Auroville – also known as the “City of the Dawn” – is an international city in South India founded in 1968. Currently, it has 2,800 citizens from 54 countries, with the capacity to grow to 50,000 citizens.
Auroville is a “collective experiment in human unity” based on the worldview of Indian yogi Sri Aurobindo. The idea is if people from all cultures and castes can learn love each other in Auroville, maybe the rest of the world can follow suit.
The township was created with support from the Indian government, UNESCO and well-wishers around the world, but is becoming more and more self-sufficient over time.
In Auroville there is no individual ownerhip of land, housing or businesses. Everyone is given a basic living “maintenance,” whether they work for one of the commercial units, doing community service or are unable to work.
When they go to the store, they take what they need, tell the clerk their account number and it’s deducted from the Central Fund.
It’s an economy designed to serve humanity, rather than the other way around, Aurovillians say.
“We give our work, and we are given what we need,” says citizen Jean-Yves Lung in the documentary below. “It’s very simple. If you give your work, and you are happy to give it, you don’t need money to evaluate the quality of your giving. We can still be productive, creative, innovative, and what happens is people discover that they feel better. We take what we need and that’s it.”
Read the whole article by Sara Burrows in Return to Now.
REV Ocean is focussed on reversing negative environmental conditions in the ocean by increasing knowledge and developing concrete sustainable solutions.
From understanding to sustainable solutions with four unprecedented ocean initiatives:
1) Exploring our blue planet with the world’s largest and most advanced research and expedition vessel. https://www.revocean.org/vessel/
2) Connecting data, people & technology to drive sustainable ocean governance and blue economy. Constructing an intelligent, all-encompassing and open-access Ocean Data Platform. https://www.oceandata.earth/
3) Gathering decision-makers, NGOs, scientific communities and other key stakeholders at the World Ocean Headquarters at Fornebu, Oslo. https://www.revocean.org/headquarters/woh/
4) The Plastic REVolution Foundation has been established to find the best opportunities to support Ghana and pilot solutions that can be scaled-up globally. https://www.revocean.org/plast_ghana/
If you’re a self-professed homebody, you could seriously benefit from a change of scenery. Spending time in nature could improve your physical and mental health, ward off illness, and actually make you happier!
As the Father of Western Medicine, Hippocrates, once said, “Nature itself is the best physician.” If you’re curious about the health benefits you can reap from being outside, read on! Below, we cover 13 reasons to soak up everything nature has to offer. Read on for the best benefits of getting outdoors.
1. Being in Nature Boosts Life Satisfaction
If you’ve been feeling blue, visit somewhere green! A recent study found that men and women who spent just 20 minutes in a park setting reported a 64% hike in life satisfaction. (hike- HA, see what we did there?)
The best news? Participants’ satisfaction levels had nothing to do with physical activity! Simply visiting the park boosted well-being. Of course, movement adds a plethora of additional health benefits.
The circular economy is more than just a buzz phrase. With the global population predicted to approach 9 billion people by 2030, we are using more resources than the planet can provide. Our future depends on reusing what we have in a sustainable way. Fortunately one resource that is unlimited is innovation, and many companies are developing ingenious ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Image: Ellen MacArthur Foundation
The World Economic Forum and the Forum of Young Global Leaders, in collaboration with Accenture Strategy, recognized the best of them at The Circulars. There were 450 applications from 45 countries. Here are 12 of the best:
Winnow
We’re used to smart meters measuring electricity and water. But now British start-up Winnow has developed smart meters that analyse our trash. They are used in commercial kitchens to measure what food gets thrown away, and then identify ways to reduce waste. Up to a fifth of food purchased can be wasted in some kitchens, and Winnow has managed to cut that in half in hundreds of kitchens across 40 countries, saving its customers over $25 million each year in the process. That is the equivalent of preventing one meal from going to waste every seven seconds. This innovation earned Winnow the Circular Economy Tech Disruptor Award.
