The Largest Living Roof 3 Years Later
January 31, 2012 by admin · View Comments
It’s been three years since the green roof was planted on Vancouver’s new convention centre.
Is it a success? Is it as good as they promised it would be?
The answer is that some parts are terrific — attractive, quality planting; a beautiful habitat for songbirds and insect life.
But other areas are untidy, scrubby, a bit of a mess; you might even say, an eyesore, and a fair ways from what they could or should be.Overall, the roof is more a success than a flop, but there’s definitely room for improvement, so the designers should not spend too much time patting themselves on the back. There’s still some refining work to do.
Covering 2.4 hectares (just over six acres), it is still the largest living roof in Canada and the largest non-industrial green roof in North America.
But being 10 storeys above ground, you can’t see much of it from street level, say from outside the Fairmont Pacific Rim at Canada Place.
The roof is mostly visible to people working in adjacent highrise office blocks, such as the Shaw Tower, or living in luxury condos opposite.Read more at the Vancouver Sun.
Beth
Worry-freedom - an Everyday Practice
January 23, 2012 by admin · View Comments
From Only Positive News writer Beth Mann:
I worry. More than I care to admit. Sometimes I don’t feel as if I have any control over it. But I do. (I mean, if I don’t, who does? The mailman?)
And it’s tough not to worry in today’s age. Our economy is hurting, our ecology is ailing and we’re disconnecting from one another, based on ever-growing need to be “connect” virtually.
I wanted to share with you a few techniques to stop worry in its tracks. Because I don’t know about you, but I’d rather live my life than worry about it!
1. Laugh. I can’t stress the importance of laughter as a worry-buster. A funny movie or a quick-witted friend can inspire those belly laughs that make you feel free and easy afterward. Can’t find anything funny? Fake it! Tests have proven that even fake laughter has therapeutic effects. Fake some laughter for 30 seconds and notice the difference.
2. Look skyward. Worry tends to make us think very small. We’re locked in a box. The simple solution: open it up by going outside. Look up into the sky and breathe. Take in the world around you and remember, you’re part of something greater. Go for a walk. When you return, check in with yourself. You’ll feel less stressed and more open-minded.
3. Write it out. This one is tough for people because we have trouble making time for it. But simply writing out your worries is a great tool that provides instant relief - so try to fit it in. This doesn’t have to be any masterpiece. On the contrary, purge. Let it all out on the paper in a big, unrecognizable blob. The idea is to simply put the inner chatter on paper, so you can close that notebook and leave the worries on the page.
Worry doesn’t just have to exist side-by-side with us. Don’t get use to it. No matter what the concern, the more you practice breaking free, the healthier and happier you’ll be.
Beth
New Year’s Solutions
January 19, 2012 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
One way that we can cultivate belief in ourselves is by incrementally increasing how we challenge our self. We can do this by setting one small goal at a time, taking the neccessary steps to set ourselves up for success and then of course, by sticking with it. Once we reach our goal, it’s equally important that we take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate our achievements before putting our focus on something just a tiny bit bigger. This process builds our belief in self.
It’s important to also know that for a resolution to be successful, it must be lined up with what our subconscious really wants for us. When we try to go against the subconscious, it will always find a way to meet it’s own agenda.
Beth
From the Mouths of Babes
January 15, 2012 by admin · View Comments
I found this bittersweet video last night while surfing and wanted to share it with you. Riley, a young girl, talks about the limitations of marketing for little boys and girls…and hits home some pretty big truths.
I hope you enjoy it and happy Monday all!
Little Girl Gets Mad about Pink Toys
Beth
The Smiling Solution (with some Far Side thrown in)
December 20, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
The Smiling Solution
And finally, if you want to feel happier, there’s a simple way to do it: Just smile.
In a 1988 study, researchers at the University of Mannheim in Germany had participants look at Far Side cartoon strips (see below) under two conditions: One group of people was asked to hold pencils between their teeth, which forced their mouths into smiles. The others held the pencils with just their lips, which produced a frowning expression. According to the results, the people who’d been forced to smile found the comics far more hilarious than the frowners did.
So if you want to boost your mood, just grin and bear it. Soon enough, your smile will be for real. Science says so.
Quirkology: How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things is available from Amazon.
