Wednesday 16 April 2008

Why Can’t A Building Be As Eco-Friendly As A Tree?

Interesting article from the 'Green' Issue of Vanity Fair which interviews architect William McDonough who wants to start a new industrial revolution based around smart design.

Rather than design from cradle to grave which is based around manufacture, consumption, and rubbish, cradle to cradle is in McDonoughs words "does not just reduce waste, it eliminates the concept of waste,” and says that products be manufactured in new ways that will allow them to be reduced to their essential technical or biological elements in order to be re-used.

If you have a spare 20 minutes, check out the talk he gave at TED 2oo5


Who Says Bill Gates Hasn't Got A Sense Of Humour

Unlike Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computers, it looks like Bill Gates knows how to poke fun at himself.

This 5 minute spoof based on the indie film Napoleon Dynamite, shows just why

Mutualism - Why we all need each other

Olivia Judson in the New York Times writes a fascinating piece on how different species work together in harmony. Examples include the shrimp goby, a small fish that warns the shrimp of any danger in return for shelter.

While one would expect in these relationships to break down with one side turning into a parasite, it appears that the ability to cohabit and share allows both parties to evolve more efficiently.

Something perhaps us humans could learn from...

Tuesday 15 April 2008