With sustainable design as the most important issue in architecture today are not only designers with a focus on environmentally friendly materials, but also educate their customers about the benefits of their design approach, the use of materials and their construction to achieve “green” state. The central goal of sustainable design is to produce places, products and services in a way that the use of non-renewable resources, minimize pollution reduced, and that refers people to the natural environment. Building structures have been in use since the first time by Frei Otto in the early 1960s for temporary exhibitions. The main advantages are its minimal impact on the environment, its ability to reach large areas with little equipment and, of course, its aesthetic quality. In essence, these structures were initially fine examples of sustainable design. Over time, these structures are even used as a permanent building material in shopping centers, airports and sports facilities, to prove only a few. Everyone (manufacturers, designers, consultants and contractors) has an opinion on sustainability and if tissue structures could say that these views can be divided into three main components: design, materials and construction. When it comes to design, it is very important to understand why we want to be sustainable. Sometimes it is a philosophical perspective of the owner, he could be charged by market segment, or it could impact financial (banking, energy, etc..) I want to say always take time to be Design Green Design and lasts longer. Make your client realizes that, too. Benefits of the current design of fabric structures for clients include: the use of daylight reduces the need for artificial light, UV-protection reduces the risk of skin cancer, the collection of water, which then applied irrigation of plants and other services that reduces the solar system on a building mechanical and considered rare, but a growing tendency for a fabric structure as an educational tool that teaches assume the people on the UV protection, recyclability, etc. When it comes to materials and tissue structures, designers are the three basic components Rotate: devices, the membrane and the perimeter clamping system. The structural system consists mainly of steel, aluminum and wood, but are usually considered. These materials are recyclable and many attributes can be specified to be produced locally at the site. But the most important factor in research to be tougher with the structural members is to document your work. Something to say have is recyclable and certified documents to prove are two different things. It is difficult to return to the origins of matter, if you are planning for LEED certification, or need for rebates and tax cuts on the road. The scope includes system overhead and can tie with straps, ropes or cables of different composition, depending on the load of the structure are imposed. The membrane can come from anywhere in the world and manufacturing facilities, depending on the choice of the material. Some materials are of short duration, while others are made from recyclable material. You can also find materials to live 20-30 years and more environmentally compatible than ever before. The same is to be said for the membrane, such as structural elements, document your work and to attest to their origin. More research must be based on the amount of energy needed to be done, both the hardware and the production of the final membrane. I think you will find an additional benefit to the tissue structures and sustainable design. Finally, the benefits of the different buildings and structures from a tissue in which the components and have been produced, which is necessary to install these structures. Most structures are canvas means designed and produced by the search for “form” that they are designed to be not only effective, but structurally manufactured and installed with little or no waste and energy. Building is considered one of the lightest materials and construction, the largest building envelope to create. The result can be a significant impact on the construction site. Less weight to move and packed, membrane, steel and components can be sent to the site with fewer trucks and built with the lightest equipment. Well-designed fabric structures may have little effect on the ground with concrete foundations for small loads and compression technology used utility cables have an anchor for tensile loads. These efforts can be significant savings if the Web site or temporary structures for deployable structures in which the reuse is unavoidable, is used. Remember, sustainable design and use of tissue structures is more effective when all three components are all in the mind of thoughts to keep others.
Posts Tagged ‘Sustainable’
Sustainable Views and Fabric Structures
Sunday, June 27th, 2010Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Farming in Northern Thailand, Mae Tha, Chiang Mai
Friday, June 25th, 2010Sustainable farming and agriculture is a way to live life to preserve a culture to protect, and nature in Northern Thailand. Ek-II-AEK-aekkk … Call the Thai language taps me out of my warm, comfortable mattress. I see the rays of the sun seeped through the walls and under the wooden door. I feel cold, white mist of winter in Thailand when walking down to my host mother cooked vegetables help to the market. “They seem sleepy. Why not go back to your bed and longer sleep?” Mae Ratri she asked softly. Mae in this case means “mother”, and how to deal with the foster mother for about two weeks, I was very happy to have Mae Ratri Kruengngern like my surrogate mother. Mae Ratri and his family are a family business in rural Mae Tha, an idyllic village green in Northern Thailand. I was among a group of students studying sustainable agriculture and to show that the offer sounded more sleep, I was much happier to go with another day of learning. Mae Tha is a small village of Mae-On sub-district of Chiang Mai, in the mountains on the border of the province of Lamphun located. The majority of the population speaks “Yong” Thai dialect or language. Mae Tha villagers earn their living by growing rice and vegetables with local organic and sustainable practices. Mr. Phat and Phat Por, in his blue cotton shirt, pants and belt out a traditional style bears dressed, is a leader of the village, which was first introduced organic farming and sustainable living conditions for people in the Mae Tha. The process of transformation to the farms in Mae Tha organic chemicals, short-acting change, as was the good cooperation of villagers in the community. “I dare say it is because our families had a long and expensive relationship. Our past generations living here. We are all connected and that support is the strength of the Community” Por Phat said proudly. Most people in the morning in their own business venture, but if there is a time of harvest, they will gladly help others from court to court. The most impressive give to agriculture and living in Mae Tha to learn and receive. You will always get help when you need and give the state perpetuated when you can have the feeling of helping others. This is the circle of infinite beauty and help people in Mae Tha accepted