Beth
Jon Bon Jovi’s “Pay what you Can” Soul Kitchen
December 12, 2011 by admin · View Comments
Soul Kitchen is a new restaurant opened in Red Bank, New Jersey, by Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea. The establishment offers a “pay what you can afford” payment model, and serves wholesome, gourmet food made with fresh ingredients grown in the restaurant’s garden, and other local produce.
On the website, they explain that Soul Kitchen is “A community restaurant with no prices on the menu; customers donate to pay for their meal. If you are unable to donate you may do volunteer work in exchange for your family’s meal.”
But as NJ.com reports, this is no soup kitchen serving up desperation and gruel. “The décor is upscale. Patrons don’t wait in line — they are waited on.”
Beth
In a Fisherman’s Language
December 9, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
MYSTIC, Conn. (AP) - When retired Stonington lobsterman Jim Henry was 91 he decided it was time he taught himself how to read and write.
And now seven years later, at the age of 98, Henry is a published author.
Henry recently signed copies of his just-released book, “In a Fisherman’s Language,” at Academy Point, the senior housing project where he lives. A larger public signing is being planned for December, and the book will be soon be available at www.fishermanslanguage.com.
The book is a collection of short stories such as the time he was unable to save a fellow fisherman who fell overboard, his time as professional boxer and his arrival by boat from Portugal with his parents. Many of the stories involve his career on the ocean.
The cover of the book, which is published by Fowler Road Press of North Stonington, is a close-up black and white photo of Henry’s right hand as he writes on a piece of paper.
On Tuesday, the day before the signing, Henry was at the desk in his apartment.
He was beaming.
“I feel so good about doing this. I don’t know what to do or what to say,” he said. “I feel like I was just born.”
In recent days, Henry said people who have read the first copies of the book have told him they can’t believe they were now talking to the author.
“Here I am, nothing but a fisherman before and now everyone is looking up to me. It makes me feel so happy,” he said.
Source: News8.com
Beth
How to Shift Perspective when Hurt
December 9, 2011 by admin · View Comments
“You take things so personally.”
Perhaps you’ve heard that before. Or said it to someone else. Taking something personally is a rather natural thing to do - afterall, we can only see life through our own eyes and we’re feeling beings. But often just a moment of reflection can take the sting out of rude comment or action.
1. Understand projection. Projection is a psychological concept whereby someone holds you accountable or blames you for something he or she feels badly about feeling or thinking. (Research projection more if you want a more thorough definition.) The next time someone says something off-putting, remember that he or she may be feeling that way about himself or herself. In short, it’s not all about you.
2. Make room for bad moods. We tend to think of others as standalone players in our life. As if they hadn’t had a full day of work behind them or a rude word spoken to them. People are allowed their moods just as you’d like to be allowed yours. If someone says or does something that hurts a bit, take a moment to realize that moods are passing storms and not the ultimate definition of a person.
3. Think about the sky. Hurt feelings feed on themselves. They can have a snowball effect, gathering momentum the more we mull over how we were wronged. For a quick moment, think of something else. Do something else. Address another matter. Gently guide your mind in another direction, even if for a moment. You’ll be surprised how much that does to diffuse hurt feelings.
Beth
Honey I’m Home! Urban Beehives For Sweet City Living
December 6, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steve in Animals & Habitats & Home & Garden & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
The latest buzz on urban gardening? Urban beehives, of course! These 7 bee-friendly beehives may be designed for city slickers who think Honeycomb comes in a box, but they’re ideal for anyone who wants to invite a little urban wildlife into their nature-challenged neighborhood.
The Beehaus
(images via: Physorg and New York Times)
The Beehaus might look a little like a very large breadbox but it’s really more like a honeypot – just add bees! Designed to suit the needs of both bees and beekeepers, the Beehaus comes with a 10-page instruction manual that covers pretty much any eventuality an urban beekeeper might face.
(images via: Delicious Magazine and The Crossed Cow)
Most images of the Beehaus show it in yellow with gray trim but buyers can actually select from a range of bright, flowery colors. The Beehaus is a thoughtful update on the classic man-made hive, a design that really hasn’t been significantly updated since the 1920s. With that said, the Beehaus isn’t cheap: one UK site has it listed “from £495.00″ but each kit includes everything you need to support a healthy honeybee colony. You can even order a beesuit and bees.
