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☆ Bears, Binoculars and Bucket-List Birds: A 15-Day Tour in Ecuador
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Dorothy Spears | Alexis Rockman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After a 4:30 a.m. breakfast at the Sani Lodge, where our group was staying, my husband, Alexis, and I pulled on our rubber boots. Our birding guide, Jeison Gualinga, whistled for a canoe while flashing his light among the reeds by the main dock. Our birding trip in Ecuador arose like a bird call, by word of mouth. Our friend Olaf Soltau, a devout birder, was tipped off by a respected birder friend to enlist Pablo Barrera of Adventures Columbia to coordinate a tour. Our trip would culminate with five days in the Yasuní National Park, whose humid green jungles are a birding paradise.

☆ The Saudi crown prince wants to build a trillion-dollar utopia in the desert. His deals with China reveal a darker vision.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It's part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's modernizing vision of the country. But behind the outlandish plan, developed by Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, is a much darker reality. Crown Prince Mohammed appears keen to replicate those projects on a grander scale. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman announces a zero-carbon city called "The Line" to be built at NEOM in northwestern Saudi Arabia, January 10, 2021. It appeared to be the beginning of a fruitful partnership for Crown Prince Mohammed.

☆ How to put your best travel foot forward for Earth Day 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

But you don’t have to totally cut out travel or stay super close to home to be a good planetary citizen. You need a city that’s dedicated to getting it right to best enjoy an urban biking vacation. Here, we've curated 30 of our favorite corners, including the Thu Bon River, which flows through central Vietnam. A maze of rivers and caves, the UNESCO World Centre is defined by its craggy limestone facades and jade green water. Bruno De Hogues/Photodisc/Getty Images Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is heaven for spelunkers.

☆ Miller High Life: Belgium destroys shipment of American beer after taking issue with 'Champagne of Beer' slogan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Mitchell Mccluskey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Belgium has destroyed a shipment of American beer after taking exception to its maker’s slogan that it was “The Champagne of Beers.”Belgian customs crushed the 2,352 cans of Miller High Life beer earlier this week, reasoning that they were improperly labeled as Champagne. The move came after a trade association for the Champagne industry complained that the term should be used only on bottles of sparkling wine, made using a traditional method in Champagne, France. By convention, true Champagne – as in, the French sparkling wine – can only be made using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes. The Comité Champagne, a joint trade association for the Champagne industry, requested the destruction of the American beers, arguing that the label “The Champagne of Beers” infringed on the protected designation of “Champagne”. According to its website, it began to use the slogan “The Champagne of Bottle Beer” three years later, shortening it to “The Champagne of Beers” in 1969.

☆ These are the 10 best destinations in the world for an eco-friendly vacation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Rotterdam, Netherlands, is the best city for a sustainable vacation, according to a 2023 report from Kayak. Rotterdam, Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands Graz, Austria Trondheim, Norway Munich, Germany Helsinki, Finland Stockholm, Sweden Zurich, Switzerland Gothenburg, Sweden Vienna, AustriaRotterdam and Amsterdam, both in the Netherlands, took the No. The Netherlands city is the second-largest in the country and Europe's largest seaport. The city, known as "the Venice of the North," is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its iconic canal district. The channels' design is considered an example of town planning that influenced the world for centuries, according to UNESCO.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTurning My Home Zero Energy For $48K In Portland, ORWhen Ryan Shanahan bought his home in Portland, OR in 2014, he dreamed of turning it into a net-zero house--one that would produce at least as much energy as it consumed in the course of a year. But retrofitting an over one-hundred-year-old structure into a eco-friendly building seemed like too much to hope for. But by 2020, he and his wife, Megan Milligan, had fully converted their home to net-zero, producing so much solar energy that their yearly electricity bill dropped from $1,100 to $285.

☆ SpaceX Starship’s explosion is not the failure it appears to be, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Rocket launches are like opening a box of chocolates, only riskier — you never know what you’re going to get. When a rocket is set to leap off the launchpad, there’s a good chance of seeing a stunning liftoff or a spectacular failure. The lead-up to this week’s launch of SpaceX’s Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, was a dramatic roller coaster. The rocket blasted off from the launchpad in South Texas and roared 24.2 miles (39 kilometers) over the Gulf of Mexico. Now, researchers have a new theory about why the Vikings abruptly departed in the mid-15th century: rising sea levels.

☆ One-fifth of water pollution comes from textile dyes. But a new material inspired by shellfish could clean it up
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Every year, the textile industry uses 1.3 trillion gallons of water to dye garments – enough to fill 2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. Textile wastewater contains toxic chemicals from dyes that pollute the enviornment -- like wastewater released from factories into Dravyavati River, in India (pictured). Noemi Cassanelli/AFP/Getty ImagesThey targeted “anionic dyes,” because there are not many effective methods to remove these types of dye from water. He also hopes to devise solutions for cleaning more than just textile dyes from water. Nashef says that using membrane-based nanomaterials in pre-treatment could cut the energy needed to clean the water.

