Dr. SeussJuice

yesterday, marked a day in human history in which the largest global screening of a film ever occurred.  i took part in this event, having attended Seattle’s showing of the film.  rather than trucking/flying the film around the world, it was broadcast via satellite – the US version was broadcast from NYC.  The Age of Stupid is quite possibly the most powerful film in human history; it ultimately seeks to enlighten our species so we can save ourselves.  the title is obvious, we ARE living in the Age of Stupid – the history books can go ahead and be re-written to describe the industrialized era as such. however, what sets this eco-documentary apart from all others is that it portrays clear evidence that we still have time to save our species. make no mistake, global warming is directly related to our activities as humans.  as such, it is our responsibility to change our behaviours, consume less and give more to the environment. the documentary was very well executed as it takes the unique perspective from a man who has amassed a collection of the world’s works, storing them at a compound in the Arctic, and sending a final transmission from the compound, into space for whoever or whatever might find it…. the message is simply a warning – you have control over your actions, don’t let your species make the same mistakes ours did.

even if you never have a chance to see the movie – take away a few things from this post… a few things revealed to me through the film.  all climateologists agree on 2 degrees – 2 degrees above pre-industrial temperature averages is where we need the world’s climate to be if we are to avoid catacalismic tipping points, from which, there is no return.  CONSUMERISM IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE.  we have until around 2015 to make drastic changes in the way we live, in order to save our species.  make no mistake, “saving the world” is not the issue – the world will continue to be here long after we’re gone…. saving our species is the matter at hand, and most pressing at that.  why can we classify our current existennce as The Age of Stupid? – simple:  we’re the only species in Earth’s history that is conscious of its extension and we are doing little to stop it.

the Technical University of Dresden helped E-Wolf create this mean, green machine… for those unfamiliar with the university, they focus on nano-technologies, metallurgy, transport design and cutting edge materials research.  combined, E-Wolf and the university make an incredible team!  from Sub5Zero:

It runs a single 110kW engine, which produces 147hp and 185 ft lbs of torque. Hit the…spark pedal (?) and it will go from 0-60 in just under 5 seconds. Hold that pedal down and the e1 will scream, er, hum, its way to 147mph. And you won’t have a problem running out of juice in 20 minutes like my old Tiger Trax RC car did as the e1 has a range of 300km. Handling figures aren’t available yet, but the math adds up well. Carbon fiber wheels + racecar design cues + driver in the middle = good.

Entangle Bank emerged from the Revision Dallas Competition, where it took third place. designed by Little, the concept seeks to integrate an entire community into one building, practically free from the use of resources available to the rest of the city.  the concept boasts its own power, water and food supplies…. greywater system… communal sky pastures… 20,000 square feet of grain field… school system… bank… living quarters… more and more and more!  ArchDaily summed it up pretty well:

Entangled Bank is a series of complex networks connecting various elements in the community. Similar to how “a natural bank itself is meant to sustain and offer every opportunity for its constituents to succeed”, the same notion can be related to the social landscape of Dallas.  “This project offers the opportunity to develop a network that supports those that flourish…but also rehabilitates those that have withered,” explained the architects.

Dubai’s Chamber of Commerce authorized the development of a self-sustaining ecotopia.  everything from food to energy will be developed within the green space. off-grid.

chyeah!!  from the New Soap site:

We sell brand new liquid soap packaged in old plastic soda bottles, plastic water bottles and glass beer bottles to help clean up our environment.

Big companies aren’t going to do this on their own.  So, we’ll do it for them.  We buy name brand liquid soap by the barrel and package it in old bottles here in America.

from Inhabitat:

The Vatican is going solar in a big way. The smallest country in the world recently announced that it intends to spend 660 million dollars to create what will effectively be Europe’s largest solar power plant. This massive 100 megawatt photovoltaic installation will provide enough energy to make the Vatican the first solar powered nation state in the world!

the green moves are good… from Men.Style.com:

On the heels of yesterday’s dismal retail sales report from the Commerce Department, the retailer is set to double its store size in Chicago. Tomorrow it’ll open a seven-floor, 90,000 square-foot, LEED-certified space—complete with a plant-laden “green” roof that absorbs heat in winter and reflects it in summer;on the Windy City’s Gold Coast, directly opposite the former four-story space. In addition to the vitrinelike thermal-glass exterior, highlights include a penthouse Fred’s restaurant (with a terrace overlooking Lake Michigan) and an expanded two-floor menswear department;one floor for tailored clothing, one for Co-Op;with personal shopping suites and a lounge. “The old store was broken down by category; here you’re shopping by lifestyle,” says Tom Kalenderian, EVP of menswear. The upshot? “You don’t have to spend a lot of time running around to find different things.”

above is the first prize winning design for the Aquatic Complex for the Panamerican Games, designed by Paisajes Emergentes (Emerging Landscapes). the architecture firm is based in Medellin, Columbia and strives to create an atmosphere the landscape will shape over time; they do not look to create shiney new buildings that separate themselves from the environment. excellent designs!!  check them out!!

from designboom:

designers kfir schwalb and orit magia of studio shulab have sent us images of their latest work ‘lightpot’, a  small pot for growing plants and herbs indoors. it works with the use of LED lighting. ‘lightpot’ can be placed anywhere in the house and in any light condition.

i believe this is only in the conceptual stage right now… but the GreenLight takes green lighting to the next level.  light is diffused by capitalizing on the process of photosynthesis.  moreover, the health of the plant is directly influenced by the environment in which you live/work.  the quality of the air and other factors are made evident when the health of the plant diminishes/flourishes.