EcoHearth - Eco International

In Much of the World, Pedestrians Rule the Naked Streets

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Dawn Marshallsay | Blog Entry) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

When the streets get naked, the pedestrians come out to play. It sounds strange that road accidents are reduced when you remove the curbs, signs and traffic lights that were designed to maintain safety, but this removal forces drivers to make eye contact with pedestrians and travel slower in case they need to break sharply—you never know where or when a pedestrian will want to cross the road. It’s therefore no surprise that naked streets, or so-called “shared space” schemes, are spreading across the globe. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

La Défense: Europe’s Largest Business District Sets a New Standard for Sustainable Development

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Matthew Monfuletho | Blog Entry) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

From every corner of the globe, an estimated eight million visitors flock to Paris every year to marvel at world-famous architectural wonders such as Notre Dame, the Louvre museum or the Tour Eiffel [tour means tower in French. – Ed.]. Yet, few tourists extend their cultural visit to take in what is often referred to as "the world's museum of modern architecture"—La Défense, Europe's largest business district. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Choking on Costs: The Price of Air Pollution in China

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (John Marten | Blog Entry) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:00:00 +0000

From time to time we see images of smog-smothered streets in Shanghai, Beijing and other major Chinese cities. Surely it's uncomfortable to breathe this fetid air—perhaps we even feel a sympathetic scratchiness in our throats or sting in our eyes—but how about its deleterious effects on the health of that nation and its people? And why is China having such difficulty keeping its air clean and breathable? {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Israel's Disappointing Brand of Environmentalism

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Shira Siegel | Blog Entry) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 05:00:00 +0000

For a young country that has transformed itself, despite scant resources, from proverbial no-man’s-land to thriving slice of the Middle East in 60-odd years, Israel and its people place environmental concerns and recycling surprisingly close to the bottom of their priority lists. Israel is a politically fragile state; people are more concerned about security, religious politics and whether or not they’ll be blown to pieces in a suicide bombing or rocket attack than about lobbying their municipalities for recycling collection or composting. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

How Africa May One Day Help Power Europe

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Dawn Marshallsay | Blog Entry) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Ever wondered why the Sahara desert hasn’t been converted into a giant solar panel by now? Well, DESERTEC, a syndicate of engineering and construction firms, must have read your mind. Its ambitious plan—based on a concept developed by politicians, economists and scientists from around the Mediterranean—is to power 15% of Europe and a sizable portion of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) area by 2050 using just the light from the Saharan sun. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Less Aesthetic Produce Can Help Cut CO2

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Dawn Marshallsay | Blog Entry) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 15:00:00 +0000

For many years European shoppers have been spoiled by strict rules governing the shape and size of their fruit and vegetables. Now that the European Union (EU) for environmental reasons has repealed the standards it imposed on 26 varieties (see list below), will consumers find a place in their stomachs for the misshapen produce hitting the shelves? How about you and your children? {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Battling Light Pollution—From Smart Street Lamps to Dark-Sky Preserves

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Dawn Marshallsay | Blog Entry) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:00:00 +0000

We save energy by turning off the light when we exit a room, but how about switching off street lights when we exit a road? The USA’s street lamps use enough electricity to power 1.4 million homes, and generate as much greenhouse gas as two million cars do in a year. By reducing the number and length of time streetlights are lit, we can save energy and money—and help save the planet. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Stopping Japanese Whaling—Saving Endangered Species or Cultural Racism?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Evan Miller | Blog Entry) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Officially, commercial whaling has been banned by the International Whaling Committee (IWC) since 1986. However, the IWC—originally set up to monitor and regulate whale stocks—is essentially made up of volunteer member nations such as Australia, the United States and Japan. This makes its power and authority over commercial whaling limited, to say the least. And Japan seems to be taking full advantage. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

The 'Beaches' of Paris and the Sustainable ‘Staycation’

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Sion Dayson | Blog Entry) — Sun, 27 May 2012 06:00:00 +0000

For the eleventh year in a row, the quais and canals of Paris will play something of a magic trick—a selected few will be transformed for four weeks into beaches starting July 20.

Sure, ‘beach’ (plage in French) may seem a generous term for what they actually are: concrete covered in sand. It’s true that the sounds of the city can never quite be quieted, and you’ll have no luck if you’re looking to swim. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Latin-American Flooding, El Niño and Global Warming

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Dawn Marshallsay | Blog Entry) — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

We moan about a drop of rain, but imagine if it didn’t stop. What if your house flooded, and your family and friends went missing, caught water- or mosquito-borne diseases, or drowned? What if your parents refused to leave their house to protect it from being looted? What if this happens every year like clockwork, but you’re too poor to prepare for it? Meanwhile, the water keeps on rising. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}