Flawed recycling results in dangerous chemicals in black plastic

Unsafe recycling of electronic waste has resulted in the distribution of dangerous chemicals into new products made out of black plastic. Published in Environment International, a new study documents the presence of bromide and lead found in 600 consumer products made out of black plastic and clarifies its potential negative impact on human and ecological health. "There are environmental and health impacts arising from the production and use of plastics in general, but black plastics pose greater...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/flawed-recycling-results-in-dangerous-chemicals-in-black-plastic
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Traces of opioids discovered in mussels in Puget Sound

America's opioid crisis is far-reaching — even to Seattle area harbors. State agencies uncovered traces of oxycodone in native bay mussels. Biologist Jennifer Lanksbury told NPR member radio station KUOW, "Oxycodone is in the news right now but there are a number of other pharmaceutical products that we found. Antibiotics, the anti-depressants, chemotherapy drugs, heart medications that we're finding in mussels." Related: "Microplastics have been found in mussels everywhere scientists...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/traces-of-opioids-discovered-in-mussels-in-puget-sound
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Southern California is losing its clouds, increasing the risk of more intense wildfires

Elevated summer temperatures in California have resulted in decreased levels of the low-atmosphere clouds that were once common throughout the southern coastal regions of the state, which has resulted in an increased risk of wildfire. Clouds often dissipate under heat. "Clouds that used to burn off by noon or 1 o'clock are now gone by 10 or 11, if they form at all," bioclimatolgist and study lead author Park Williams told Phys.org. Due to a warming climate and an expanding urban heat island, cloud...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/southern-california-is-losing-its-clouds-increasing-the-risk-of-more-intense-wildfires
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Canada set to purchase Kinder Morgan pipeline for $4.5 billion

The Canadian government is planning to buy the Trans Mountain oil pipeline from major energy corporation Kinder Morgan for $4.5 billion in an effort to secure its construction. The controversial project, which would triple the current capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline and run from the tar sands of Alberta to the Pacific Coast, is a major priority for Ottawa. “It must be built. It will be built,” Canadian finance minister Bill Morneau told the Guardian. The pipeline has suffered delays due...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/canada-set-to-purchase-kinder-morgan-pipeline-for-4-5-billion
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United Kingdom moves to ban most of its ivory trade

British Environment Minister Michael Gove has introduced a bill to Parliament that would ban the purchase, sale, possession for sale, and international trade of ivory. Though the bill contains several exceptions for ivory found in museums, musical instruments and some antiques, it would be one of the most comprehensive ivory bans of any country. The United Kingdom is the largest legal ivory exporter and the bill, if passed into law, would certainly put a dent in this lucrative trade. Nonetheless,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/united-kingdom-moves-to-ban-most-of-its-ivory-trade
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"Once-in-a-1000-years" flood batters Maryland town for the second time in two years

Ellicott City, Maryland was devastated by a flash flood in 2016 — and scientists said that rainstorm was the type of event that happens once in a thousand years, according to Slate. But then it occurred again over the weekend. Over 300 residents were evacuated, and there were over 1,000 calls to 911. Related: Via Slate Images via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/once-in-a-1000-years-flood-batters-maryland-town-for-the-second-time-in-two-years
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This lightweight, soda can-sized air purifier destroys mold, VOCs and odors

Did you know that indoor air pollution can be as bad or worse than outdoor air pollution? From off-gassing chemicals in paints to mold and dust, the contaminated air we breathe inside our homes and offices negatively impacts our health and can lead to fatigue and dizziness or even respiratory diseases in the long-term. Fortunately, air purification technology has improved in recent years to offer affordable and easy ways to combat indoor air pollutants. Read on to see our review of one such product,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-lightweight-soda-can-sized-air-purifier-destroys-mold-vocs-and-odors
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RBS will cease financing new coal stations, Arctic oil, or oil sands projects

Several oil and gas projects won't receive financing from Britain's Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) any more, Reuters reported. The bank said they won't offer project-specific finance for Arctic oil and oil sands projects, new coal-fired power stations, new thermal coal mines, or unsustainable peatland or vegetation clearance projects. RBS Director of Sustainable Banking Kirsty Britz said, "The RBS of 2018 is very different to the bank we were a few years ago. If we're going to support our customers...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/rbs-will-cease-financing-new-coal-stations-arctic-oil-or-oil-sands-projects
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100% electric passenger, vehicle and cargo ferry could help decarbonize sea travel

The international shipping industry generates around 2.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Enter European Union-funded E-ferry, which aims to offer a green medium-sized ferry able to transport trucks, cars, passengers, and cargo with zero emissions. While this isn't the first zero-emission ferry, the team behind the project says the new ferry will be able to cover longer distances — traveling 22 nautical miles between charges. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/100-electric-passenger-vehicle-and-cargo-ferry-could-help-decarbonize-sea-travel
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Scientists uncover giant canyons under the ice in Antarctica

Researchers have discovered three large canyons frozen beneath the ice of Antarctica, each of which is hundreds of miles in length. The canyons, which move through high mountains all beneath the snowy surface of the southernmost continent, were discovered through radar and may serve a key function in Antarctic ice flow. "These troughs channelise ice from the centre of the continent, taking it towards the coast," study co-author Kate Winter told the BBC. "Therefore, if climate conditions change in...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/scientists-uncover-giant-canyons-under-the-ice-in-antarctica
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'Plastic Free Trust Mark' helps customers dodge plastic packaging

New labeling will assist shoppers in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in buying drinks and food that aren't packaged in plastic. Campaign group A Plastic Planet is behind what's called the Plastic Free Trust Mark, adopted by supermarket chains and a tea company to start. Campaigners hope more stores will jump on the plastic-free bandwagon; A Plastic Planet co-founder Sian Sutherland told The Guardian, "Our trust mark cuts through the confusion of symbols and labels and tells you just one thing...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/plastic-free-trust-mark-helps-customers-dodge-plastic-packaging
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The growing wine industry is threatening California's Napa Valley

Napa Valley, a world famous symbol of American excellence in wine, is threatened by too much of a good thing. Ever-increasing wine production has inflicted damage on the region's economy and ecology. “With great success came great money and outsiders,” Napa expert and journalist James Conaway told the Guardian. Only a few decades ago, the region was home to fruit orchards and livestock farms as well as vineyards. “Now it’s monoculture with a vengeance," said Conaway. "Hundreds of miles of...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-growing-wine-industry-is-threatening-californias-napa-valley
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The Dung Beetle Project farts flames as it transforms plastic into fuel

We tend to view plastic waste as worthless garbage, but a group of innovators and creators in Africa view it as an unexploited asset. They created the Dung Beetle Project, an art project housing pyrolysis technology to turn plastic into usable fuel. Through the effort, which recently debuted at AfrikaBurn and was spotted by the Land Art Generator Initiative, the Dung Beetle Project hopes to convert plastic from a problem to a solution. Inhabitat spoke with Finance and Marketing Director David Terblanche...

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Scientists at the San Diego Zoo find some hope for saving the nearly-extinct northern white rhino

Only two northern white rhinos remain on Earth — two females, Najin and Fatu. But scientists have hatched a scheme to save the subspecies, and recently published a new study revealing preserved cells could hold enough genetic diversity to seed a viable population. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/scientists-at-the-san-diego-zoo-find-some-hope-for-saving-the-nearly-extinct-northern-white-rhino
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Hurricane Harvey has increased homelessness in Houston

Last August, Hurricane Harvey set records as the costliest hurricane in history as well as the wettest tropical cyclone ever in the United States. More than 30,000 people were displaced by the storm, many of whom are still struggling to recover in the storm's aftermath. A new report from The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County documents the notable increase in homelessness since the devastating storm. The results of the Coalition's Point-In-Time Homeless Count and Survey, which occured...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/hurricane-harvey-has-increased-homelessness-in-houston
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Biotech company Nanollose could offer plant-free alternatives for the textile industry

The clothing industry isn't generally known for its sustainability, although many brands are starting to turn to more environmentally materials such as bamboo, organic cotton, or recycled plastic. Australia-based Nanollose is going a step further by developing plant-free cellulose from "industrial organic and agricultural waste products" that can then be turned into a sustainable rayon fiber. Related: Process Fiber + Nanollose Via New Atlas Images via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/biotech-company-nanollose-could-offer-plant-free-alternatives-for-the-textile-industry
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Conservationists sound alarm over US House bill that weakens Endangered Species Act

Activists and scientists are concerned over the inclusion of a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that could threaten the survival of the endangered Greater Sage-Grouse and Lesser Prairie-Chicken. The provision would prevent the Lesser Prairie-Chicken from receiving protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for at least ten years, despite evidence of population decline that suggests that the Prairie-Chicken needs to be legally protected. It would also weaken safeguards put...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/conservationists-sound-alarm-over-us-house-bill-that-weakens-endangered-species-act
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Flint representative's staff barred from attending EPA chemical summit

