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myampgoesto11: Stargazing At The Elqui Domos Hotel In Chile |...

ifitaintalready — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:11:08 -0700

Stargazing At The Elqui Domos Hotel In Chile | Designed by RDM Arquitectura | Photos by James Florio

In the heart of the mythical Elqui Valley in Pisco, surrounded by the Andes Mountains, 500km north of Santiago in central Chile, lies a magical place that allows for star-spangled dreams beneath the clear pure sky. Combining stargazing and specialized astronomic tours with night-time horseback riding, meditation and even tarot readings, Elqui Domos is a hotel quite like no other.

It was completed in 2005 to fulfil its owners’ desire to observe and enjoy the grandeur of the one of the world’s most star-filled skies. It is one of only seven astronomic hotels around the world and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere, offering breathtaking views of the magic skies draped over the Elqui Valley (the valley is renowned for its sharp, clear skies, as it happens to sit under one of the clearest atmospheres in the world). The lack of rain and pleasant weather all year round set the perfect conditions for astronomic tourism, where guests can gather to enjoy a unique chance to liaise with the stars.

(via Yatzer)

ryanpanos: LOST IN TRANSACTION: GREEK PROPERTIES by Patrick van...

ifitaintalready — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:10:30 -0700

ryanpanos:

LOST IN TRANSACTION: GREEK PROPERTIES by Patrick van Dam

This photo series will take its audience to different Greek islands where the development and sales of villa’s and hotels have been postponed because of the economic crisis. These concrete, bone-like structures are far from being completed and some have already waited years for financial aid or to be bought. Which most likely will not happen in the years to come. Forcing owners and developers to abandon their property and leaving them empty handed.

gorgeousammy: #pollution !!! This is why we cant stay...

ifitaintalready — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:10:03 -0700

gorgeousammy:

#pollution !!! This is why we cant stay cutting trees down & reducing biodiversity. Kill Mother Nature & We Kill Ourselves >_<

escapekit: EP7 French architect and former graffiti...

ifitaintalready — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:08:57 -0700

escapekit:

EP7

French architect and former graffiti artist Stephane Malka has created a fascinating living façade, for Parisian restaurant EP7, out of raw wood to promote the organic growth of plant life.

Photo

ifitaintalready — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:42:51 -0700

abluegirl: Warming Oceans Threatens Sea Life: It stands to...

ifitaintalready — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:26:01 -0700

abluegirl:

Warming Oceans Threatens Sea Life:

It stands to reason that as the atmosphere warms from the buildup of greenhouse gases, so does the ocean. Scientists have long suspected this was true, but they did not have enough solid evidence. Now they do. Data compiled by Marinexplore in Sunnyvale, Calif., not only confirm previous studies that the world’s oceans are simmering, but they also bring surprising news: the heating extends beyond the first few meters of surface waters, down to 700 meters. Because most organisms live in the top 400 meters, the data suggest that warming could affect most marine life, altering food chains and migrations. It could change the distribution of life—from tiny phytoplankton to big whales—across the seven seas. “The more the atmosphere warms up, the more heat it transfers to the ocean,” says Roberto De Almeida, an ocean data engineer at Marinexplore. “That heat propagates downward.” Indeed, the extra energy could affect massive ocean currents and the weather patterns they influence.

This warming is one possible explanation for the hundreds of starving sea lion pups that washed up on the shores of California during the first part of this year - they’re hungry because the fish that they eat have disappeared. It is very sad and distressing.

100copies: Safety Cycling Poster #1: Share The Road Taking...

ifitaintalready — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:25:20 -0700

100copies:

Safety Cycling Poster #1: Share The Road

Taking into account that cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users, we have launched a series of poster campaign to create awareness of road safety targeting cyclists and motorists in Singapore.
The campaign is supported by the Singapore Road Safety Council, the Singapore Traffic Police and a host of Singapore-based cycling communities, including cycling clubs, retailers and race organisers.

To request for this hi-resolution poster to print out, CLICK HERE

If cycling safety is important to you and your loved ones, please do help to reblog and share.

HEINEKEN WOBO: A Beer Bottle That Doubles as a Brick | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

ifitaintalready — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:23:58 -0700

HEINEKEN WOBO: A Beer Bottle That Doubles as a Brick | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building:

this is a cool idea, well done

Photo

ifitaintalready — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:14:58 -0700

"I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait..."

ifitaintalready — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:14:55 -0700

“I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait ‘til oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”
Thomas Edison”

Amazing commercial from Intel that shows the process of how a...

ifitaintalready — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:14:49 -0700

Amazing commercial from Intel that shows the process of how a chip is made

Photo

ifitaintalready — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:09:23 -0700

wenchymcwench: We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of...

ifitaintalready — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:59:33 -0700

wenchymcwench:

We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of mine and give our order. While we’re aproaching our table two people come in and they go to the counter:
‘Five coffees, please. Two of them for us and three suspended’ They pay for their order, take the two and leave.

