by Hans Vogel, The Unz Review: Germany lies in the center of Europe in more ways than one. Not only is it the geographical center, but all of European history seems to revolve around it. In German there is the term Mitteleuropa, which aptly conveys Germany’s pivotal role in Europe. To be honest, to some extent France […]

In the middle of a summer of record-breaking heat, just stepping outside is enough to remind us that the world is experiencing rising temperatures due to climate change. Experts project that heat waves like the ones that so many of us have been experiencing will become more frequent, long-lasting and deadly.  As temperatures rise, so too will our need for cooling. Air conditioning is predicted to double greenhouse emissions by 2050, and the urban heat island effect — when pavement and buildings retain heat — is only making people that live in cities more vulnerable.  But cities across Latin America, Europe and Asia are creating new routes ahead. As RTBC has reported, Medellín is getting cooler thanks to “green corridors” that mimic the natural forest, Stuttgart is cooling itself with “ventilation corridors” from its chilly mountains and Tel Aviv’s solar-powered structure, LumiWave, provides shade in the day and light at night.  Here’s how four more cities around the world are beating the heat. São Paulo Luis Cassiano Silva, founder of Teto Verde Favela, after removing rubbish thrown into a rooftop garden at a bus stop in Brazil. Credit: Teto Verde Favela (Green Roof Favela) In São Paulo’s favelas, low-income communities are building their own green roofs. These affordable vinyl sheet roofs were created by Teto Verde Favela, a nonprofit founded by local Luis Cassiano. Temperatures have risen in the city by three degrees Fahrenheit over the last decade, but during a temperature comparison study, Cassiano’s roofs stayed at roughly 86 degrees, while traditional favela roofs fluctuated between 86 and 122 degrees.  Teto Verde Favela began back in 2012 with the purpose of teaching a community of 20,000 people to build their own green roofs. Although there is still more ground to cover, this initiative is proving to be effective and affordable while showcasing environmental and community-driven change.  Seville  In place of traditional air-conditioning, Seville has turned to a 3,000-year-old solution. With the help of two scientists, the city in southern Spain is reviving a Middle Eastern technology: qanats, underground channels that transport water from higher to lower altitudes and drive the coolness upwards. Water channel of qanats in Ghasabeh, Iran. Credit: Tavasoli Mohsen A 20-meter qanat, the first to be installed, is expected to cool temperatures across a space the size of two soccer fields on the island of La Cartuja by six to seven degrees Celsius.  Last year, Seville named an extreme heat wave event for the second time ever: Heatwave Yago hit the city with temperatures of 104 degrees. Qanats are expected to be ready before the end of this summer, but other components like vegetation and heat-reflecting roofs will also help keep Spain’s highest temperatures down. Singapore  A simple approach to heat is helping Singapore address its urban heat challenges: painting buildings and other surfaces with reflective paint. According to a study published in the journal Sustainable Cities and Societies, the air in an area where buildings and pavement were painted with this “cool coating” was measured to be two degrees Celsius cooler between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. — Singapore’s hottest hours of the day — than the air in non-painted areas.  A worker sprays a coat of cool paint on the roof of a building at the test site in Singapore. Credit: NTU Singapore Currently, members of the country’s Institution of Engineers suggest a multifaceted approach to urban heat, including the incorporation of greenery and shade, since reflective paint is only one of the tools that helps to keep an entire city cool.  Germany Can hot waste keep cities cool? It sounds counterintuitive, but German cities like Munich are turning hot waste into district heating to support their existing cooling networks in an effort to minimize greenhouse emissions.  Munich’s climate-friendly cooling system utilizes natural energy from underground water streams. According to the city utility of Munich, Stadtwerke Muenchen (SWM), the use of these natural cold water streams has resulted in energy savings in the city of 70 percent compared to traditional cooling technology like air conditioning. Thanks to the city’s cooling system, more than 80,000 residents in Munich receive ecological energy. By 2040, the city aims to establish carbon-neutral heating ahead of the federal government’s 2045 target.     The post How Four Cities Are Cooling Down Creatively appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.

