A bold venture
The most fascinating abandoned man-made creations
+ Their story & location
+ Updated daily
Very nice collection! Each Article features tons of stunning pictures and mostly deep background information! Really worth to bookmark! Artificial Owl.
‘Tatsächlich stagniert Deutschland beim Thema Umweltschutz schon seit der Wiedervereinigung. Es tut mir weh, wenn ich sehe, dass die Deutschen Umweltschutz immer noch als nachgeschaltete Umwelttechnik verstehen statt als Produktinnovation. Damit sind die Deutschen für das, was ich vorschlage, eine Gefahr.
…für die Zukunft brauchen wir kein Schuldmanagement, sondern positive Ziele. Ich untersuche seit siebzehn Jahren Muttermilchproben im Labor. Wir finden über zweieinhalbtausend Chemikalien darin, keine einzige Probe dürfte als Trinkmilch vermarktet werden. Das Ziel sollte lauten: In zehn Jahren stellen wir gar nichts mehr her, was sich in Muttermilch wiederfindet. Dann könnte jeder junge Chemiker, jeder Wissenschaftler mitmachen, die hätten Innovationsziele. Stattdessen verwalten wir den Untergang und halten die Leute ruhig. …’
Aus einem Interview der FAZ mit Michael Braungart (Chemiker, Verfahrenstechniker, Wissenschaftler, Entwickler des ‘Cradle to Cradle’ Design Konzeptes) vom 10. Jan 09.
Passt zum Thema: ‘Deutsches Umweltbewusstsein 2008‘, ‘Germany and being green – A reality-check‘, ‘Die nächste industrielle Revolution‘
So heisst das letzte Buch von Prof Dr. Michael Braungart und William McDonough. Wir waren Ende letzten Jahres auf der Utopia Konferenz in Berlin und der Vortrag von Herrn Braungart war das Highlight für uns…Scharfsinnig und herausfordernd und mit alamierenden Informationen. – und dabei sogar sehr unterhaltsam.
Consider this:
Plastic in the ocean may be one of the most alarming of today’s environmental stories. Plastics, like diamonds, are forever! Because plastics do NOT biodegrade, no naturally occurring organisms can break these polymers down. Instead, plastic goes through a process called photodegredation, where sunlight breaks down plastic into smaller and smaller pieces until there is only plastic dust. But always plastic remains a polymer. When plastic debris meets the sea it can remain for centuries causing untold havoc in ecosystems.
And then have a look at the Pacific’s ‘trash circles’. There is 6 times more plastic than plankton in certain areas. Alarming enough?…
The trash circles in the Pacific currents and can float for hundreds of years at the center of the circular currents — providing toxic food for fish and birds, and reducing the number of plankton. Research shows 6 pounds of plastic to every 1 pound of plankton in this cauldron.
I just found this short and clear list of garbage timelines in the book “Ani’s raw food kitchen” (check out her blog). Recycling is good, but reducing waste is better. Now there are tons of reasons more not to buy the next great pair of shoes, which smiles so happy from the shop window:
“On April 15, 2008 in San Francisco, Green Works brought together an English reverse graffiti artist and a critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker, to create an environmentally friendly work of art and a film about a philosophy of clean.”
“San Francisco’s Broadway tunnel is a highly traveled thoroughfare in the heart of the city. Over 20,000 cars, trucks, and motorized vehicles pass through it per day. Its walls are caked with dirt and soot, and lined with patches of paint covered graffiti from days gone by. It set the perfect canvas to create a beautiful work of art showcasing the talents of reverse graffiti artist “Moose”, and the power of Green Works plant based cleaner.”
via: s2k – Reverse Graffiti Project
update: keep in mind that this just a campaign for an us major brand! A nice one though…
“Let’s just stop right there. Sometimes something is so charming and clever that we need a minute to sit down and take a breath. Come on…how great is this Greenhouse?!” Apartment Therapy
Word! Nice work by Jantze Brogård Asshof – a bitter-sweet combination of slick design with a flavour of sarcasm to-the-point. We like!
via: TheJunction
As flashy as the title may sound, let’s give them another flashy name, let’s call them renegades of architecture. Working with what is there (which is mostly considered garbage) they are creating sustainable and affordable housing. As Michael Reynolds, the architect who builds ‘earthships’ since the seventies (with much opposition of local authorities, so that you wonder about their interests…) put it: ‘I don’t care about anything but the fucking planet!’
Earthships are earth-sheltered autonomous buildings made of tires rammed with earth, which are usually arranged in “U” or horseshoe shaped modules. Each tire is rammed full of earth manually using a sledge hammer. Windows on the sunny side admit light and heat. The open end of the “U” shaped structure faces South in the northern hemisphere, and North in the southern hemisphere, so that the house will catch maximum sunlight in the colder months. An Earthship is designed to interface with its environment wherever possible and create its own utilities. (via Wikipedia)
See the trailer of the documentary ‘Garbage Warrior’ by Oliver Hodges, featuring Reynolds and his struggles.
Also: These buildings are affordable and you can participate and learn how to make them more and more all over the world. Google ‘earthship’, search for it on youtube, check out our links – and spread the word! Again: This is do-it-yourself stuff! You don’t have to wait. You just find some people and you can take on the responsibility to create a more sustainable future now…
How to find Earthships and Garbage Warriors:
Brighton Earthship (England)
Earthship Austria
Earthship Biotecture (US)
Earthship Biotecture (Europe, site in french and english)
not too far from Earthships: Bubble Buildings (german, english, spanish)
The “5Rs” are an exploration of the themes Respect, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. These Earth-loving actions allow us to reduce our impact on our Earth and add deeper meaning and joy to our lives.
Respect: Have respect for the planet, for your own health, and for other people. It gives birth to less destructive habits.
Rethink: When you’re shopping give thought to the items you purchase. Think about where they come from and where they’ll go. Rethink your old ways of consuming.
Reduce: After rethinking, it’s easier to cut out items that could be harmful to you or the environment. reducing diminishes the amount of energy and resources used, reduses waste and pollution, and sends a message to manufactures – if we don’t buy it, they won’t make it.
Reuse: Instead of throwing away. It’s more than just recycling.
Recycle: If an item cannot be reused, then recycle it.
from ‘One Makes the Difference’, by Julia Butterfly Hill