and transferred their ancestors for generations. Every Wednesday and Sunday and Mae Ratri watching a group of villagers around 2-3 hours to get all the greens, fresh vegetables without chemicals in preparation for spots on organic food in Chiang Mai – JJ Nhong Hoi market and sell the market. Areas of sale organic foods are by the Institute for Sustainable Development of rural communities, or ISAC, an organization to strengthen and support the communities in sustainable agriculture in Chiang Mai is prepared. The sun shines more than it is about time a big truck to pick up products and provider of the travel market. Weerapon Thamkhun M., a member of the Committee of ISAC, said that “a high priority on consumption at home is our first concern.” He added: “The aim of the organic market to the products of natural processes to promote use no chemical fertilizers and pesticides, including the processing and marketing is.” The number of consumers of organic food is increasing because of the increasing attention to problems of health and sustainability of agriculture. The smiling faces of people who come to buy vegetables in the market marks the appreciation of the reception safe, healthy and reasonable price. The growing demand and the appreciation of quality is the challenge that the biological community and sustainable agriculture gladly accepted. Ms. Wannapa Tachai an organic food fan said: “Organic farming is the best idea for consumers and farmers. We both have a clean and safe food for our health.” Mae Ratri turned his face to Mrs. Wannapa and gave him a hint. “And it seems to us, farmers and consumers, friends. You pay a fair price for good quality fresh vegetables, so that we provide them with healthy foods.” Mae Ratri added that she was making as a kind of merit. Since then she is and the people in the village of organic food safety for consumers, not to produce, to introduce potentially harmful chemicals. Light the sun is stronger and takes his position at the top of our heads that there must have time for lunch and go home. We all gathered around and had a lunch. Sharing food is one thing in common Mae Ratri and his friends, because it shows the relationship easier and closer to people in Mae Tha. After dinner, people were ready to go home and prepare to work in their premises. We planted, trendy, soaked, pulled weeds and hand-dug soil. The work was exhausting, but every drop of sweat in turn are rewarded if the vegetables are grown. As it is winter, broccoli, cauliflower, and all kinds of vegetables in winter can be turned green. So, pack, we pick a land and began plowing new for them. yet the sun shines bright on sharpness and humidity, but the cool breeze makes it easier to heat. So we go to work on the farm. The time is up, the sound of birds make their nests was a sign it was time to finish the job. We went home and we clean. I thought that was a strain while working on the farm, and my two hands rough and broken, he brought a freshness and joy for me. “I am happy because I know I spent too mean, sweat grow healthy food and safe for the goodness of my clients,” Mae Ratri words were repeated many times in my head. Organic farming is not only your family a healthy diet makes for healthy lives, but also extends the perspective to recognize the state of nature. The more they protect the natural farm with natural methods, which is more natural to them. “We only have one chance to live our lives. They are in good health and happy life-sufficiency are much more important than making money by deception and richly observed and gestures take-advantage” Mae Ratri. I think these are strong words of wisdom of generations of people in the vicinity of the site and the strong community values.
Sustainable Office Named Nation?s Greenest
Sunday, June 20th, 2010A pilot project to create a ‘green’ workplace in the unlikely event of an office building in London, in 1960 targeted a sustainable buildings in the United Kingdom named. Morgan pioneered the development of Lovell has desk sustainable future, the form of securities in the UK BREEAM Awards 2008. BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a method for assessing the world-class environment for building. As specialists in the design and construction of offices, Morgan Lovell set about creating a green workplace at their headquarters – located in Noel Street, Soho – last year. in-house team pooled their expertise and eventually achieved the highest score to develop BREEAM environmental assessment in the UK to date for the project, an “Excellent” rating with a total score of 76 percent – awarded in March this year. David Henderson, managing director of Morgan Lovell, said: “We wanted the widespread notion that it is impossible or too hard to green an existing building or more challenging. ”The renovation of your office has the perfect opportunity to transform this problem to address and put an old office into a model of sustainability. ”It was an ambitious project. The office exists in two floors of a 1960s, seven-story office building with several tenants – the nature of the building, which normally would be as a radiation environment. ”Even the external experts have estimated that achieving a BREEAM rating of” very good “would be in such an old building is very difficult or impossible. ”Now the finished project offers a model to reduce the significant carbon footprint currently in the United Kingdom office buildings. ”Nearly 50 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK come from buildings and most businesses are housed in the old” ecological development. ”We found that UK businesses often believe that to reduce their carbon footprint, they need to build a new office – a procedure, such as massively expensive and inaccessible for most as. ”16 Noel Street proves you can take to an old building and” green “, without the cost and upheaval of moving office or to the detriment of the building structure.” With almost 100,000 buildings certified and over half a million registered, BREEAM sets the standard for sustainable design and is the recognized benchmark for a building in environmental performance. A spokesman from BRE Global – the body behind BREEAM said – “The BREEAM Award winners in 2008, examples of really top UK Sustainable design are.” To learn more about green office interiors at http://www. morganlovell. / Definition of sustainability END Notes to Editors Morgan Lovell’s Green Office report Morgan Lovell seventh was announced in May 2008 with the “greenest employees on the list of the Sunday Times Green Companies – The new office noted many in this success. Characteristics of the restoration includes plastic bottles for kitchen surfaces and colors on clay recycled to reduce solvent emissions. To limit waste, furniture was reused – and products, including flooring and furniture come as close as possible to high-quality recycled and recyclable. Desks and computers not needed were donated to charity. Lighting, heating and cooling are zoned on the floors of offices. Sensors for use in the zones only where people work and the lights automatically adjust to natural light conditions the less artificial lighting is necessary. The heat rejected in the areas of heat for