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been trying to keep certain people out of a toxic chemical summit, according to reports. Reporters were barred from entry on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, representative Dan Kildee, a Democrat of Michigan who represents Flint, said on Twitter his staff wasn't allowed to attend the EPA's summit.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/flint-representatives-staff-barred-from-attending-epa-chemical-summit
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Energy company ditches plan to install a possible tar sands oil facility in New York

Environmentalists celebrated a victory in New York state after an energy company tossed out a five-year-old plan to possibly build a facility able to handle Canadian tar sands oil, local publication Times Union reported. Erin Doran, senior attorney at Riverkeeper, an environmental organization devoted to protecting the Hudson River, said in a statement, "The proposal threatened the health of neighboring communities and would have placed the Hudson River at a greater risk for a disastrous oil spill." Related: Doran...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/energy-company-ditches-plan-to-install-a-possible-tar-sands-oil-facility-in-new-york
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Images from NASA reveal the enduring damage in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria

  Related: 2018 hurricane season may be worse than last year   Via Earther Images via NASA

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/images-from-nasa-reveal-the-enduring-damage-in-puerto-rico-after-hurricane-maria
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Trump administration wants to allow "extreme and cruel" hunting methods in Alaska

Donald Trump's administration is angling to amend hunting regulations for national preserves in Alaska. The Obama-era rules forbid methods the Sierra Club described as cruel and extreme — such shooting wolf pups and bear cubs in their dens. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/trump-administration-wants-to-allow-extreme-and-cruel-hunting-methods-in-alaska
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California man files lawsuit against Monsanto for allegedly hiding dangers of glyphosate

In a landmark filing, on June 18th, DeWayne Johnson will become the first person to sue Monsanto for its alleged cover-up of the cancer-causing dangers of its herbicide products. Johnson, a father of three and resident of California, is dying from cancer, which he believes was caused by his exposure to Monsanto-produced chemicals in his work as a groundskeeper. Though Monsanto has denied it, studies have demonstrated a link between glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto herbicides, and cancer....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/california-man-files-lawsuit-against-monsanto-for-allegedly-hiding-dangers-of-glyphosate
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500-mile-long shark highway could become a protected wildlife corridor

A 500-mile-long shark highway in the Pacific Ocean stretches between the Galapagos Islands and Cocos Island, and scientists recently videotaped sharks traveling this swimway for the very first time. The reason? While Cocos and the Galapagos possess protected areas for fish, the shark highway is not part of those, and scientists want to transform it into a protected wildlife corridor. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/500-mile-long-shark-highway-could-become-a-protected-wildlife-corridor
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Trump Administration proposes to sell protected land in Arizona for fracking

The Trump Administration has annoucend a proposal to sell 4,200 acres of public, protected land in northern Arizona for oil and gas development. The area in question crosses the Little Colorado River and is located only three miles from Petrified Forest National Park. It also is close to habitat for the Little Colorado spinedace, a threatened species of fish. Oil and gas industrial activity could also threaten the groundwater in the Little Colorado River Basin, potentially affecting the drinking...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/trump-administration-proposes-to-sell-protected-land-in-arizona-for-fracking
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Ovie's 'Smarterware' smart food storage aims to help reduce food waste

Around 31 million pounds of food goes to waste yearly in America, and Chicago-based startup Ovie has an answer: Smarterware. Their Smart Tags can be clipped on food, placed on six-cup containers, or attached to bottles or take-out boxes. The company says essentially their system transforms any regular refrigerator into a smart fridge without the steep price tag that usually accompanies a smart fridge — and they're crowdfunding on Kickstarter right now. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/ovies-smarterware-smart-food-storage-aims-to-help-reduce-food-waste
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AEye reveals new, energy-efficient data type to help self-driving cars see

AEye, a San Francisco Bay Area-based company that develops hardware, software and algorithms that serve as the "eyes and visual cortex" of autonomous vehicles, has annoucned a new data type that combines pixels from digital 2D cameras with voxels from 3D LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors. By joining these two data types into a single high-resolution sensor data type, AEye    

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/aeye-reveals-new-energy-efficient-data-type-to-help-self-driving-cars-see
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Missouri approves legislation to ban labeling plant-based 'meat' as meat

Plant-based meat substitutes — think the Impossible Burger or the Beyond Burger — or meat grown in a laboratory won't be able to be marketed as meat under new legislation recently approved by lawmakers in Missouri in a 125 to 22 vote. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch quoted representative Jeff Knight, who backed the change, as saying, "We're not trying to mislead anyone. We're just trying to protect our product." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/missouri-approves-legislation-to-ban-labeling-plant-based-meat-as-meat
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Court in Germany paves the way for the immediate ban of older diesel vehicles

The top administrative court in Germany has issued a ruling that empowers municipalities to ban older diesel vehicles, effective immediately, in pursuit of cleaner air. This decision comes only one day after the European Commission filed a complaint with the European Court of Justice, the highest court in the European Union (EU), that cited Germany for its cities' continued failure to meet EU standards on nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) levels. “Such restrictions, in their intensity, do not go beyond...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/court-in-germany-paves-the-way-for-the-immediate-ban-of-older-diesel-vehicles
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Parsons School of Design unveils sustainable public seating in New York City

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/parsons-school-of-design-unveils-sustainable-public-seating-in-new-york-city
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USDA releases controversial GMO food label prototypes

Food with genetically modified ingredients will be labeled after a 2016 bill passed by Congress, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently unveiled label prototypes. The fight for labels was controversial, and the proposed label designs are too. Legal director George Kimbrell of the Center for Food Safety, which wanted labeling, told NPR, "I mean, they look like a little smiley face. They're very pro-biotech, cartoonishly so, and to that extent are, you know, not just imparting...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/usda-releases-controversial-gmo-food-label-prototypes
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Adidas unveils a Manchester United jersey created with ocean plastic

Ocean plastic just got a flashy new awareness effort: in Manchester United Football Club jerseys. Adidas worked with Parley for the Oceans to release a kit created with recycled ocean plastic and inspired by the team's 1968 European Cup Final win. Manchester United director Richard Arnold said in a statement, "We are all acutely aware of the threat of plastic to the environment and we are delighted to be able to raise further awareness with this recycled kit, which I am sure the fans will love." Related: This...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/adidas-unveils-a-manchester-united-jersey-created-with-ocean-plastic
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Nine African cities commit to reaching zero carbon by 2050

Nine cities across Africa, a continent vulnerable to climate change, are taking action. Reuters reported the cities recently pledged to deliver their share of carbon emissions reductions to hit Paris Agreement goals. The cities, several of which are major capitals, aim to reach zero carbon economies in just over 30 years. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/nine-african-cities-commit-to-reaching-zero-carbon-by-2050
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Point Nemo, the most remote spot in the ocean, is plagued with plastic

Point Nemo is located so far away from land that those on the International Space Station, hundreds of miles above Earth, are usually the closest humans to this most isolated place. Located nearly 1,700 miles from the nearest island, Point Nemo is the oceanic point farthest from land on our planet. Despite its extremely remote location, Point Nemo has recently been plagued with plastic pollution. Sea vessels participating in the eight-month-long, worldwide Volvo Open Race took seawater samples from...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/point-nemo-the-most-remote-spot-in-the-ocean-is-plagued-with-plastic
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One-third of the world's protected areas face 'shocking' human impact

2.3 million square miles — or around twice the size of Alaska — of protected areas around the world face human pressure from activities like road building, urbanization, or grazing, according to a new study. Lead author Kendall Jones, a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland, said in a statement, "We found major road infrastructure such as highways, industrial agriculture, and even entire cities occurring inside the boundaries of places supposed to be set aside for nature conservation...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/one-third-of-the-worlds-protected-areas-face-shocking-human-impact
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Bering Sea ice is "at record low levels for this time of year"

Arctic sea ice is low, with Bering Sea's sea ice extent "is the lowest recorded since at least 1979," according to the National Snow & Ice Data Center (NSIDC). In April, Arctic sea ice extent was 378,400 square miles under the 1981 to 2010 average. And according to Earther, the Bering Sea has been something of a ground zero this winter, with sea ice disappearing when it was supposed to be growing in February, rebounding slightly in March, and then plummeting in April. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/bering-sea-ice-is-at-record-low-levels-for-this-time-of-year
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Bitcoin is expected to consume enough energy to power Austria by the end of 2018

Though bitcoin's value may rise and fall dramatically, the energy required to produce Bitcoins seems to be ever on the rise. Researchers estimate that the bitcoin network may consume as much as 7.7 gigawatts of energy, the equivalent of the electricity required to power Australia. A new study published in the journal Joule predicts that bitcoins may use up to half a percent of the world's total energy supply. If the value of bitcoin continues to rise, the entire bitcoin network may consume up to...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/bitcoin-is-expected-to-consume-enough-energy-to-power-austria-by-the-end-of-2018
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Warming seas could shift fish habitats out of the reach of some fishers

