Did you know that an estimated 5 million trees are cut down each year to create white pages phone books?
According to a recent survey conducted with Harris Interactive, only 22% of recipients recycle when disposing of them, which explains why approximately 165,000 tons of waste end up in landfills. In addition, a survey whitepages.com shows that almost 75% of consumers are completely unaware of the environmental and financial impact in printing, delivering and recycling these books. Given that you likely use online directories, social networks and mobile phone applications to find the contact information you need, it simply does not make sense to have the white pages phone books forcefully delivered to us every year.
This infographic, called “Death Becomes the Phone Book,” comes from the people at whitepages.com a group which is behind the Ban the Phone Book campaign to support telephone companies and consumers who want to curb unsolicited (and unnecessary) printing and delivering of white pages phone books. While it only focuses on the USA, it highlights the environmental impact of phone books which is a problem that affects almost every country in the world. Can the world move towards a paperless future?
This year marked the eve in which our planet reached the seven billionth population milestone. To mark this milestone, a new world map based on a report published by UK think tank Maplecroft maps ‘The Climate Change Vulnerability Index.’ The map shows the fastest growing populations most at risk from environmental impacts. According to the report, some of the world’s fastest growing population centers in Asia and Africa are at greatest risk from the impact of climate change and some of the “big economies of the future” (Bangladesh, India, Philippines, Vietnam and Pakistan) are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Climate Change Map
The Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI), published by UK consultancy, risk analysis and mapping company Maplecroft, examined the climate risks and adaptive capacity of 193 nations factoring in population concentration, development, natural resources, agricultural dependency and conflict.
A total of 30 countries were classified as being at “extreme risk” with Haiti, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Madagascar making up the top five most in peril, while Vietnam, Indonesia and India all ranked inside the top 30. The report warns that Bangladesh’s climate risks could hit foreign investment into the country, undermining the driving force behind economic growth of 88 per cent between 2000 and 2008.
Similarly, the report warned that India’s massive population and increasing demand for scarce resources made it particularly sensitive to climate change.
Other Asian countries attracting high levels of foreign investment such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Pakistan were also classified as facing ‘extreme risk’ from climate change, while industrial giants China, Brazil and Japan are listed as ‘high risk’.
The analysis, which forms part of Maplecroft’s fourth annual Climate Change and Environmental Risk Atlas, also assesses climate impacts on towns and cities. Six out of the 20 fastest growing cities worldwide, including Calcutta, India, Manila in the Philippines, Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, were also classified as at “extreme risk” by the CCVI.
Urban population
The United Nations estimates that around half the world population now live in, or close to cities with that figure expected to rise to two-thirds by 2045.
Almost all future population growth over the next 40 years will be absorbed by cities of the developing world which are unprepared for such rapid expansion, according to the U.N.
To see more interesting maps and reports visit Maplecroft.
Climate change is happening, can we now finally stop talking about it and start doing something about it?
“I found out about climate change and said, ‘if this is a problem, what are the solutions?’…So I found out the solutions. The great thing, is you don’t have to even believe in climate change for this movie to work for you.”
- Peter Byck / Director
Carbon Nation is a feature length documentary about climate change SOLUTIONS. Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don’t buy it at all, this is a compelling and relevant filmthat illustrates how SOLUTIONS to climate change also address other social, economic and security issues.
‘Carbon Nation’ is an optimistic discovery of what people are already doing, and look at what the United States could be doing as a nation and what the world needs to do to prevent (or slow down) the impending climate crisis. We already have the technology to combat most of the worst-case scenarios of climate change, and it is very good business as well.
The Film is full of facts and interesting “non-bussiness as usual” solutions for this generation. It also showcases some real-world examples of the solutions working in practice. In one chapter he focuses on fuel consumption by the US army. Their consumption far surpasses any other sector. BY going green the military can shift a pattern of fuel consumption almost overnight, however the astronomical cost of getting fuel to the troops spread around the world would be nothing in comparison to the cost of retrofitting all those troops to run on clean energy. It almost makes pray for peak oil to come as soon as possible if only for the very reason of disabling all the world’s military power.
No oil = paralyzed armies.
