Blue-Footed Boobies

The male, blue-footed boobies are particularly proud of their feet and show them off during mating rituals. Apparently, the bluer they are the more attractive they are to the opposite sex!

Boobies can be found on the western coasts of Central and South America, and in particular on The Galápagos Islands.

Wild for Wildlife & Nature

Winged "Poodles"

Spotted flying around in the skies of South America, is the Venezuelan poodle moth. A very strange creature, and nobody seems to know much about it. 

According to Zoologist, media consultant, and science writer, Dr Karl Shuker (also one of the best known cryptozoologists in the world). He believes this to be legitimate: "Furry, white, long-eyelash-bedecked insect that's so strange it couldn't possibly exist in real life and yet somehow it does? Definitely."

Source: Wild for Wildlife & Nature

Photo: Arthur Anker
 

Fruity Seasons

Super Solar

Absolutely love this, and it's definitely going on my wish list... A self sustaining floating island, designed by Michele Puzzolante. This solar floating resort is: hotel, yacht, submarine (sleeping six), has an underwater observation room, a jacuzzi and photovoltaic thin-film skin panels, which if implemented properly, could produce a third of the worlds energy by 2060.

That aside, the development of clean solar energy technologies combined with the vast electrical energy created by the power of the sun, could translate into an unlimited, non-polluting energy for the future. It could also be part of the solution to our current problem of global warming as well as other environmental issues.

Via Inhabitat

Inside Outside

For the decoration of the outside of buildings, Italian wallpaper company Wall & Decò creates large mural-like wall coverings, which are used the world over. 

Applying photographic images and graphic decorations are simply achieved by the use of a 3-part system : adhesive, technical fabric and finishing treatment.

Via Cool Hunter

Cookie Cup

For the Italian coffee brand Lavazza, Venezuelan designer Enrique Luis Sardi has created Cookie Cup - a coffee cup you can eat.

 The cup is made of pastry with a special icing sugar interior, which is multipurpose: it insulates, is waterproof, and, is a sweetener for the coffee. 

Interesting way to reduce one's carbon footprint - drink the coffee and then eat the cup!

Via: DesignTaxi

The Future We Choose

As contributor, I am excited to announce the London book launch 
of 'The Future We Choose' An initiative of Think Act Vote 

The Launch is today at The Arch Gallery - 14.00 Wednesday 25 July 
& continues to 02.00 Thursday 26 July.

Press Release

18^th July 2012

 Now is the time to create the future that we choose for the world. 

New book launched by Think Act Vote (?!X) shows us how. 

As we stand in 2012, many of the ideologies running our world systems have failed. Some of us fear there is no other belief system that has enough strength behind it to succeed. Yet, we have a plethora of solutions and ideas amongst us that could lead to a brighter future, argues Think Act Vote in their book ‘The Future We Choose’.

The Future We Choose brings together over 200 forward thinking voices, from the general public mixed in with those well known, from fashion designers to historians, campaigners to presenters. Here they share the vision of the world they want to live in with their ideas of how to create it. The book revolves around ‘The Futures Interview’, which also asks for a Future Soundtrack and five all time favourite weblinks. Launched by radical think-tank Think Act Vote (?!X), it was founded to create a new conversation around democracy and how we create the future we choose.

‘An idea that could send a transforming fire to the future.’ 

Ben Okri, Author and Poet.

The Future We Choose features contributors including Wayne Hemingway, June Sarpong, Kriss Akabusi, Katharine Hamnett, Lynne Franks and Dan Snow sharing their answers to these questions. It is a personal, political exploration of what we value, and how we can live these values in our everyday lives. It aims to provide a space for the reader to stop, think about the world they choose to live in and how we then create it. Input was gathered from music festivals, social media and the corridors of parliament. It ends with an afterword by campaigner and activist Sam Roddick, who poignantly encourages us to believe that anything is possible.

The project began with a fashion design competition back in 2010 in the run up to the UK general election. Think Act Vote founder, Amisha Ghadiali said: “If politics were a fashion brand, you wouldn’t wear it. We want to use creativity to create a community around the choices we make for our future.”

The book was previewed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during the Rio+20 Earth Summit with an event at the Hub Culture Pavilion. In the UK, it launches officially on Wednesday 25^th July with an event at The Arch Gallery in East London. This will bring together many of the contributors for an afternoon of talks, workshops and live music.

The Future We Choose is supported by a variety of people including Tim Smit from The Eden Project who said, “I feel a new form of democracy stirring and it is exciting and vital. Go make a difference I say. Read this book and start now.”

1. The Futures Interview: http://alisondaydesigns.blogspot.nl/2011/12/futured-interview.html

2. Video: http://alisondaydesigns.blogspot.nl/2012/01/futures-exhibtion-think-act-vote.html

3. Futures Calender: http://alisondaydesigns.blogspot.nl/2012/02/futures-calendar.html

Alison Day Designs