In Europe

Where’s the World’s Most Painful Commute?

August 20, 2010

I was just writing earlier on the power of cities and the progressive transportation choices cities can take to turn the world around (environmentally, economically, and otherwise). Looking at this from a different (and perhaps more negative) angle, IBM recently released a global “Commuter Pain Study.” For the study, IBM surveyed 8,192 motorists in 20 cities… Read More…

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Catholic Church Drowning in Child Sex Abuse Scandals

March 21, 2010

A German pedophile priest, known only as Father H, is one of the many storm clouds that has begun pouring horror down upon the Catholic Church. The institution has been embroiled in ever-expanding abuse scandals; many believe that the church has been forever damaged and has lost its moral authority. The pervasive extent of the systematic sadistic sexual abuse and cover ups is only now just beginning to come to light.

a Catholic church in Venezuela

Clouds gather over a Catholic church in Jají, Venezuela; many predict that the ever-expanding sexual abuse scandals may hit the faithful in Latin America the hardest.

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Europe’s Bats Defy Killer Fungus Decimating US Bats

March 17, 2010

Myotis myotis – greater mouse-eared bat (Manuel Werner)

First discovered in bats in New York State back in 2006, white-nose syndrome has since spread to nine states and threatens to wipe out up to a third, possibly more, of North American brown bats (Myotis lucifugus). As the news of this ecological catastrophe-in-the-making spread across the pond, European zoologists and ecologist braced themselves for the arrival of the fungus in their native bat populations.

Sure enough, in March of last year, European researchers spotted a mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) with the white-nose fungus. But to nearly everyone’s surprise, the bat did not succumb to the disease. In fact, so far, most of Europe’s bat species remain largely unaffected by the fungus, and those that do contract the syndrome, are not dieing from it.

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Common but Lethal Soil Fungus Becoming Resistant to Antifungals

January 31, 2010

Aspergillus fumigatus – a common but sometimes lethal soil fungus

Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungus found commonly in ordinary garden soil. When the spores of the fungus are inhaled, It can also cause disease–sometimes fatally in those with already compromised immune systems and respiratory disease such as COPD. Doctors who treat the illness have long-recognized that in some patients, the fungus is resistant to standard treatment with chemicals called azoles. The problem becomes potentially worse as azoles are also heavily used as farm fungicides. A team of Dutch researchers (Verweij and Kema), reporting in last December’s edition of the medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases suggest that over-use of the farm fungicide may be contributing to the growing resistance of this fungus to the disease-fighting chemicals.

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Pigs Buried Alive for Avalanche Research!

January 16, 2010

In order to save human lives and study the effects of being buried in avalanches, researchers buried live pigs in snow while monitoring them as they died. The research was conducted in order to better understand the effects of oxygen deprivation from being buried in the snow as well as study the timescale of death. A total of 29 pigs were part of the two-week study.

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Ecovillage Spotlight: Findhorn Ecovillage, Scotland

December 29, 2009

Ecovillages are great habitats and support systems for people who want to live environmentally friendlier, happier, healthier lives. One of the most famous modern ecovillages, Findhorn Ecovillage, starts this ecovillage spotlight series.

Ecovillages often combine ecological planning and design with innovative social, political and/or economic systems. Additionally, they often include certain cultural or spiritual goals.

The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) states, “Ecovillages are urban or rural communities of people, who strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life. To achieve this, they integrate various aspects of ecological design, permaculture, ecological building, green production, alternative energy, community building practices, and much more.”

Due to their great features but still rather obscure existence, I decided to do this “Ecovillage Spotlight” series to highlight some of the great ecovillages that exist around the world.

The ecovillages that follow show some of the great possibilities that are out there for ecologically friendly, community living.

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Precious Cargo: Extremely Rare Rhinos Prepared for Move from Czech Zoo to Kenya

December 17, 2009

Four of the world’s eight surviving Northern white rhinos are about to be flown from ZOO Dvůr Králové in the Czech Republic to Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

This weekend, Northern white rhinos Sudan, Suni, Najin, and Fatu will begin the journey of a lifetime: A new life in Kenya – and the last hope for one of earth’s rarest creatures.

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#1 Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Great Bicycle City Photo Tour

December 9, 2009

Topping yet another bicycle list, Amsterdam is #1 here because of the great bicycle photos to follow along with the fact that 40% of traffic is bicycle traffic in Amsterdam and the city is full of bicycle facilities, including a 10,000-bicycle parking garage at its train station.

Amsterdam may not have as high a percentage of bicycle commuters as its Dutch neighbor to the north, Groningen, or as much bike-crazy counter-culture as Portland (Oregon), or the largest bicycle sharing program in the world like in Paris, or naked bicycle rides like in Barcelona and Portland, but compared to these and other world cities I think it is pretty well established now that it and Copenhagen are in a tight competition for the top position. Amsterdam tops this list because of the great photos to follow.

The photos here show love and kisses on bikes, tons of bike parking, creative family bikes, flower bikes, and various cargo bikes, among other things.

Everyone rides a bike in the Netherlands, even Santa Clause (or Sinterklaas). Riding a bike doesn’t take away from women’s fashion at all either, but adds to it here. Biking is a part of normal life — perhaps that is why the Dutch are so calm.

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#4 Copenhagen, Denmark: Great Bicycle City Photo Tour

November 11, 2009

Home of the upcoming climate change conference, Copenhagen is #4 in this great bicycle city photo tour series. With about 55% of trips being by bicycle, Copenhagen is an amazing place to visit or live if you like bicycling.

The photos to follow give you a taste of this great bicycle city. From dogs on bikes to bikes on bikes, from bikes in ice to bike counters, enjoy these great bicycle photos.

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#5 Paris, France: Great Bicycle City Photo Tour

November 5, 2009

From bicycle lovers to lovers on bikes, bike art to art on bikes, the largest bicycle sharing program in the world to some of the smallest bikers, enjoy this bicycle city photo tour of Paris, France!

Paris doesn’t have a long history as one of the best bicycle cities, but with the introduction of the largest bicycle sharing program in the world, bicycling in Paris has boomed and the city is becoming commonly associated with the bicycle now. Its whole culture is changing due to the bicycle’s increasing relevance in the city’s daily life.

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