Warming waters have already prompted some fish to move south or north. As the climate continues to change, marine species' shifts could be challenging for fisheries as the fish potentially move into new areas altogether — some over 500 miles away, according to new research from a team of scientists from the United States and Switzerland, who modeled the habitat of 686 species.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/warming-seas-could-shift-fish-habitats-out-of-the-reach-of-some-fishers
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In the UK, wind energy provides more power than nuclear for the first time

For the first time, wind energy provided more power than nuclear energy to the United Kingdom grid in the first three months of 2018. This milestone, in which wind provided 18.8% of all power during a period in which only natural gas was a larger energy source, may herald the arrival of an energy economy in which renewable energy is the most cost effective option. There was even one point during this period, March 17 overnight, in which wind energy provided nearly half of the electricity used in...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/in-the-uk-wind-energy-provides-more-power-than-nuclear-for-the-first-time
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Yale architecture students designed and built this handsome home for the homeless

Since 1967, first-year Yale architecture students have designed and built buildings to better the community—and last year’s project was a handsome show in affordable housing. For the 2017 Jim Vlock First Year Building Project, students completed a 1,000-square-foot home that explores cost-efficient and flexible design. Constructed in New Haven’s Upper Hill neighborhood, the dwelling was created to provide shelter for the homeless. The 1,000-square-foot house for the homeless...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/yale-architecture-students-designed-and-built-this-handsome-home-for-the-homeless
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UK fracking measures could make exploratory drilling "as easy as building a garden wall"

The United Kingdom government has come under fire for measures that could fast-track shale gas projects. Among the measures, explorers could drill test sites without first applying for planning permission, The Guardian reported. Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas said, "Britain's fracking experiment was on life support and now the government is trying its best to shock it back into life." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/uk-fracking-measures-could-make-exploratory-drilling-as-easy-as-building-a-garden-wall
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NASA study shows water shortages could worsen without action

Wet land areas on Earth are becoming wetter, and dry areas drier, according to a NASA-led study the agency described as a first of its kind. Scientists drew on 14 years of satellite observations combined with data on human activities to track freshwater trends in 34 regions worldwide. Hydrologist Jay Famiglietti said, "What we are witnessing is major hydrologic change." Related: Famiglietti, senior water scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/nasa-study-shows-water-shortages-could-worsen-without-action
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These new electric trucks from Volvo could soon be collecting your garbage

Swedish multinational manufacturing company Volvo has revealed its two new electric truck models, which were designed with delivery and refuse collection in mind. These utility trucks could replace those currently on the road for these services, vehicles that are a major source of diesel emissions in urban areas worldwide. "This opens the door to new forms of cooperation with cities that target to improve air quality, reduce traffic noise, and cut congestion during peak hours since commercial operations...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-new-electric-trucks-from-volvo-could-soon-be-collecting-your-garbage
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Levels of ozone-destroying CFCs are mysteriously rising

CFC chemicals, which were globally banned by the Montreal protocol in 1987, have been experiencing a comeback. In recent years, levels of CFCs have increased suddenly and mysteriously. The producer of the CFCs has yet to be determined. US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researcher Stephen Montzka discovered the unusual trend. “I have been doing this for 27 years and this is the most surprising thing I’ve ever seen,” he told the Guardian. “I was just shocked by i...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/levels-of-ozone-destroying-cfcs-are-mysteriously-rising
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Nico Nevolo quit his job at Tesla to live in his Model X - and he's loving it

Van life can be a creative way to lessen one's impact on the planet, but many van dwellers are still riding in gas-guzzling vehicles. Nico Nevolo is among the pioneers of a new paradigm: EV van life. A former Tesla employee, Nevolo quit his job in March of this year to create content about his experiences living in his Tesla Model X under the name TeslaVanLife, and says so far it's been the best decision of his life to live out of his van. Inhabitat caught up with Nevolo to hear more about his journey...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/nico-nevolo-quit-his-job-at-tesla-to-live-in-his-model-x-and-hes-loving-it
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Wildfires in Siberia are emitting enough carbon to harm the entire planet

Fires raging in Russia and Siberia could impact all of planet Earth, according to Greenpeace. Blazes burning in the Amur region since the start of 2018 have damaged an area around six times larger than during the same time period in 2017 — and the wildfires have released nearly twice the annual carbon emissions of Moscow. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/wildfires-in-siberia-are-emitting-enough-carbon-to-harm-the-entire-planet
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Florida coral reefs plagued with mysterious disease

With coral reefs under threat worldwide, researchers in Florida are racing to understand and treat a mysterious disease that threatens to decimate the third largest coral reef on Earth. Within four years, the as-of-yet unidentified, potentially bacterial disease has already had a significant impact on Florida's coral species, half of which are fatally vulnerable to the disease. "When they're affected by this, the tissue sloughs off the skeleton," Erinn Muller, science director at Mote Marine Lab's...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/florida-coral-reefs-plagued-with-mysterious-disease
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2018 hurricane season may be worse than last year

In 2017, Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Puerto Rico devastated communities in the American South and Puerto Rico; those three storms resulted in around $265 billion in damage, according to The Guardian. Will the United States and Caribbean face another brutal season this year? Forecasts of 2018's looming hurricane season say it could be more active than normal — and you can start getting ready now.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/2018-hurricane-season-may-be-worse-than-last-year
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London considers car-free days to fight air pollution

London officials met this week at City Hall to discuss the best way forward for a ban on cars in certain areas of the city on specific days of the year. If the initial trials are successful, the city will consider “more ambitious plans” for 2019. These moves will taken in response to the public health threat of air pollution, which prematurely kills thousands of people annually. “[London Mayor Sadiq Khan] is determined to do everything in his power to protect the health of Londoners and prioritise...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/london-considers-car-free-days-to-fight-air-pollution
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Brooklyn Grange announces a new location in a former WWII shipyard

Inhabitat is thrilled to announce that urban farming group Brooklyn Grange, who've helped popularize rooftop gardening in New York City, is launching their first location outside the city. That in itself would be exciting news, but Kearny Point, the location where their garden/education center will be, holds its own storied past. A former World War 1 and 2 shipbuilding yard in an industrial area that's spiraled downhill, Kearny Point is undergoing redevelopment, under recycling corporation Hugo Neu,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/brooklyn-grange-announces-a-new-location-in-a-former-wwii-shipyard
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Louisiana wants to divert the Mississippi River to restore its coast

Louisiana has lost over 2,000 square miles of coast in the last 100 years, according to NPR. Levees, barrier islands, and artificial marshes have been among the solutions state officials have attempted, and they now want to get the Mississippi River involved. They want to divert its muddy waters to marshes. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/louisiana-wants-to-divert-the-mississippi-river-to-restore-its-coast
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Pew Research Center report finds bipartisan support for renewable energy

Many people see America divided along red and blue lines, and while a recent Pew Research Center report did find those divides on issues such as increasing fossil fuels, they uncovered "pockets of partisan agreement over expanding solar and wind power." In what the center called a "rare point of bipartisan consensus," 93 percent of liberal Democrats and 71 percent of conservative Republicans favored expanding wind farms. For expanding solar farms, the numbers were 96 and 80 percent. Rel...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/pew-research-center-report-finds-bipartisan-support-for-renewable-energy
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An increasingly intense allergy season is linked to climate change

If you have found that you're having a particularly tough time breathing through this pollen season, you're not alone. This spring allergy season has been especially difficult throughout North America due to intense pollen production that may be linked to climate change.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-increasingly-intense-allergy-season-is-linked-to-climate-change
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California soil could absorb more than 1,000 tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year

California is turning to nature in the fight against climate change: by improving soil health. Their Healthy Soils Initiative draws on farm and land management techniques to build organic soil matter with the goal of slashing greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering more carbon. The initiative's website quoted Governor Jerry Brown as saying, "As the leading agricultural state in the nation, it is important for California's soils to be sustainable and resilient to climate change." Relat...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/california-soil-could-absorb-more-than-1000-tons-of-carbon-from-the-atmosphere-each-year
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This year, India's dust storm season is extreme and deadly

India is experiencing a particularly powerful and deadly dust storm season this year. Over the weekend, seventy-one people were killed as a result of dust storms and related thunder storms. The affected area this season currently stretches from the eastern state of West Bengal to Uttar Pradesh in the north.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/indias-dust-storm-season-bears-down-hard-this-year
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Nomad Pavilion is a woven goat hair desert shelter that collects its own water

Related: + Dina Haddadin + Rasem Kamal Via Dezeen Dina Haddadin, Rasem Kamal, Nomad Pavilion, Nomad shelter, shelter design, refugee shelters, Bedouin's tents, Bedouin shelters

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/nomad-pavilion-is-a-woven-goat-hair-desert-shelter-that-collects-its-own-water
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The secret behind the Leaning Tower of Pisa's resilience is revealed

