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7 Modern wonders of green technology
With the newfound popularity of going green has come a surge of interest followed by some amazing innovations. It seems like every week there is a new avante garde green technological innovation or a cutting edge ecological design in the works.Urban skyscraper farms, floating eco-cities, glowing solar towers, turbine-driven skyscrapers, magnetically levitated wind collectors - they all sound very futuristic.
But interestingly enough some of these are already reality, some are soon to be and some may never see the light of day but all are awe-inspiring in their own way. These examples push the limits of ecological architecture and contemporary urban design.
- The new Bahrain World Trade Center with its three massive wind turbines situated between the two towers comprising the main building.
- The Lilypad Project is a series of floating self-sufficient ocean-going eco-city islands.
- The MagLev Wind Turbine uses magnetism to levitate the blades friction is eliminated
and more power can be produced without any additional power expense.
- The Glowing Solar Tower is Europe's first commercial power station to harness the energy of the sun.
- Urban skyscraper farms would provide locally grown food in densely packed urban centers.
- The Dongtan Eco-City is designed to be the world's first environmentally, socially, economically and culturally
sustainable city.
- The Lighthouse skyscraper is a 1000-foot-tall office skyscraper that employs solar energy collection and wind farming techniques coupled with strategies to reduce the use of and improve recovery of energy and water within the building.
For more information visit Weburbanist
Outdoor furniture - the new way
Traditional outdoor furniture is a thing of the past. With the world-wide focus on eco-friendly products and recyclable materials, manufacturers
world-wide have been researching and developing alternative materials and products that can be used effectively without impacting adversely on
the earths' environment.
High density polyethylene (HDPE) is a material that is currently being used and recycled in various applications - outdoor furniture being one of them. Although high density polyethylene is not bio-degradable, the material itself is the most-often recycled plastic for the manufacturing of alternative products. HDPE products have the number 2 on its recyclable symbol and is traditionally used in products and packaging such as milk jugs, detergent bottles, margarine tubs, garbage containers and water pipes.
HDPE is a highly resistant material that can retain its shape and structure against the effects of uv, salt water, chlorine, pollutants and high temperatures, thereby making it perfect for outdoor and pool-side furniture. This type of furniture has been sold in contemporary shapes and forms to the South African market by MBM Africa and Modern Garden for a few years already and is tried and tested by the African sun. It is easy to clean, requires no maintenance and is much more comfortable than wrought iron or wood as it has a subtle flexibility that forms to your body as you sit on it.
Source: Wikipedia
The SPI resin identification coding system is a set of symbols placed on plastics to identify the polymer type. It was developed by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) in 1988, and is used internationally. The primary purpose of the codes is to allow efficient separation of different polymer types for recycling.
| Symbol | Polymer Name | Uses |
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Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) | Polyester fibres, thermoformed sheet, strapping, and soft drink bottles |
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High density polyethylene (HDPE) | Bottles, grocery bags, milk jugs, recycling bins, agricultural pipe, base cups, car stops, playground equipment, and plastic lumber |
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Polyvinyl chloride (PVC or V) | Pipe, fencing, and non-food bottles |
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Low density polyethylene (LDPE) | Plastic bags, 6 pack rings, various containers, dispensing bottles, wash bottles, tubing, and various molded laboratory equipment |
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Polypropylene (PP) | Auto parts, industrial fibers, food containers, and dishware |
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Polystyrene (PS) | Desk accessories, cafeteria trays, plastic utensils, toys, video cassettes and cases, and insulation board and other expanded polystyrene products (e.g., Styrofoam) |
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Other plastics, including acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, fiberglass, nylon, polycarbonate, and polylactic acid (OTHER or O) | Bottles, plastic lumber applications |
Source : Wikipedia
A chance of snow at this campsite
In the valley of "Wolfberg" in the lower ranges of the Cederberg mountains lies a campsite that is well-know to nature lovers.
Sanddrif, located close to Algeria, is about 2 hours drive from Cape Town. In summer time, the campsite is thriving with small groups of people,
coming together to enjoy the wonders of nature, hiking, mountain biking, swimming and rock climbing. But in the coldest times of winter, with a chance of light
snow in the area, the campsite and the surrounding mountains transform into an entirely different wonder.
The campsite itself is of reasonable size, non-commercial and is very well situated with a big green field along the tranquil Dwars River edge for tents. There are fireplaces and hot showers/toilet facilities. All sites have electricity for an extra small fee. Specific sites are made available for caravans, and there are also cottages that can be booked if camping is not your style. The cottages sleep six people and supply basic cooking utensils, eating crockery/cutlery, fridge with a small freezer, beds but no bedding.
A half hour walk along the banks of the river leads you to pockets of interesting rock pools. Kids can easily access these rock pools and quick dips along the route are loads of fun for all. A quick hour hike up the steep slopes of the mountain behind the campsite takes you to a location high above the valley where the 180 degree vista of valley and mountains leaves you in awe of the beauty of nature. Other well know sites that are easily accessible within acceptable hiking times are Wolfberg Arch, Wolfberg Crack, Sandrift Crags and the Maltese cross.
For more information contact the owners at Dwarsrivier Farm (027) 482 2825 or visit their website for more information
We are eagerly working towards completing a client login area that will allow Living Matter's clients immediate access to profile, project and other relevant information in a centrally located secure environment on the internet.
This accessibility to information is far more advanced than any of our competitors and we are very excited about it!
We are expecting to launch this secure client area in a month or 2, so keep reading our newsletter to hear more information on what will be included and when it will be officially launched.
Barleria Obtusa
(Bush Violet)
Family :
Acanthaceae
Description :
Indigenous spreading shrublet to 1m, can be used as low hedge or ground cover with purple flowers.
Flowering time :
Autumn
Conditions :
- Full sun
- Average water
- Evergreen
- Some frost tender
- Well drained soil
Looking for some really chic contemporary or modern planter pots?
Obbligato has a fantastic range of planter and decorative pots that can be placed indoors and outdoors and will match with any decorative
and colour scheme. Thir pots come in a variety of shpaes, sizes and finishes including fibreglass, perspex, cement, metal, mosaic and powder coated.
View their pots online and contact us for a quote for supply and delivery to your home or office.
We all love a chance to test our own brain capacity with brain teasers. Try see if you can figure out this one...
March's Teaser Answer :
"Growing economy"
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Contact Cheral:
Cell: 082 82 509 82
Email: info@livingmatter.co.za
Website: www.livingmatter.co.za