Wednesday 25 March 2009

Wanted: Natural Residents

In Sweden, Malmo Western Harbor a corporation is developing a new compounded city that has the measure to provide biodiversity along with the industrial development. They are trying to make a balanced environment that people and animals can live in without any problems.

1300 newly occupied apartments were planed from the outset to showcase “green” where the people living there would live in a green environment. Renewable energy and sustainable transport and waste management were introduced; at the same time the developers wanted to promote biodiversity, by keeping the animals living in this place and providing them with a better environment where bats, birds and many other animals can nest and settle. Annika Kruuse was monitoring this phase which was called Bo01. Her monitoring showed that some species have already moved in. This shows good results for the first phase. As a result of the first phase developers are using the results to start the next two phases, Flagghusen Bo02 and Fullriggaren Bo03. The results they want to get are to have a new generation of children who will be living in houses designed to promote biodiversity. They development that will be made in Bo02 and Bo03 will be designed as green as possible and on roof tops biotopes will be included as well as three types of boxes for other types of animals.

The Bo01 phase is the first step towards incorporating biodiversity as standard in town planning. This is a new idea and a step that was not made anywhere else; the development of the green life and the biodiversity can change the environment were living in to a healthier, safer place.

Main Idea

Western Harbor is a corporation that started a green project in Sweden Malmo. A project was started and after the results were found two more projects are studied and will be developed as the best biodiversity environment.

Opinion

In my opinion biodiversity is not that important. Humans do not have to live with animals in the same place. The only advantage of this project in my point of view is the green environment that won’t cause any pollution, but animals being around is just a liability.

Monday 23 March 2009

Monday 2 March 2009

An introduction to Global warming.

What is Global warming?

Frankly it is the gradual increase of the earth’s temperature. Many people relate natural disasters to global warming. Tsunami, the huge storm that hit the shores of Sri Lanka was caused by a volcanic eruption in Indonesia but many simple minded people related it to global warming.

Average global temperature may increase by 1.4-5.8ºC by the end of the 21st century. The numbers may seem to be minute but they have a great effect on the world. The difference between an ice age and an ice free age is about 5ºC only; that’s how important one global degree Celsius is. This increase in temperature may lead to precipitation, warmer oceans, and sea level is expected to increase. Humans and animals could be affected too; many animals cannot survive in warm environments. Germs can reproduce in hot weather 80% faster than cold weather, disease such as malaria can spread easily due to global warming. That’s how human health may be affected.

Green projects are starting world-wide and even here in the UAE. The Masdar City which would be 100% green, would not be affected by the global warming. People are trying to find a way to solve this problem but sarcastically there is no effective solution.