This kind of off-track optimism is at the core of this film. Entrepreneurial ideas to tackle global warming and impending food and energy shortages through simple creative green solutions that work economically and socially.
Director Peter Byck says: “In 15 months of presenting the film to very diverse audiences, we have come to the realization that we are not a polarized country, as many on TV will tell us, and many in Washington play out. Rather, there is great consensus among a large and varied group of Americans: renewable energy sources and using less energy are great ideas – whether to boost the economy, increase national and energy security and promote health and a clean environment. As it stands now, good Americans are being lied to, told that we are polarized, and then many act out as if this were true, creating a self-fulfilling crash. It’s a storytelling problem.
carbon nation team top tips for reducing your co2 footprint
Energy Efficiency
Weatherize your house – if there’s a draft, there’s a leak.
When your roof needs repairs, paint it white at the same time.
Unplug DVD players, coffee makers, phone chargers – anything not in use.
5-minute showers are much better than baths.
Raise your kid’s allowance if they help reduce utility bills.
What are the statistics for clean water access worldwide?
This infographic tells of the widespread threats of water pollution and the increasing lack of access to clean water worldwide.
According to the United Nations, unsanitary water kills more people worldwide than war. Almost fifty per cent of the developing world’s population – 2.5 billion people – lack improved sanitation facilities, and over 884 million people still use unsafe drinking water sources. Inadequate access to safe water and sanitation services, coupled with poor hygiene practices, kills and sickens thousands of children every day, and leads to impoverishment and diminished opportunities for thousands more.
Poor sanitation, water and hygiene have many other serious repercussions. Children – and particularly girls – are denied their right to education because their schools lack private and decent sanitation facilities. Women are forced to spend large parts of their day fetching water. Poor farmers and wage earners are less productive due to illness, health systems are overwhelmed and national economies suffer. Without WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), sustainable development is impossible.
As the precious water supply dwindles, it may prove to be more than just a crisis for developing countries.
When it comes to getting clean water at home, most of us turn on the tap and don’t give it a second thought. But for nearly one billion people, finding clean water is a daily struggle. Lack of access in their homes or their community can cause a multitude of health, economic, and quality of life problems. For those of us fortunate enough to have clean water access, it’s more important than ever to help conserve this important resource.
It’s estimated that a family of four can survive on 3 gallons of water a day but in America, a household of four uses up to 400 gallons of water a day. Check out this infographic to learn about the top culprits for water waste and how fixes both small and large can significantly shrink your water footprint at home.
This interesting infographic is brought to us by GOOD Magazine in conjunction with Levi’s®
If you are searching for ways to save the environment, a great place to begin is your regular trip to the grocery store. Here are simple ways to turn your regular shopping routine into a green grocery shopping routine.
Start by planning ahead for the week. A meal plan can ensure that you use your food wisely, which will reduce waste and save money. First, take an inventory of your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Then, make a menu for all the breakfasts, packed lunches, and dinners your family will need this week. Then write out the grocery list of the items you need. Reducing the number of drives to the store is another way to save the environment through meal planning.
Once you arrive at the store, one of the best going green ideas is to plot your course strategically to avoid the foods that are over-processed and filled with chemicals and additives. The whole and natural foods are always found around the perimeter of the store. If you start at one side and work your way around the edges of the store, you will find all the produce, dairy, and meat products. One of the ways to save the environment is to purchase these whole foods that have not had additional natural resources spent on their processing.
While shopping for these whole foods, you want to choose organic as often as possible to avoid consuming toxic pesticides and hormones. If you’re looking for going green ideas that won’t dramatically increase your grocery bill, you can start by prioritizing organic purchases for the foods that are most likely to be filled with pesticides and hormones. With fruits and vegetables, this means buying organic for the foods where you eat the skin. For example, berries, celery, and grapes would all be good candidates for organic purchases. For dairy, you want to avoid added hormones like rGBH and rbST. Meat doesn’t run the same risk for pesticides as dairy and produce, but hormones are a big concern which is an important reason to consider organic meats.
Next, stop at the bulk food aisle for more ways to save the environment. You may be surprised to know that everything from rice and pasta to snacks and cereals can be purchased from the bulk bins. These foods are typically less processed than their alternatives, and have very little packaging which is a good way to reduce unnecessary waste.