Bikube
(images via: New Tech News and Hot and Cool Stuff)
The Bikube Urban Beehive By Adam Weaver addresses an interesting hypothesis: city bees are doing well compared to their country cousins thanks to urban gardeners, who grow a bewildering variety of flowers yet use less pesticides than most farmers. City beehives are different too, witness the Bikube which is designed to attach to a home or apartment’s exterior wall. The attachment side is actually the Bikube’s only flat side: its other surfaces are curved to direct rainwater off the hive.
D.I.Y. HONEY
(images via: creativeDNAaustria and Philadelphia Weekly)
D.I.Y. HONEY is a design project from Austria’s Lena Goldsteiner. This acorn-shaped bee condo takes its inspiration from Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes. The support mechanism resembles that of a hanging basket, though one wonders how the bees will react to wild weather, winds and storms.
The BeeCrib
(images via: Linda Raharuhi and Re-Nest)
The BeeCrib may not be as stylish as some other urban beehive designs but it makes up for that by being easy to assemble: no tools, no glue, no problem! Designers from the Bachelor of Design Innovation program at New Zealand’s Victoria University Wellington set out to create a top bar style beehive, the parts of which can be easily shipped in flat-pack format.
(images via: Linda Raharuhi)
The ultimate goal of the designers was and is to support urban beekeeping and thus boost the numbers of honeybees. The overall simplicity of the BeeCrib should appeal not only to new hobbyists but also to open source manufacturers who can ensure easy availability and low cost.
Mason Bee House
(images via: CrispGreen and Home Orchard Society)
While harvesting honey from your urban beehive is sweet payback for the work put in making your winged guests comfy & cozy, other types of bees are worth supporting too, honey or not. Take the Mason Bee: slightly smaller than honeybees, non-stinging Mason Bees visit up to 1,000 flowers daily – 20 times as much as the average honeybee! The Mason Bee House is built from biodegradable bamboo and its network of hollow tubes perfectly suits the nesting needs of Mason Bees.
The Warré Beehive
(images via: Bee Happy)
The Warré Beehive, invented by Abbé Émil Warré, is a simple and practical design that seeks to approximate as closely as possible the natural conditions under which bee colonies build hives in the wild. With that said, the design also works well for novice and/or urban beekeepers due to its simplicity and practicality. The so-called “People’s Hive” resembles a stack of boxes – when more space is needed, another box is added to the bottom of the stack.
(images via: The Beekeeper’s Digest)
Some Warré Beehives are constructed with viewing windows at the front that allows beekeepers and their guests) to monitor the progress of honeycomb-building from the outside. The bees don’t seem to mind being watched and will happily build their honeycombs right out to the clear glass pane.
The Urban Beehive by Philips
(images via: Nanaimo Green Developments)
The Urban Beehive from Philips is a two-part affair that “aims to bring fresh honey right to user’s living rooms.” Now don’t panic – although the portion of the Urban Beehive that contains the honey may be in the living room, the bees aren’t thanks to an ingenious mounting system that keeps access to the hive strictly on the outside.
(image via: Treehugger)
The Urban Beehive is as sleek and modern as they come, and that includes the gracefully curved integral flowerpot that provides hard-working bees with a quick sip before landing. The device also features a built-in smoke activator that comes into play when collecting honey from the hive. While only a concept, the warm reception given the Urban Beehive during its debut at Dutch Design Week bodes well for both bees and bee-lovers.
(image via: Serious Eats)
Are you catching a buzz yet? Urban beekeeping can be hugely rewarding, eminently fulfilling and just plain fun but it’s no casual endeavor. Being a bee boss demands time, care and patience – the lack of any of which can turn the sweet taste of success to the bitter sting of defeat… especially if you step on a bee barefoot. Respect the hive and you both may thrive!
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Clucked Up: 13 Creative Chicken Coop Designs
November 25, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden. ]
Urban chickens have never had it so good. Not only is backyard chicken farming increasing in popularity, but chicken digs are getting cooler and fancier, with coop designs that rival those of the owners’ houses. These 13 poultry palaces range from ultramodern egg-shaped coops for a trio of birds up to larger wind-powered enclosures that could revolutionize the livestock industry.
Chicktopia
(images via: studio h)
100 reclaimed sticks from a tobacco barn make up the ‘cage’ of this highly unusual, super-modern chicken coop. Chicktopia was designed and built by Studio H – a public high school design/build curriculum. Two skewed boxes on either end offer up cozy lodgings for the chickens while the twisting walkway gives them a taste of the outdoors. Chicktopia is now located at the Bertie Early College Agricultural School.