cooling other parts of the building is required. All of the energy supplied by renewable energy purchased by the company on green energy. Among other improvements in animal welfare factors associated with working in an office with greater use of fresh air and natural light associated – and provides heating, the temperatures in small areas controlled by them. The products have been given with little or no VOCs, a healthier environment. Finally, a break area creates a heart-out in the office, with poor lighting, benches style and state of the art-gloss, accessories for the kitchen. A survey conducted after the restoration has yielded exceptionally high employee satisfaction with a score of 95%. The new office was as a location for a fact-finding visit by members of the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFMA) is used to examine issues surrounding sustainable refurbishment. He has hosted a series of seminars Sustainable Office, so that property professionals the opportunity to learn and see first hand how a refurbished ‘green’ office concept works. About Morgan Lovell Based in London, Birmingham and the Thames Valley, Morgan Lovell’s headquarters in the United Kingdom of Interior Design, Construction and rehabilitation specialist. With its own team of designers, consultants and project managers, the company can design and implement projects jointly with the advantage of a Single Point of Contact. www. morganlovell. com It is one of the five largest UK construction and regeneration group Morgan Sindall plc which operates through five specialist areas of the fit out, construction, infrastructure services, affordable housing and urban renewal. Morgan Lovell is a licensed BREEAM Offices Assessment Organisation. This means it is now licensed to measure the sustainability score of an office to identify ways companies reduce energy consumption and waste, while the comfort and satisfaction of users of the building. Contacts Press release by Jane Shepherd, Shepherd PR Limited written. Tel 01538 308685 or 308,099th Mobile 07985 129315 Jane @ Pasteur-PR. com
Sustainable Horticulture Is Important for Everyone
Friday, June 18th, 2010Horticulture is increasingly important to sustainable for everyone. This site contains articles related to the preservation of our environment by preserving our gardening. With the preservation of our environment, we make a valuable contribution to the maintenance of many plus.Nous live in a world becoming increasingly urbanized, where open or green space is increasingly scarce and valued. Landscapes offer an extension of the livable environment where people interact with their world and each other. Unfortunately, many landscapes are not managed well, nor sustainable, with poor investment decisions, site conditions, and little or no maintenance. A variety of problems to such places unhealthy or dangerous to plants, humans and animals. For example, invasive species are often planted in landscapes in which they compete better ways organismes.Est reducing the diversity and offer less food and habitat for others that will help your lawn and garden through heavy chemical fertilizer? This is not a sustainable situation. improve for you is to find possible for the floor, supported both as important you consider your lawn and garden. There are many commercial sources for better soil and compost to help you achieve your goal. If you to do it myself, my composting, worm beds, and other alternatives are disponibles.Avez an urban garden? If so, it is important that you know how to revitalize the soil by biological approaches. Keep your garden soil has durable.Dans urban areas, heavy traffic, combined with a sea of concrete, leads to soil compaction, to create an environment where existing plants are not getting enough oxygen or water can to survive and seedlings can not germinate . Fertilizers and pesticides are often used in excess, can lead to environmental disasters such as eutrophication of water bodies lead to destruction of salmon habitat and the poisoning of a variety of organisms. Unsustainable landscapes may also require more frequent weeding, casting, cutting and other activities to her high maintenance fonctionnels.En Learn more about the impact of your garden soil compaction. Discover the truth about compost tea. Do you know if your garden shop is the distribution of urban legends and factual information? Want to learn some horticultural advice? It is important to recognize and implement sustainable management practices preferable alternatives to current practice. Landscapes and environmentally sustainable, whether in public parks or private, less water, less need for fertilizers and pesticides, and avoid the use of non-indigenous, invasive species.
Sustainable Development: a History of Two Words and Few Facts
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010In Spanish at http://www. . Inpsicon com / news. php? to extend. 206www. . Inpsicon com In 1987, the United Nations Environment Programme, who has worked by former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland headed, examines the situation of today’s world and proven by scientific evidence that global society was to destroy the impact on the environment and a broad population in the world by submitting them to poverty. This analysis was published in a book entitled “Our Common Future”, on the conclusions of the Brundtland Report. This report introduces the concept of sustainability (or sustainable development) has been used for the first time, defined as meeting the needs met of the present without future generations. The purpose of the Brundtland report was a practical tool to find the development and environmental issues back. To achieve this objective, the Commission for three years for public hearings and received over 500 written comments subsequently examined by scientists and policy makers from 21 countries and different ideologies. As the title says. the work of so many people with different histories and cultures, the strengthening of dialogue is necessary, why the result of this synergy is more than any of them individually obtained. However, the concept that the concept of sustainable development is surrounded by the year 1987 Gestated session. In fact, in June 1972 was the declaration by the United Nations Conference in Stockholm, where the environment of man and the two basic aspects that compose it: the artificial and have native, we actively discussed. Is it appropriate, the results show that the high point of concern for the index of the contamination and inequality in the conditions necessary for development. It is clear that, even if the concept of sustainable development was established in 1987, some events in the world has the need to define development and design, including an interdependent and fair view check revealed. The subject was discussed in the increase and several scenes. After ten years of the United Nations Conference 1972 in May 1982 in Nairobi (Africa), took place a further conference, with its central axis was the environment. Once again, the themes and content into a new mandate were addressed included: sustainable development. The impact of the Brundtland report, can be achieved, including the new