The Write Future

Environmental photographer of the Year

The CIWEM (Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management) has opened this year competition for Environmental photographer of the Year.

The competition encourages entries that are contemporary, creative, resonant, challenging, original and beautiful, but most of all, pictures that will inspire people around the world to start taking care of our environment.

Take 5 minutes and look at this picture slideshow of the entrees of 2011. Amazing pictures that make you think about life, nature and the future. 

If you can't open the link, try:  Slideshow 2011

 

More info:

CIWEM

Smelly Dino!

I won’t point at specific people, although it is very tempting to do…

From research it appears that the Earth was up to 10C (18F) warmer in the Mesozoic era, circa 250-60 million years ago. And British Scientists may now have found out why!

With the knowledge that livestock emissions currently contribute to a significant part of global methane levels, the researchers used existing data to estimate how dinosaurs could have affected the climate, with their flatulence! The team of scientist led by Dr David Wilkinson calculated that the total population of dinosaurs must have produced 520 million tonnes of Methane annually, 5 to 10 times the amount emitted by a cow today. Methane gas is known as a "greenhouse gas" that leads to increased temperatures, causing Global Warming.

The BBC article doesn’t reveal what stopped the temperature from further rising back then, but assuming that the root cause of the problem (Flatulent Dinosaur) extincted, it could be worth checking what would happen if we ban onion soup!

BBC, Dinosaur gases 'warmed the Earth'

Chilly Bra

Japan is still facing a number of serious energy shortages this summer as a result of the terrible disaster March last year. To save electricity Japanese designers of the underwear brand Triumph came up with this –literally- cool idea: the Super Cool Bra.

The bra comes with gel pads that -after having been placed in the freezer for 2 hours- can be placed in the cup area (tip for user: take socks out of cup first). The bra comes in two colours and has on one side a bamboo ladle strapped to it - to splash water over your body - and a miniature hand fan on the other side. A bamboo or mosquito net mini skirt can be added to compliment the cool look.

My favourite part of the design is the aquarium element with a fish swimming around in the cups. My daughter has 3 little fish that –I am sure- would love to go on a “ride” with me.

More info

Triumph Japan

Let's make a boat out of you!

A "floating collage of memories" is how some people describe this amazing boat. It is the lead project of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and is made out of 1200 unique pieces of wood. The artists, Gary Winters and Gregg Whelan, describe their idea as "An inclusive project about bringing people's lives to the front and celebrating ordinary people's lives in something extraordinary."

There were only 2 criteria for the donations: the items should be made from wood and must have a story behind them. The items used vary from a coat hanger; a Victorian police truncheon; hockey sticks; large crates used to transport gold as British securities to Canada during World War II; a piece of Jimi Hendrix's guitar and a hairbrush used by a make-up artist at Pinewood Studios in the 1960s. And if I had known, my son's violin would be in it. Straight after his first lesson!

The Boat Project, the Collective Spirit

London 2012 Cultural Olympiad

BBC news

Carry The Hose!

For all of you not aware yet of the joyful event that will take place in 2 weeks’ time: I will celebrate my twentieth birthday (for the twentieth time). And of course I can only wish for a sustainable present. How fortunate that I bumped into this brilliant initiative at a sustainability conference last week: a handbag made of a decommissioned fire-hose. It was previously deployed in active duty for up to 30 years, fighting fires around the UK. The really hot orange lining is made from reclaimed parachute silk!

It’s a product of the Elvis & Kresse, an organisation that creates brilliant accessories by re-engineering waste. 50% of the profit is donated to charity, in case of the fire-hose bag, to the Fire Fighters Charity.

Just a perfect gift for any hard working mum turning 20(++) years old!

More information: 

Www.fire-hose.co.uk

Shwopping!