I ask my friend: “What are those ‘suspended’ coffees?”
My friend: “Wait for it and you will see.”

Some more people enter. Two girls ask for one coffee each, pay and go. The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by three lawyers - three for them and four ‘suspended’. While I still wonder what’s the deal with those ‘suspended’ coffees I enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful view towards the square infront of the café. Suddenly a man dressed in shabby clothes who looks like a beggar comes in throught the door and kindly asks
‘Do you have a suspended coffee ?’

It’s simple - people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can not afford a warm bevarage. The tradition with the suspended coffees started in Naples, but it has spread all over the world and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee, but also a sandwitch or a whole meal.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such cafés or even grocery stores in every town where the less fortunate will find hope and support ? If you own a business why don’t you offer it to your clients… I am sure many of them will like it.

Source : [x]

I just saw this and thought it would be incredible to share this so maybe it could catch on whereever you may live

really-shit: Introducing Tim Seggerman! A talented architect...

ifitaintalready — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:53:12 -0700

really-shit:

Introducing Tim Seggerman!

A talented architect from Brooklyn, NYC, Tim has taken a previously cluttered and cramp house and has transformed it into a beautiful, cabin-like, space.

enochliew: 50 Years of Space Exploration by National...

ifitaintalready — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:44:36 -0700

enochliew:

50 Years of Space Exploration by National Geographic

This illustrated map includes the almost 200 missions to space from the past 50 years, showing which of our celestial neighbors we like to visit the most.

saveplanetearth: Greenland government falls as voters send...

ifitaintalready — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:52:24 -0700

saveplanetearth:

Greenland government falls as voters send warning to mining companies: Siumut party, led by Aleqa Hammond, to form coalition government in place of Kuupik Kleist’s administration @ Guardian

The race for resources in the frozen wastes of the Arctic has brought down its first national government, leaving foreign oil and mining companies shivering about the future. Voters in Greenland feared that ministers were surrendering their country’s interests to China and foreign multinationals and called an end this week to the government of prime minister Kuupik Kleist.

London Mining, which has a former British foreign minister, Sir Nicholas Bonsor, on the board, has been at the centre of a row in the country after speculation it could bring in 2,000 Chinese workers to build one of the world’s biggest iron ore mines expressly to serve steel mills in Beijing.

The activities of Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy, which drilled for oil off Greenland’s south-west coast in 2011, had also polarised opinion between those who welcomed the potential for a hydrocarbon strike bringing huge economic wealth and those worried about spills. (…)

New (and free) climate change report by USGS, NWF, and ASU: Emerging Consensus Shows Climate Change Already Having Major Effects on Ecosystems and Species

ifitaintalready — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 09:27:27 -0800

New (and free) climate change report by USGS, NWF, and ASU: Emerging Consensus Shows Climate Change Already Having Major Effects on Ecosystems and Species:

climateadaptation:

Emerging Consensus Shows Climate Change Already Having Major Effects on Ecosystems and Species

“Plant and animal species are shifting their geographic ranges and the timing of their life events – such as flowering, laying eggs or migrating – at faster rates than researchers documented just a few years ago, according to a technical report on biodiversity and ecosystems used as scientific input for the 2013 Third National Climate Assessment.

The report, Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Ecosystem Services, synthesizes the scientific understanding of the way climate change is affecting ecosystems, ecosystem services and the diversity of species, as well as what strategies might be used by natural resource practitioners to decrease current and future risks. More than 60 federal, academic and other scientists, including the lead authors from the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Wildlife Federation and Arizona State University in Tempe, authored the assessment.

“These geographic range and timing changes are causing cascading effects that extend through ecosystems, bringing together species that haven’t previously interacted and creating mismatches between animals and their food sources,” said Nancy Grimm, a scientist at ASU and a lead author of the report.

Grimm explained that such mismatches in the availability and timing of natural resources can influence species’ survival; for example, if insects emerge well before the arrival of migrating birds that rely on them for food, it can adversely affect bird populations. Earlier thaw and shorter winters can extend growing seasons for insect pests such as bark beetles, having devastating consequences for the way ecosystems are structured and function. This can substantially alter the benefits people derive from ecosystems, such as clean water, wood products and food.

“The impact of climate change on ecosystems has important implications for people and communities,” said Amanda Staudt, a NWF climate scientist and a lead author on the report. “Shifting climate conditions are affecting valuable ecosystem services, such as the role that coastal habitats play in dampening storm surge or the ability of our forests to provide timber and help filter our drinking water.”