Engineers from Roma Tre University has solved the mystery of how the seemingly unstable Leaning Tower of Pisa has managed to stand strong over six hundred years in a seismically active region.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-secret-behind-the-leaning-tower-of-pisas-resilience-is-revealed
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The net-zero Frick Environmental Center is officially one of the worlds greenest buildings

The Frick Environmental Center (FEC) in Pittsburgh has just become the first municipally owned building in the U.S. to achieve Living Building certification—arguably the most rigorous proven performance green building standard in the world. Designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the FEC is among the world’s greenest certified buildings and earned LEED Platinum certification last year. The 15,600-square-foot building produces as much energy and water as its consumes annually, and incorporates a...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/pittsburghs-net-zero-frick-environmental-center-recognized-as-one-of-the-worlds-greenest-buildings
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1,000-foot-long fissure opens on Hawaii's Kilauea as experts prepare for an explosive eruption

Two new fissures cracked open on Hawaii's erupting Kilauea volcano over the weekend, and magma and rock burst into the air. Local Mark Clawson, who hasn't evacuated, told Reuters, "It is a near-constant roar akin to a full-throttle 747 interspersed with deafening, earth-shattering explosions that hurl 100-pound lava bombs 100 feet into the air." The eruptions have destroyed almost 40 buildings. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/1000-foot-long-fissure-opens-on-hawaiis-kilauea-as-experts-prepare-for-an-explosive-eruption
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Noise pollution is the new 'secondhand smoke' according to experts

Noise pollution is gaining prominence as a serious threat to the health and well-being of people, particularly those cities. It's “the new secondhand-smoke issue,” activist Bradley Vite told the Washington Post. “It took decades to educate people on the dangers of secondhand smoke. We may need decades to show the impact of secondhand noise.”

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/noise-pollution-is-the-new-secondhand-smoke-according-to-experts
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NASA plans to send a helicopter to Mars

A small, autonomous helicopter could soar above the rusty rocks of Mars. Dubbed The Mars Helicopter, NASA is sending the rotocraft to the Red Planet as part of their Mars 2020 rover mission. The BBC said this could be the first test of "heavier-than-air aircraft on another planet." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/nasa-plans-to-send-a-helicopter-to-mars
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This tiny cabin on the Greece-Turkey border generates 100% of its own energy

Istanbul-based studio SO? Architecture & Ideas has completed a tiny off-grid cabin perfect for reconnecting with the outdoors. Located in a village on the Turkish-Greek border, the Cabin on the Border is a prefabricated and transportable unit constructed of laminated wood and polycarbonate. As a modern take on the traditional cabin vernacular, this sustainably minded structure is equipped with solar panels and a rainwater catchment system as well as an adaptable interior design. Designed...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-tiny-cabin-on-the-greece-turkey-border-generates-100-of-its-own-energy
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Off-grid island home in Florida hits the market for $1M

Near the southern tip of Florida, a breezy and 100% self-sufficient island home has hit the market for a cool million. Located along the Intracoastal Waterway just east of Keewaydin Island, the 5.3-acre property on Little Marco Island is an idyllic private getaway with a custom-built cottage and a front-row view of waterfront wildlife, from dolphins to gopher tortoises. Keep reading for an inside look at the off-grid island home currently listed on Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. Built...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/off-grid-island-home-in-florida-hits-the-market-for-1m
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Elon Musk's first tunnel is almost complete and he's offering free rides

Another day, another genius marketing scheme from Elon Musk. He said in an Instagram post he plans to offer free rides in The Boring Company's first tunnel — which he described as almost done. He included a video in the post, revealing progress made. https://www.instagram.com/p/BinoVT6Acpd/?taken-by=elonmusk

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/elon-musks-first-tunnel-is-almost-complete-and-hes-offering-free-rides
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Tourists in Utah are tossing priceless dinosaur footprints into a lake

People, this is why we can't have nice things. Tourists in Utah have been removing dinosaur footprints embedded in sandstone and tossing them into the lake at Red Fleet State Park in Vernal. The foot-long prehistoric dino tracks primarily come from the reptile known as the Velociraptor in Jurrasic Park (actually, a Deinonychus) and park officials are frantic to get visitors to stop destroying the priceless artifacts. https://www.facebook.com/167046643485159/photos/a.167051743484649.1073741828.167046643485159/788141381375679/?type=3&theater Park...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/tourists-in-utah-are-tossing-priceless-dinosaur-footprints-into-a-lake
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This bold ship-inspired tiny house has a surprising minimalist interior

Related: + Land Ark RV Via Dwell

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-bold-ship-inspired-tiny-house-has-a-surprising-minimalist-interior
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France could ban stores from tossing out unsold clothing

A viral Facebook photo of a clothing store in France destroying apparel posted earlier this year sparked outrage — and Paris-based group Emmaus got involved. The organization working to end homelessness started working to tackle the issue, and a Circular Economy Roadmap from the government could offer one answer: banning brands from chucking unsold clothes. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/france-could-ban-stores-from-tossing-out-unsold-clothing
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The self-sufficient Gut Feeling house produces more electricity than it uses

This narrow rental home, tucked in the village of Oberaudorf in Bavaria, Germany, is the perfect place to refuel and find inspiration. Architect Markus Eck designed the house, named Gut Feeling, as a vacation home ideal for two people. The house combines simple forms with natural building materials. It comprises small garage, kitchen, dining and living rooms on the ground floor, while the first floor houses one bedroom and bathroom. In order to create more space, the architect added two terraces...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-self-sufficient-gut-feeling-house-produces-more-electricity-than-it-uses
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Apple invests millions in a carbon-free aluminum smelting method

For over 130 years, aluminum, a material in many Apple products, has been produced in the same dirty, greenhouse gas-releasing way. That could all change: Apple is partnering with Alcoa Corporation and Rio Tinto Aluminum to commercialize technology that, according to Apple, "eliminates direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process." The tech giant is investing $10 million in research and development. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/apple-invests-millions-in-a-carbon-free-aluminum-smelting-method
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Architects propose a giant circular park in the sky for Asti, Italy

This green-roofed car park in Italy doubles a beautiful public space. The project, designed by architects Angelo Salamone and Ilaria Filippi of AS-DOES, is an example of green social infrastructure that creates a programmatic symbiosis. The project was designed as a competition proposal for a contest organized by Asti Servizi Pubblici SpA. The contest called for solutions that tackle urban and architectural redevelopment of Piazza Campo del Palio in Asti, and revitalize it and make it more secure...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/architects-propose-a-giant-circular-park-in-the-sky-for-asti-italy
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This tiny cabin in Australia lets you go off-grid in style

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-tiny-cabin-in-australia-lets-you-go-off-grid-in-style
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Curvaceous algae-covered towers proposed for Hangzhou

Paris-based studio XTU Architects recently unveiled designs for a futuristic high-rise in Hangzhou that blends sustainable technologies into an organic, sculptural design. Cloaked in a “bio facade” of micro algae-covered panels, the curvaceous towers can produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Dubbed French Dream Towers, the mixed-use complex would also incorporate rainwater harvesting, a greenhouse, and an aquaponics system. Currently under review, French Dream Towers comprises...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/curvaceous-algae-covered-towers-proposed-for-hangzhou
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Foster + Partners masterplans the new Indian state capital Amaravati

Foster + Partners has moved one step closer to bringing to life the new Indian state capital of Amaravati—a city that’s projected to be “one of the most sustainable in the world.” The city will form the new administrative capital of the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, which transferred its former capital of Hyderabad to the state of Telangana when state boundaries were redrawn in 2014. The acclaimed British architecture firm won an international competition to design the 83-square-mile...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/foster-partners-masterplans-the-new-indian-state-capital-amaravati
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Man quits his job, travels 31,000 miles in a renovated van with his cat [video]

It turns out dogs aren't the best travel companions, cats are! In 2015, a man named Rich East quit his corporate job, renovated a camper van and took off with his rescue cat, Willow. Since then, he and the friendly feline have traveled more than 50,000 kilometers (over 31,000 miles) in a camper van. In addition to seeing Australia's six states and two territories, East and Willow have explored many of the country's lesser-trekked paths. https://youtu.be/1EKDeXTboc0 Rich explains on...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/man-quits-his-job-travels-31000-miles-in-a-renovated-van-with-his-cat-video
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Scientists just created a new "super wood" that's stronger than steel

Spider silk has long held the record for the strongest known natural biomaterial on Earth - but that just changed. Scientists at KTH Royal Institute of Technology created a new biomaterial using wood nanofibers that is stronger even than spider silk. Researchers "densified" wood to turn an already sturdy material into a "super wood" that is as strong as steel. To accomplish this, researchers used tiny cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) in a process that forces the fibers to align in the same...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/scientists-just-created-a-new-super-wood-thats-stronger-than-steel
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'World's deepest plastic bag' found in the Mariana Trench