Opeth's The Last Will And Testament features guest appearances from Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson and Europe's Joey Tempest

Plus Focus, Gryphon, Tim Bowness, Leprous, Yes, Saucerful Of Secrets, Jadis, ELO, Caligula's Horse, Azure and loads more...

"Peeking around columns and making faces at aides." The post Media Back to Covering Up Biden’s Mental Condition appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a joyful and unique attempt to rewild an urban nature reserve in the picturesque town of Lewes, East Sussex, local dogs have been adorned with seed-filled backpacks to simulate the ecological role once served by wolves. This project, coordinated by the Railway Land Wildlife Trust and financed by Ouse Valley Climate Action, seeks to revitalize the landscape by utilizing dogs’ natural roaming habit to scatter wildflower seeds around the reserve. Before going extinct in the UK around 1760, wolves traveled widely, unwittingly dispersing wildflower and grass seeds caught in their fur. This natural dispersal mechanism was critical to biodiversity and environmental health. Dylan Walker, the project manager, emphasized the importance of this natural process: “We’re really interested in rewilding processes, but they often involve reintroducing big herbivores like bison or wild horses. In a smaller urban nature reserve, it’s really hard to do those things.” A 2019 project in Chile, where two ladies and their three dogs helped reseed areas damaged by wildfires, inspired this special method. Walker saw a similar opportunity when he noticed the deteriorating condition of a portion of the Lewes reserve caused by frequent foot traffic. “To replicate the effect that those animals have on the ecosystem, we aimed to utilize the vast number of dog walkers that are visiting the nature reserve daily,” he stated. The natural legacy of wolves Historically, wolves played an important role in sustaining healthy ecosystems by dispersing plant seeds across long distances. As they traveled miles each night, seeds caught in their fur disseminated far from their original environments, assisting in the establishment of new plant colonies and fostering biodiversity. Without wolves, these natural seed dispersion systems are no longer in place, making it difficult to maintain diverse plant life in many regions. Pioneering rewilding efforts The Railway Land Wildlife Trust’s project is a trailblazing endeavor in the UK, engaging local dogs to fill this critical ecological niche. The procedure is straightforward but effective: dog walkers can obtain seed-filled backpacks from staff members, and while the dogs explore the reserve, seeds are released via small holes in the packs. “We mixed the seed with sand not only to help the seed go further, but it also proves to be really helpful in allowing us to track where the dogs are depositing the seeds as well,” Walker explained. This strategy takes advantage of dogs’ innate curiosity and activity, allowing seeds to reach regions that humans may find difficult to access. The canines’ larger distribution pattern makes the scattered seeds more likely to germinate and survive. Community engagement and ecological impact The project’s success is dependent on community involvement, and local dog owners have been overwhelmingly supportive. Cressida Murray, a participant, shared her enthusiasm: “I signed up because it sounded like such a good fit. I was asked to place a harness on my chocolate cocker spaniel called Bertie and he ran around spreading seeds like wolves used to do many years ago.” Early results look good. “We’ve already started to see seed germination in some areas,” Walker reported. “Most of the seeds that have been distributed by the dogs are perennials, which take a couple of years to establish and flower, so hopefully next year we’ll see some clearer results.” Looking forward to a blooming future This creative rewilding initiative aims to improve local biodiversity while simultaneously serving as an educational tool, establishing a stronger bond between the community and the environment. “A community-based project like this not only helps engage and teach people about the ecological impacts of wildlife but also allows us to make our wildlife and environments richer in the process,” Walker said. The hope is that as the initiative continues, the Lewes urban nature reserve will evolve into a healthy ecosystem, rich in different plant species, due to the efforts of its four-legged seed dispersers. The campaign exemplifies the strength of community-driven conservation efforts, as well as the unexpected ways in which common activities, such as dog walking, may help the environment.The post Dogs are rewilding the quaint town of Lewes’ urban nature reserve first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM According to a recent Marine Conservation Society (MCS) report, the number of plastic bags collected on UK beaches has dropped by an incredible 80 percent in the