Episode 106: Resilience is the ‘new normal’; rebuilding PR’s grid

In this week’s episode, the circular economy helps the developing world, taking ‘net positive’ with a grain of salt and avoiding the climate apocalypse.

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Episode 106: Resilience is the ‘new normal’; rebuilding PR’s grid

Business leaders can rally to these promising policy battles in 2018

Here’s where you’ll find opportunity for greatness and innovation fit for the future

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Business leaders can rally to these promising policy battles in 2018

Engineering USGBC’s ‘Amazon’ goals: Mahesh Ramanujam

The new leader of the green building group it’s time to step up the game on data and the developing world.

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Engineering USGBC’s ‘Amazon’ goals: Mahesh Ramanujam

Ingenious Hippo Water Roller transforms access to water for poor rural families

Most Americans take clean water for granted. For many in the developing world, however, getting access to water can be a daily, backbreaking struggle. That’s why South Africans Pettie Petzer and Johan Joker created the Hippo Water Roller , a simple water-collecting device with a broad social impact. While the average adult woman can only balance a full 20-liter bucket of water on her head at a time, the Hippo Water Roller enables anyone, young or old, to transport 90 liters of water thanks to a rolling barrel setup that can be easily pushed or dragged. Each barrel is made of sturdy plastic and has an expected lifespan of seven years, after which it can be repurposed for other uses.

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Ingenious Hippo Water Roller transforms access to water for poor rural families

UNICEF’s wearable Kid Power fitness bands empower children to save lives

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has teamed up with Target to launch the Kid Power Band , a fitness wearable that encourages kids to become more active with the incentive of feeding undernourished children around the world. The Kid Power Band works like a pedometer to record the kids’ activity. Once the wearable reaches a certain number of steps, kids can complete “missions” that let them unlock parcels of food for undernourished kids in the developing world. READ MORE>

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UNICEF’s wearable Kid Power fitness bands empower children to save lives

INFOGRAPHIC: How we can help reduce the impact of natural disaster

Studies show that the number of people displaced by natural disasters has nearly doubled since the 1970s and scientists believe that, ultimately, urbanization is to blame for such displacements. Driven by climate change and economic reasons, urbanization creates a dangerous situation when a natural disaster strikes. Because of this, is vitally important to reduce the number of people impacted by natural disaster using improved planning and warning systems, particularly within the developing world where buildings and infrastructure are not likely to withstand the force of a natural hazard. Read the rest of INFOGRAPHIC: How we can help reduce the impact of natural disaster Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Climate Change , climate change displacement , climate change impact , earthquakes , infographic , natural disaster displacements , natural disaster impacts , natural disasters , reader submission , rising sea levels , University of Eastern Kentucky , volcanoes , weather

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INFOGRAPHIC: How we can help reduce the impact of natural disaster

This abandoned 300-year-old home was turned into a cafe wrapped in a bamboo frame

Read the rest of This abandoned 300-year-old home was turned into a cafe wrapped in a bamboo frame Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: 300-year-old home , bamboo frame , Cafe of Wind , cafe renovation , contemporary old , old is gold , south korea , Wise Architecture

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This abandoned 300-year-old home was turned into a cafe wrapped in a bamboo frame

Clever modular mobility aid helps those with disabilities in the developing world

A modular kit of interchangeable mobility aid parts for everything from crutches to walking frames is set to change the lives of some of the world’s poorest people with disabilities , thanks to a design engineering student from Brunel University London .  Cara O’Sullivan, 21, from Battle, East Sussex, realized the opportunity after a year’s placement with the Medical Engineering Resource Unit (MERU), a unique charity in Epsom, Surrey. Cara explains:  “Whilst visiting Kiya Survivor’s physiotherapy center in Peru, I realized that while the developed world can be generous in donating unwanted walkers and crutches, they come from a wide variety of different manufacturers and so perfectly good parts from one walking aid can’t be used to repair another one.  Back at Brunel, when it came to developing a project for my final year, it was clear that I could use my design and engineering skills to help not only the youngsters I had met in Peru, but those in similar circumstances around the world.  The key element is to simplify everything – walking sticks, crutches and walkers – to design core interchangeable components which work together like Meccano and, just like the toy, can be easily and quickly disassembled and re-used.  By being so adaptable, the walking aid will be able to meet the user’s exact needs and provide the required support throughout changes in their condition. The system is more sustainable and cost effective because the walking aid will gradually evolve with the user rather than having to get an entirely new aid each time their condition changes.” + Brunel University London The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat ? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing! Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Brunel University , Cara O’Sullivan , developing word designs , humanitarian design , Kiya Survivors , Mecanno , Mecanno mobility aid , MERU , mobility aid , mobility aid design , mobility aid developing world

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Clever modular mobility aid helps those with disabilities in the developing world

How sustainable transport is saving lives in the developing world

A new publication highlights the positive safety impacts of global sustainable transportation infrastructure. 

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How sustainable transport is saving lives in the developing world

“Wind for Prosperity” brings turbines to the developing world

An ambitious new initiative aims to provide hybrid wind energy to 1 million people in the developing world.

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“Wind for Prosperity” brings turbines to the developing world

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