Ocean plastic pollution has reached the deepest ocean trench on the planet. Scientists discovered a plastic bag in the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. They found the piece of garbage around 36,000 feet down. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/worlds-deepest-plastic-bag-found-in-the-mariana-trench
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This Vietnamese home has moving walls that bring in natural light and fresh air

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-vietnamese-home-has-moving-walls-that-bring-in-natural-light-and-fresh-air
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The Pentagon removed 23 climate change references from a report on military risk

Internal documents from the Pentagon reveal a notable de-emphasis on climate change as a national security threat, seemingly to accommodate a president who does not seem to believe in climate change. As revealed by the Washington Post, earlier Obama-era drafts of a particular Defense Department report referenced climate change 23 times; the Trump-era version only mentions climate change once, with previous references removed or changed to more Trump-palatable phrases such as "extreme weather." Though...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-pentagon-removed-23-climate-change-references-from-a-report-on-military-risk
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O2 Studio renovated an old Netherlands home into a gorgeous energy-neutral villa

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/o2-studio-renovated-an-old-netherlands-home-into-a-gorgeous-energy-neutral-villa
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Costa Rica to abolish fossil fuel use in a bid to be the world's first decarbonized country

Could Costa Rica become the first decarbonized country in the world? That's one of the goals of new president Carlos Alvarado. During his inauguration yesterday, he said, "We have the titanic and beautiful task of abolishing the use of fossil fuels in our economy to make way for the use of clean and renewable energies." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/costa-rica-to-abolish-fossil-fuel-use-in-a-bid-to-be-the-worlds-first-decarbonized-country
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The Trump Administration just ended the program that lets us monitor carbon emissions

While the news media focuses its attention on the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the scandals related President Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen, the Trump Administration quietly ended the Carbon Monitoring System (CMS). Afforded a $10 million annual budget and administered by NASA, CMS served to track the flow of Earth's carbon, a particularly important mission as the United States and other nations confront climate change. "If you cannot measure emissions reductions, you cannot be confident...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-trump-administration-just-ended-the-program-that-lets-us-monitor-carbon-emissions
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California becomes the first US state to require solar energy for new houses

It's official — California is the first state in America to mandate solar for new homes. Yesterday, the California Energy Commission voted unanimously to approve the requirement, which will go into effect in two years. The New York Times quoted Sunrun CEO Lynn Jurich as saying, "There's...this real American sense of freedom of producing electricity on my rooftop. And it's another example of California leading the way." The New York Times quoted commission member Andrew McAllister as saying,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/california-becomes-the-first-us-state-to-require-solar-energy-for-new-houses
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A cluster of wooden cabins create a serene weekend retreat in Norway

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-cluster-of-wooden-cabins-create-a-serene-weekend-retreat-in-norway
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Foster + Partners DJI HQ will be a creative community in the sky

Foster + Partners have unveiled designs for the new headquarters of DJI, the makers of the world’s most popular commercial drones. Currently under construction in Shenzhen, the new building will comprise twin towers linked by a sky bridge that will be used to showcase the latest drone technology. The headquarters, conceived as a “creative community in the sky,” will not only include research and development spaces, but will also engage the public with exhibition spaces and even robot fighting...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/foster-partners-dji-hq-will-be-a-creative-community-in-the-sky
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UNStudio unveils Danube bridge for sustainable transit in Budapest

UNStudio has swept the competition for the New Budapest Bridge, a much-needed bridge over the Danube in the south of the city. Coated in a reflective white paint, the landmark bridge will serve as a gateway between Ujbuda and Csepel, and help spur further development in the surrounding post-industrial area. The multi-use bridge “enables sustainable transportation” and will accommodate road, tram, pedestrian, and cycle crossings. Created in collaboration with Buro Happold Engineering,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/unstudio-unveils-danube-bridge-for-sustainable-transit-in-budapest
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The Jackson House floats at the base of a canyon in Big Sur

Copper, concrete, glass, and timber mix and blend together in this retreat located at the base of a canyon in the Big Sur area of Northern California. Fougeron Architecture designed the Jackson House as a modern holiday home on stilts that appears to float over the intact site. The house is meant to function as a place where the owners can enjoy their weekends and reconnect with nature. The owners commissioned Fougeron Architecture to design the building on a site which the local authorities intended...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-jackson-house-floats-at-the-base-of-a-canyon-in-big-sur
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Ecobricks transform plastic trash into reusable building blocks

Plastic bottles, bags, and packaging clog waterways around the world — and one group has a solution. Ecobricks encourages people to pack soft plastic garbage into plastic bottles to make building blocks that can be used for buildings, walls, or modular furniture, to name a few. The group says Ecobricks offer a zero-cost solution allowing people to take action right now. "Ecobricks are designed to leverage the longevity and durability of plastic to create an indefinitely reusable, cradle...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/ecobricks-transform-plastic-trash-into-reusable-building-blocks
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UPS just unveiled a fleet of adorable electric trucks for London and Paris

The streets of Paris and London are about to get a whole lot cuter because UPS is deploying adorable electric trucks that look like something straight out of a cartoon. UPS is teaming up with ARRIVAL to develop a state-of-the-art fleet of 35 zero tailpipe emission electric vehicles. Related: “UPS is working with ARRIVAL here in the UK because their smart electric vehicles are helping to reduce dependency on fossil fuel. This is a pioneering collaboration that helps UPS develop new...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/ups-just-unveiled-a-fleet-of-adorable-electric-trucks-for-london-and-paris
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Cube Haus seeks to solve the housing crisis with affordable prefab homes

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/cube-haus-seeks-to-solve-the-housing-crisis-with-affordable-prefab-homes
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New Ebola outbreak strikes the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The deadly virus Ebola has returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the location of the first documented case of Ebola in 1976, which has experienced nine outbreaks of the virus since then. The latest outbreak of Ebola has struck the town of Bikoro in northwest DRC, in which there have been twenty-one suspected cases of the virus. Out of five samples sent for analysis at the DRC's National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), only two were positive for Ebola. Led by Jean-Jacques...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-ebola-outbreak-strikes-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo
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INTERVIEW: Bamboo builder, and Ibuku founder Elora Hardy on creating incredible buildings with bamboo

We’ve showcased numerous bamboo designs over the years, from furniture to entire buildings, but when it comes to combining green building and renewable materials, Ibuku’s incredible bent-bamboo buildings take the cake. The Bali-based bamboo building team

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/interview-ibuku-founder-elora-hardy-on-creating-amazing-sustainable-buildings-with-bamboo
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Boring Company confirms Elon Musk's plan to use excavated dirt for low-cost housing

Will Elon Musk foray into affordable housing next? Earlier this week, he said on Twitter the Boring Company would transform dirt from tunnel digging into bricks for low-cost housing. A spokesperson confirmed the plans to Bloomberg, saying "there will be an insane amount of bricks." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/boring-company-confirms-elon-musks-plan-to-use-excavated-dirt-for-low-cost-housing
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Hawaii sets the most ambitious goal of any US state by vowing to be carbon neutral by 2045

The legislature of Hawaii have approved two bills that together put the state on the path to become carbon neutral by 2045, the most ambitious climate change goal of any state. House bill 1986 establishes a carbon-offset program while House bill 2182 convenes a task force to determine the best course of action to achieve carbon neutrality within the next three decades. “This is the biggest step forward on climate change any state has yet taken,” said Hawaii representative Chris Lee in a statement....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/hawaii-sets-the-most-ambitious-goal-of-any-us-state-by-vowing-to-be-carbon-neutral-by-2045
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10.3 million people are employed in the renewable energy industry

For the first time ever, the number of jobs in renewable energy has passed the 10 million mark, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). 10.3 million people are working in renewable energy, with 60 percent of the jobs in Asia. Solar power was the largest employer with nearly 3.4 million jobs. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/10-3-million-people-are-employed-in-the-renewable-energy-industry
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Escapods rugged Topo trailer lets you go off-road in style

Taking your adventure off-road—and even off-grid—is now easier than ever thanks to the teardrop trailer makers at Escapod, a Utah-based company that recently launched their off-road-specific Topo series. Clocking in at 1,200 pounds at dry weight, each Topo is crafted—like its predecessor the Dreamscape—from the ground up in Warship, Utah and features a minimalist and stylish weatherproof build with a hand-welded, powder-coated steel tube frame and lightweight aluminum cladding. Keep reading...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/escapods-rugged-topo-trailer-lets-you-go-off-road-in-style
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How lagom the Swedish concept of 'just right' can help you live a balanced life

If there's one thing that defines our modern lives it's this: too much. We have too much stuff, too many things competing for our attention (should I binge-watch on Netflix or check in on Snapchat. Or maybe both at the same time?), too much pressure to have the perfect life that everyone else on Instagram seems to have. It is overwhelming. That's why you need to know about the Swedish concept of 'Lagom,' which celebrates the idea of "just enough," the space between minimalism and too much. While...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/how-lagom-the-swedish-concept-of-just-right-can-help-you-live-a-balanced-life
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Historic rice mill reborn as a natural foods store in Taipei