legislature will be confirmed in the following Conference of the United Nations called the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 1992. What was at previous conferences on the general theme on the ideas and concerns at the Earth Summit goals and guidelines were developed to protect our planet. So, has represented for the first time in history, 180 countries at the Earth Summit, the name of climate change recorded contract, to take measures to mitigate the effects it produces, due to increased emissions of greenhouse gases. Currently there are 181 governments that are Parties to the Treaty, which meets annually to review progress and continue the search for solutions to problems. Sometime later, in 1997, all countries with climate change compromise is met in Kyoto, Japan, and laid the foundations for the commitment, to reduce emissions by 7% in the next decade, reaching a commitment from the countries met in Rio five years earlier. In 1998, the industrialized countries reduce their emissions by up to 10% increase, for example, the U.S. has exceeded more than 20%. In the same year, the Kyoto meeting, was the second World Summit held at United Nations Headquarters in New York. But if you set the balance at the first Summit of Rio de Janeiro and reaches the same, the result is discouraging. Although the arrangements were confirmed, set the objectives for the damage that was to stop the planet is not reached. In fact, the globalization of the economy, the progress of the Rio Agenda destroyed has reached up a business in the world and exposed to natural resources, the voracity of the market. These are typical signs of warning: • In many places in North America have registered their summer days or the end of the decade of 1990. has included • Since 1980, the Earth’s 19 hottest years were 1998, the warmest, with 2002 and 2003 as the second and third respectively. • In 2003, extreme heat waves caused more than 20 000 deaths in Europe and on first 500 dead in India. • Wear the mosquitoes, the diseases themselves are advocating that climate change will allow them in areas that were previously inhospitable, they were to survive. Mosquitoes that can carry dengue virus in up to a height limit. 000 meters, but they have recently Surfaced 2. 200 meters in the Andes of Colombia. Malaria, in higher regions of Indonesia, was also demonstrated. • According to NASA, the polar ice cap is melting at an alarming rate of 9% per decade. In the decade of 1960, the thickness of Arctic sea ice has decreased by 40%. • The current rate of sea level rise is three times higher than the historical rate and appears to accelerate. • A recent study published in the prestigious Nature publication discovered that at least 279 species of plants and animals already a response to global warming. The geographical distribution of species has poleward at an average of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) per decade, and their drives are moved from an average of 2 days before each decade. • In the past 25 years, some penguin populations by 33% in some parts of Antarctica was by reducing the sea ice habitat in winter. The hidden significance of the disagreement focuses on the form of addressing the problem. In other words, all participating countries agree with the existence of the current problem of development models, but no one comes in the forms of implementation of solutions. This is because these solutions require adaptation of economic growth, well-being of the planet as an ecosystem, that modern Western society has never seen. Since the outbreak of the concept of sustainable development in the year 1987, its importance focused on ecological sustainability, which can lead to a domino effect of global summits and meetings, the need to reaffirm faced the same problem: the satisfaction of human needs is not over time in a sustainable, how future generations will not be considered with the same resources we have are made now. With meetings held since then, we can select the Nobel Prize in 1998 in 63 countries drafted a Manifesto of the affirmation of the global climate crisis in 1997, before the signing of the Kyoto Protocol in Japan. In the same year the Treaty of Rome by focusing on the proper use of fertile land was celebrated. Sometime later, in 1998, Lisbon Expo focuses on the protection of the oceans. In 2000, the climate summit in The Hague, Netherlands, finishing once again that the goals were not achieved held. In 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, another Earth Summit came with similar results. (Http: / / www. Gencat. Net/mediamb/revista/rev33 votes. Htm) Although it seems incredible, the fundamental focus of all discussions on an agreement was drawn out, like, have to be measured such as pollutant emissions to determine whether the targets for the reduction has become reality. Granted, not always those that have the greatest force in this debate, most countries contamination of the planet. An example appeared that recently a documentary, titled “An Inconvenient Truth, sponsored by Al Gore, who has played an important role in the political positioning of this problem in the United States. The documentary retreat of glaciers shows many photographs, which shows several years, and a study by researchers at the University of Berna Physic Institute and the EPIC data, the ice core from Antarctica, with concentrations of carbon dioxide in our days more than during the last 650,000 years. Similarly, this documentary shows a study by Dr. Naomi Oreskes (2004), a review of 928 scientific articles on climate change published 1993-2003 is carried out. The survey, published in the journal Science, showed that each element is global warming blamed on human action or make any comment on that at all. The scientific basis of this document, to our planet are large in a critical and unprecedented and show, now more than ever, the awakening of environmental awareness is necessary, based on a perspective of sustainable development, achieving a balanced coexistence with the ecosystem that our lives as types supported. Improving the environment is a commitment of companies and citizens. At the beginning of this phase, great sacrifice, or innovative methods and heavy, are not necessary, the solution is simpler than we thought, it is in your hands. From home, start with these 10 things that do recommended by An Inconvenient Truth. (Http: / / www. Climatecrisis. Org/pdf/10things. Pdf): 1 – Changing the bulb Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb saves 150 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. 2nd – Drive less Walk, bike, car pool or use public transport more often. You’ll be a pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you drive to not save! 3rd – Recycle more You can record second 400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half your household waste. 4th – Check the tires Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Each gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere! 5th – Use less hot water It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Use less hot water by the installation of a low flow showerhead (350 kilograms of CO2 per year) and washing your clothes in cold or lukewarm water (500 pounds saved per year) 6th – Avoid products with lots of packaging material You can a. 200 pounds of carbon dioxide, if you reduce your garbage by 10%. 