Apple, China groups meet to discuss environmental concerns | TUAW - The... Environmental concerns continue to plague Apple and its suppliers in China. Earlier this year, Apple was singled out in an environmental report called "The Other Side of Apple," which detailed health, environment and safety issues at Chinese manufacturing facilities. Apple met with some of its green critics over the summer, but its practices are still under fire. Apple reportedly met this week again with nine representatives from five Chinese environmental groups to discuss pollution from its suppliers. According to Li Li, the director of EnviroFriends, Apple said "it had already spoken to 11 supply firms and asked them to reform, and they're in the process of initiating communications with the other four." Apple has not commented on this latest meeting, but did issue a statement to the Wall Street Journal through Spokesperson Carolyn Wu.
The Off-Grid Dilemma The prospect of having no bills to pay sounds exciting, does it not? How would one go about this, you may ask? Simple, all you need to do is generate your own electricity! The true definition of living green would be living off-grid. Unfortunately, for the typical university student, making any of the changes mentioned above, are close to impossible. Seeing as I am renting out my own townhouse for the up-coming school year, I will not be able to make any of the green lifestyle changes previously suggested, solely as I am not the property owner. I have found a couple of documented stories of people who have made drastic changes to their lives in order to be completely self-sufficient. Video:
A Low Impact Woodland Home Built In Wales - Simon Dale - Includes A 1 Minute 42 Second Video A Low Impact Woodland Home Built In Wales You are looking at pictures of a house I built for our family in Wales. It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cosy. I estimate 1000-1500 man hours and £3000 put in to this point. Not really so much in house buying terms (roughly £60/sq m excluding labour). The house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gives us a unique opportunity to live close to nature. Some key points of the design and construction: Main tools used: chainsaw, hammer and 1 inch chisel, little else really. This building is one part of a low-impact or permaculture approach to life. Would you like to learn more about this sort of building and gain practical experience? Getting your hands dirty Do you fancy making your own home along these lines but want to have a bit of hands on experience. Getting Your Feet Dirty The site before starting Straw Walls
A Table That Turns Your Kitchen Into Mini Ecosystem [UPDATED] Convenience and efficiency are king when it comes to product design. What could be more efficient than a natural ecosystem? That's the insight behind a "living kitchen" designed by the brilliant young design studio Studio Gorm. They looked at what we have in our kitchens--fruits, vegetables, organic waste--and figured: That's actually enough to create a miniature system for watering fresh herbs, composting the waste, and generating new soil. None of the elements is brand new to this product, but their integration wins points for ergonomics and ease. Maybe what's most surprising is that Studio Gorm isn't based in the Netherlands or Scandinavia--but rather in Eugene, Oregon. Check out some of Studio Gorm's other designs, including a modular furniture system of pegs and boards; an elegant Egyptian-inspired chair; a handsome adjustable lamp; and an overhead light inspired by--of all things--a falafel container.
How much does it cost to go Off-Grid and to live on the Land? How much Money does it take to Go Off Grid? There are 10 things that you need to consider when going off grid and living on the land. 1. One of the most important items to find when preparing to go off grid is land with running water on it. 2. 3. Video: Pesquisador cria irrigador solar automático com garrafas usadas Um irrigador automático que não usa eletricidade e ainda pode ser feito com materiais usados. Essa criação rústica e eficaz de um pesquisador da Embrapa poderá ajudar de pequenos produtores a jardineiros amadores a manter seus canteiros irrigados automaticamente pelo método de gotejamento. Desenvolvido pelo físico Washington Luiz de Barros Melo, pesquisador da Embrapa Instrumentação (SP), o equipamento é baseado em um princípio simples da termodinâmica: o ar se expande quando aquecido. Uma garrafa de material rígido pintada de preto é emborcada sobre outra garrafa que contém água. "Funciona tão bem que se você sombrear a garrafa, o gotejamento para, e, ao deixar o sol bater novamente, a água volta a gotejar", afirma o pesquisador que apresenta sua invenção na 67ª Reunião da Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência (SBPC), de 12 a 18 de julho na Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Paulo. Econômico e ecológico A versatilidade do equipamento também é grande.
Do You Really Need A Job? A Look at the Models of Earthships A Look at the Models of Earthships Earthship designs are constantly evolving because they are decentralized and many are built each year. This allows for constant evolution. We have many models in our history which all played their part in our on going evolution. We have presented here our favorite models which have very pragmatic reasons for being favorites. Climate, budget and your individual needs play a big part in determining which Earthship prototype is right for you. The Custom Earthship A custom Earthship is the most expensive and time consuming approach. Design is the first step in a custom Earthship. The Phoenix Custom Earthship Global Model Earthship Our most universal model for the developed world is the Global Model. We can customize any floor plan for the Global model, we have versions with garages and other options as well. This can make the drawings cost a few thousand more but does not necessarily increase the build cost. Tropical Earthship Simple Survival Models Rationale