Robber fly - Nature photographer Thomas Shahan specializes in amazing portraits of tiny insects. It isn't easy. Shahan says that this Robber Fly (Holcocephala fusca), for instance, is "skittish" and doesn't like its picture taken.

Eye-popping bug photos

Nature by Numbers (Video)

"A Summary" – Apr 2, 2011 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Religion, Shift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Intelligent/Benevolent Design, EU, South America, 5 Currencies, Water Cycle (Heat up, Mini Ice Ace, Oceans, Fish, Earthquakes ..), Middle East, Internet, Israel, Dictators, Palestine, US, Japan (Quake/Tsunami Disasters , People, Society ...), Nuclear Power Revealed, Hydro Power, Geothermal Power, Moon, Financial Institutes (Recession, Realign integrity values ..) , China, North Korea, Global Unity,..... etc.) -
"The Quantum Factor" – Apr 10, 2011 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Galaxies, Universe, Intelligent design, Benevolent design, Aliens, Nikola Tesla (Quantum energy), Inter-Planetary Travel, DNA, Genes, Stem Cells, Cells, Rejuvenation, Shift of Human Consciousness, Spontaneous Remission, Religion, Dictators, Africa, China, Nuclear Power, Sustainable Development, Animals, Global Unity.. etc.) - (Text Version)


“ … Here is another one. A change in what Human nature will allow for government. "Careful, Kryon, don't talk about politics. You'll get in trouble." I won't get in trouble. I'm going to tell you to watch for leadership that cares about you. "You mean politics is going to change?" It already has. It's beginning. Watch for it. You're going to see a total phase-out of old energy dictatorships eventually. The potential is that you're going to see that before 2013.

They're going to fall over, you know, because the energy of the population will not sustain an old energy leader ..."

(Live Kryon Channelings was given 7 times within the United Nations building.)

"Update on Current Events" – Jul 23, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: The Humanization of God, Gaia, Shift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Benevolent Design, Financial Institutes (Recession, System to Change ...), Water Cycle (Heat up, Mini Ice Ace, Oceans, Fish, Earthquakes ..), Nuclear Power Revealed, Geothermal Power, Hydro Power, Drinking Water from Seawater, No need for Oil as Much, Middle East in Peace, Persia/Iran Uprising, Muhammad, Israel, DNA, Two Dictators to fall soon, Africa, China, (Old) Souls, Species to go, Whales to Humans, Global Unity,..... etc.)

"Recalibration of Free Choice"– Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Caroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Loose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth, 4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Paddle wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical) 8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.) - (Text version)

“… 4 - Energy (again)


The natural resources of the planet are finite and will not support the continuation of what you've been doing. We've been saying this for a decade. Watch for increased science and increased funding for alternate ways of creating electricity (finally). Watch for the very companies who have the most to lose being the ones who fund it. It is the beginning of a full realization that a change of thinking is at hand. You can take things from Gaia that are energy, instead of physical resources. We speak yet again about geothermal, about tidal, about wind. Again, we plead with you not to over-engineer this. For one of the things that Human Beings do in a technological age is to over-engineer simple things. Look at nuclear - the most over-engineered and expensive steam engine in existence!

Your current ideas of capturing energy from tidal and wave motion don't have to be technical marvels. Think paddle wheel on a pier with waves, which will create energy in both directions [waves coming and going] tied to a generator that can power dozens of neighborhoods, not full cities. Think simple and decentralize the idea of utilities. The same goes for wind and geothermal. Think of utilities for groups of homes in a cluster. You won't have a grid failure if there is no grid. This is the way of the future, and you'll be more inclined to have it sooner than later if you do this, and it won't cost as much….”



