From the category archives:
Mother’s Nature Fury raged again last week. This time it was in the form of a severe tropical storm that hit eastern Indian states as well as neighboring Bangladesh on Tuesday, April 13th. Striking with little warning as people were sleeping, the storms contained winds gusting at a walloping 100 km/hour with tornadoes developing within [...]
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In a country where steel and cement dominant the bridges and building, Australian company Bambuco showed the English a new way of thinking when they installed a temporary bamboo footbridge over the river Tyne in 2007. The bridge itself was a temporary outdoor sculpture designed and built for the SummerTyne festival to commemorate the 80th [...]
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In today’s modern world, the practice of writing by hand has given way to texting and typing. However, a practice still exists that celebrates the art of handwriting for its ability to communicate the spiritual world of the artist. Meaning beautiful writing, the practice of calligraphy is an art form that conveys the emotions, integrity, [...]
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On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude devastated the island nation of Haiti. The powerful quake collapsed over 250,000 residences, leaving roughly 1 million people homeless. The world itself shook with the impact of the relief effort. International aid agencies and private citizens responded with an outpouring of donations. The focus of the relief effort [...]
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The truest expression of a people is in its dance and in its music. Bodies never lie. ~Agnes de Mille For centuries, dance has played an important role in cultures around the world. Dance is used to celebrate, to worship and to mourn. Dance provides the opportunity to pass on traditions and stories in many [...]
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In Asian countries, bamboo is used for a multitude of things. It is shelter and flooring, cookware and food, jewelry and clothing. With its abundant presence and many uses, it’s no surprise that bamboo figures prominently in the creation myths of their culture. According to Philippine creation myths, the first man and woman emerged from [...]
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On a continent with little access to reliable transportation but ample in bamboo, one entrepreneur has found a way to turn the material into a life-changing resource. The Bamboo Bike Project (BBP) is an initiative that “aims to examine the feasibility of implementing cargo bikes made of bamboo as a sustainable form of transportation in [...]
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“If you give a man a fish, he will have a single meal. If you teach him how to fish, he will eat all his life.” This simple quote inspires a world of economic revolution in which government agencies and non-profits are looking to do more than just apply a band-aid to the world poverty [...]
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Transportation plays a key role in the advancement of societies. Sumerians invented the wheel in 3500 BC to aid in the movement of heavy stone as they built their temples; Romans built a vast network of roads across their Empire so soldiers could march and conquer more efficiently; Egyptians built ships to access more markets [...]
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For over four hundred years Denmark provided the backdrop for Hamlet. The great theme of the play involved a willingness to act to seek to undo past harms despite the risk and cost. Modern day Denmark again paints a background where action is demanded by those who may not wish to go against the status [...]
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For many countries bamboo is a product to be exploited. Bangladesh is no exception, but it hopes to protect its bamboo as well as harness its potential as a cash crop. So, you’re probably scratching your head at the first paragraph. If ever there were two words that contradicted each other, protection and exploitation rank [...]
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Never underestimate the versatility of bamboo and what governments are achieving by cultivating this miracle plant. India is one country that is exploring the myriad of options this versatile plant offers to those farmers, growers, manufacturers and governments willing to invest time and resources promoting bamboo. Officials see bamboo as a financial windfall as well [...]
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For too long Westerners have thought of Africa as “The Dark Continent”. Ethiopia and its capitol, Addis Ababa, remind us of Black Hawk Down, of drug lords and pirates. Take the Hollywood spin away and you’ll find a new Africa and an Africa finding a new path away from it’s colonial past and tribal conflicts. [...]
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Disasters bring out the best and worst in us. Greed and fear, generosity and courage are painted on the same canvas of history. A few years ago, Americans in New Orleans and other Gulf states were ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Worse, the number of people who suffered needlessly because of our disjointed response and underestimation [...]
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Tis the season for retail madness as we search for that perfect gift for our loved ones. For those of you tired of shopping the same stores for the same type of gifts, consider investing in handmade bamboo jewelry as a unique and thoughtful present. Each piece of bamboo is distinctive in its color, shape, [...]
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“Bali High” – when I first heard that song from South Pacific, I thought Mama was singing about an exotic paradise for lovers. Turns out the song might have been about one of the most progressive schools in Southeast Asia – possibly the world. The Green School, located in the Rainforest of Bali combines first [...]
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When most people think of bamboo, they picture a sea of tranquil green with a panda munching idly. But for farmers in the Philippines, bamboo elicits images of money and hope for their families. As the markets and demands for bamboo products from bamboo clothes to bamboo sheets continues to grow, members of the Philippine [...]
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So invaluable was the invention of paper and brush (pen) that they were considered two of the Four Treasures of China (along with ink and inkstone). Previous to these inventions, man recorded their history and thoughts with chiseled cave drawings or knots tied into silk ropes. So precious was this knowledge that the Chinese guarded [...]
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