DyeCoo
The textiles industry uses vast quantities of water and chemicals and produces huge amounts of toxic waste, which is a major problem in countries like China, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand. But Dutch company DyeCoo has developed a process of dyeing cloth that uses no water at all, and no chemicals other than the dyes themselves. It uses highly pressurised “supercritical” carbon dioxide, halfway between a liquid and a gas, that dissolves the dye and carries it deep into the fabric. The carbon dioxide then evaporates, and is in turn recycled and used again. 98% of the dye is absorbed by the cloth, giving vibrant colours. And because the cloth doesn’t need to dry, the process takes half the time, uses less energy, and even costs less. The company already has partnerships with major brands like Nike and IKEA.
Hurtigruten is introducing MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen, leading the way towards emission-free cruise and shipping.
Tourism is an essential part of many local and national economies, as well as an enriching experience for the individual. But growing numbers of tourists worldwide bring with them increased climate impact and strain on local ecosystems.
To uphold a responsible tourism industry, electrification of sea and road transport will be one of several essential measures. Demonstrating successful electrification on a large scale could also pave the way for low-emission transport alternatives more broadly – especially within shipping.
Low-emission cruise tourism
Hurtigruten is launching MS Roald Amundsen, the first of a series of hybrid-battery powered expedition cruise ships. A sister ship, MS Fridtjof Nansen, is currently under construction at Norway’s Kleven Yard, and will be introduced in 2020. A third ship is planned for 2021.
Hurtigruten’s ground-breaking ships employ the same hybrid technology, which – combined with increased fuel efficiency and other green technology – will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by more than 20 per cent. The powerful battery packs will allow the vessels to operate entirely emission-free during short periods of time, with room set aside to expand battery capacity and add new technology.
On top of the hybrid technology, the ships are designed to let guests travel as sustainably as possible to some of the world’s most spectacular destinations, such as Antarctica, South America, the Caribbean, Greenland, Svalbard and the Norwegian coast. They feature no single-use plastic, improved waste management and recycling, and custom-built expedition equipment, including a fleet of Blueye underwater drones.
I put my heart and soul into this video. I hope you it inspires you like it inspired me.
It’s the story of the country that impressed me the most out of all the countries I’ve been to. I hope their story gets you more excited like it got me more excited.
Because if they can, then we can.
About Nas:
My name is Nas. It means people in Arabic. I make 1-minute videos about myself and others. Everyday. I wear the same t-shirt, and I have a company. That’s it!
https://nasdaily.com/
Nas on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/nasdaily
I put my heart and soul into this video. I hope you it inspires you like it inspired me. It's the story of the country that impressed me the most out of all the countries I've been to. I hope their story gets you more excited like it got me more excited.Because if they can, then we can. INSTAGRAM: @NasDailyGROUP: Nas Daily GlobalThank you to every single Singaporean for helping make this video possible. And thank you to Project Nightfall and Dear Alyne for going on this journey with me.
Slået op af Nas Daily i Søndag den 16. september 2018
”There is group of countries which have done remarkably well in the face of the challenges to our modern, democratic societies… Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden might just hold the clues to solving the security, social, political, environmental and technological threats and challenges of the 21st Century”.
– These are the words of Project Director András Simonyi in the foreword to a book of essays, “Nordic Ways”.
Nordic Solutions to Global Challenges is a joint initiative by the Prime ministers of the Nordic countries. We want to invite the world to share Nordic knowledge and experiences of six priority flagship projects. These Nordic solutions will be effective tools in our common work to reach the United Nations Sustainability Goals before the year 2030.
In a world of often despairing news, independent, nonprofit YES! Magazine offers a different view – a view of what’s working.
YES! Magazine reframes the biggest problems of our time in terms of their solutions. Online and in print, we outline a path forward with in-depth analysis, tools for citizen engagement, and stories about real people working for a better world.
Today’s world is not the one we want—climate change, financial collapse, poverty, and war leave many feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.
YES! Magazine empowers people with the vision and tools to create a healthy planet and vibrant communities. We do this by:
Reframing issues and outlining a path forward
Giving a voice to the people who are making change
Offering resources to use and pass along
This information comes from the website of YES! Magazine.
DyeCoo