7th – Set your thermostat Move your thermostat 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer. You could save about 2. 000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. 8th – Plant a tree A single tree absorbs one tonne of carbon dioxide during its life. 9th – Turn off Electronics Simply switching off your TV, DVD player, stereo and computer when you are not saved with them thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide per year. 10th – Be part of the solution Spread the world! Encourage your friends to see An Inconvenient Truth and it sends the PDF document at: Http: / / www. climatecrisis. org/pdf/10things. pdfREFERENCES www. . Inpsicon com • Informe Brundtland. http://es Available at:. wikipedia. org / wiki / Informe_Brundtland • Brundtland Report: www. ACE. MMU. ac uk / CAE / Sustainability / Older / Brundtland • Convenio de Estocolmo sobre Contaminantes orgánicos persistent. Available at: www. POP int / documents / convtext / convtext_sp. pdf • Cumbre of Tierra. Available at: www. United Nations. org / Spanish / conferences / Cumbre & 5 htm • El desarrollo sostenible ¿posibilidad the mejoramiento calidad de vida para el futuro o utopia? Available at: http://lunazul. ucaldas. edu. co/downloads/9d56d192Revista20_7. pdf • Desarrollo Sostenible. http://es Available at:. wikipedia. org / wiki / Desarrollo_sostenible • Revista Science. Disponible en: http://www. sciencemag. org • La Cumbre de la Tierra 2002nd Available at: www. FONDOIN. org / documents / getbindata. php? docid = 10 • Johannesburg with Y ahora ¿Qué? Available at: http://www. gencat. net/mediamb/revista/rev33-cast. htm • An Inconvenient Truth. Available at: http://www. climatecrisis. org • Consecuencias del calentamiento Global. Available: http://www. NRDC. org / laondaverde / global warming / fcons. Snake
Sustainable Home – Green Building for the New Era
Thursday, June 10th, 2010More and more they realize how important it is for a life that only a minimal impact on the environment cause is. Any person who can lead their individual contribution to the significant difference for the future and protecting our planet. An important step you can on durable materials for the construction of your home or business use. The appreciation of how these materials may be incorporated green in your life can go a long way to go to reduce your impact on the environment. The best place to start trying to understand what are durable materials, is to first understand what the term “sustainable”. Sustainability means quantities and types of resources in a way to consume in order to ensure that the resources it requires for the coming generations. Another way to think about is that resources are renewed. This approach can be better understood through pictures. The wooden building is an excellent example of sustainability. Through the planting of trees, a forest can be developed. Then the wood may be reused as construction material. One example is the resistance of steel used for a building would be. Though the steel can not be resolved, it can at least be recycled. Another aspect of sustainability is recycling. Many metals are recyclable. You can use these materials to areas such as floors, walls and work surfaces. You can also use blocks for use as recycled material. How to choose materials for your home, whether you go for Sustainability is an aspect to understand how much energy is used to gather the documentation for you. Try to materials that are less energy for transportation to be found. For example, if you want to go for a granite counter, then with the local builder, rather than buy from a provider such as distant Malaysia. Much more energy is used for documentation of Malaysia to get to your home, as the local provider. Use of sustainable materials is a step on the road to a farm in ecological knowledge. You want to bring all the other elements together, such as architecture, materials and construction methods. Order your plans for things like your water consumption of energy, make sure you and the page is confused with the physical locations of the house. You want as little as possible about the nature and realize your consumption. Converting from your home to a household sustainability is not something you have to do both. Instead, you can change your home during the day. If you have the opportunity to renovate or upgrade, choose durable materials. Instead of painting, the use of natural fibers that air quality will do better in your house. Instead of bamboo tiles as flooring. For countertops, testing of cork instead of granite. Each of these changes will help make a difference.
Buy Fresh, Buy Local: Director of Sustainable Living Systems in Corvallis Says Bitterroot?s Ready for New and Sustainable Food System
Sunday, June 6th, 2010“Buy Fresh, Buy Local”: Director of Sustainable Living Systems in Corvallis says Bitterroot’s ready for new and sustainable food system
By Brian D’Ambrosio
Jill Davies is the director of Sustainable Living Systems, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching environmentally favorable approaches to food production. She hopes to increase enthusiasm for the building of a new and vibrant local food system. Creating a secure community food system, capable of supporting sustainable agriculture right here in the Bitterroot, is something she aims to achieve through a mixture of education and persuasiveness.
Generally speaking, “local food” is a principle of sustainability relying upon the consumption of locally grown food products. Local food initiatives are part and parcel of local purchasing concepts; they are based upon preferences to buy locally generated goods and services.
The concept is often related to the slogan “Think globally, Act locally,” prevalent in green politics. Those in favor of developing a local food economy, like Davies and the folks at Corvallis-based Sustainable Living Systems, believe that since food is essential for everyone, everywhere, every single day, then a slight change in the way it is produced and advertised will have a tremendous result on individual health and the overall ecosystem.
Local food is also often interpreted as being organic, or produced by farmers who adopt sustainable and lenient practices. Many local food advocates tend to equate local food with material produced by independent farmers in the community, while equating “non-local food” with food produced and transformed by large agribusiness.
“Fresh, organically grown food is more nutritious,” says Davies. “Healthy food from a healthy soil creates healthy bodies and minds. ”
Proponents like Davies say shopping decisions favoring local food consumption directly influence the well-being of people because local food is unprocessed and tastes better than food shipped long distances from other states or countries.
“When you have a local food system you get exceptional taste and freshness,” says Davies.
Furthermore, she says, a local food system will improve the local economy, strengthen the alternative food network and may be ecologically more sustainable.
