Eco-Vlog

Brazilian architecture firm Studio CK Arquitetura has recently completed the Casa Doce Vida, a custom luxury home that emphasizes sustainable design. Dubbed a “residence with a green soul,” the house embraces views of and connections to nature from every room to give the homeowners a seamless indoor/outdoor living experience. The eco-friendly dwelling is also entirely powered by solar panels installed onsite. The structure captures rainwater for irrigating lush horizontal and vertical gardens as well for cleaning purposes. Casa Doce Vida is located in Aspen Mountain Lawn, an upscale condominium complex in Gramado, the southern Brazilian mountain resort town famous for its year-round temperate weather and idyllic environment. The residential development highlights the region’s wealth of green space with its naturalistic layout of winding roads, gently rolling hills and abundance of tall, mature trees. As a result, the architects surrounded the home with full-height glazing and opera...

A recent study published in the journal Nature has revealed that the number of sharks in the oceans has reduced by 71% since the 1970s. Ray populations are also plummeting. Because of these alarming findings, researchers are now calling on governments to take drastic measures to reverse the trend. The study authors blamed most of the losses on overfishing. Sharks and rays are often fished for food but are also victims of sportfishing in many parts of the world. More disheartening is the fact that these animals are already at risk of extinction , according to Nicholas Dulvy, professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. Related: Preparing COVID-19 vaccine could kill half a million sharks “Overfishing of oceanic sharks and rays jeopardizes the health of entire ocean ecosystems as well as food security for some of the world’s poorest countries,” Dulvy said. In the study, 31 species of sharks and rays found in the open oceans were analyzed. Of these species, 24 are already...

On his first day in office, President Joe Biden ordered construction to halt on Trump’s infamous border wall. But environmentalists and communities living along the border want him to go much further, tearing it down and reversing the wall’s damage. Donald Trump set aside $15 billion for his “big beautiful wall” between the southern border of the U.S. and Mexico. About 455 miles had been constructed out of a planned 738 miles by the time Trump left office. The former president got his hands on the money by declaring a national emergency in 2019 and diverting tax dollars that would have otherwise gone to defense or counter-drug programs. But he didn’t spend a lot of time assessing the environmental and cultural impact. Hundreds of miles of land have been blasted and bulldozed, including protected public land and sites sacred to Native Americans. Related: Trump administration disregards border wall’s environmental impact “It’s a disaster, a mess, the suspended laws must be put back ...

Anger is one of the most unpleasant emotions that we can experience. When we express our anger we feel bad and we feel even worse about ourselves once we have calmed down. It is not a healthy way to live life being constantly angry. We have been dealing with a lot of change as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Disruption and uncertainty are very much part of our lives and it is these two things that are most likely to create fear and distress in our lives. How we express and manage these feelings influences how resilient and how effective we are at navigating our way through all this disruption and uncertainty. Choosing anger as a way to release all your pain and fear is not a wise option and definitely not a sustainable and healthy way to live life. What is Healthy Anger? Before you start to work on letting go of your anger and restoring calmness back into your mind it is important to acknowledge that anger is a normal healthy and very vital emotion. It lets you know where you...

Located in a region of Quebec known for its rolling hills and stunning views, this modern, minimalist retreat overlooks the area where the ocean meets the St. Lawrence River. The residence is known as Le Littoral and was designed by Architecture49, a firm based in Western Canada that specializes in creating wooden structures with off-center volumes. The clients are a couple who wanted to create a home with a contemporary style that complements the natural setting of rural Charlevoix. They wanted it to be used as both as a vacation residence and a luxury rental for visitors to the popular area. Architecture49 brought that vision to life by taking inspiration from the region’s historic architecture and farm buildings, then adding modern elements. Related: A lakeside, prefab home in Quebec aims for LEED Gold With sustainability in mind, the architects were sure to take highlights such as woodcutting and landscaping into account to minimize the impact of construction on the natural ...

Farmers and backyard gardeners often find themselves rolling the dice in regards to when to safely transport seedlings from the greenhouse to the ground. It can be a crucial decision, as plants are vulnerable to heavy rain, hail or dry conditions. To facilitate healthy plant growth, Agrodome is a solution that eliminates the need for a greenhouse altogether. Designed by Agustin Otegui of NOS Design Consulting in collaboration with Jorge Álvarez, Agrodome is a modular dome for outdoor crops. With its transparent design, it allows farmers to germinate seeds directly in the field rather than growing them in a greenhouse only to transplant them into the field later. In essence, these domes act as individual greenhouses by protecting the plants from harsh weather and providing a temperature-controlled growing environment. Related: Sead Pod offers grassroots solution to air pollution and global warming Agrodomes are made from natural polymers and recycled PET , so they are fully recyc...

According to the World Health Organization, more than 264 million people suffer from depression globally. [1] Symptoms of depression can include sadness, lethargy and a general loss of interest in life. There are a number of ways to combat this and a diet for depression can help not only your mental health but your well-being as well. In fact, a 2017 study found that the symptoms of people with moderate-to-severe depression improved when they received nutritional counseling sessions and ate a more healthful diet for 12 weeks. [2] Just imagine having higher levels of optimism, energy, positivity, focus, and a greater interest in life. Well, you can. Making some adjustments to your diet can help with your depression. Not only are there foods that you could eat to help with your depression but there are foods that you should avoid. Foods That Help With Depression 1. Oily Fish Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, light tuna and mackerel are a healthy source of Vitamin D. [3]...

