This library outside of Beijing shows how important design is to sustainable community development. The architect for the building, Li Ziaodong has just won the inaugural Moriyama International Prize, and he explains, “this project is about the relationship of a building to its surroundings and its role in serving the community, rather than a building as a discrete object”.
The climate change agreement between the United States and China is a critical first step in breaking the gridlock that has stymied action globally. Previous inaction has caused us to become cautious and cynical when it comes to the our governments and the promises they make.
Integration, inclusion and dialogue. This article discusses the efforts of a Danish town to deradicalize returning young fighters from Syria. An interesting model, especially for countries with highly plural societies.
Nowadays, many people worldwide have a cell phone. Charging the batteries of over a billion cell phones is only one of many impacts on our energy use, but is significant none the less. Cell phone use has all but eliminated the need for phone booths, until Harold Craston and Kristy Kenny had a vision.
Car sharing co-operatives are a wonderful way to reduce greenhouse emissions in both urban and rural areas, and as well build more social capital in your neighbourhood or community. The movement has been steadily growing in popularity and participation in recent years. Most companies in the industry have an environmental motivation, and employ the most efficient vehicles they can. Still, many question the low numbers of electric vehicles in their fleets.
My research associate, Rob Newell, recently coined the term "Art in Action", when we were brainstorming about how to integrate more of the arts into our research. This video shows another different integration of opera and street art, tackling the tough social issue of bullying by uncovering the monster in all of us. Vancouver Opera's promotion of Stickboy commissioned street artists to bring to life their own inner bully, and their life size murals are now curated throughout the city.
Tidal power is an exciting and innovative idea that has been making the rounds for quite some time. Now that the clean energy development wave (pun intended) is gaining ground, more initiatives like the Dent Island Tidal Power Generation development and demonstration project are able to successfully apply for funding.
This video by the Huffinton Post, Edmonton, showcases a homeless man playing a beautiful piece on the piano. The homeless are not that different from us, it is only a question of degree, the door separating the homeless from the rest of mainstream society may be only one degree of separation, the difference between surviving and thriving, the difference between collapsing because of a personal tragedy and having the capacity to transcend.
If your soul is weary, watch this, there are so many different pathways to travel.
With all the new information we now have, one must wonder at the motivation behind an increase in deforestation in the Amazon. The Guardian reports that satellite imaging has revealed a 190% increase in land clearance in August and September of this year, in contrast with last year’s findings. The cause of these actions is individual farmers and logging companies are able to exploit loopholes in protective regulations for their own personal benefit.