Sunday, 28 July 2013
Today is World Day for Nature Conservation
Today, July 28th is the World Day for Conservation of Nature, and since there is a lot of information about this day all over the internet, I will speak only what each of us as individuals and citizens can do to preserve the nature that surrounds us, for now, because if we continue with the call that progress, we will surround nature and not otherwise.
Our day to day has a big impact on nature by our actions and they should be the first to be analyzed and self-criticism before we can make any kind of assessment on the actions of others. We all heard about recycling, better power management, better water management, but do we do our work? Or do we just wait for the newscast in order to see that measures have been taken to better manage these energies?
Because regardless of what our governments do, everything starts and ends in each of us, because if measures were taken to better water management, it only has any effect if we, consumers, were careful with our own day to day use, whether in the shower or in the washing, watering the plants, maintenance of swimming pools, among other situations.
When I say I would just give some advice to us people and citizens, these same counts were to be adopted by the same people who have positions of responsibility as the management of energy, water and waste management, as who many of us have gone through a garden of a hotel or a municipal garden and automatic irrigation system is turned on during a winter day in which it is raining, and unfortunately this situation goes up again and again for a year and another and another, thus increasing the consumption of drinking water to which each it is increasingly scarce throughout the world.
I hope this day has the importance for what it is in and for each of us and that we can all think about our actions, so that we can fix what we can.
Think that we call Mother Nature for some reason, because without it we, never ever existed
Good Sunday to all
Claudio Jardim 07/28/2013
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Ecorkhotel a new concept in Évora
The ECORKHOTEL
More than a new hotel, this hotel is one sustainable energy hotel also, because the use of cork and also the use of other renewable energy projects makes this hotel whit an excellent level of environmental sustainability.
The Ecorkhotel, Évora Suites & SPA is the most recent hotel of 4 stars and higher in the municipality of Évora. This eco-hotel has an accommodation offer of 56 private suites with an area of about 70m2 each, surrounded by oaks, holm oaks and olive trees. With a modern and contemporary ambience inserted on the Montado do Alentejo, only five minutes from the center of Évora, World Heritage of Humanity since 1986, and at a distance of one hour drive from Lisbon. This hotel has the ideal conditions to escape the day-to-day, making a nice weekend getaway, a few days of the city whit the family or a quiet and restful stay in business.
Cork is a 100% natural, is the characteristic feature throughout the main hotel building, as well as the exterior surrounding landscape. The Ecorkhotel uses cork to the outer sheath of the main building, making it one of the few buildings in the world to have this use and the first in the area of hospitality. The use of cork abroad, acts as thermal and acoustic insulation, allows for exceptional energy efficiency and a unique natural environment. The entire hotel was designed and built with maximum energy efficiency. Using geothermal heating it to the main building and pools. Solar panels for heating hot water hotel and indoor and outdoor pools.
The proposed architecture is authored by José Carlos Cruz (Architect)
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
A green and healthy holiday
Want to have a green and healthy vacation, so here I leave the top 10 cities to visit by bike, a way to meet great cities, which kicked off the construction of bike paths to reduce the specific impacts of car usage and even public transport.
In Portugal we have some cities that have been focusing on bike paths as a access to the cities, these bike lanes can be seen on the website http://www.ciclovia.pt/ which gives us a good perspective of the cities that can meet this summer within our country using the bicycle as a primary means of transportation.
1.Amesterdão (Netherlands)
It is the main city in the world to ride. Every person riding a bicycle, and there is often congestion of two wheelers. An example for all cities.
2.Copenhaga (Denmark)
It is another of the most cited in regard to sustainable mobility. In Scandinavia, cycling is part of the local lifestyle, and there is no city that hit Copenhagen this sustainable lifestyle. More than 50% of the local community use the bike on a day-to-day.
3: Portland (United States)
It would not be unusual to see one American city on this list, but Portland can keep this ranking year after year. There are three famous B Portland beer (beer), and baristas bike (bicycle).
4.Paris (France)
Although not the first thing we remember when we think of bikes, the truth is that Paris has one of the bike sharing systems more impressive worldwide, Velib. And yes, cycling is part of Parisian culture.
5.are Francisco (United States)
The other American city this rank is known for sustainable mobility, since the electric buses. It is also one of the most beautiful cities of the United States.
6.Berlim (Germany)
In the German town, 13% of people riding every day. In some neighborhoods, this percentage rises to 25%. Is not Amsterdam or Copenhagen, but we are talking about different populations in terms of numbers.
7.Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
With 250 kilometers of bike paths, Rio de Janeiro is an ideal city for cycling - because congestion automobiles are a plague. Meanwhile, the good weather in Rio can be used to pedaling.
8.Barcelona (Spain)
Beach, mountain, metropolitan area ... and eclectic place to ride quietly. Barcelona is of the most comprehensive in the world, and bicycles are no exception.
9.Montreal (Canada)
The Canadian city has roads, streets and even separate tracks for bicycles. There are also close to 5,000 kilometers of bike paths, the call Route Verte.
