A world of gigantic mechanized insects comes to life before our eyes. Tiny scientists inspect gears within their robot-like beasts, fine tuning their components as they prepare them for work in some imaginary world. The tiny models are the work of artist Scott Bain, who creates each bizarre piece using actual insects like some entomologist with an obsession for the mechanical. The models are fascinating on their own… but they have a message far larger than their scale. [Read more...]
Most films which depict the world after an apocalyptic battle or disaster look something like the scenes of a Mad Max flick – the Australian outback or the Nevada high desert. In other words, something appropriately bone-dry, fitting of a scorched wasteland created by nuclear war or an exploding volcano. Not so the digital artworks of Nick Pedersen. His images appear downright tranquil, flipping the whole notion of apocalypse on its head and creating an image of the potential future that makes the catalyst for the apocalypse looks something a lot like western civilization. [Read more...]
Recycling is done by just half of Americans daily, and 13 percent don’t recycle at all. Even though they understand the benefits to our environment and economy, their ineptitude of what can and can’t be recycled, doubled with their finding the process inconvenient and time-consuming, is becoming a major hinderance to recycling efforts all across the United States. [Read more...]
Solar is a great way to get yourself free from the power grid and take control of your own energy generation, while also helping to drastically lower your impact on the environment. Solar panels last a long time too, once you’ve installed them, they often provide reliable power for well over 20 years, silently generating electricity with little to no maintenance. Sounds great! So why are people slow to implement this fantastic technology? The initial cost of solar is sometimes prohibitive for families, especially if their energy needs are high. This graphic by One Block Off the Grid, uses over 45,000 results from their online solar cost estimation tool to show what you can expect, on average, in your state. [Read more...]
The skeletons of endangered birds and sea-life pop from flat sheets of paper into beautiful, eerie three-dimensional forms in Japanese designer Takayuki Hori’s series Oritsunagumono (things folded and connected). The pieces were his 1st place winning entry into the 2010 Mitsubishi Chemical Junior Designer Award, in which student designers submit their senior thesis works to be judged by a group of artists, designers, professors and critics. [Read more...]
Whether you love or hate the world environmental organization Greenpeace, they certainly do come up with some clever, attractive and maybe even effective advertising campaigns. Part of a new initiative, these beautiful black and white illustrations see a tiny, inflatable boat born figure battling against gigantic monster like environmental problems. The daunting manifestations of oil rigs, overfishing, deforestation and air pollution are all confronted by the activist David wielding a tiny slingshot… and from the story it’s based upon, we know he will be triumphant. [Read more...]
At the moment we face a food dilemma in western cultures: a society accustomed to the all-year availability of fresh produce and the rising cost of transport, both environmental and financial. Much of our fresh produce, especially in colder climates like the eastern United States, comes from far off places like southern California and Chile, traveling many freight miles before it reaches the market and finally our tables; but is there a better option for getting fresh cucumbers, peppers and lettuce in the winter? [Read more...]
When the WWF decided to start the seventh installment of their Black Rhino Range Expansion Project, they had a unique challenge transporting the critically endangered animals to their new expanded range. Because of extremely rough terrain between where the animal was captured and paved roads, off-road transportation by truck seemed too dangerous for the precious cargo. Instead, they decided to use a helicopter. Strapping webbing to each of the rhinoceros’ ankles, blindfolding and then tethering them to a hovering helicopter, the sleeping giants were airlifted the relatively short distance to waiting transport trucks for a smooth 1500km trip across the country to their new range. This beautiful film was created by Green Renaissance. Find more information about the Black Rhino Range Expansion Project at wwf.org.za. [Read more...]
WWF International wants to point out that even in our modern world of plastics and metal, there are still a huge amount of products still made of “good, old-fashioned wood.” Countries like Brazil are quickly cutting down their valuable forests to supply an exploding world population hungry for everything from homes to broom sticks. This graphic details the five largest timber exporters and who is buying up their precious forests (all figures in global hectares). [Read more...]
Home solar power has many benefits that people can get behind, like keeping the world cleaner and being self-sufficient, but the price of solar panels is often far more than people can afford. One Block Off the Grid is an inspiring orgainization that specializes in organizing group deals on solar energy to help people go green. Here we bring you their interesting look at how solar can actually make sense financially, even while running the AC in the hot summer. Swing by One Block Off the Grid for more info. [Read more...]
