Here’s a TED Talk that explores how creating a new road sign can make a huge impact on the roads of America. Gary Lauder breaks down the impact of a stop sign at a T intersection on time, money, cars, and of course the environment.
It’s a fun five minute video:
Malaria No More has a book released through The Domino Project that is a collection of essays on the state of malaria. The good news is that when you purchase a copy of this book, the money spent goes directly to campaigns that stop the spread of malaria.
The Domino Project in conjunction with Box of Crayons is working with Malaria No More to help end malaria. No More’s mission is to end malaria in Africa by 2015. A child dies every 45 seconds from malaria.
It isn’t very often that a book has the power to save a life. Yes, good books can improve lives, shape lives, even change lives. But when was the last time a book literally helped save a life? If you’re reading this page, the answer is right now.
$20 from the purchase of each copy of End Malaria will go to to Malaria No More to send a mosquito net to a family in need and to support life-saving work in the fight against malaria. That’s 100% of the Kindle sale, and most of the hard copy price ($25).
Thanks Allen!
You can buy the book through Amazon.
The Good Bike project is bringing colour to the streets of Toronto. Bright neon bicycles are celebrating aspects of Toronto, they really are eye-catching.
Over the past few weeks, more than 30 brightly painted bicycles, a few featuring baskets of potted plants, have popped up all over the city—orange at Queen and Dovercourt, blue at Dundas and Sackville, and pastel pink at College and Robert, among many others. On their own, the bikes may seem like isolated or even arbitrary acts of street art, but in reality, they’re part of a citywide network of bikes, their colours and locations carefully and specifically chosen to commemorate a piece of history, an urban hot spot, or a personal memory.
As with any infestation, even the nice ones, it started small—Vanessa Nicholas and Caroline Macfarlane, two OCAD U Student Gallery employees, found a creative way to deal with their distaste for a rusty, derelict bike abandoned on the street outside their place of work by painting it bright orange and planting flowers in its basket. They were met with enthusiasm from passersby but also with a big, angry ticket from the City of Toronto calling for its removal. With support from fans and friends interested in protecting public works of art, accelerated by media reaction and councilors Gary Crawford (Ward 36, Scarborough Southwest) and Adam Vaughan (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) City Hall eventually changed its mind and even Rob Ford hopped on the idea to turn the now-famous Orange Bike into a citywide project, in partnership with Macfarlane and Nicholas, known as the Good Bike Project.
Read the full article at Torontoist.
Sea Shepherd has succeed in its goal to stop Japan from whaling. The stoppage is a result of Sea Shepherd actively hindering the ability of whalers to kill whales, nobody has been harmed by the organization but Japan is calling for the group to be banned by other nations.
Japanese whalers seem intent on whaling again this year but for now let’s take a moment to rejoice that the needless slaughter of whales is not happening for the rest of the winter.
Japan has suspended whaling in the Antarctic after repeated harassment by conservationists, says a government official.
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ships have been chasing the whaling fleet for weeks in the icy seas, trying to block Japan’s annual whale hunt, planned for up to 945 whales.
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The Australian Greens said late last night that the Japanese decision was “truly a cause for celebration”.
Read the full article.
Check out Sea Shepherd.
Microfinance has been working very well in the developing world as a way to support people in creating better opportunities for themselves and their communities by providing a small amount of money for projects. People who would otherwise be rejected for a loan can qualify for a microloan and then use that money to start a business.
Now programs in New York City are helping people in poverty start small business to better themselves.
Fortunately, she found Project Enterprise. The $1,500 loan she received allowed her to get a license and purchase the equipment to start grooming pets in her apartment. With this increased offering of services, the income of Bridgette’s business more than doubled. She has already taken out a second loan to buy equipment to let her handle more pets, and is now planning for her third loan, to take the next step and expand into an actual storefront
Read more at the blog of the Grameen Foundation.