10.Bogotá (Colombia)
CicloRuta The city is one of the most extensive in the world. How much of the population does not have access to cars, bicycles are an economical solution and welcomed by local citizens.
Rankings taken from: http://greensavers.sapo.pt/2013/07/24/as-10-melhores-cidades-para-visitar-de-bicicleta/%20on%2024/07/2013
In Portugal we have some cities that have been focusing on bike paths as a access to the cities, these bike lanes can be seen on the website http://www.ciclovia.pt/ which gives us a good perspective of the cities that can meet this summer within our country using the bicycle as a primary means of transportation.
1.Amesterdão (Netherlands)
It is the main city in the world to ride. Every person riding a bicycle, and there is often congestion of two wheelers. An example for all cities.
2.Copenhaga (Denmark)
It is another of the most cited in regard to sustainable mobility. In Scandinavia, cycling is part of the local lifestyle, and there is no city that hit Copenhagen this sustainable lifestyle. More than 50% of the local community use the bike on a day-to-day.
3: Portland (United States)
It would not be unusual to see one American city on this list, but Portland can keep this ranking year after year. There are three famous B Portland beer (beer), and baristas bike (bicycle).
4.Paris (France)
Although not the first thing we remember when we think of bikes, the truth is that Paris has one of the bike sharing systems more impressive worldwide, Velib. And yes, cycling is part of Parisian culture.
5.are Francisco (United States)
The other American city this rank is known for sustainable mobility, since the electric buses. It is also one of the most beautiful cities of the United States.
6.Berlim (Germany)
In the German town, 13% of people riding every day. In some neighborhoods, this percentage rises to 25%. Is not Amsterdam or Copenhagen, but we are talking about different populations in terms of numbers.
7.Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
With 250 kilometers of bike paths, Rio de Janeiro is an ideal city for cycling - because congestion automobiles are a plague. Meanwhile, the good weather in Rio can be used to pedaling.
8.Barcelona (Spain)
Beach, mountain, metropolitan area ... and eclectic place to ride quietly. Barcelona is of the most comprehensive in the world, and bicycles are no exception.
9.Montreal (Canada)
The Canadian city has roads, streets and even separate tracks for bicycles. There are also close to 5,000 kilometers of bike paths, the call Route Verte.
10.Bogotá (Colombia)
CicloRuta The city is one of the most extensive in the world. How much of the population does not have access to cars, bicycles are an economical solution and welcomed by local citizens.
Rankings taken from: http://greensavers.sapo.pt/2013/07/24/as-10-melhores-cidades-para-visitar-de-bicicleta/%20on%2024/07/2013
Thursday, 18 July 2013
If the UN court ordered Japan is willing to change whaling program
It's not all bad news from Asia since just last month I spoke about the case of the tourists who took pictures with a dolphin instead of trying to help him.
Japan has indicated that it is available to make some changes in its program of whaling, this may be an important step in the protection of several species are still hunted by Japanese.
Remember that in 1986 Japan signed a treaty committing itself to stop whaling, but quickly resumed hunting again, so a year later returned to conduct whaling under the guise of being for scientific purposes, which leaves this reason many questions in the world, in which Australia is one of the most against, because it was Australia who in 2010 filed a complaint at the International Court of Justice (judicial organ of the UN).
Hopefully this time whaling for commercial purposes will be shutdown because an average of 1600 animals per year captured by Japan for sure that is not just scientific purposes as justified.
You can see the news, speaking specifically of the countries that still do whaling and more specifically about Japan.
Japan has indicated that it is available to make some changes in its program of whaling, this may be an important step in the protection of several species are still hunted by Japanese.
Remember that in 1986 Japan signed a treaty committing itself to stop whaling, but quickly resumed hunting again, so a year later returned to conduct whaling under the guise of being for scientific purposes, which leaves this reason many questions in the world, in which Australia is one of the most against, because it was Australia who in 2010 filed a complaint at the International Court of Justice (judicial organ of the UN).
Hopefully this time whaling for commercial purposes will be shutdown because an average of 1600 animals per year captured by Japan for sure that is not just scientific purposes as justified.
You can see the news, speaking specifically of the countries that still do whaling and more specifically about Japan.
Friday, 12 July 2013
Homeless people as guided tours operators
Just this week I found myself with a friend and we talk about a little news that he had found in a national newspaper, but from little news it didnt had nothing because it´s a story with a great impact on the city and the lives of those that will play some roll in it and also a new opportunity of life.
The city of Porto is about to have some new tour guides that will be nothing less than the homeless people who live in that city and which are linked to the project Welcome Home (http://www.welcomehome.pt/) the idea begin when of the association and the Catholic University, get together for a project.
The course in "Hospitality and Tourism Experience" will be given by the Catholic University and will primarily aim to train people that alredy have a great knowledge of the city and can use that same knowledge as a way of reintegrating these citizens and way to make the city more attractive to be visited by tourist.
3 routes will be created which tour guides trained at the University IRAM go, thus showing the tourists that the city has to offer.
An excellent idea that should be used by other cities in order to reintegrate its citizens.
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