A flourish of adaptive reuse activity at Taipei’s historic Dihua Street is turning the once oft-overlooked half-mile strip into a hotbed for tourism, creative retail, and cultural education. Case in point: B+P Architects’ renovation of a 19th century rice mill into a natural foods store stocking locally grown and produced products. Carried out over the course of three years, the project—known as Inverted Truss—carefully preserved many historic elements while adding a contemporary and modular...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/historic-rice-mill-reborn-as-a-natural-foods-store-in-taipei
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Uninspired basement reborn as a chic and light-filled bistro

A poorly lit basement space has undergone a tremendous transformation at the hands of Italian design firm Studio DiDeA. Now home to Palermo’s trendy bistro Cento61, the renovated space combines natural lighting and greenery with eye-catching materials to bring attention to a venue tucked below ground in an early twentieth century building. Formerly an old restaurant with no character to speak of, the site includes a 1,400-square-foot interior that opens up to a large external courtyard....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/uninspired-basement-reborn-as-a-chic-and-light-filled-bistro
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Bjarke Ingels is joining forces with WeWork as Chief Architect

WeWork is synonymous with coworking spaces, but the company isn't content to just change the way we work. The innovative design group just announced that Bjarke Ingels will be furthering their vision as Chief Architect. Ingels is the founder and Creative Director at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), and together, they will expand WeWork's "community-oriented vision to ground-up buildings and urban neighborhoods." BIG is known for their visionary, sustainable designs. “Bjarke caught my attention...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/bjarke-ingels-is-joining-forces-with-wework-as-chief-architect
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A spike in tailless whale sightings worries scientists

People have occasionally glimpsed tailless whales in western North America, but a recent rise in sightings has troubled scientists. This year alone, three flukeless gray whales — at least — have been seen near California, this year alone. Ship collisions or killer whale attacks probably aren't to blame for the injuries; entanglement in fishing equipment is likely the cause. Related: video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/180507-gray-whale-flukeless-animals-vin-spd

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-spike-in-tailless-whale-sightings-worries-scientists
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Bio-inspired membrane captures 90% of CO2 in power plant emissions

Transitioning entirely to renewable energy still may be years away, but in the meantime researchers have developed a new biologically inspired membrane to capture carbon dioxide out of power plant smoke. Sandia National Laboratories fellow and University of New Mexico regents' professor Jeff Brinker said in a statement, "Our inexpensive method follows nature's lead in our use of a water-based membrane only 18 nanometers thick that incorporates natural enzymes to capture 90 percent of carbon dioxide...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/bio-inspired-membrane-captures-90-of-co2-in-power-plant-emissions
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This futuristic energy-positive hotel will harness power from the tides

Margot Krasojević Architects has unveiled their latest fantastical design—a luxury hotel that draws on tidal energy to produce more energy than it needs. Envisioned for Hainan’s Yalong Bay, the Harmonic Turbine Tidal Hotel wants to rework the traditional hotel typology from a reputation of wastefulness to one that embraces self-sufficiency and sustainability. Despite its impossibly futuristic appearance, the project has an expected completion date of 2020, which could potentially make it the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-futuristic-energy-positive-hotel-will-harness-power-from-the-tides
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Climate change could reverse all the reductions in child mortality made in the last 25 years

Kids are especially vulnerable to climate change-related health risks, and a new American Academy of Pediatrics article once again sounds the alarm. The authors say climate change "threatens to reverse the gains in global child health and the reductions in global child mortality made over the past 25 years." While the impacts of climate change could be felt by all humans, the authors say they'll be disproportionally felt by poor people and children. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/climate-change-could-reverse-all-the-reductions-in-child-mortality-made-in-the-last-25-years
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Uber just gave the world a first look at its air taxi prototype

Uber's latest "flying car" air taxi model is being revealed at its annual Elevate conference in Los Angeles on May 8th, 2018. The company hopes to use this latest model, which will fly at an altitude of 1000 to 2000 feet, to launch its air taxi service by 2023. The air taxi's design, which is more similar to a drone than a helicopter, reflects its intended mission of being able to land and take off quickly and smoothly as it moves from landing pad to landing pad, ferrying passengers around dense...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/uber-just-gave-the-world-a-first-look-at-its-air-taxi-prototype
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11-year-old discovers rare 475-million-year-old fossil in Tennessee

While enjoying an evening walk at Douglas Lake in East Tennessee, 11-year-old Ryleigh Taylor stumbled upon a magnificent discovery: the 475-million-year-old fossilized remains of an ancient sea creature called a trilobite. Taylor brought her find to the University of Tennessee, where it was examined by paleobiology professor Colin Sumrall. “Typically when we look at fossils of trilobites, they molt when they grow,” Sumrall told WATE.com. “So what happens is, when the trilobite skeleton just...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/11-year-old-discovers-rare-475-million-year-old-fossil-in-tennessee
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UK government wants to 'eliminate' wet wipes in plastic crackdown

It's not just plastic bottles and plastic bags clogging waterways — but wet wipes too, and the United Kingdom government aims to take action and banish the wipes as part of a crackdown on plastic waste. A Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) spokesperson told The Independent, "As part of our 25-year environment plan, we have pledged to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste, and that includes single-use products like wet wipes." Earlier this month, a UK environmental...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/uk-government-wants-to-eliminate-wet-wipes-in-plastic-crackdown
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A huge moving wall turns this tiny home into party central

Related: + Via New Atlas

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-huge-moving-wall-turns-this-tiny-home-into-party-central
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Trio of LEED Platinum-targeted glass skyscrapers revealed for Tel Aviv

Israel’s capital city of Tel Aviv will soon add extra shine to its skyline in the form of three glass skyscrapers for Landmark TLV, a mixed-use development that promises an “unparalleled work-live-play experience”. Designed by Israeli firm Yashar Architects, Landmark TLV will offer a design-forward and experiential office environment along with new residences, high-end retail, and public space in the heart of the city’s Central Business district. Filled with natural light and greenery, the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/trio-of-leed-platinum-targeted-glass-skyscrapers-revealed-for-tel-aviv
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Morpholios new Smart Fill AR feature makes calculating design areas a snap

Many digitally savvy architects can attest to the incredible usefulness of Morpholio’s award-winning Trace—an AR sketch app that just got even better. The team just launched today their newest augmented reality feature, “Smart Fill,” that can instantly calculate any area of your choosing during a live sketch. From homeowners to architects, designers and design enthusiasts of all kinds will find use for the feature—not to mention that it’s beautiful to boot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lu9UKps8pU Available...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/morpholios-new-smart-fill-ar-feature-makes-calculating-design-areas-a-snap
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Designers envision innovative affordable housing for Sydney

The winning design of the recent Sydney Affordable Housing Challenge, organized by Bee Breeders, weaves green-roofed prefab housing units through the urban fabric of the city. The competition called for ideas that try to tackle the issue of affordable housing shortage in Sydney. The winning entry, named Bridging Affordable Housing, comprises "a simple module: a structural bridge pier with decking that contains prefabricated housing units topped by a green roof." Instead of stacking...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/designers-envision-innovative-affordable-housing-for-sydney
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INTERVIEW: Designer Daan Roosegaarde on smog temples, space trash, and what's next

We've built cities that do us harm, according to Netherlands designer Daan Roosegaarde. Along with his team at Studio Roosegaarde, he's tackling the pollution we've generated in our metropolises with design. His Smog Free Project is currently touring China - their most recent stop is Tianjin - and Inhabitat spoke with Roosegaarde about the project and how design can help us create cleaner, more beautiful cities. Check out the interview after the break.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/interview-designer-daan-roosegaarde-on-smog-temples-space-trash-and-whats-next
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INTERVIEW: 8 Questions with Architect Tom Kundig

Chicken Point Cabin, Idaho Inhabitat: Many well-known architects make it a point to establish offices in large cities, but even with your success Olson + Kundig remains in the (arguably) more remote Pacific Northwest. What impact do you think being a Seattle-based

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/inhabitat-interview-8-questions-with-architect-tom-kundig
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These new airless 3D-printed bicycle tires never go flat

Will cyclists pedal bikes with airless tires in the future? Large 3D-printer company BigRep 3D-printed airless tires and took them for a whirl in Berlin, Germany. Designer and test cyclist Marco Mattia Cristofori described the ride as very smooth. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-new-airless-3d-printed-bicycle-tires-never-go-flat
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Newly-revealed Tesla solar roof patent shows the secrets behind the technology

What helped set Tesla's solar roof tiles apart from other integrated solar roofing options is the fact that you can't even tell that they are collecting solar power. But have you ever wondered what kind of tech it took to make that feat happen?