Strengthening the local economy, says Davies, means buying local produce as a method of keeping your dollars circulating in the community. Forming dependable, sincere and cognizant relationships with the farmers growing your groceries is also a part of that development process.
Institutions, including schools, restaurants, nursing homes, and hospitals, will play a key role in the creation and advancement of a local food system. Getting these institutions to commit to buying at least some local products, even if it’s only carrots or lettuce, is a pretty solid starting point. “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” signs are a unique part of the information campaign, too.
“Help from these institutions is most important,” Davies says. “We want to educate the public to look for our signs, and know that places displaying these signs are carrying fresh, local products,” she says.
Davies grew up around the time of the transformation from organic agriculture to industrial agriculture, and speaks about a vanished time when the Bitterroot Valley was the former breadbasket of Montana.
“Up until the 1950s, the Bitterroot produced the majority of the state’s food,” she says.
“Now, all the food eaten here comes from far away – from Albertson’s, Safeway and Super One. There are few organic food producers here. Only a small percentage of the food eaten actually originates here. Most of it comes from industrial agriculture sources from far away. ”
Davies studied biodynamics in England in the early 1970s. Based on a series of lectures given in the early 1920s by the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, biodynamics merges the practices of organic agriculture. But it goes a bit deeper by trying to harmonize the grower’s work with other subject matters, such as gravity, magnetism, and lunar phases.
After working in the gardens of a commune in France, and then on a biodynamic truck farm in Switzerland, she returned to the United States. Davies again traveled to England in 1999, attending a course at Schumacher College on biotechnology in agriculture, and has been immersed in this issue ever since. Her agricultural and organic knowledge has been advanced by agro-ecology guru Helen Atthowe, whose certified organic vegetable and fruit farm is east of Stevensville.
Davies hopes that our geographic region will once again serve as a principal source of grain and produce supply, and that a food co-op site will be found or built by next spring. “Hopefully, we’ll have a store opened by then. The co-op will be a gigantic component of the local food system”
In order for this consumer food outlet to materialize, more grants need to be written, more meetings held, additional subscribers signed up, and further loans obtained. The Bozeman Food Co-op, boasting 14,000 members and an interrelated network of community cooperative consumers and farmers, small businesses and local producers, remains the model worthy of replication.
Part of building a sustainable, local food system that fosters the economic health of the Bitterroot’s communities and farms, includes, said Davies, prohibiting the proliferation of big box stores like Wal-Mart. The world’s largest retailer and largest private employer (1. 3 million employees), Wal-Mart, raked in over $312 billion in sales last year.
But recently, the company has drawn intense scrutiny, from the Bitterroot Good Neighbors Coalition, for its negative economic impact, its poor wages, lack of affordable health coverage for its employees, and its stiff resistance to unionization. “These Wal-Mart super centers are the number one food retailers in the country. One of the first steps to building and nurturing a local economy is keeping out such places. Box stores don’t purchase locally produced products to be sold in their stores. This leads to a decrease in the amount of local cash flow that changes hands. ”
Another objective Davies touts is the development of local food storage, processing and distribution facilities. Consumers subscribing to this reasoning may be able to buy food directly from local family farms or through other direct channels such as farmers’ markets, food cooperatives, like the planned Co-op and retail outlet, and community-supported agricultural programs.
“The Bitterroot Valley is definitely ready for a good co-op program, self-sufficient food planning, and a healthier food system. ”
The Sustainable Spirit
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010Dawn is just cresting the mountain ridge as you hike silently up to your favorite spot, a perch where you can see – unseen by other hikers. Here, you position yourself to meditate. The golden rays paint the rocks, and trees glisten with their own energy. You reach out to embrace the view. Suddenly, it feels as if your spirit leaves your body and becomes a part of all around you. Then, just as suddenly, you are back inside your own skin wondering what just happened. You had a transcendental experience, leaving this “mortal coil” to join with all that is the universe, to become one with creation. It is an awe-inspiring experience that may last for only an instant but leave its impact for a lifetime. If you are lucky enough to have had an experience similar to this, you have had a vision of the world as it truly is…where everything is connected to everything else. As Martin Luther King said, “we are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny…” This is the core tenet of sustainability, understanding that we humans are not the masters of the Earth. We are part of and connected to everything that exists. When we understand this most basic concept, all that we do to pursue sustainability becomes almost self-evident. The Need for Thinking SustainablyWhy do we, at this time in history, need to be concerned with sustainability? For many scientists, economists, and sociologists, there is mounting evidence that humans have been sowing the seeds of their own extinction. Many believe that, unless immediate corrective actions are taken, civilizations and humanity itself are headed for global catastrophes. According to the World Resources Institute, at least 3. 5 billion people, more than half of the world’s current population, are expected to experience water shortages by 2025. As the population continues to soar, the world’s fisheries and agricultural productivity are in decline. Global heating is threatening to raise sea levels and dry up water resources all over the world. Meanwhile, the warming atmosphere spawns highly variable weather with devastating storms, snows in the South, heat waves in the North and the paradoxical possibility of a new Ice Age. Economic disparity is also growing worldwide. Today, a few hundred billionaires control more wealth than all the people in the 45 poorest countries. Political upheaval, religious fanaticism and ongoing conflicts destroy the environment, lives and communities. While these are not new phenomena, technology has made them global in their impacts. As the Chinese curse states, we now live in interesting times. And that is why there is a renewed interest in sustainability spreading across the planet. To Be or Not To Be…SustainableApparently, there seems to be some controversy and misunderstanding about the term, sustainability. It is becoming politicized, primarily by those who either do not understand what it means or who feel threatened by its concepts. Simply put, sustainability means the ability to last, to continue existing in one’s chosen state. To be sustainable, you must appreciate the conditions in which you