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - British transport company FirstGroup (FGP.L) and infrastructure fund I Squared are weighing competing bids for parts of Deutsche Bahn's international transport business Arriva, according to a number of people familiar with the matter. The British transport company may also consider partnering with another bidder for the UK operations, the two added. Arriva, Deutsche Bahn, FirstGroup and I Squared declined to comment. A Bloomberg report in January suggested Arriva may now fetch as much as 2 billion euros. Binding offers for Arriva are expected in the next couple of months, two of the sources said.

[1/2] A view shows the logo of Credit Suisse on a building near the Hallenstadion where Credit Suisse Annual General Meeting took place, two weeks after being bought by rival UBS in a government-brokered rescue, in Zurich, Switzerland, April 4, 2023. UBS and Credit Suisse declined to comment. What's more, UBS doesn't tend to lend to potential clients as Credit Suisse has often done, a move that can persuade some customers. "There are clearly parts of Credit Suisse that have had a bad culture," UBS Chairman Colm Kelleher told reporters on March 29. UBS ranked 14th advising on mergers globally last year, behind 11th placed Credit Suisse, according to data compiled by Dealogic.

☆ I pulled in nearly $10,000 in revenue last month by marketing to Gen Z about sustainability
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Estella Struck launched Viviene New York, a marketing agency for sustainable brands, in 2021. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on the culture & business of sustainability — delivered weekly to your inbox. Given that success, Struck wanted to make sustainability marketing more accessible to other brands. I believe that your network is your net worth, so I spent a lot of time at networking events meeting people in sustainability, marketing, and social media. I've grown Viviene by attempting to change that up, introduce new social media techniques, and reach consumers outside of the environmental-activist community.

☆ Down-to-Earth Design: Rethinking Carbon in a Circular Economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDown-to-Earth Design: Rethinking Carbon in a Circular EconomyEco-architect William McDonough, known as the father of the Circular Economy and co-creator of the Cradle to Cradle Products Program, is one of the world's pioneering figures in green architecture and product and packaging design. He has designed industry-leading buildings for Nike Europe, YouTube, factories for Ford Motor, Herman Miller, and NASA's Sustainability Base. McDonough lays out his vision for what he calls a regenerative biosphere and circular technosphere.

☆ Many people need their laptops for working from home, play, and everything in between. Here's how to find the right deal for you.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Insider Studios With Dell Technologies | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Many consumers and business owners need laptops that can serve their home and work needs. Instead, we need to find the right balance, as we often need our devices to pull double or even triple duty: carrying out work, home use, and gaming. The Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop boasts extra thin dual fans that ensure the laptop won't overheat, smooth and vivid graphics, and immersive sound. For gamers who want less of the frills, but the same thrills that Alienware promises, look to Dell's G Series gaming laptops. The G15 Gaming Laptop offers smooth graphics, speedy loading times, and a Game Shift mode that boosts its fan speed with the push of a few buttons.

☆ Sanctions against Russia could hurt the US dollar as countries like Iran and China seek alternative currencies for trade: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US sanctions on Russia could threaten the dollar's hegemony, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNN. The Chinese yuan is a competitor to the US dollar, amid Beijing's big ambitions for the currency. "There is a risk when we use financial sanctions that are linked to the role of the dollar that over time it could undermine the hegemony of the dollar," Yellen told CNN's Fareed Zakaria in an interview. Of course, it does create a desire on the part of China, of Russia, of Iran to find an alternative," Yelled said. In January, the US dollar dominated global trade, accounting for about 85% of trade finance, according to a February report from global payments system Swift.

☆ I rented clothes instead of buying new, and saved $53 a month—here's the No. 1 reason I'll keep doing it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

I started renting used clothes in January, saving me an average of $53 per month so far. Balancing my vanity with an awareness that I needed to budget more effectively, I started renting clothes from Nuuly — a sister company to Urban Outfitters — in January. It hasn't curbed my shopping habits as much as I predicted, but it has saved me money: I spend $53 less per month, on average. But I didn't start renting clothes for my self-esteem. Why I'll keep renting clothes — but not forever

☆ Sustainability Is the Focus of Building Refurbishment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Insider Studios With Kone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Both are mostly high-rise communities, growing fast and densely populated, but they represent two very different realities from a climate and sustainability perspective. One way is to focus on modernizing the buildings we already have, to create neighborhoods that adapt to the individual needs of residents. In a climate-aware, post-COVID-19 world, with an aging and tech-savvy population, the focus is now on the needs of connected micro-communities within livable cities." Data, including information from KONE elevators, can provide insights into people's movement in cities, and their changing behavior and needs. Kone"Modernizing an elevator, in an existing building, means we can reduce energy consumption by up to 70%, and a KONE elevator today is up to 90% more energy-efficient than its 1990s counterpart.