Grand Rapids Chair Co., a company based out of Michigan that has specialized in restaurant furniture for 20 years, has launched a new, sustainable brand for residential kitchens called Only Good Things. The brand will focus on consumers by offering high-quality furniture meant for kitchens and dining areas made using sustainably harvested wood from northeastern American forests and U.S.-sourced steel . The line of chairs, stools, tables and outdoor pieces is meant to be a solution to family kitchens that may have become strained during the pandemic lockdowns.  Each piece of furniture is made to order. In addition to a composition of responsibly harvested wood and American steel, the furnishings are also finished using an antimicrobial, commercial-grade topcoat, similar to what you would find inside a restaurant . The topcoat can withstand even the toughest stains, including things like mustard and wine, making pieces especially durable. Families who may have had to reevaluate th...

There’s not much cuter than a baby squirrel — until they grow up to be invasive acorn hoarders that interfere with tree planting and, by extension, efforts to slow  climate change . So, U.K. environment minister Lord Goldsmith has announced it’s time to put these squirrels on the pill. And what a delicious oral contraceptive it will be. The plan is that grey squirrels will follow their noses into special squirrel-only feeding boxes containing contraceptive-spiked hazelnut spread. Even the most reckless breeders are likely to succumb to  family  planning when it tastes this good. Related: Could contraception for pigeons be a humane option for population control? “We hope advances in science can safely help our nature to thrive, including through the humane control of  invasive species ,” the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told BBC News on Tuesday. An estimated three million grey squirrels, along with their fellow invasive species, damag...

President Joe Biden has announced his administration’s plans to replace the entire federal fleet with electric vehicles . According to his remarks while signing the “Made in America” executive order, all the new electric cars will be made in the United States. “The federal government also owns an enormous fleet of vehicles, which we’re going to replace with clean electric vehicles made right here in America , by American workers,” Biden said in an address. Although political campaign promises take time to materialize, this move signals the potential for positive change. Biden’s commitment to changing the way the federal government carries out its transport is a good gesture, in line with his climate agenda . The federal fleet consists of more than 645,000 vehicles, according to the latest Federal Fleet  report . If the promise comes to pass, the government will have to replace approximately 254,000 civilian vehicles , 173,000 military vehicles and 225,000 post office vehicles wi...

Welcome to Surviving and Thriving in 2021 Amid the Pandemic. This short series explores different aspects that you should consider when going for your goals in 2021 with the world constantly trying to distract, terrifying, confuse and horrify you away from your goals. Today we are talking about Personal Responsibility because it is the key to taking your power back. In this episode of The Lifehack Show, I’ll teach you how to: Take responsibility for your thoughts, feelings, words and actions. Stop blaming and Stop complaining. Refuse to take anything personally. And make yourself happy. After all, you own it to yourself for what you go through and how to go through it. The post Surviving and Thriving Amid the Pandemic: Personal Responsibility appeared first on Lifehack . from Lifehack https://ift.tt/3iV3im6 via IFTTT

Let’s face it, we’ve all been there—and by “there,” I’m talking about being in an uncomfortable situation at work. Whether you’re smack dab in the middle of it or on the sidelines watching it unfold, it’s rarely easy to manage. That is, of course, until now! That’s because after over two decades of working in different departments for large organizations—and now running my own company—I’ve been exposed to my fair share of workplace conflicts, and I’ve learned the most effective strategy to resolve them effectively (but not without my own fair share of mistakes!). Let’s start by talking about a few of the reasons why workplace conflict exists. It could be because you work in a highly competitive environment. Competition brings out the worst in us sometimes because we all want to win. So, if you work in a place (especially in sales) that ranks success based on performance, it’s super easy for conflict to arise. Maybe you work in a place where you have blatant favoritism going on. [1] ...

Minneapolis-based prefab purveyors Alchemy Architects has completed the Lake Elmo weeHouse, one of the newest additions to its growing portfolio of weeHouses, a series of eco-friendly homes built with the firm’s patented prefabricated housing system. Named after its location in Minnesota, the Lake Elmo weeHouse demonstrates efficient and space-saving design by fitting three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open layout in 990 square feet without compromising a sense of spaciousness or views. The home is elevated above the ground on helical piers embedded 22 feet underground to minimize site impact. Completed in 2019, the Lake Elmo weeHouse was commissioned by clients who split their time between Australia and Minnesota. As a result, the architects wrapped the home in low-maintenance and durable weathering steel as well as black cedar cladding to recede the building into the forested landscape. The simple, boxy design responds to the project’s constraints that include a modest budget as...

Toronto-based New Earth Solutions is offering a sustainable and compact method for natural air purification. Respira , a hydroponic smart garden, helps improve the air quality of indoor spaces, something that society has found an additional need for since spending more time inside the home. The self-sustaining garden can be mounted on the  wall  or set up in a planter to complement multiple styles. Respira is completely user-friendly — no green thumb required. Installed in about 10 minutes, the garden essentially takes care of itself via a patented biofiltration process with a self-watering, self-feeding and self-lighting system built-into the design. An automated controller accessible through a touchscreen and phone app manages and monitors things like water temperature, water level, water flow, air temperatures, humidity and TVOC levels for  air quality . Related: Briiv air purifier uses renewable materials to naturally clean indoor air As for foliage, buyers can c...

I don’t know about you, but it was nearly impossible for me to be proactive at work last year. Every week, I would map out my game plan and color-code my calendar. But when I tried to set things in motion, I faced ten-foot barriers that would force me to change direction. I’d have to reschedule meetings, push deadlines back, and reorganize my life because of all the twists and turns. Pivoting became my life, and it was taking over every part of it. When I think back to 2020, it was like trying to survive the Tour de France blindfolded. By the end of the year, I was worn out, and I was in no mood to organize my 2021 goals. Being proactive was the furthest from my mind. In many ways, I didn’t even want to dream about new projects. When January 1st entered the scene, I crawled back under my covers and hoped for the best—or at least a year that would be more predictable with less pivoting. You want to be hopeful for this year, but a part of you is afraid of another year filled with mor...