If you do venture into the center of the store for processed foods, read the labels on the products that you choose. Going green ideas here include aiming for five or less ingredients per product and avoiding products with ingredients you can’t even pronounce.
Shopping at the grocery store is something we all do and making proper choices there can be one of the best ways to save the environment.
Forests are as essential to our existence as water. In fact even water wouldn’t exist in its purest form if it weren’t to some extent for vegetation. Unfortunately for the planet and forests, over the past 60 years, Humans have developed a constant and devastating lifestyle that will eventually need more resources than those our planet is able to provide. We are living as if there were three or four planets available, and If you think about it, in some way or another every item you see around you has been the result of some deforestation somewhere. Deforestation is a real problem that is only going to get worse. To raise awareness about this issue globally, 2011 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Forests, a worldwide project to highlight the fragile state of the worlds forests and to promote action to save what is left of our natural world.
“Without our forests we would simply not exist…The destruction of forests will continue as long as we fail to understand that living trees are worth more than felled trees, that animals are essential to the equilibrium of forests, that the time scale of forests covers centuries and millenniums, not years or even decades. The future of Earth and the human race depends upon our forests. And the protection of forests depends upon us.” – Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a world-famous French photographer, filmmaker and environmentalist who has always had a passion for nature. To celebrate 2011 as the International Year of Forests, the United Nations approached the photographer and asked him to produce the official film for the International Year of Forests campaign.
Mostly shot from the air, it follows the continuing theme of the critically acclaimed first film HOME which was eventually seen by 400 million people, the photographer began producing this environmentally conscious short 7-minute film on forests and the ailing relationship with have with our planet’s forests. The short film is made up of aerial images from Home and the Earth from Above television programmes.
This new environmental film is a must see for anyone interested in making a change. On December 2005, Daniel McGowan was arrested by Federal agents in a nationwide sweep of radical environmentalists involved with the Earth Liberation Front– a group the FBI has called America’s “number one domestic terrorism threat.”
For years, the ELF—operating in separate anonymous cells without any central leadership—had launched spectacular arsons against dozens of businesses they accused of destroying the environment: timber companies, SUV dealerships, wild horse slaughterhouses, and a $12 million ski lodge at Vail, Colorado.
With the arrest of Daniel and thirteen others, the government had cracked what was probably the largest ELF cell in America and brought down the group responsible for the very first ELF arsons in this country.
Part coming-of-age tale, part cops-and-robbers thrilller, part environmental film, it interweaves a verite chronicle of Daniel on house arrest as he faces life in prison, with a dramatic recounting of the events that led to his involvement with the group. And along the way it asks hard questions about environmentalism, activism, and the way we define terrorism.
Drawing from striking archival footage — much of it never before seen — and intimate interviews with ELF members, and with the prosecutor and detective who were chasing them, IF A TREE FALLS explores the tumultuous period from 1995 until early 2001 when environmentalists were clashing with timber companies and law enforcement, and the word “terrorism” had not yet been altered by 9/11.
“It’s a wildly successful and engaging documentary.”
-Jon Reiss, NY Press
“This summer’s most urgent documentary…. The vibe alternates between an early Clash concert and a dark, dark twist on Ocean’s 11.”
- Abe Streep, Outside Magazine
“The film sweeps us up like a thriller… a fantastic moral ambivalence.”
- Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
“A true life outlaw tale, as stirring as it is tragic, the story of the Earth Liberation Front offers a DeLillo-flavored draught of high-proof righteous excitement.”
- Michael Atkinson, The Village Voice
“A compelling doc about radical environmentalism… informative, compelling.”
- Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter
“This is a sterling example of journalistic documentary, clearer, fairer and more engrossing than any of the sensationalistic newspaper or magazine stories about the ELF.”
- Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com
“An intriguing and important environmental film… As director Marshall Curry said at his Sundance post-screening Q&A: “The film has a point of view, but a grown-up point of view that acknowledges the complexity of the situation.”