live and limit the demands your chosen life makes on those conditions. To be sustainable, we must take only what we need and preserve the resources and capabilities needed so future generations can thrive. We must work together to create strong economies, healthy communities and a preserved natural environment. Are we living within the carrying capacity of the Earth? Are we taking only what the Earth can continually provide? Are we contributing positively to our communities and the natural environment? The answer to those questions will determine what kind of future we are leaving to those who follow us. There are lessons in sustainability to be learned every day…if one pays attention to the natural world around us. Learn from NatureAll life as we know it on Earth lives within a “closed system. ” Nothing enters Earth’s system in any measurable quantity except sunlight. The seeds for all new life come from existing life. All plants, animals, insects and humans gather their food and water from what exists on Earth. At the end of each life, everything must cycle back to the Earth to sustain the future. That is the Cycle of Life, and it is bound by physical laws that cannot be broken. The Cycle of Life links all living things together. We depend on each other, on all living things, for our survival. Yet, knowing that we need a healthy natural environment and an ongoing Cycle of Life, we humans are the only species that actively works to break the Cycle of Life. To build our modern societies, we take resources out of the natural environment, use them and then dispose of them as wastes. During the course of that linear process, we generate all sorts of pollution. The result is that, unlike other species in nature, we deplete natural resources, destroy natural habitats and, consequently, threaten our own existence. Seeking Balance: Economy, Community, EnvironmentIn Nature, organisms strive for balance or homeostasis within their ecosystems. Take the time to sit and observe a tree, a stream or any small natural area. You’ll find it rich with life, even in desert areas. Within a small ecosystem, you can see the interdependency of life in action. Plants grow together helping each gain water and minerals from the soil. Insects, birds and animals find food and shelter among the plants. You’ll notice there is no waste. Everything serves as food for everything else. Everywhere you look there is a natural balance that continues until some external forces upset it. Then, each system, together with its living components, works to regain that balance. To become sustainable, we must think holistically and work collectively to find balance within ourselves, our families, our economy, our communities and the natural environment. Let’s start with economy. Notice that it has the same root word, ECO, from the Greek for home or where we live. Economy means managing where we live. It means thoughtful use of resources to sustain life. In today’s society, we consider economy in terms of the flow of dollars. That is not our economy. It is only one inaccurate way to measure our economy. Genuine Progress Indicators measure how well we are doing. To learn more, visit Redefining Progress at www. rprogress. org. So to begin to gain balance with our economy, we need to think about it differently and measure progress differently. How do we know when our economy is improving? Certainly, it is not by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that only tracks the flow of dollars. We know it by measurable improvements in our quality of life. Are children healthy and doing well in school? Does every child have access to a good education? Are people who work earning livable wages? Is good housing affordable for all? Is the air clean and healthy to breathe? Are the elderly and infirm well provided for? Is the water abundant and safe to drink? Are communities healthy and safe from crime and war? Are more people working using less energy and materials to create more value to society? In each of these questions lie fabulous economic opportunities. When the answer to these questions is “Yes,” then we are beginning to produce a healthy, balanced economy. Connecting, Engaging, SupportingStrengthening communities begins with understanding our connections to each other. We are all more alike than we are different. Knowing this allows us to celebrate our differences in ways that enrich all our lives. Knowing that we all share a “single garment of destiny” can lead us to overcome old antagonisms and work for the common good. Together, as good neighbors, we can conceive a collective vision and develop the will to achieve it. Creating healthy, balanced communities requires engagement. We need to be involved with others at different levels in our society, depending upon our interests and our talents. Some of us may be great at arranging neighborhood gatherings. Others may feel the need to volunteer at the local school or with a civic group. There are the natural politicians among us who can represent us at the town council. All of us can become informed and vote. Restoring and preserving our natural environment is fundamental to sustainability. Learning the lessons of nature, we can more closely integrate ourselves into the Cycle of Life where everything contributes to the whole and nothing is wasted. We can all do simple things. Eat lower down on the food chain. Locally produced fruits, vegetables and grains take less from the Earth than processed foods. Take shorter showers. Get out of your car and walk or bike. Form carpools and use public transportation when you can. Become knowledgeable about ways to conserve and lead simpler, more rewarding lives. Stay in ContactOur modern lives have disengaged us from our communities and the natural world. We have the opportunity and the need to re-engage for our own well-being and that of everyone on the planet. Connected, each one of us can do our part, and as we do, the whole becomes stronger and more vibrant. So take the time. Make meaningful contact with those around you. Support those in need. Share your feelings about the issues of today and your dreams for tomorrow. Contribute your talents and good works to the true economy that benefits all. Go to Nature. Learn from her. Find that special place for yourself where you can reach out to become one with everything around you. There you can awaken within yourself the power of your sustainable spirit.
Sustainable Houses – The Things We Can All Do To Live A Little Greener
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 In a consumer driven society we are frequently confronted with life style decisions that can impact on our environment and one of the largest decisions that any of us will make is the kind of house that we choose to live in. The twin fangs of global warming and rising energy costs has seen in a shift in emphasis in recent years away from “environment be damned, show me the plasma!” to looking at ways in which we can live in greater harmony with our surroundings. As such “sustainability” has become a guiding principle in all manner of decision making. Sustainability is about using resources in an environmentally friendly and healthy manner that provide for the long term needs of the community. A sustainable home will emphasize two broad themes: it will be constructed of and furnished with environmentally sound materials and it will utilize energy as efficiently as possible. Sustainable houses seek to be an extension of their environment rather than an imposition, or more importantly a drain on it.
