“Waste Suprematism” emphasizes contrast between the natural and artificial

Most of the world is well aware of how plastics are polluting our oceans and the lasting impact being inflicted on the environment. However, we’ve already become numb to the thousands of photos of waste pile-up or wildlife being affected by plastics.

In order to place the spotlight back on one of humankind’s most pressing issues, Balazs Csizik drew on his skills as a visual artist and photographer to create this striking body of work.

Inspired by the 1900’s art movement known as Russian Suprematism Csizik’s work uses the same principles of color, composition, and contrast. The work emphasizes the stark disconnect between what should and shouldn’t be in these coastal environments.

https://www.gessato.com/waste-suprematism-balazs-csizik/

Improvements include API access to teach this pup tricks

Available for shipping on February 1st in Japan this is the second installment of Sony’s adorable robotic friend. Similar to the original model accept for the added color, API access, and partnership with Secom to ensure a new security feature.

It still costs the same, $198,000 JPY or $1,800 USD, but with an optional monthly fee of about $14 USD for that aforementioned security feature. What is it? Well, it turns Aibo into a security system to keep you and or your family safe. It uses facial recognition paired with an ability for creating indoor maps to achieve this.

Unfortunately, this friendly little bot has so far only been listed for sale to Japanese consumers. It may expand to the US considering that the previous model did, but with a hefty $1,000 surcharge.

https://www.engadget.com/2019/01/23/sony-chocolate-aibo/

In order to combat heavily polluted cities in the face of global environmental crisis

China has developed an aggressive and comprehensible five year plan to make their currently heavily polluted cities into model urban centers for a sustainable future. The plan creates a projection for roughly half of global construction over the next ten years to take place in China alone.

Significant investment opportunities are emerging in Chinese markets such as construction, architecture, and urban design.

UBS, Mashable

Upcoming projects are now required to adhere to stringent environmental policies such as the Chinese Government requiring half of all new urban development to be sustainable. Another example being that public buildings are held to a three star rating system by the Green Building Action Plan accounting for six environmental categories.

Designers, Architects, and companies are also rising to meet the new demand with such innovations as sky scrapers that can be built in mere weeks by utilizing sustainable prefabricated modular sections. One “Forest City” project in the city Shijiazhuang of the Northern Hebei region aims to cover buildings in plants, which would absorb many tons of Carbon emissions while producing Oxygen.

https://mashable.com/article/green-cities-China

Using bits and pieces from over 600 years of river trash

London based eyewear brand Cubitts displayed these interesting and sustainably sourced glasses at the “Retrospective: London, Spectacles, and Half a Millennia”  exhibition of Nov 15th at St James’s Market Pavilion.

Titled “A frame for London,” the idea originated from London’s deep history with Eyewear dating back to 1430, according to founder Tom Broughton. This history unfortunately includes the massive amount of waste that has accumulated in global waterways, including London’s.

Broughton and his team utilized this knowledge to source all of the glasses’ materials from the bottom of a river bed near Greenwich. They worked with mudlark expert Steve Brooker to uncover some very interesting items that are featured in the frames.

One of the last things we found was a World War II bullet and one of the first was an old boar’s tusk. 

Tom Broughton, Cubitts founder

In addition to this remarkably sourced frame, Cubitts has collaborated with designers to create other creatively sourced and stylish designs. One such collaboration with Phoebe English features cutoffs from acetate that would’ve otherwise become more waste.

https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/cubitts-spectacles-product-design-261018

Designed by Margarita Talep

Margarita has perfected a biodegradable alternative to single use packaging that plagues the world’s grocery stores, landscapes, and bodies of water. This bioplastic is composed of three main ingredients – a polymer, a plasticiser, and an additive, which when combined in different amounts procure varying consistencies of plastic.

The polymer and main ingredient in this case is agar – a jelly-like polysaccharide substance that is extracted from red algae by boiling

Natashah Hitti, dezeen

In addition to being able to produce varying plastic consistencies it can also be made in multiple colors from dyes derived from natural fruit and vegetable skins.

The plastic can biodegrade within 2 months in warm conditions and within 4 months in colder conditions making it a great alternative to regular plastics that can last well beyond the current generation.

Margarita Talep develops algae-based alternative to single-use plastic packaging

Lilium aims to get city taxis into the sky

By 2025 the company Lilium will have autonomous taxis capable of vertical takeoff or landing available to the public at competitive rates to Lyft and Uber. Their goal is to lower city transportation pollution while providing a public service that could shorten the commute for many and increase connectivity.

These aircraft generate no local emissions. This is important, especially when you fly over densely populated areas and close to schools or offices.

Remo Gerber, chief commercial officer of Lilium

The aircraft will be fully electric without generating C02 emissions in use or during charging while being able to achieve a range and speed of 186mi/mph. It will travel at an altitude of roughly 0.25 mi while in transit, meaning that it will also lower noise pollution!

https://www-lsnglobal-com.meredith.collegeforcreativestudies.edu/big-ideas/article/23451/are-inner-city-air-taxis-the-future-of-clean-mobility

Scientists propose the “Planetary diet”

Global population is projected to reach 10 billion by the year 2050 while industrial agriculture has already ravaged the planet to support unhealthy western diets in North America and Europe. This poses the question: how can we sustain current diets while reducing global environmental impact and increasing healthy living? The simple answer is that it’s just not possible.

In order to address the current 2 billion malnourished, 2 billion obese, and 800 million hungry people an international commission now has the scientific solution. The Planetary diet resembles others well established for healthy living such as the Mediterranean or Okinawa diets. It supports a daily caloric intake of 2,500 while focusing on more plants, grains, or nuts and far less meats, sugar, and eggs.

Adoption of this diet could prove difficult for North American and European culture, but would only require minor changes, if any, for the rest of the world. The Planetary diet so far is the most well researched and best solution for the global issues we are facing.

If we can eat in a way that works for our planet as well as our bodies, the natural balance will be restored.

Richard Horton and Tamara Lucas, editors at the Lancet

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/16/new-plant-focused-diet-would-transform-planets-future-say-scientists

In a crucial time calling for sustainable initiatives the US is falling behind

In the past year carbon emissions have risen 3.4% according to a report from the Rhodium Group. This rise can be attributed to increased demand for energy amidst a booming economy that has also seen emission increases in sectors such as transportation, building, and industry. This is the largest increase in emissions in over two decades since the economy’s revival after the 2010 recession.

Rhodium monitors particularly harmful emissions such as carbon dioxide, which has twice the environmental effect as natural gas and comes from coal operated plants. Plants are making the positive shift from coal to natural gas, but given the increased demand for energy more plants are being opened negating the switch to less harmful emissions.

The Trump administration is unfortunately rolling back regulations in sectors, including energy, that would expedite sustainable practices. Ignoring federal scientific reports showing massive negative effects to come from increasing environmental impact.

Fortunately local and state policies are being initiated by governmental employees that will help push towards sustainable development. However, these policies will take time before enactment and they will not impact US emissions as much as was pledged in the Paris climate agreement.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/08/carbon-emissions-trump-agenda-climate-change?