- Stewart Nusbaumer, Filmmaker Magazine
“5-stars: [The] filmmakers raise questions and stir public debate about the definition of terrorism, especially in the post 9/11 security environment…very compelling. ”
- Jennifer Merin, About.com Documentaries
“If a Tree Falls’ is nothing if not troubling, complicated and thought-provoking… [the film] provided a common text from which everybody — radical or moderate, liberal or conservative — was able to work, interpret, converse. This common ground paired with the power of narrative establishes a strong ally for the environmental community and a bridge across divided ideologies and hopes.”
- Dylan Walsh,, Yale Daily News
“The film’s sobriety and carefully balanced arguments make it an exemplary piece.”
-Stephen Holden, New York Times
“One of the more personal and intimate environmental docs in recent memory…. It’s a powerful tale; one guaranteed to generate heated discussion.”
-Steve Ramos, Box Office Magazine
“It gains much of its considerable power because of its ability to illuminate the complexities behind the actions.”
-Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
“Manages to not only provide extraordinary insight into this formerly clandestine group, but illuminates the group’s actions without excusing them.”
You may know a lot about the simple things you can do every day to protect the environment. But do your kids? Here are links to some fun, instructional videos & sites that will help you show your kids how to be green
1. The Greens http://www.meetthegreens.org
Click on Episodes to see cartoons. The site also has lots of great activities and information.
2. RecycleGuys.org
http://www.recycleguys.org
Click on the Music & Videos link to watch short cartoons. Below is an example
3. The Animals Save the Planet videos
Nick Park styled animated shorts which air in Animal Plantet is a very fun and informative way to show your little ones aboout the basic principles of ‘going green’. There quite a few, below are just a small selection. see all of the them at Animalplanet TV Channel
4. KidsbeGreen.org http://www.kidsbegreen.org/
A fun and simple website for kids! Be sure to check out the 3R’s most extreme challenge game!
5. “Neglected Sky”
Award-winning animation about Global Warming.
6-20.
Here are even more links with recycling, environmental themes and fun for kids.
Recycle Zone
Activities and information on this site from Wastewatch. Also includes resources for teachers, and fun quizzes, songs and games.
KidsRGreen
Quizzes and puzzles on nature and the environment.
Here is another great story from CNN which proves that sometimes the simple idea using complex technology can ultimately create the most benefits.
Bangladesh has a serious power problem. Nearly half of its 162-million population does not have access to electricity.
Light can change lives, which is why the residents of this small village are beaming about one project that is harnessing the power of the sun.
Grameen Shakti a non-profit company in Bangladesh is introducing solar power, borrowing power, and girl power to the villagers all at the same time.
The program trains village women to install and repair solar panels and electrical outlets on homes and businesses.
This kind of job will help the women and they will be able to contribute financially to their family. –Monowara, trainee solar installer
And the solar power program is self-sustaining — the cost of the panels pays for the training of the local technicians.
Solar power isn’t just being used in homes here in fact nearly every single business along this street is using it and some are making much bigger profits because of it.
THE END OF POVERTY? is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Philippe Diaz, revealing that poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in the seizure of land and other natural resources as well as in forced labor. Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies – in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries. THE END OF POVERTY? asks why today 20% of the planet’s population uses 80% of its resources and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate? Can we really end poverty under our current economic system? Think again
This past Earth Day Saw the organizers call for ‘A Billion Acts of Green’
In an effort dubbed “A Billion Acts of Green,” organizers encouraged people to observe Earth Day 2011 by pledging online athttp://act.earthday.org/ to do something small but sustainable in their own lives to improve the planet’s health — from switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs to reducing the use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals.
“Millions of people doing small, individual acts can add up to real change,”
- said Chad Chitwood, a spokesman for the umbrella group coordinating efforts.
There was hundreds of rallies, workshops and other events around the United States, where Earth Day was born, and hundreds more overseas, where it was celebrated in 192 countries.
In the United States the activities ranged from the premiere of the new film from the director of “Who Killed the Electric Car?” (it’s called “Revenge of the Electric Car”) at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York to a discussion about creating a green economy in 12 cities along the Gulf Coast, where this time last year residents were reeling from the effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
After another successful year for Earth day organizers, 41st Earth Day Exceeded 100 Million Green Acts! http://t.co/rulpZYv
This is the focus of this short film from Survival International which shows the predicament of Brazil’s isolated Zo’é tribe
After a devastating first contact in the 1980s, the Zo’é have bounced back. Today there are only about 250 left and the Brazilian government has gone to extraordinary lengths to protect them from disease, but do the Zo’é now live in a bubble, separate from the rest of society? Can this be considered as neglect?
