Friday 15th July //
Positive news round-up
Ubuntu Thoughts / 5 Min read
July 15, 2022
Callum Berry
Content & Media Manager
Content & Media Manager
Hello there readers! Phew, what a week. We hope you’re all finding ways to enjoy / cope (delete as applicable) with the blazing heat. For those with pets, be careful in the heat and make sure they’re staying hydrated, away from hot pavements (not good for delicate paws), and if you can, purchase a non-toxic cooling mat from your local pet shop or online to help them cool down.
And with that, let’s get on with our positive news round up!
And with that, let’s get on with our positive news round up!
Buzz-stops
A fun fact to start the week: the UK is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with a staggering 84% of us living in towns and cities.
However, communities are finding amazing new ways of ‘Urban greening,’ a process that describes the incorporation of greenery into the built environment. For example, ‘bee bus stops’—named due to their flowers attracting pollinating insects whose numbers have sharply declined in recent years—are popping up across towns and cities. Not only are they amazing sanctuaries for bees, but they also absorb rain water to prevent flooding, help to reduce temperatures in the summer, and capture pollution particles from the air.
A win for bees, insects, and sweaty shoppers!
However, communities are finding amazing new ways of ‘Urban greening,’ a process that describes the incorporation of greenery into the built environment. For example, ‘bee bus stops’—named due to their flowers attracting pollinating insects whose numbers have sharply declined in recent years—are popping up across towns and cities. Not only are they amazing sanctuaries for bees, but they also absorb rain water to prevent flooding, help to reduce temperatures in the summer, and capture pollution particles from the air.
A win for bees, insects, and sweaty shoppers!
Solar statements
Rooftop panels are a great addition in our fight to create a more sustainable way of living—but their function often outweighs their form, looking little more than chunky grey blocks on rooftops and in neat rows on solar farms.
So for those looking to make a solar statement, this may well be the thing for you! Smartflower Solar have released the Smart Flower: a sculptural solar panel set in the shape of a flower, which unfurls in the morning, tracks the sun throughout the day and closes in the evening for maximum efficiency.
The price tag is a little on the premium side—early adopters will need to be willing to fork out at least $25,000 to get their hands on a pair of these floral formulations—however as fans of innovative design, it’s great to see more creative ways to build on the brilliance of science and engineering.
So for those looking to make a solar statement, this may well be the thing for you! Smartflower Solar have released the Smart Flower: a sculptural solar panel set in the shape of a flower, which unfurls in the morning, tracks the sun throughout the day and closes in the evening for maximum efficiency.
The price tag is a little on the premium side—early adopters will need to be willing to fork out at least $25,000 to get their hands on a pair of these floral formulations—however as fans of innovative design, it’s great to see more creative ways to build on the brilliance of science and engineering.
(Not) seeing red
In a move that has every animal rights activist cheering (and those who just love animals), the largest bullring in the world no longer celebrates bullfights. The Monumental Plaza de Toros de Mexico has closed its doors until further notice after a judge in Mexico extended the ban on bullfighting indefinitely.
The judge originally decreed a temporary ban in May following complaints that bullfights violated resident’s rights to a healthy environment, free from violence. The subsequent extension has raised hopes that the entire season will be cancelled at the world’s largest remaining venue.
La Plaza Mexico, as the stadium is known, issued a statement Friday calling on fans to protest the ruling and stated they would appeal the ruling. The stadium urged bullfight supporters to post pictures of themselves with the word “freedom” written on their hands. However, a higher court has already rejected one appeal.
The judge originally decreed a temporary ban in May following complaints that bullfights violated resident’s rights to a healthy environment, free from violence. The subsequent extension has raised hopes that the entire season will be cancelled at the world’s largest remaining venue.
La Plaza Mexico, as the stadium is known, issued a statement Friday calling on fans to protest the ruling and stated they would appeal the ruling. The stadium urged bullfight supporters to post pictures of themselves with the word “freedom” written on their hands. However, a higher court has already rejected one appeal.
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We appreciate that all life on earth is under threat, so we’re using the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. Reducing the negative impact on people and the planet.
If you're looking to make a change in how you market your business, we'd love to chat. Find out more.
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