A person wishing to live in a sustainable house is going to be faced with one of two choices: building a sustainable house from scratch or retro-fitting their existing home to make it more green.
There are things that all of us can do, regardless from which materials our home is built, to live more greenly. These measures are largely centered around more efficient use of energy and water. By utilizing energy efficient technologies, expertise, and common sense, homeowners can dramatically cut their home energy costs and the pollution associated with energy use and production. The first place to begin is with electrical appliances. If you need to purchase a new refrigerator, washer, dryer, air conditioner, or other large power consuming item, then do your research to find the most energy efficient option. By the same token if you have old heating and/or air conditioning equipment, you might want to look at replacing them. The energy savings will see that they will be paid for in a few years. You can also save energy and money by using efficient lighting. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a good option for homes where lights are on for a few hours a day. They can reduce energy usage by as much as 80 percent and go for years without replacement.
The way we conduct ourselves around the house will also have an impact on energy and water usage. Simple measures such as taking re-usable bags when we go shopping, having shorter showers, switching appliances off at the power point whenever possible, starting a compost heap and installing or topping up ceiling insulation will all have a positive impact on the environment and go some way to helping us live more sustainably.
For those who are looking to build houses from scratch however, there is even greater scope to adhere to the tenets of sustainability. A house that is being designed with sustainability in mind can make use of solar power for heating and electricity, as well as the sun (via skylights and sun pipes) for natural daylighting. Greywater systems can be installed to ensure the most efficient use of water, and the house can be constructed with non-toxic and sustainably harvested materials.
Sustainable Tourism- A Prerequisite of Sustainable Development
Monday, January 18th, 2010This article will provide a brief overview about the historical background, importance, concepts, principles and general debates about sustainable tourism.
Sustainable tourism is one of the pre-requisites of achieving sustainable development. the concept of tourism with sustainability and development gets its historical inclusion from mass tourism that got flourished in 1960s due to advent of jet aircraft and the passions for tourism got tremendous following and it also reached Third World countries (Dann, 2002). It was also argued that this boost pushed organizations like World Bank and UN to examine the cost benefit analysis of tourism and it was acknowledged that potential costs of tourism are far lower than financial benefits in shape of balance pf payment surpluses, infrastructure development, and employment and foreign exchange gains. So that gave rise to the concept of sustainable tourism as one of the source of bringing sustainable development. According to the World’s Summit on Sustainable Development (2002), it is claimed that Tourism is the world’s largest industry where in 2000, 698 million people travelled internationally which 7. 3 % more than 1999. Similarly the economic worth of international tourism was US$477. 9 billion in 2000 (Papers4you. com, 2006).
In terms of one concrete definition, literature suggests that it is not fixed and is ever evolving. However Coccossis (1996) asserts that sustainable tourism can be taken in four different interpretations that include” economic sustainability of tourism”, the “ecologically sustainable tourism”,” sustainable tourism development” with both focus of environment as well as long term feasibility of the industry and finally “tourism as a part of a strategy for sustainable development”.
As mentioned above, sustainable tourism should be taken in consideration to environmental and resources effects. It was argued that Mediterranean tourism is the main source of economic gain for the reason however short term growth was overlooked with long term adverse effect and deterioration of their ecosystem and resources (Farsari, 2000)
Effects of ignorant tourism on its sustainability include: ‘over consumption of natural resources ,environmental degradation, exploitation of cultures and labour, displacement of people from their land, lack of consultation with local communities, poorly thought out tourism planning and high foreign exchange leakage which reduces local economic benefits’ in long run (World’s Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002),
Where such effects are there to pose a threat on sustainable tourism there are guiding principles that can lead to ensure sustainability (Papers4you. com, 2006). Those principles include sustainable use of resources, waste and over-consumption reduction, diversity maintenance, tourism-planning integration, local economy support as well as local community involvement, consultation, training, research and responsible marketing (Farsari, 2000)
So the discussion suggest that tourism industry has potential to be a prerequisite for sustainable development, however it is imperative to realize that focus on mass tourism only can pose danger to environment so in order to ensure sustainability in tourism, guiding principles should be followed
References
Coccossis, H. (1996) ‘Tourism and Sustainability: Perspectives and Implications’ in Priestley, G. et al. (eds), Sustainable Tourism? European Experiences, U. K. : Cab International
Dann, G, M, S, (2002), “Tourism & Development”, in Desai V and Potter, R. (eds) (2002), The Companion to Development Studies, London: Arnold,
Farsari, Y, (2000), ‘Sustainable Tourism Indicators for Mediterranean Established Destinations’, Heraklion: IACM & FORTH
Papers For You (2006) “C/T/32. Sustainable travel & tourism”, Available from http://www. coursework4you. co. uk/sprttrav4. htm [22/06/2006]
Papers For You (2006) “C/T/27. Sustainable Tourism Development”, Available from Papers4you. com [21/06/2006]
World Summit on Sustainable Development, (2002), ‘Sustainable Tourism and the Earth Summit’, Briefing Paper, Aug 26-Sep 06, 2002, London: Tourism Concern. Also available on
http://www. tourismconcern. org. uk/media/2002/WSSD%20sustainable%20tourism%20briefing. htm