Survival International researcher Fiona Watson travels to meet these amazing people.
Did you know that within a year after the release of the movie “The Graduate”, plastics manufacturing companies experienced a boom? The actor who said the line “Just one word…plastics” told his nephew later he wished he’d invested in plastics had he known the effect that one simple line would have. Today, it is evident that plastic pollution is a real problem.
In fact, plastics have SO pervaded our lives, most of us don’t even think about it anymore. In researching this subject, I was shocked to realize how many ways and how many places I still use plastic in my own life! …For food storage, of course, but also my headband, toothbrush, comb, watering can, soap dispenser, laundry soap scoop, straw for my morning beverage, the TV remote, DVD cases. It is *everywhere*!! Look at bottled water: around 636 thousand tons of plastic beverage bottles were recycled nationwide in 2006, but more than three times as much was *wasted*, as in 2 million tons.
Every bit of plastic thats ever been produced over the past 100 years is still sitting somewhere in our planet
Truly, plastics have provided many positive conveniences. But after half a century of using these petroleum products, we are now discovering inherent dangers: from leaching dangerous chemicals into our food and beverages (especially when heated) to the problem of non-biodegradable plastics filling our landfills and littering our planet forever. With these concerns in mind, many businesses and individuals looking for ways to save the environment and promote positive change have developed innovative alternative products.
Since so much plastic already exists in our world, recycling and reusing it is now becoming more popular and cost-effective due to higher demand and an increasing number of recycling facilities nationwide.
2. Use recycled multi-use grocery bags
made popular after many states passed bans on plastic bags…you just have to get into the habit of remembering them as you leave for the store!
often made from recycled plastic bottles.
3. Reuse plastic jugs and bottles:
Refilling stations for water bottles are becoming more popular and are often found near or inside supermarkets.
A company called Terracycle sells organic fertilizer and household cleaning products in familiar packaging: used gallon milk jugs and soda bottles!
Artists have joined the recycle/reuse revolution, using plastic bottles to create: handbags,clothing, light fixtures, bicycle frames, evenboats, houses, and a floating island!
4. Use non-petroleum Plastic
As the price of oil continues to rise, we are seeing a definite shift in the plastics market. In fact, the first plastic ever created was derived from cotton, and now many other plant-based plastics are being developed:
Corn - While already being widely used to make bioplastic drinking cups and biodegradable plastic bags, it is a crop that is not sustainably grown, so it is not a preferable substitution. Corn Starch – a completely biodegradable substitute for styrofoam packing peanuts! Wheat Straw – currently used for parts in Ford’s new “Flex” hybrid car, wheat straw is a waste product of wheat that is in surplus, and therefore an ideal option. Soy – used as an insulating foam for seat cushions and buildings.
When buying plastics with the label of “biodegradable”, as this labeling is not well-regulated or certified, be sure to get the green facts about that product,. Some companies who claim their product is biodegradable may be stretching the truth, as it may take hundreds of years for the plastic to break down, and moreover, only under certain conditions! Make sure you are an educated consumer before getting sucked in by marketing ploys.
5. Use Composite Materials
Mostly used in building and construction, there are now products called Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC’s) that are created using a mixture of wood fiber (a “sawdust flour”) and recycled plastics. While the up-front cost is still a bit prohibitive, this WPC “lumber” is much more durable than regular lumber and doesn’t require annual applications of stains or other chemical coatings or treatments. While WPC’s can be cut and shaped using normal wood-working tools, they have the added advantage of being moldable to specific shapes and sizes, as well as moisture-resistant, making them a perfect choice for outdoor projects such as decks.
Peruvian Indians have been forced to set up a guard post to protect an uncontacted Indians’reserve, after the authorities ignored their repeated pleas for action.
The Isconahua reserve on the Peru-Brazil border was set up with the support of Peru’s Amazon Indian organization,AIDESEP, to protect uncontacted Isconahua Indians living in its forests.
But the reserve has been invaded by illegal loggers, and numerous appeals to the authorities have gone unanswered.
