How can humans avoid deadly shocks of birds with glass

Millions of lives of birds are lost each year by collisions with Windows and glass. The large glass and mirrored buildings can be beautiful, but for birds are a hazard, because they fail to detect the barriers and ultimately fatally collide with them.

To avoid this situation, two Swedish biologists have studied how a special glass which reflects ultraviolet light can prevent the birds hatch against the buildings. The scientists concluded that a glass containing 50% of absorsoras brands of ultraviolet light can stop birds like parrots and gulls, without obstructing the view from the window.

However, other species of birds, like pigeons, ducks and birds of prey cannot see ultraviolet marks, do you have the same type of ocular structure that the gulls or parrots, referred to the Dodo.

This does not mean, however, that the builders should reject this type of glass that holds seagulls and passerines, but there will be other birds will continue to hit the glass, because they can't see the marks.

Change the type of glass is not the only way to prevent the birds from colliding with buildings. Wind chimes, blinds and light screens are other ways to avoid the collision of the birds.

Foto: binaryCoco / Creative Commons

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10 species baptized with names of famous

With so many new species are being discovered every year, many researchers have turned to presenters, actors or singers when it comes time to give them a name. Is a form of the honor but also, in the case of musicians, a recognition of who, with his work, makes them company during many hours of loneliness research.

1.Scapatia Beyoncea

The name of fly found in Queensland, Australia, is an homage to the diva Beyonce â€" a kind of tribute. For researchers, the gilded ass remember QueenB in the music video for "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child.

2.Aleiodes Shakirae

Beyonce is not the only pop diva being honored by the scientists. This WaSP discovered in Ecuador was christened in allusion to the singer Shakira, why shake it like there's no tomorrow, just like the Colombian.

3. Johnnyi, Joeyi, Deedeei and Ceejayi

The four members of the punk band Ramones inspired the discoverers of four species of prehistoric atropódes, whose generic name is Mackenziurus.

4. anti-Aleoides

The same researcher who discovered a WaSP version of Shakira also paid tribute to the American presenter Ellen Degeneres, LGBT pride icon.

5. the Predatoroonops Schwarzenegger

This spider is among the 17 species discovered by the Instituto Butantan and named in honor of the movie "the Predator." Its name is due to muscular biceps, as the Austrian actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who stars in the blockbuster

6. Dendropsophus Sting

The singer Sting was honored for his services to the preservation of the Amazon rainforest, giving name to this Toad from Colombia

7. Spielberg Coloborhynchus

The filmmaker Steven Spielberg was honored by the paleontologists who discovered this species in northeastern Brazil.

8.Tympanoctomys Kirchnerorum

This Argentine Messi unbaptized rat-maybe a bug is â€" in honor of former President Nestor Kirchner, who died in 2010, and the widow and today President, Cristina Kirchner. The researchers said it is an appreciation for public incentive to research. But it's not that seems more a hint to so many cases of corruption to the era Kirchner?

9.Apistogramma Mendezi

The fish that inhabits the waters of the rio Negro was named to honor the Brazilian environmentalist Chico Mendes.

10. Jaggermeryx of hate

In summer, the fossil of a new species of an animal similar to a small Hippo with labia majora was discovered in the desert of Egypt. This time, the star being sponsored by discovery was his Mick Jagger lookalike.

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Building SPP: the project created tools for ecological purchasing in public organizations (with video)

Public organisations should opt for purchases based on sustainable environmental and social criteria. Is the conclusion reached by the researchers of the project Building SPP, which aims to make public authorities adopt a purchasing system that is more ecological and sustainable.

As such, through the draft tools have been created to allow public authorities to do this type of shopping.  "The ecological shopping have to do with the introduction of environmental criteria in acquisitions and in 1st place in the buying public, therefore, public procurement procedures, taking into account not only the price but also other issues such as the environment," explains Paula Trinity, researcher at the engineering and geology national laboratory who led the project for the past four yearsthe green economy.

Portugal and Greece were the countries chosen to implement the project, since the ecological public procurement are part of the list of priorities of the European Union. In the case of Portugal participated in three public entities: the municipalities of Torres Vedras and Loures and the waste management company, Lipor.

"We developed firstly a tool that allows to implement a strategy of sustainable shopping and after we developed this tool. What we did was apply it after these three organizations ", indicates Paula Trinity.

In Loures, the main strategic changes took place in three areas: vigilante service, school bus with less polluting vehicles and urban pest control. "The launch of the contest in which introduced environmental sustainability criteria for companies to undertake and can minimize the impact of all its activities have on the environment," says Ana cages, public services and environmental technique of Câmara Municipal de Loures.

For the municipality of Loures this is also a way to encourage innovation and most environmentally correct responses on the part of suppliers.

The State and public entities by the large volume of purchases that can boost a greener economy. Public contracts represent almost 3.5% of the GDP of the European Union, which amounts to €425 billion.

The green economy is knowledge Building spp. see episode 321 here.



Photo: 365 Days that Calmed the world/Creative Commons

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A fully sustainable city for a polluted China

One of the aspects for which China is known, among others, is due to their extremely polluted cities. However, the new ecological models of development can help these cities to become more sustainable. An example is the Binhai Eco City Master Plan, a case study designed by Holm Architecture Office, which explores the possibility of a total green development.