"Fast-Tracking" - Feb 8, 2014 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Reference to Fukushima / H-bomb nuclear pollution and a warning about nuclear > 20 Min)

Obama unveils landmark regulations to combat climate change

Obama unveils landmark regulations to combat climate change
In a bid to combat climate change, US President Barack Obama announced the Clean Power Plan on Monday, marking the first time power plants have been targeted by mandatory regulations on carbon dioxide emissions in the US.
Google: Earthday 2013

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Hemp, Lime And Local Timber At Scots Eco-Village

Green Building Press, 31 Aug 2013

Two houses are nearing completion at a small newbuild eco village in the northwest of Scotland. Achabeag township has planning permission for 20 houses, which will be clustered together on sloping land overlooking the Sound of Mull. Of these 6 are designated as affordable housing, but with an average build cost of less than £100K none are likely to break the bank.


The first two dwellings are different in appearance but both are built to a very high standard – with exceptional levels of insulation, minimal heating requirements, met by a woodstove and off-peak electricity, heat storage in a thermal floor slab, and solar thermal panels for hot water. The full-height (single storey) internal living spaces have Douglas Fir structural frames and masses of natural light from roof glazing. Aluminium clad timber windows are virtually maintenance free.

The timber for both was sourced mostly from local forests in the Lochaber area, the insulation – using recycled newspaper, collected by local schoolchildren – processed by Warmcel. Novel sloping exterior walls are influenced by local vernacular building styles while pagoda-style roofs give individuality.

Developed by the Ardtornish Estate and Roderick James Architects LLP the Achabeag Township is intended to be a small sustainable community of highly energy efficient houses, within easy reach of the amenities of nearby Lochaline. The designs were born out of a Pattern Book created by the Roderick James practice that deliberately stipulates both a direction and coherent styles developed to ultimately create a township or village feel.

The first property takes on a crescent-shaped form that curves to create a sheltered outdoor space that looks down the Sound of Mull. Dissecting the curve is a feature-glazed shard that serves to emphasise the properties dramatic views that are enjoyed through a fully glazed façade, whilst drawing light into the centre of the plan. The main living area is open plan. This maximises the amount of both space and light, whilst minimising the amount of corridor space between rooms to deliver both ecological and environmental advantages.

In contrast to the crescent shaped form of its counterpart, the second property is aligned over a star shape layout, the form of which echoes the look of a traditional croft: a long and low, single storey building with white harled (rendered) walls, low eaves, dominant gable ends with chimney stacks, and small windows to the north and west. The properties two main ‘wings’ form a shallow V-shape and in doing so create a sheltered outdoor area that is accessible directly from the open plan living space.

Located within close proximity to each other and enjoying a coastal aspect, the single storey dwellings feature the hemp based prefabricated wall system that is particularly suitable for use in low-rise buildings, deployed around an oak frame in this case. Hemcrete Projects low-carbon prefabricated building system, Hembuild, has been used for the main walls of the houses, which also feature both a natural slate and sedum green roof, plus lime-based render supplied by Hemcrete Projects’ group company, Lime Technology, In order to ensure that the visual appearance of both properties sit comfortably within the landscape, the external walls have been subtly tapered, making them feel instantly integral to their surrounding environment.

Commenting on the decision to specify the Hembuild system, Peter Smith of Roderick James Architects said: “Hembuild ticks all of the boxes when it comes to delivering sustainable properties, and the system is ideally suitable for what are two totally different styled houses but which fulfil the requirements of a scheme where the use of natural materials and environmental sustainability are the order of the day.”

Developed to deliver highly sustainable and energy efficient buildings, the product is based around a bio-composite building material made from hemp shiv (the woody core of industrial hemp) mixed with a lime-based binder – Tradical Hemcrete. This product, when used in conjunction with equally efficient hemp fibre insulation quilt delivers a groundbreaking combination of insulation and thermal inertia.

Building using the system creates a substantial smoothing out of temperatures, thus reducing peak loads and the capital costs of an M&E system. The building fabric partially takes over the regulation of the internal conditions using the passive properties of Hemcrete, instead of using the active properties of the M&E system. This creates the potential for reducing capital and running costs.

In addition to exceeding expectations based on conventional steady state U-values and standard thermal modelling, the process also sequesters carbon. This arises due to hemp capturing carbon dioxide during its rapid growth, whilst releasing oxygen back into the atmosphere. The carbon is then locked up within the walls of the building to give a carbon negative solution.

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