Now local indigenous organizations ORAU and FECONAU have united to create a guard post to protect the reserve themselves. Illegal logging is rampant in Peru and poses a serious threat to the survival of the country’s estimated 15 uncontacted groups. Aerial flights over the Amazon have documented illegal logging camps that are forcing the Indians to flee into unknown territories.
Survival has collected nearly 100,000 signatures asking President Alan García to put a stop to the logging and safeguard tribal lands.
This week, ORAU released a statement urging the government’s Indian Affairs Department INDEPA to join their efforts to protect the reserves.
Survival’s Director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘That local indigenous organizations have to protect isolated Indians’ reserves is a devastating criticism of the government’s inaction. Standing by and ignoring the problem seems to be the government’s preferred tactic.’
Lake Chad, once one of the African continent’s largest bodies of fresh water, has dramatically decreased in size due to climate change and human demand for water. Once a great lake close in surface area to North America’s Lake Erie, Lake Chad is now a ghost of its former self. According to a study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers, working with NASA’s Earth Observing System program, the lake is now 1/20th of the size it was 35 years ago.
Found at the intersection of four different countries in West Africa (Chad, Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon), Lake Chad has been the source of water for massive irrigation projects. In addition, the region has suffered from an increasingly dry climate, experiencing a significant decline in rainfall since the early 1960s.
The most dramatic decrease in the size of the lake is shown in the fifteen years between January 1973 and January 1987. Beginning in 1983 the amount of water used for irrigation began to increase. Ultimately, between 1983 and 1994, the amount of water diverted for purposes of irrigation quadrupled from the amount used in the previous 25 years. The red color denotes vegetation on the lake bed and the ripples on the western edge of the lake denote sand dunes formed by the wind.
The bottom picture is a composite of Landsat-7 images from November 2000 to February 2001 showing the present stage of Lake Chad. The small patch of blue that is now the lake stands in stark contrast to the wide swath of the old lake bed (shown in green, indicating vegetation).
Just what do terms like biodiversity, the Ecological Footprint and ecosystem services actually mean, and what do they have to do with our daily lives?
The film was produced by WWF for the launch of the 2010 Living Planet Report and narrated by British and actor and comic Stephen Merchant, takes a lighthearted look at a serious problem and reminds us why we need to play nice.
How can architects build a new world of sustainable beauty?… By learning from nature.
At TEDSalon in London, Michael Pawlyn describes three habits of nature that could transform architecture and society: radical resource efficiency, closed loops, and drawing energy from the sun.
Michael Pawlyn established the architecture firm Exploration in 2007 to focus on environmentally sustainable projects that take their inspiration from nature.
Prior to setting up the company, Pawlyn worked with the firm Grimshaw for ten years and was central to the team that radically re-invented horticultural architecture for the Eden Project. He was responsible for leading the design of the Warm Temperate and Humid Tropics Biomes and the subsequent phases that included proposals for a third Biome for plants from dry tropical regions. In 1999 he was one of five winners in A Car-free London, an ideas competition for strategic solutions to the capital’s future transport needs and new possibilities for urban spaces. In September 2003 he joined an intensive course in nature-inspired design at Schumacher College, run by Amory Lovins and Janine Benyus. He has lectured widely on the subject of sustainable design in the UK and abroad.
Waste is plentiful. Landfill sites and sewage dumps around the world are growing faster than you can say overpopulation. They pollute our land and our waters. (find out about the global water crisis here…)
Creativity can turn something as awful and destructive as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch into objects worthy of any art gallery.
It takes two artists to show us that there is actually something beautiful about plastic… and it seems this has little to do with physical beauty. If you forget for a minute that plastic pollution in the oceans is a real problem, plastic is – whether we like it or not – a major player in our daily lives. This is what makes it intriguingly beautiful.
Fermín Beltrán has worked in Architecture for many years gaining a wide range of real-world design and construction experience. He is fascinated by finding alternatives methods of creating modern architecture in ways that are sustainable, elegant, comfortable and functional.
He has vast experience designing and constructing a wide array of buildings ranging from state-of-the-art music halls to social housing and even small holdings in South America. He is currently completing a Masters in Advanced Sustainability at the University of Dundee in Scotland
