Audio producer, photographer, traveler, musician, activist, parent & lox lover. A collection of sights, sounds & texts.
www.benarnow.net
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A 6 year old’s solution for cleaning the oceans
So, last week my 6 year old turns to me and proceeds to tell me about a new idea that he came up with for cleaning all of the garbage out of the ocean. My son is very interested in nature. Everything including birds, forests, insects, life cycles, dinosaurs, pollination, worms, minerals, sloths and, of course, ocean life. In order to clean up the ocean waters he said: “We could build a boat and attach a giant net to the back of it which would collect all the garbage floating around in the water. The boat could go all over the ocean catching all of the garbage floating around. Then once the net is full it would be lifted by a big crane and taken away to be thrown out”.
I looked at him and thought for a second. This is a GREAT idea. So simple, so logical. Something that a child’s open, imaginative and nimble mind is so likely to come up with. I told him that we could try to build a little prototype this Fall. Give it a test run. The boat, the net, the crane, the whole thing.
Then, yesterday I receive my daily email from Good and lo and behold, right there in front of me on my computer screen is my son’s invention! The same exact concept. Described in detail with color computer renditions of the ocean cleaning marine drone. The vessel uses a net. And it is lifted out of the ocean with a giant barge crane. Incredible. These are the types of inventions that just might save us all. Ocean cleaning drones. Carbon catching windmills. I showed these pictures to my son and his face lit up. He had come up with the same idea as the “crew of big-thinking designers” behind this wonderfully creative solution to a growing environmental problem.
I hope my son comes up with more ideas like this. We sure could use them. I hope we all start thinking more like this. This Fall we are going to work on our little prototype model and my son can give it a test run. First in the bathtub. Then maybe the lake. Someday, maybe, he’ll make it to the ocean.
(more pictures here!)
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Moss terrarium. (Taken with instagram)
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Turn On the Server. It’s Cold Inside.
Great idea!
Some researchers propose installing data centers in homes so they can do double duty as furnaces.
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A lot of news out of The Plant in Chicago today. This Kickstarter project is so great. Looking very forward to this documentary by Michael Silberman! I’m a big fan of The Plant and their creative combination of reclaiming unused industrial space, urban agriculture and aquaponics. John Edel has built Chicago’s first vertical farm. They have an open house tomorrow from 12noon to 4PM and some mysterious big announcement this afternoon?! Hmm. Can’t wait.
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last day of school for the kids. wow, what a year. hello summer.
sea of green. (by bengrd)
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Jugaad Urbanism. Jugaad means “put things together”. These strategies and solutions, like the solar rickshaw, are all really creative, innovative and most important, replicable. Check this PBS clip all about the exhibition.
“From solar-powered rickshaws to plastic-bottle chandeliers, innovative solutions to basic problems in India are inspiring urban designers in an exhibit called Jugaad Urbanism. Need to Know visited an exhibit in Manhattan that showcases these designs-for-change”
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Finalists! | The Buckminster Fuller Challenge
The 4 finalists of the BFI Challenge 2011 have been announced. Ranging from tackling adult illiteracy to the conservation of marine environments and coastal communities, these projects provide creative, multi-dimensional solutions. They are all incredible. Stay tuned for the winner announced on June 10th!
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