Another key finding is the mounting evidence that population declines and increased extinction risks for some plant and animal species can be directly attributed to climate change. The most vulnerable species are those already degraded by other human-caused stressors such as pollution or exploitation, unable to shift their geographic range or timing of key life events, or that have narrow environmental or ecological tolerance. For example, species that must live at high altitudes or live in cold water with a narrow temperature range, such as salmon, face an even greater risk due to climate change.

“The report clearly indicates that as climate change continues to impact ecological systems, a net loss of global species’ diversity, as well as major shifts in the provision of ecosystem services, are quite likely,” said Michelle Staudinger, a lead author of the report and a USGS and University of Missouri scientist.

For example, she added, climate change is already causing shifts in the abundance and geographic range of economically important marine fish. “These changes will almost certainly continue, resulting in some local fisheries declining or disappearing while others may grow and become more valuable if fishing communities can find socially and economically viable ways to adapt to these changes.”

Natural resource managers are already contending with what climate change means for the way they approach conservation. For example, the report stated, land managers are now more focused on the connectivity of protected habitats, which can improve a species’ ability to shift its geographic range to follow optimal conditions for survival.

“The conservation community is grappling with how we manage our natural resources in the face of climate change, so that we can help our ecosystems to continue meeting the needs of both people and wildlife,” said Bruce Stein, a lead author of the report and director of climate adaptation at the National Wildlife Federation.

Other key findings of the report include:

Changes in precipitation and extreme weather events can overwhelm the ability of natural systems to reduce or prevent harm to people from these events. For example, more frequent heavy rainfall events increase the movement of nutrients and pollutants to downstream ecosystems, likely resulting not only in ecosystem change, but also in adverse changes in the quality of drinking water and a greater risk of waterborne-disease outbreaks.

Changes in winter have big and surprising effects on ecosystems and their services. Changes in soil freezing, snow cover and air temperature affect the ability of ecosystems to store carbon, which, in turn, influences agricultural and forest production. Seasonally snow-covered regions are especially susceptible to climate change because small precipitation or temperature shifts can cause large ecosystem changes. Longer growing seasons and warmer winters are already increasing the likelihood of pest outbreaks, leading to tree mortality and more intense, extensive fires. Decreased or unreliable snowfall for winter sports and recreation will likely cause high future economic losses.

The ecosystem services provided by coastal habitats are especially vulnerable to sea-level rise and more severe storms. The Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts are most vulnerable to the loss of coastal protection services provided by wetlands and coral reefs. Along the Pacific coast, long-term dune erosion caused by increasing wave heights is projected to cause problems for communities and for recreational beach activities. However, other kinds of recreation will probably improve due to better weather, with the net effect being that visitors and tourism dollars will shift away from some communities in favor of others.

Climate change adaptation strategies are vital for the conservation of diverse species and effective natural resource policy and management. As moreadaptive management approaches are developed, resource managers can enhance the country’s ability to respond to the impacts of climate change through forward-looking and climate science-informed goals and actions.

Ecological monitoring needs to be improved and better coordinated among federal and state agencies to ensure the impacts of climate change are adequately monitored and to support ecological research, management, assessment and policy. Existing tracking networks in the United States will need to improve coverage through time and in geographic area to detect and track climate-induced shifts in ecosystems and species.

Background:

Federal law requires that the U.S. Global Change Research Program submit an assessment of climate change and its impacts to the President and the Congress once every four years. Technical reports, articles and books – such as this report — underpin the corresponding chapters of the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment, due out in 2013. This technical report is available at the USGCRP website, as are other completed technical reports. Additional lead authors of this report include Shawn Carter, USGS: F. Stuart Chapin III, University of Alaska, Fairbanks; Peter Kareiva, The Nature Conservancy; and Mary Ruckelshaus, Natural Capital Project.”

Free report is online, here.

NASA has released "unprecedented" new views of what our Earth looks like at night.

ifitaintalready — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:21:32 -0800

did-you-kno:

Source

salma: craigslist houseshare ad: “i have a garden growing in...

ifitaintalready — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:19:24 -0800

salma:

craigslist houseshare ad: “i have a garden growing in my shower so you have to use eco-friendly hair products. you will see worms and other insects, and you will occasionally see a spider too but they all help out the ecosystem.”

omg this is so cool

Traditional Marketing Planning Is Wrong for Your New Venture

ifitaintalready — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:38:59 -0800

Traditional Marketing Planning Is Wrong for Your New Venture:

Peter Whalen and Samuel S. Holloway, hbr.org

Traditional marketing planning (TMP) activities have been a mainstay for the past four decades, but the theories behind them have limited relevance for new ventures facing extreme uncertainty. The old routine of analyzing existing markets, predict…