Two years ago when we were getting ready to move from Kuala Lumpur to London my husband found my "secret" pile of clothes. A pile -all labels still attached- of clothes that "would look (and fit) lovely as soon as I would start going to the gym again". Some pieces had already survived two previous intercontinental moves. Being absolutely sure I would daily do a 10k run on the river banks in London, the pile came along to the UK, and has not seen any daylight since... But today I have found a new destination for it, I will Shwop it at M&S.

Today M&S has launched a new service: Shwopping. The idea is simple: if you buy new clothes you return some old ones that you won't use anymore. Very similar to recycling of bottles, something that we are so used to, we don't even consider doing anything else anymore. M&S donates all the garment to Oxfam who will either reuse, recycle or resell it. And with 1.000.000.000 pieces of garment ending up in landfill every year in the UK alone (see picture of M&S ambassador Joanne Lumley with just 5 minutes -10.000 pieces- of garment-waste!) it can make a huge difference. If we all decide to dig in our cupboard and start shwopping! 

                                                                                                                                            Photo Daily Mail

More info:

Marks and Spencer, Plan A, Shwopping

Take The Water Challenge

While UK is experiencing their worst drought in decennia (although hard to believe during this week of non-stop rain and today's hail storm) for many parts of the world this is daily reality.

Levi's, the jeans company has, in cooperation with Water.org, started a campaign to make us aware of our daily water usage and makes suggestions to cut this. They have also set up a Challenge. You can earn points for each challenge you take, like shorten you time in the shower, try to get through a day with only once having access to water (like most people in developing countries) and not washing your jeans for 2 weeks. For every challenge you earn points and for every 10 points Levi's donates 1 water credit (clean water for one person for life) to Water.org. No need to say there is a triple dividend: you use less water, you save money, someone in need is supported. In the unlikely event that you are not yet convinced to do it, read the facts below.

• Flushing a toilet takes 19 liters of water each time. Most people in developing countries have less then 30 liters a day (think about this when you flush for the second time tomorrow!)
• 6,500 Cubic meters of water is used per day by one golf course (and by 60,000 villagers in Thailand)
• Every year 3.375.000 people die of water related deceases.  It kills more children than malaria, AIDS, and measles combined. 
• If there was clean water access, children could attend school instead of searching for water. There would be 272 MILLION more school attendance days a year.
• More people have a mobile phone than a toilet. 
• Investment in safe drinking water and sanitation contributes to economic growth. For each $1 invested, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates returns of $3 - $34, depending on the region and technology.

More info:

Levi's, waterless

Water.org

Climate Kids

A cool and informative website on climate change for kids is the Nasa Kids site. In a simple and fun way it explains about the causes of climate change and what we can do to stop it. It gives answers to all sort of questions on climate change, also for adults of interest to read.

Especially if you don't exactly know what is meant with the Carbon Footprint and why we can't enjoy but should be concerned about 27 degrees in March but feel too embarrassed to ask what we are all supposed to know by now... 

 

 

More info:

NASA Climate Change for kids

Junk Art

I have posted a piece of Mandy Barker's photo art before, Beautiful Waste Art, but I think this one is very special as well. It is called: Every snow flake is different and is made of garden furniture chair leg, paracetamol packaging, oil cap, plate, face mask, shower rail hook, fire alarm casing etc etc etc. All found in the ocean.... 

 

More info:

Mandy Barker

Beautiful Waste Art

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Cinema in Heaven

Thailand is one of my favorite countries, the culture, climate, people, food, I love it all. But now there is even more reason to book a next visit: a floatable cinema made of recycled materials (hopefully that makes up a bit for the pollution caused by the plane to get there...)

The Archipelago Cinema was designed for the Film on the Rocks Yao Noi Film Festival, and was nestled between two rocks near Kudu Island. According to the lucky guests who floated out to watch a nighttime film it was a "surreal" experience like "you died and went to heaven". Lets just hope that the real heaven (if it exists) will have the yummy food as well!

More info:

Buri Os- Archipelago Cinema