Prepare to have your mind's eye blown by the following time-lapse short courtesy of BBC Planet Earth. Watch as super sharp cameras capture the unseen world of Cordyceps Fungi, one of the most complex and involved species in the animal kingdom. You'll be surprised to see just how vital (albiet sometimes violent) they are to maintaining Nature's balance.
Presenting KeepCup, an environmentally-conscious and barista-friendly way to lug your daily coffee around. The BPA-free reusable cups replace those non-recyclable (plastic lined) paper ones that we're so used to buying for a morning brew. They're available in three microwave and dishwasher-safe sizes: 8 oz., 12 oz., and 16 oz: in completely customizable colorways.
Box Play is an Arizona-based toy company that uses eco-friendly imagination for inspiration. Rather than creating waste producing actual toys, they help children (and parents) recycle and re-purpose everyday items like milk boxes, egg cartons and paper towel rolls into trucks, pianos and rocket ships! How, you ask? Via custom-designed stickers. Brilliant!
In an effort to draw attention to its environmental cause, outdoorsman brand, Patagonia, recently bought a full-page ad in the New York Times to tell readers to "not buy their jacket." The clever marketing approach is connected to the Common Threads Initiative which advocates conscious consumption to reduce carbon footprints. Some argue that the campaign is a bit too ironic (and costly) to promote altruism over consumerism, but we must admit that, unwarranted or not, the ad has certainly captured the attention of many.
A lenticular cloud is what happens when Mother Nature decides to "exhale" from a mountain top. Think of it as the cloud version of a smoke ring, except these come from condensed moist air, not your tobacco (or ingredient of preference) pipe. Some of the more occurences of this phenomenon have taken place atop renown mountains like Fuji and Shasta. Take a look at these to see exactly what we mean:
Brooklyn-based street artist, Aakash Nihalani, uses a rather ordinary medium--fluorescent tape--to create some extraordinary art. He uses the "street tape" to make three-dimensional "additions" and reinterpretations of outdoor environments. The results are brilliant because, although the art doesn't physically deface any structures, it really encourages passerbys to reconsider the environment around them!
As sustainable and eco-friendly trends continue to sway their way into the mainstream, UK-based alternative gardening company, Kabloom, presents their consumer-friendly introduction into the market via the Seedbom. The ingenious little "bombs" are made up of compost, recycled materials, fertilizer and seeds--intended for true "guerrilla gardeners" that will purchase them, toss them at will and watch as their "targets" beautify with plant life. Now that's Flower Power!
[via Treehugger]
Betaville is the latest wonder to shake things up in the collaborative, Internet-based world. The open-sourced platform allows developers, planners and, even locals, to work together on 3-dimensional plans for public art, architecture, and urban design. The program hopes to bridge the gap between collaborators and the living community by allowing the involved parties to "see" the development of a project before it manifests itself--a very useful tool for the ever-expanding metropolis or burgeoning small town!
[via PSFK]
One of our República homies, Matthew Canton, is currently involved with a project for Haiti. Hands That Feed is his documentary about the agricultural collapse of the impoverished and earthquake-stricken country. The film also follows the new breed of dynamic young adults that are leading a grass-roots movement for sustainable agriculture there. Check out Matthew's pitch video alongside Executive Producer, Joshua Levine. Then head over to their Kickstarter page to support!
Ever heard of volcanic lighting? Yea, us either! But let's not let that stop us from acknowledging the sheer intensity (and electricity) of these picture from Mount Shinmoedake, Japan. Apparently, no one really knows why the phenomena occurs during some volcanic eruptions. Some theories point towards the possibility of electrically charged volcanic ash. It's quite possible that it creates charged areas as it moves--something similar to rain clouds!
[via Telegraph UK]
