SHANGHAI PHONE BOOTHS TRANSFORMED INTO MINI LIBRARIES

Research has shown that a plant known to grow in Papua New Guinea called Astragalus is a powerful stimulator of the immune system. It increases and stimulates the growth of stem cells in the marrow tissue and lymph. Last year, the University of Texas showed that Astragalus completely restored cancer patients immune cells to work at a higher degree than those not affected by cancer in some cases and can be used as a stimulus to the immune system as a way to prevent cancer before it begins.

ECO FRIENDLY INNOVATIONS

At BMW, eco-innovation is closely linked to a variety of related concepts. It is often used with environmental technology, eco-efficiency, eco-design, sustainable design. While the term environmental innovation is used in similar contexts to “eco-innovation”, the other terms are mostly used when referring to product or process design, and therefore focus more on the technological aspects of eco-innovation rather than the societal or political aspects. Our process aligns with ecological innovation to construct products which have a generative nature and are recyclable back into the environment for usage in other industries.

CARBON FIBERS FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY

Carbon fibers are fibers about 5–10 micrometers in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. Carbon fibers have several advantages including high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion. These properties have made carbon fiber very popular in aerospace, civil engineering, military, and motorsports, along with other competition sports. However, they are relatively expensive when compared with similar fibers, such as glass fibers or plastic fibers.

TRANSFORMING THE PROCESS

First, the emphasis of value is shifting from hardware to software. BMW products have evolved from purely physical components to complex systems combining processors, sensors, software, and digital user interfaces. As manufacturers seek to accelerate product innovation and efficiently meet the growing diversity of customer demand and regulation, they increasingly turn to software. One example: A BMW automobile now has on average 100 million lines of code to enable variable driving modes, various engine and emission configurations, adaptive cruise control, and hands-free commands.

Self Sustaining Solutions

At BMW, sustainability is the endurance of systems and processes. The organizing principle for sustainability is sustainable development, which includes the four interconnected domains: ecology, economics, politics and culture. Sustainability science is the study of sustainable development and environmental science. Sustainability can also be defined as a socio-ecological process characterized by the pursuit of a common ideal. An ideal is by definition unattainable in a given time and space. However, by persistently and dynamically approaching it, the process results in a sustainable system.

Low Cost Energy

Hydroelectric power stations in the United States are currently the largest renewable source of energy, but the second for capacity (behind Wind power in the United States). Hydroelectric power produced 35% of the total renewable electricity in the U.S. in 2015, and 6.1% of the total U.S. electricity.

Forward Thinking

As the world’s best-selling manufacturer of luxury cars, creativity has been important to the success of the BMW Group. A century-old company, it has achieved an impressive tradition of innovation. Now, however, as a tidal wave of change is sweeping through its industry, the need for rapid innovation at BMW has become more urgent than ever before.

SEEING THE FUTURE

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in 150 countries. Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based logistics and training.

HOW WOLVES CHANGE RIVERS

Wolves were once native to the Yellowstone National Park — until hunting wiped them out. But when the wolves began to come back, something interesting happened: the rest of the park began to find a new, more healthful balance. When the grey wolf was reintroduced into the Yellowstone Ecosystem in 1995, for example, there was only one beaver colony in the park. Today, the reintroduction of wolves continues to astonish biologists with a ripple of direct consequences throughout the ecosystem including other flourishing species populations.

INNOVATIVE MINDS WITH AN EYE TO THE FUTURE WITH CARBON FIBER SOLUTIONS

Using carbon fiber offers a unique experience. The lightness of this material extends near limitless possibilities and can be applied to undiscovered solutions to technological issues of daily life. The powerful properties of carbon fiber cannot be told – it needs to be experienced. Carbon fiber was first designed and used by the air force in 1963 and was then widely used in the aerospace industry.

FORWARD THINKING INNOVATIONS

You would be forgiven for thinking that Frank O. Gehry’s complex architecture is a result of mere computer 3-D modeling, but his design process is actually far more involved. When Gehry has an idea, he knows how to develop it – by hand. Recently displayed in Tokyo, a surprising exhibition dedicated to the work of the great Canadian-born architect reveals the steps that go into each new project. “I have an idea” is an inspiring story that uncovers the secrets of Gehry’s creativity and illustrates how his intricate imagination manifests step-by-step into real physical forms

WELL BEING ON PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The current population of the island of New Guinea is about eleven million. Human habitation on the island dates to as early as 50,000 BC and first settlement possibly dating back to 60,000 years ago. The island is presently populated by almost a thousand different tribal groups and a near equivalent number of separate languages, which makes New Guinea the most linguistically diverse area in the world. Ethnologue's 14th edition lists 826 languages of Papua New Guinea and 257 languages of Irian Jaya, total 1073 languages, with 12 languages over-lapping. For all of its diversity, the people are happy and there is a sense of well being.

SAVING THE CORAL ON EASTER ISLAND

The cycle of natural events inevitably catches up with the reality of the moment. In this case, after centuries of these magnificent Easter Island monoliths staring off into the distance, the rain is eroding away the island and as it washes into the ocean the surrounding coral reefs are being buried under the silt. Coral reefs that happen to contained enzymes which are the building blocks of medicines that hold the cure for Alzheimers disease. Through the innovative minds of the Cousteau Society, a potential disaster will be avoided. They’re planting 1.4 million trees on the island to arrest the erosion which, if left untouched, will fundamentally destroy all of the surrounding coral reefs and any potential for finding a cure.

