How different types of houses are shaping our future: Esther’s Story (VIDEO)
This is the story of a woman who has managed to find a home solution in one of the most built-up countries in the world. Her way, a Tiny Home, may not be for everyone. But she has an interesting perspective to offer the world. Says Esther: People with different types of houses and alternative lifestyles hold the key to the way we live in the future. You can watch a documentary about her story below.
Slow travel, integrity and a whole new view on ‘progress’: Santo Stefano in Italy
The restoration project behind a once abandoned Italian village offers the world a unique approach to the meaning of progress. Santo Stefano di Sessanio is all about slow travel, history, integrity, authenticity and local people. And now, in a small but symbolic step, the local government has shown its support for the project’s vision. We speak to Daniele Kihlgren, the ‘maverick’ behind this daring project in the mountains near Rome. (And don’t forget to watch the beautiful documentary trailer about the project at the end).
The happy and proud new ‘couch potato’. Is our stigma about staying home and spare time changing?
From the US to Australia, and from finally reading that book to taking that relaxing walk. When it comes to our spare time, many of us are becoming a proud new ‘couch potato.’ But that was certainly not always the case. Is our stigma about staying in versus going out changing?
The little street library: Let your book come to you!
Feeling a little overwhelmed by life’s choices? Why not join find out if you have a little street library nearby? Let its unique, one of a kind, or bestseller second-hand book come to you. At the right place at the right time. Says Mary Contrary: It will do you the world of good.
Wonderwoods, urban home for people, trees and birds, challenges our perspective on the meaning of home
A new architectural-defying project is about to offer an ecological way of life in one of the largest cities in the Netherlands. Comprised of two tower blocks, Wonderwoods will have tall trees and lush shrubs attached to it. It will offer a new urban living for people, trees and biodiversity all in one. We spoke with landscape architect Timo Cents who tells us all about this vertical forest in the city.
A dog is our best friend. But are we theirs? A professional perspective
In the West we all care for our dogs in much the same way. We put them in a crate when we go to work and we give them treats. We remind them now and then who’s boss. But if we all basically do the same thing, does that make it okay? According to welfare professional Judith Versluis, there is room for improvement. Says Judith, this way we can also become our dog’s best friend. This is her story.
Novel therapeutic model takes movie watching to new level: It’s good for us!
Are you watching a movie or your favourite (TV) programme tonight? A British therapeutic model called ‘MOVIE’ has taken this way of relaxing to a whole new level. Says the creator of it: Watching a movie is not only relaxing, it has a deeper therapeutic effect. Who said therapy had to be difficult!
Tasty simple meals: Welcome to a new perspective on cooking!
A good meal needs expensive ingredients. Even in case of a tasty simple meal, you need to have time to prepare it. You need to have a good recipe. It needs to be from a certain country, like “Italian.” Right? Mary Contrary begs to differ. She has put aside all her ideas and rules about cooking. And she feels a lot better for it, she says. Mary’s advice is simple: Time to shake things up and do your own thing!
“One family dog please.” Do different dog breeds really have different characters?
As people with dogs in our lives we all say we can choose a dog breed with a certain character. That a dog behaves according to its breed. So we can choose, for instance a “family dog.” But a study is now challenging such stereotypes. It says that our dog’s character has more to do with the quality of life we give it. Are we projecting our ideas about dog breeds onto our dogs?
Before air conditioning: Can we learn from passive cooling?
Once upon a time, let’s call it BAC (before air conditioning), we kept our homes cool in the summer without electricity. Even in the desert. Nowadays we can’t imagine life without air conditioning. Despite its electricity bills and links to poor health and, ironically, to global warming. From Indian skywells to Middle Eastern windcatchers: Can we learn from ancient methods of passive cooling?