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/newly-revealed-tesla-solar-roof-patent-shows-the-secrets-behind-the-technology
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Global tourism's carbon footprint is four times bigger than we thought

For the first time, the carbon footprint related to tourism around the world was been quantified in research led by the Integrated Sustainability Analysis supply-chain research group at the University of Sydney. The analysis accounted for all components of the tourism industry, from travel to souvenirs, and reveals the greenhouse gas emissions of global tourism to be a rising contributor to climate change. Researchers found that the global impact of tourism is four times greater than previous assessments,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/global-tourisms-carbon-footprint-is-four-times-bigger-than-we-thought
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Record-breaking paper water purifier operates at near 100% efficiency

Researchers at the University of Buffalo have created a highly efficient device that uses sunlight and black carbon-dipped paper to clean water. “Our technique is able to produce drinking water at a faster pace than is theoretically calculated under natural sunlight,” said lead researcher Qiaoqiang Gan in a statement. The paper is placed in a triangular arrangement, which enables it to vaporize and absorb water with nearly one-hundred percent efficiency. The simple, inexpensive technology could...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/record-breaking-paper-water-purifier-operates-at-near-100-efficiency
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Thousands flee and 26 homes have been destroyed in Hawaii's Kilauea eruption

The eruption of the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island has destroyed around 26 homes and five structures. 10 fissures have emerged, and thousands of people have been forced to leave. Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator Talmadge Magno told CBS News last night, "There's no sign of things slowing down." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/thousands-flee-and-26-homes-have-been-destroyed-in-hawaiis-kilauea-eruption
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A breezy oasis-like home hits the market in Brisbane

The stunning oasis-like Rosebery House is now for sale—including its surprisingly lush environment located less than two miles from Brisbane. Built predominately of timber and steel, this beauty of this breezy abode isn’t surprising given that it was designed by Andresen O’Gorman Architects’ Brit Andresen and Peter O’Gorman, among Australia’s most renowned contemporary architects. The home is listed on The Modern House with the price available on request. Open to the outdoors...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-breezy-oasis-like-home-hits-the-market-in-brisbane
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California is about to be the first US state to mandate solar power on new homes

California is expected to require solar energy for just about all new homes, the Orange County Register reported. The California Energy Commission is slated to vote this Wednesday on new standards mandating almost all new houses be equipped with solar panels, beginning in 2020, and it's expected they'll approve the move. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/california-is-about-to-be-the-first-us-state-to-mandate-solar-power-on-new-homes
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This groundbreaking new machine can recycle 220 pounds of diapers in a single hour

Waste from disposable diapers is a huge problem — but it might be solvable thanks to recycling. Have you ever thought about the evolution of the diaper? Are diapers something you’ve taken for granted as always having been around? You might be surprised to learn that the history of diapers goes back thousands of years, and it’s only been since the 1960s that we’ve had disposable diapers. Like everything else in the world, disposable diapers have evolved to be more effective and efficient....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-groundbreaking-new-machine-can-recycle-220-pounds-of-diapers-in-a-single-hour
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Hundred-year-old workers cottage transformed into an eco-conscious home

When Altereco Design was approached to overhaul a hundred-year-old worker’s cottage in Melbourne, the clients asked that the renovation leave as small a carbon footprint as possible. As a result, the home—called Melbourne Vernacular—sports a stylish and sustainable redesign that combines recycled materials and modern aesthetics. Located in the inner-western suburb of Yarraville, Melbourne Vernacular retains much of its original structure. The original red brick paving from the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/hundred-year-old-workers-cottage-transformed-into-an-eco-conscious-home
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Over 1,000 spinning pinwheels make up a moving garden at Euroflora 2018

ENTER Studio and OBR have created a pop-up installation designed in the image of an ornamental Baroque garden with modern and playful flair. Created for the famous international flower show Euroflora 2018 in Genoa, Italy, the pop-up landscape—known as “Locus Amoenus”—comprises 1,200 white pinwheels arranged like a floating flowerbed encircling a timber patio. The project was created as part of the show’s open competition “Wonder in the Parks” that challenges designers to rethink the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/over-1000-spinning-pinwheels-make-up-a-moving-garden-at-euroflora-2018
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Massive sinkhole in New Zealand exposes earth from 60,000 years ago

A massive 6-story sinkhole opened in New Zealand last week after days of heavy rain. The sinkhole is one of largest ever spotted in the country - so big that it exposed earth from the Paleolithic era. The astonishing fissure is 200 meters long, 20 meters deep and 5 meters wide. Farmers from a dairy farm in New Zealand woke up earlier this week to a sinkhole unlike anything they've ever seen. The farm has had 9 'serious' sinkholes, also called tomos in New Zealand. Related: https://twitter.com/CheckpointRNZ/status/991557154833235968 According...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/massive-sinkhole-in-new-zealand-exposes-earth-from-60000-years-ago
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Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate

The most active volcano on Hawaii's Big Island recently erupted, following a spate of earthquakes. Kilauea erupted late yesterday, and the state's governor declared a local state of emergency, Gizmodo reported. The County of Hawaii Civil Defense Agency said there are active volcanic vents on the Makamae and Mohala streets, and hundreds of residents have been ordered to evacuate. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-erupts-forcing-hundreds-of-residents-to-evacuate
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Historic Australian church transformed into a stunning family home for five

Doherty Design Studio revamped a 1910 church in Hawthorn, Australia into a lovely light-filled home for a family of five. While the renovation isn’t the church’s first residential adaptation, the recent restoration has done a fantastic job of contemporary design with features representative of the building’s past, like the stunning stained glass windows installed throughout. Before Doherty Design Studio got their hands on the project, the 1910 Hawthorn church had already been...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/historic-australian-church-transformed-into-a-stunning-family-home-for-five
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New photosynthesis machine is twice as efficient at creating hydrogen fuel

Researchers at the University of Michigan and McGill University in Montreal have created a device that requires only sunlight to efficiently split fresh or salt water into hydrogen that may be used in fuel cells. The new machine, which mimics the process of photosynthesis, is capable of producing hydrogen fuel at twice the efficiency of previous technologies. “If we can directly store solar energy as a chemical fuel, like what nature does with photosynthesis, we could solve a fundamental challenge...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-photosynthesis-machine-is-twice-as-efficient-at-creating-hydrogen-fuel
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Anheuser-Busch orders 800 hydrogen-electric semi trucks from Tesla competitor Nikola Motor Company

Tesla's made headlines for their electric Semi truck — but Anheuser-Busch is betting on their competitor, Nikola Motor Company, instead. The beer company recently placed an order for as many as 800 hydrogen-electric semi trucks. Nikola says their zero emissions trucks boast a 500- to 1,200-mile range.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/anheuser-busch-orders-800-hydrogen-electric-semi-trucks-from-tesla-competitor-nikola-motor-company
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Self-driving Lyfts available to the public hit the Las Vegas strip

Ride-sharing service Lyft has announced that it will be bringing thirty self-driving cars to the streets of Las Vegas in partnership with self-driving car developer Aptiv. This follows Lyft's test run of its self-driving cars at the Computer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this year. While the CES trial was limited to a relatively small number of people, the new initiative will be open to the public, who will have the option of hailing a self-driving car using Lyft's app. For those concerned...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/self-driving-lyfts-available-to-the-public-hit-the-las-vegas-strip
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This breathtaking Tulum art gallery was created by Peggy Guggenheim's great-grandson

Much like the Guggenheim Museums around the world, a new art gallery founded by the great-grandson of Peggy Guggenheim is a true architectural showstopper. Santiago Rumney Guggenheim commissioned designer Jorge Eduardo Neira Sterkel to create IK LAB, a stunning arts and cultural space that opened late last month in the heart of Tulum, Mexico. Topped with a curved timber canopy, the nature-inspired space is located within the eco-friendly Azulik resort. Upon entering, visitors are asked...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-breathtaking-tulum-art-gallery-was-created-by-peggy-guggenheims-great-grandson
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CO2 levels in April averaged higher than 410 ppm 'for the first time in recorded history'

Just over a year ago, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels hit 410 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in millions of years. And we just hit another worrying threshold this April: levels averaged higher than 410 ppm throughout the whole month for the first time. Geochemist Ralph Keeling said, "We keep burning fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide keeps building up in the air. It's essentially as simple as that." "This marks the first time in the history of the Mauna Loa record that a monthly...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/co2-levels-in-april-averaged-higher-than-410-ppm-for-the-first-time-in-recorded-history
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This zero-emissions flying water car lets you ditch traffic and sail to work

Ever been stuck in traffic and wished you had a floating car you could just drive off into the water? Then check this out: The Bubble is an electric water taxi that can get you out of rush hour and onto the water. The car, made by French company SeaBubbles, is silent, has zero emissions and creates no waves as it glides through the water. SeaBubbles wants to change transportation by lowering emissions and making your commute quicker. According to the company, ditching roads and taking to the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-zero-emissions-flying-water-car-lets-you-ditch-traffic-and-sail-to-work
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Modern gabled guesthouse embraces passive solar in Australia