past decade. This large decline coincides with the implementation of required levies for single-use plastic bags, indicating the dramatic impact of legislative actions on environmental conservation. A decade of progress In its annual litter survey, the MCS reported detecting an average of one plastic bag per 100 meters of shoreline in 2023, down from five bags per 100 meters in 2014. This drop is a significant victory in the ongoing fight against plastic pollution. Lizzie Price, MCS’s Beachwatch program manager, expressed her enthusiasm for the outcomes. “It is brilliant to see policies on single-use plastics such as carrier bags working,” she said. The survey results highlight the success of required charges introduced throughout the UK, with significant decreases in plastic bag litter since the regulations were enacted. Success of the carrier bag charge The UK implemented a required fee for single-use plastic bags in stages: Wales in 2011, Northern Ireland in 2013, Scotland in 2014, and England in 2015. These taxes, which range from 5p to 25p, have played an important role in reducing plastic trash. In 2021, England and Scotland raised the minimum price to 10p, while Northern Ireland raised it to 25p. Wales intends to remove single-use plastic bags entirely by 2026. The impact of these charges was quite immediate. In Scotland, for example, the average number of plastic bags recovered on beaches decreased from 11 per 100 meters in 2014 to six in 2015, only one year after the charge was implemented. Similar decreases have been recorded throughout the UK, demonstrating the effectiveness of these environmental initiatives. Broader implications and future plans The positive effect of the plastic bag fee goes beyond cleaner beaches. The MCS urges UK governments to increase their efforts to combat additional single-use plastics. Lizzie Price advocated for faster action on projects such as the proposed deposit scheme for plastic bottles, cans, and glass, which has been delayed until 2027. “We must move quicker towards a society that repairs, reuses, and recycles,” Price pointed out. The MCS believes that enacting more comprehensive rules on single-use items will result in greater reductions in plastic pollution. Continuing challenges and upcoming events Despite the gains, difficulties persist. According to the MCS’s 2023 beach litter report, which is based on 1,199 independent surveys, 97 percent of assessed beaches still included drink-related litter, including bottles and cans. A total of 4,684 plastic bags were collected, and there was a noticeable rise in overall plastic litter, with 167 items per 100 meters of coastline. The survey found a 1.2 percent increase in plastic litter across the UK, with significant increases in drink-related litter in Scotland (14 percent and England seven percent) compared to 2022. The most common items discovered were plastic bits measuring 2.5-30 cm, food wrappers, caps and lids, plastic rope and cable, and plastic bottles and containers. In response to these discoveries, the MCS maintains its strong beach cleaning efforts through events such as the Great British Beach Clean, which takes place from September 20 to September 29. More than 100 trash-picking events will take place from Cornwall to the Orkney Islands, with the goal of engaging thousands of volunteers in the fight against marine waste. The dramatic reduction in plastic bags on UK beaches demonstrates the effectiveness of focused environmental regulations. As the Marine Conservation Society continues to press for more comprehensive measures, the success of the plastic bag charge offers a promising model for addressing other forms of plastic pollution. With continued work and public participation, the aim of cleaner, healthier beaches is within reach.The post Plastic bag usage on UK beaches plummets thanks to mandatory charges first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

5 years ago today, the women of Saudi Arabia were given the right to travel abroad without a male guardian, a major advance in rights for women in the country. This meant that women over the age of 21 could apply for passports of their own volition, while the Kingdom simultaneously passed laws permitting females […] The post Good News in History, August 2 appeared first on Good News Network.

Just before midnight on Thursday evening, a plane touched down in the US carrying several Americans who had been freed in a historic prisoner swap deal in cooperation with the Russian Federation. It is quite simply the largest prisoner swap since the end of the Cold War. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US […] The post Historic Prisoner Swap Frees Americans Held in Russia After Years-Long, Multi-Nation Diplomacy appeared first on Good News Network.

✅ Introducing JudoNoah! JOIN US! Tap Here to see what it’s all about! Chuck Schumer is stepping up to serve a losing bill that tries to say Trump is acting like a king. He calls it the No Kings Act.…