☆ The top 3 countries where it’s easy to settle into a new life abroad, according to expats
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Jennifer Liu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Traveling abroad is one thing, but starting a new life overseas is another. Expats who've moved abroad say Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore are the top three places where it's relatively easy to settle in, according to a 2022 Internations survey of nearly 12,000 expats around the world. Newcomers say it's easy to get a visa, find housing, access government services online and get around without speaking the local language. These expats are most likely to work in finance or banking, Internations says, and the countries aren't big spots for retirees. New residents there say it's easy to deal with local authorities, open a new bank account and access a robust digital infrastructure.

☆ Kyrgyz eco-activist's 'trashion' tackles a burning problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Kyrgyz artist and environmental activist Cholpon Alamanova poses for a picture in her workshop in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan March 30, 2023. Alamanova and her team of more than 80 women use the Kyrgyz traditional patchwork sewing technique, kurak, in order to recycle the textile waste, usually burned in landfills, into colourful blankets, clothes and accessories. In doing so, her workshop has become part of a global "trashion" trend promoting the use of recycled, used, thrown-out and repurposed elements to create garments, jewellery and art. The task engenders a warming feeling that motivates her to keep doing it, says Alamanova, while helping to keep alive the tradition. Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ How 2 Gen Z climate leaders turn their eco-anxiety into action: 'This isn't a fad. This is the future'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Jennifer Liu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The climate crisis impacts everyone, and young people feel especially stressed about the warming planet. In a recent conversation at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, tech founder and philanthropist Alexis Ohanian spoke with two Gen Z climate leaders about how they manage their eco-anxiety. Penn says the biggest way she confronts climate anxiety is by taking action, and her biggest motivator is using hope and joy as tools of resilience. Most recently, Penn says she channels her climate anxiety through art, namely through her first animated short film "Asali: Power of the Pollinators" with executive producer Viola Davis, which comes out in April. She also stresses the need to tap into Black, Brown and Indigenous communities to measure negative impact as well as seek solutions.

☆ Fact Check-Alkaline hydrolysis, or liquid cremation, does not mean human remains are ‘fed to the living'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Alkaline hydrolysis is a form of flameless cremation where a human body can be liquified and turned into wastewater after death. An alkaline hydrolysis machine is used to perform a “bio-cremation,” (also known as aquamation or water cremation) (here). The video shows Fisher explaining how the alkaline hydrolysis machine called the Resomator works. The NFDA’s model guidelines for states to base laws governing alkaline hydrolysis can be seen (here). Experts say liquid from alkaline hydrolysis is sterilized with no trace of human DNA and is then treated at water treatment facilities before entering common households.

☆ I charged a Kia at a Tesla Supercharger and saw how Elon Musk can make EV charging suck less for everybody
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I tested out the experience in a Kia Niro EV that Kia lent me. Charging a non-Tesla at a Tesla charging station was notably smooth and convenient. The Kia Niro EV charges at a Tesla Supercharger in Brewster, NY. The Kia Niro EV charges at a Tesla Supercharger in Brewster, NY. The Kia Niro EV charges at an EVgo charging station.

☆ I talked to 70 parents who raised highly accomplished adults—here are 5 signs your kid will be successful
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Margot Machol Bisnow | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

For my book, "Raising an Entrepreneur," I talked to 70 parents who raised highly successful kids. We fail, we try and try again, we fail, we try and try and try," he told me. We want kids to explore things in ways that are most meaningful to them, rather than having them trying to please us. Robert Stephens is a perfect example of someone who turned a childhood passion into entrepreneurial success: The boy who loved to fix things started a company that fixes things. Stephens' parents consistently supported his passion and trusted him to make his own choices, and he learned to believe in his own abilities.

☆ A 'greenwashing' crackdown in Europe hasn't gone down well. Here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, published its so-called "Green Claims Directive" on Wednesday. The highly anticipated proposal seeks to establish an EU-wide methodology that will help to clean up the environmental claims marketplace. Today, most green claims are too good to be true and the proposal is… far from the real (green) deal. The EU's "Green Claims Directive" seeks to tackle this trend. "Green claims are everywhere: ocean-friendly t-shirts, carbon-neutral bananas, bee-friendly juices, 100% CO2-compensated deliveries and so on," said Frans Timmermans, executive vice-president for the European Green Deal.

☆ Trump's plan to build 10 new American cites is a right-wing dream of 'trad havens for beautiful families,' the internet's favorite architecture critic says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Architecture critic Kate Wagner says Trump's plan to build "freedom cities" is nothing new. There's a whole eco-system of classical architecture proponents on Twitter with Roman statues as their avatars who decry modernism. The order made classical architecture — think columns, marble, symmetry — the preferred style for federal buildings. Wagner says Trump's embrace of classical architecture echoes the right-wing war on modernism that began in the 1980s. "For some reason, there also emerged alongside of those advocates a group of people who started to make statements that people neurologically prefer classical architecture."

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