This Green City is a project created with the support of the Governments of China and Singapore. Surrounded by a green belt, the space includes a new financial district and five cultural spaces that are home to sports facilities and educational centers. Cultural buildings are located in specific plateaus project out of green space to the North. A green corridor and a tram line connecting the financial centre cultural buildings.

Designed to be a green oasis pedestrian, Eco City is located on a high plateau, getting the services and bus zone on a lower level. All the buildings were designed with efficient and sustainable energy technologies and renewable energy sources, referred to Inhabitat.

The Binhai Eco City was selected as one of the finalists of the WAF Awards 2014 and is designed to be located in the vicinity of Tianjin, in northern China.

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As one of the most important archaeological sites of the United Kingdom was saved in extremis

The time when all discoveries were preserved and millenary encompassed a circuit of historical tourism is gone. Otherwise, what happened this month in the archaeological site of Binchester, in the United Kingdom, would not have happened.

According to the British press, the location, called Pompei of the North, has just been bought by a charity fund, for € 2,5 million ($ 7.7 million). Otherwise, it would be sold to those who probably would use for other purposes.

The site includes a Roman Fort with 1,800 years and a bathhouse with walls of 2.1 meters, which was once completely covered with paintings. There are also several artefacts and objects scattered.

Considered one of the most important Roman archaeological sites in the United Kingdom, he was eventually purchased by Auckland Castle Trust. The Fort commanded the main road going to the barracks of the Legion of York to Hadrian's wall.

According to several historians, this fort was one of the key elements of the complex system of existing borders on both sides of the wall and that marked the area further north of the Roman Empire for 400 years.

Originally, the Fort was built with wood, but was quickly renovated with stone, from the moment the infrastructure became permanent.

When the site was put up for sale by the Church Commissioners, which belongs to the Church of England, about 4,000 people signed a petition to stop the process. The idea of the Church passed through Comnissioners divide the site into two, which could destroy. However, this solution makes all parties happy â€" until you see.

"That is great news and we are thrilled that Binchester is now protected for future generations," explained Chris Ferguson, Chief Curator of Auckland Castle.

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An Amish community that goes beyond organic farming

"In the second world war, my ancestors were conscientious objectors because they don't believe in fighting," says Samuel Zook, an Amish farmer. "If you really think about it, when we spray our crops with agro-tóxicos is that really what we're doing [the fight]. Is chemical warfare ".

Samuel Zook is part of an Amish community in the u.s. State of Pennsylvania. The Amish are an Anabaptist Christian religious group that is distributed by the United States and Canada. Are known to live in communities and by their conservative mores, as the restricted use of electronic equipment or the clothes they use.

Eight years ago, Zook was about to lose the battle for fungi and pathogens that ate their crops and pesticides appeared to have little or no effect. Disillusioned with the conventional farming methods, Zook searched feverishly for a way to save their crops. Was in a farmer's Amish articles of 18 years from Ohio, called John Kempf, that Zook found the solution you've been looking for.

Kempf is the unlikely founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture, an agricultural consultant established in 2006 to promote intensive organic farming with a scientific basis. The story of Kempf is similar to Zook. A series of crops destroyed took the young, with only the eighth year of schooling, the focus on the sciences. For two years the young studied biology, chemistry and Agronomy in order to save their crops. The solution came from the study of the immune system of the plants, which in the case of healthy specimens, produces a wide range of compounds that are toxic to the invading agents.

"The plant immune response depends on a balanced nutrition, as our own immune system", measuring Kempf to Atlantic. Modern agriculture relies on fertilizers to make plants more resistant but with scant knowledge of the nutritional needs of other bodily functions. Through analysis of the SAP from plants, Kempf has managed to find out shortcomings of certain minerals which can then enter into the soil. Once the plants are able to defend themselves and their immune system is fully functioning, pesticides can be avoided.

The Advancing Eco Agriculture produces then nutritional supplements for the plants in order to increase the health and income without the use of harmful agricultural chemicals. Among the ingredients of supplements are algae, humic substances, minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium â€" which aim to stimulate plant growth and improve soil quality.

It is with these supplements that Zook spent working on plantations, which already do not receive any type of pesticides. "You can do nothing to plantations and receive a certificate of organic farming. By contrast, we focus on restoring the balance found in natural systems, "says Zook. Although it plants of this Amish farmer are not completely free of diseases, crops have been quality and Zook likes the way practice their agriculture.

Foto: Mike O’C / Creative Commons

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CGD promotes Sustainability in the future Conference

Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) will organise in the next few days 29 and 30 October, a Conference on the theme "Bridges for a more sustainable future", which aims to put civil society and the business world to "talk about Sustainability and act in harmony". The Culturgest in Lisbon, will be the stage of the event, which is part of the BCSD Portugal 2014 annual Conference.

At the Conference are confirmed names like Jo I confine, executive editor of the British newspaper The Guardian; Isabel Jonet, Self-help Association; Paula Viegas, Director of CGD's sustainability; Francisco Viana, director of communications and brand of CDG or Cláudia Coelho, Director of sustainable business solutions of PwC Portugal.

Among the main themes of the program are subject to debate panels schedule for a more sustainable Country, Environmental Reporting and Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship.

During the Conference will be also presented the results of the annual Carbon Disclosure Project Iberia and awarded prizes to Portuguese companies. The participation is free of charge, subject to prior registration. Registration can be done here and the program can be consulted in detail here.

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