Handcrafted Chicken Coops by Drew Waters
(images via: design milk)
Portable, compact and beautiful, this is one chicken coop that you likely wouldn’t mind showing off. Drew Waters crafts these A-shaped homes from Douglas Fir timber, which naturally repels insects.
Cocorico
(images via: yank0 design)
Is this coop concept cool or what? Cocorico by Maxime Evrard is made up of an egg-shaped housing compartment connected to a covered mesh area for play and scratching. While, like a number of other stylish coops on this list, it’s not super practical, it’s an interesting idea for urban chicken owners with just a handful of hens.
Breed and Retreat by Frederik Roije
(images via: dezeen)
Like an apartment building for chickens, Breed and Retreat by designer Frederki Rioje elevates hen houses off the ground in a stacked configuration with private ‘rooms’ and a large glassed-in egg-laying area.
Maurice, the Car Chicken Coop
(images via: backyard chickens)
Kooky and creative, ‘Maurice’ is an old, half-crushed 1970 Morris Traveler converted into a chicken coop by Michael Thompson. Thompson cut the car in half, painted the interior black to create a private area for egg laying and cut a hole into the back door.
Chicken Circus
(images via: studio h)
Reclaimed and beautiful, ‘Chicken Circus’ is another chicken coop designed and built by Studio H. Two swinging doors make it easy for minders to feed and water the chickens and collect eggs, and an attached front run gives the chickens a little bit of protected outdoor space.
Front Yard Solar-Powered Chicken Coop
(images via: frontyardcoop.com)
This isn’t just a simple and compact chicken coop design. It does something very special, all on its own, without requiring you to lift a finger. The Front Yard “Fully Monty” chicken coop has a self-propelling mechanism that scoots it 16 feet every hour, powered by an affixed solar panel. Small yard? No biggie. If the coop bumps into a tree or a fence, it will simply turn itself around and move in another direction.
Urban Solar-Powered Chicken Coop by RAAD
(images via: inhabitat)
While browsing the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in May 2011, Inhabitat came across this solar-powered chicken coop by RAAD Studio in New York City. The coop is shipped flat-packed and is easy to assemble. The solar panels on top help circulate air through the coop, which contains storage space for bedding and food, a perch for roosting, four laying units and a slide-out chicken run.
Handmade Green-Roofed Chicken Coop
(images via: dwell)
Before you get a sense of the scale of this sleek structure, you might think it was a full-sized contemporary home. But architects Mitchell Snyder and Shelley Martin prove that good design isn’t just for humans with their creation, which houses three hens. The green roof not only supports a garden, but also keeps the interior cool. It includes a 4-by-15-foot run.
Nogg Egg-Shaped Chicken Pod
(images via: nogg.co)
LIke a big wooden egg for your yard, the Nogg makes visual reference to its purpose while simultaneously looking like no other chicken coop you’ve ever seen. Made of cedar wood, the Nogg boasts a glass dome in the roof that provides light and can also be twisted and lifted for ventilation.
Coopus Maximus
(image via: studio h)
Inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s geometric architectural designs, Coopus Maximus is a third chicken coop by Studio H. The designers say, “This coop in particular was an interesting construction feat, as much of its realization happened in a sort of fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants fashion, figuring out joinery and angles as we went, designing and building simultaneously.”
Eglu Chicken and Rabbit Hutch
(images via: core 77)
Says designer Omlet of their cute and colorful rabbit or chicken houses, Eglu is “designed to be the house that chickens [and rabbits] themselves would choose.” They’re cozy and well-protected, but each offers a nice long caged-in run in which to play and enjoy the outdoors without being exposed to predators. Each Eglu features a removable lid for cleaning, a pull-out tray for droppings, a top-mounted door handle and a reach-in ‘eggport.
Wind-Powered Prefab Chicken Coop
(images via: inhabitat)
It might just be one small step in the daunting process of reducing the impact that livestock farms, including chicken operations, have on the environment – but it’s definitely impressive. This prefabricated wind- and solar-powered chicken coop by Peleg/Burshtein Architects and landscape architect Nathan Gulman is designed like a wind tunnel to provide constant ventilation and contains water tanks, silos, egg storage and a waste-treatment system that turns chicken manure into biofuel. The unit can be adapted for free-range use.
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