization) claims credit for building a micro-casa in just six hours.

The goal of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, of Austin, Texas, was able to provide housing for the homeless sites but, says Mashable, the end result exceeded their own expectations.

To reach this concept, Mobile Loaves Fishes 10 years passed & collect funds and plan the development of structures. Today, the first homeless began arriving to the community.

"We will draw 240 people from the streets of Austin and make them living in our community. A tent in the Woods is not going to solve the greatest desire of these people, who live in the community, "explained the Development Director KeyeTV ONG, Donna Emery.

According to Emery, the organization is not just to put a roof over the head of the people, but to build a real community residence. The site has a Community Center, Garden, open-air theatre and a medical centre. Each resident will pay an income, although this is significantly below market value.

Some residents may pay up to €68 ($ 205) per month to live in one of these houses, and the project will be accompanied by an employment initiative for the homeless (ex-sem-abrigo, actually) can afford your home.

According to Mashable, initiatives that get the homeless off the street can save millions to taxpayers â€" according to NGOS, this community will save €7,5 million (US $ 22.7 million) to the taxpayers of Austin, just on healthcare. More important than that: it will lead to many of these evacuees back smiling and feeling me valid members of the community. Now today I have the pleasure of entering for the first time in a long time, in his home.

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Government will take the Palm trees official residence of the Prime Minister

The Government decided to send down the Palm trees of the São Bento Palace, official residence of the Prime Minister, by considering that the beetle pest treatment-of-Palm trees isn't working and is costly, according to the observer.

According to the website, the palms of the official residence of the Prime Minister were attacked by the beetle-das palmeiras, who came to Portugal in 2007 and has already destroyed a large part of the Canary Island Palm trees â€" about 500, including 13 of the garden of the Palace of São Bento.

When the leaves start to wither and fall may already be too late â€" when you begin to notice the first signs of death leaves the infestation may already be at an advanced stage. On the other hand, can co-exist in the same Palm tree over a thousand individuals. In these cases the only solution is the slaughter and destruction of plant debris.

To prevent infestation or to treat cases where the plants are little affected can be performed pruning and phytosanitary treatments tended (with chemical or biological agents). "In April 2013, was made a survey of the species attacked and carried out a preventive treatment/dressing in 12 Palm trees during three months (installation of pipes along the trunk to injection of plant health care products and nutrients)," said the Press Office of St. Benedict to the observer.

However, the treatment did not provide the expected results. "The result of this action would be elaborated a work plan, as this type of treatment is very expensive. The result was not satisfactory and it was therefore decided to proceed with the slaughter and incineration of cutting, initially of seven Palm trees and later six more Palm trees, "he added.

Foto: Thomas Leth-Olsen / Creative Commons

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Portugal has 10 thousand urban fires per year

There are, on average, 10 000 urban fires per year in Portugal, and seven thousand of these occur in residential buildings, according to the Portuguese Association of security (APSEI).

According to the Association, due to these fires close to 60 people lose their lives each year. "Despite the widespread increase of security conditions, still faced with major challenges in protecting against fire. The implementation of the measures provided for in the legal system of fire safety in buildings in force in the existing buildings in historic centres have been very difficult and, in many cases, impossible to achieve, "he explained in a statement Mary John Conde, Secretary-General of the APSEI.

According to the Association, the Chiado fire-August 25, 1988 â€" had a significant impact in the field of fire safety in buildings in Portugal, leading to, in 1989 and 1990, was published decree-laws governing fire safety in residential buildings.

The APSEI says that the culture of prevention and fire safety in buildings has grown in Portugal and that all those who act in this area are gradually better prepared to meet the challenges of urban fires.

"The responsibility to prevent the occurrence of fires and prevent their destructive effect depends on more security professionals â€" is on all of us. We know that a society more aware of fire hazards in buildings and better prepared to act in case of emergency will cause cases as the Chiado fire become continuously, an event of the past, "concludes Maria João Count.

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