SUSTAINABLY MOVING PEOPLE

When it comes to shaping future mobility, BMW considers the entire value chain, with the aim of making it as sustainable as possible. Protection of the environment is accorded just as much importance as social compatibility and commercial viability. The challenges of urban mobility in particular not only require different vehicle products, but also new kinds of mobility services. These intelligent services are not only seamlessly integrated into everyday life, but also create synergies between themselves.

RECYCLED PLASTIC HOMES

By 2050, global production of plastics will triple with estimates suggesting it will account for 15% of the world’s carbon budget. A failure to address the mountains of waste in the developing world could result in as much plastic in our oceans as fish. Oscar Andres Mendez cites “terrifying” statistics like these as his motivation to move the sustainable solutions industry forward.

THE POWER OF IMAGINATION

Green energy. Everyone wants it, but not in their backyard. An odd thing for a country known for its picturesque windmills dating from the 18th century. How can we once again give green energy the allure it deserves? ‘Windlicht’ (Windlight), is a dance of bright lines. Special software and tracking technology detect the windmill blades rotating at 280 kilometres per hour. Green lines of light are connecting the blades. This creates a dynamic play o flight and movement. Windlicht creates the missing link between the Dutch and the beauty of their landscape.

A STIRRING NEW VISION

In keeping with its commitment to trend setting technology, San Diego Metropolitan AirPark will generate more electricity from solar power than it consumes, thereby contributing to the City of San Diego’s Clean Air and Water initiatives. This dual-use solar power system will assure the AirPark’s stature as the greenest community aviation airport on the planet, while helping to protect sensitive habitats in the area.

GETTING WATER FROM NOTHING

An architect named Andreas Vogler started to collaborate with the Italian architect, Arturo Vittori, to design, and engage in the development of innovative solutions and technology transfer between diverse fields for aerospace and terrestrial applications working in architecture, design and art. They’ve created a means of collecting water in harsh, arid environments bringing water to people all over the world who might not otherwise have access.

MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE

Sperm whales have been shown to increase the levels of primary production and carbon export to the deep ocean by depositing iron rich feces into surface waters. The feces causes phytoplankton to grow and take up more carbon from the atmosphere. When the phytoplankton dies, it sinks to the deep ocean and takes the atmospheric carbon with it. The sperm whales result in removing 200,000 tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year.

COSTNERS SOLUTION FOR OIL SPILLS

Ocean Therapy Solutions is a company owned by actor Kevin Costner. The company specializes in developing centrifugal oil-water separators. After the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, Costner wanted to find a new way to separate oil from water, so he acquired the company. Costner has found and developed one of the most important systems for this problem imaginable.

BUILDINGS AS TURBINES

The BWTC project establishes a technological precedent which is set to raise the awareness of environmental design and its importance in the built environment and pave the way for designers and clients to incorporate renewable and energy efficient measures into their future developments to reduce carbon emissions.

OCEAN CLEANUP

Ocean garbage patches are vast but dispersed. By acting like an artificial coastline, Ocean Cleanup’s array passively concentrates the plastic by orders of magnitude, 100% powered by natural ocean currents. Their floating barriers are designed to capture virtually any type of debris. Models show that by utilizing vast rotational ocean currents, a single 100km installation can catch almost half the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 10 years.

SEEING COLOR FOR THE FIRST TIME

SEEING COLOR FOR THE FIRST TIME Color blindness, also known as color vision deficiency, is the decreased ability to see color or differences in color. The most common cause of color blindness is a fault in the development of one or more of the … Read More

NYC Ballet Cerebral Palsy Workshop

NYC BALLET CEREBRAL PALSY WORKSHOP One very loving mother of a child with Cerebral Palsy reached out to the New York City ballet to ask if they might be able to have her little girl attend a workshop. They overwhelmingly … Read More

UNDERWATER FARMING

Aqua-farming will be the grocery store of the future. It is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs, seaweed, oysters, shrimp and aquatic plants. Aqua-farming involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish. Broadly speaking, the relation of aquaculture to finfish and shellfish fisheries is analogous to the relation of agriculture to hunting and gathering.

THIS DOCTOR HAS A CURE FOR CANCER

Research has shown that a plant known to grow in Papua New Guinea called Astragalus is a powerful stimulator of the immune system. It increases and stimulates the growth of stem cells in the marrow tissue and lymph. Last year, the University of Texas showed that Astragalus completely restored cancer patients immune cells to work at a higher degree than those not affected by cancer in some cases and can be used as a stimulus to the immune system as a way to prevent cancer before it begins.

GREEN POWERED BOAT PREPARES FOR ROUND-THE-WORLD VOYAGE

GREEN POWERED BOAT PREPARES FOR ROUND-THE-WORLD VOYAGE Dubbed the “Solar Impulse of the seas”, the first boat to be powered solely by renewable energies and hydrogen hopes to make its own historic trip around the world. A water-borne answer to … Read More

INNOVATIVE MENTORING

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in 150 countries. Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based logistics and training.

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