A sleek and modern take on the Australian farm building has popped up in the coastal town of Gerringong. Atelier Andy Carson designed Escarpment House as a two-bed guesthouse on an east-west axis to make the most of ocean views to the south and pastoral views to the north. The building orientation and material choice were also guided by passive solar principles. Set on nearly 150 acres of pasture with dairy cows, the Escarpment House maintains a relatively low profile with a simple...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/modern-gabled-guesthouse-embraces-passive-solar-in-australia
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Mecanoo unveils greenery-filled social housing for Kaohsiung

Hot on the heels of their recently completed National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, Dutch firm Mecanoo unveiled their competition-winning social housing designs for the southern Taiwan city. The mixed-use complex will offer 234 units of housing, green space, and publicly accessible programming. Located between a new green corridor and an existing neighborhood along the railway, the project will kick off a larger urban redevelopment scheme in Kaohsiung. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk2xkNsAYHk The...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mecanoo-unveils-greenery-filled-social-housing-for-kaohsiung
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Scientists just detected helium in an exoplanet's atmosphere for the first time

Researchers have identified the presence of helium within the atmosphere of a planet beyond our solar system for the first time, offering yet another glimpse into the weather patterns of exoplanets. This discovery is particularly notable for the methods used to detect helium, demonstrating that it is possible to identify atmospheric composition of some exoplanets with current technology. Although helium is the second most common element in the known universe and was long expected to be found on large...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/scientists-just-detected-helium-in-an-exoplanets-atmosphere-for-the-first-time
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This prefab movable house can be assembled anywhere

This movable, prefab house can be built and installed almost anywhere. Swiss studio Rahbaran Hürzeler Architekten developed the project as an experiment in designing a space that can be assembled and transported easily and quickly. The house can stand alone or be attached to an existing building. Four timber cores are the only load-bearing element that supports the cantilevering concrete roof. Related: zeroHouse offers luxurious living in a fully self-sustaining modular home Its four main...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-prefab-movable-house-can-be-assembled-anywhere
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Pakistan just broke the world record for the hottest April day ever

Pakistan hit 122.3 degrees Fahrenheit (50.2 C) this week, marking the highest temperature recorded for the month of April - ever. The city of Nawabshah in Sindh province reported the stunning temperature on Monday, which was confirmed by the Pakistan Meteorological Department, making it a new world record. While Pakistan is getting the worst of it, a huge portion of the planet, from South Asia to Europe and parts of the US is being hit by a heat wave that threatens to become the new normal. Related: Via...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/pakistan-just-broke-the-world-record-for-the-hottest-april-day-ever
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After 250 earthquakes in 24 hours, Hawaii's Kilauea volcano might erupt

Kilauea, the most active of the five volcanoes on Hawaii's Big Island, could erupt, according to The Independent. After a collapse event at the Pu'u 'Ō'ō vent, in the volcano's East Rift Zone, around 250 earthquakes happened, according to the United States Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/after-250-earthquakes-in-24-hours-hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-might-erupt
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The Truck Surf Hotel is a traveling retreat that hits the best surf spots in Europe and Africa

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-truck-surf-hotel-is-a-traveling-retreat-that-hits-the-best-surf-spots-in-europe-and-africa
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Portable 3D skin printer can form skin tissue to heal deep wounds in minutes

Need medical help after a blaster fight on a spaceship? This new handheld, portable 3D printer could help. Scientists at the University of Toronto created the 3D skin printer that feels like it came straight from a science fiction movie, and according to the university, they believe the device to be the first "that forms tissue in situ, depositing and setting in place, within two minutes or less."

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/portable-3d-skin-printer-can-print-skin-tissue-to-heal-deep-wounds-in-minutes
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Game changing graphene-reinforced concrete is stronger and better for the planet

Add concrete to the list of things graphene can improve. Scientists at the University of Exeter's Center for Graphene Science developed a new technique to incorporate graphene in concrete production with the help of nanoengineering technology — and the resulting material was not only over twice as strong as concretes we have today, but "drastically reduced the carbon footprint of conventional concrete production methods." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/game-changing-graphene-reinforced-concrete-is-stronger-and-better-for-the-planet
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This dreamy cluster of cabins houses light-filled live/work spaces in Hokkaido

Japanese architect Makoto Suzuki has carved out a slice of live/work paradise with this cluster of cabin-like volumes in Hokkaido. While each mono-pitched structure appears to stand independently, the timber-clad buildings are interconnected. The building, called the House in Tokiwa, also achieves harmony with the landscape through the use of natural materials and low-profile structures designed to embrace nature at every turn. Located near Sapporo, House in Tokiwa comprises a series...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-dreamy-cluster-of-cabins-houses-light-filled-live-work-spaces-in-hokkaido
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Go glamping in this retro Airstream camp surrounded by redwood forests

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/go-glamping-in-this-retro-airstream-camp-surrounded-by-redwood-forests
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Magical new classroom reconnects children with nature in the UK

Dramatic swooping roofs top this new timber-clad building designed by Studio Weave for Belvue School, a secondary school for children aged between 11 and 19 with moderate to severe learning difficulties. Appropriately dubbed The Wooden Classroom, the building was created to help reconnect students with nature and opens up to the adjacent woodland recently acquired by the school to serve as an educational nature reserve. Constructed from a low budget originally allocated for a cargotecture...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/magical-new-classroom-reconnects-children-with-nature-in-the-uk
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Interstellar cabins ring Snhettas otherworldly planetarium in Norway

An out-of-this-world design upgrade is coming to Solobservatoriet, the world’s largest solar observatory north of the Alps in Harestua, Norway. Snøhetta just unveiled their designs for the site’s new planetarium and visitor center as well as seven “interstellar cabins” arranged like orbiting planets around the planetarium’s golden dome. The astronomical facility is located 28 miles of Oslo at an elevated site 1,900 feet above sea level. The star of Snøhetta’s new designs...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/interstellar-cabins-ring-snohettas-otherworldly-planetarium-in-norway
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This pinecone-inspired gazebo is a playground for kids and adults alike

This nature-inspired mobile gazebo acts as a space in and round which both kids and adults can play. Czech designers Atelier SAD designed the structure, named “mmcité”, as a small building with pinecone-like scales that facilitate natural ventilation and double as a drawing board for kids to express their artistic side. The building was built out of 109 waterproof scales made of plywood. The boards are treated with resistant glaze and connected by galvanized joints to create a self-supporting,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-pinecone-inspired-gazebo-is-a-playground-for-kids-and-adults-alike
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Hawaii is about to ban reef-killing chemical sunscreens

Hawaii lawmakers just approved a ban on chemical sunscreens, making the state potentially the first in the nation - and the world - to outlaw the product. Chemical sunscreens are damaging to and can even kill coral reefs. Once Hawaii's governor signs the bill, the ban will take effect January 1, 2021. Yesterday, state lawmakers passed a bill that would ban sunscreens that contain the chemical oxybenzone and octinoxate. Related: Three-fourths of sunscreens don’t work as they claim and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/hawaii-is-about-to-ban-reef-killing-chemical-sunscreens
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New study finds that fracking chemicals could harm the immune system

A recent study with mice adds to concerns over the impacts of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, revealing links between exposure to fracking chemicals in utero and an impaired immune system. Around 200 chemicals have been found in groundwater in fracking-dense areas, and scientists just connected 23 to reproductive and developmental defects. Study lead Paige Lawrence of the University of Rochester Medical Center said in a statement, "This discovery opens up new avenues of research to identify, and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-study-finds-that-fracking-chemicals-could-harm-the-immune-system
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Scandinavian-inspired hotel emerges from the lush Costa Rican landscape

European design elements meet Costa Rican craftsmanship in the newly completed Mint Santa Theresa, a modern hotel set into a steep hillside in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. San Jose-based architecture firm Studio Saxe completed the upscale hotel for Swedish owners who fell in love with the beautiful area that’s now a hotspot for surfing and yoga. Built to harmonize with the landscape, the hotel comprises pavilion-like structures that step down towards the beach. Mint Santa Theresa comprises...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/scandinavian-inspired-hotel-emerges-from-the-lush-costa-rican-landscape
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Wet wipe pollution is clogging up riverbeds across the UK

The UK's obsession with wet wipes is completely changing rivers around the country. A London environmental group found a 1,000-fold increase in the number of wet wipes showing up in waterways, with over 5,000 of them covering the bed of the Thames in just 116 square meters (about 1250 square feet).  “The Thames riverbed is changing. Wet wipes are accumulating on the riverbed and affecting the shape of the riverbed. It looks natural but when you get close you can see that these clumps are composed...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/wet-wipe-pollution-is-clogging-up-riverbeds-across-the-uk
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