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Paris warms up for winter
Geothermal technology just took a leap into the world of bio-heat. In Paris, an experimental public housing project will use heat emitted by subway travelers. Reuters reports that the building, located in the rue Beaubourg, has a triad of factors that produce an environmental temperature of 14-20 degrees Celsius year-round, thereby making it an ideal source of bio-heat. The three elements are the calories emitted by passengers, the heat created by moving trains on tracks, and the subterranean location.
The Paris housing project would transfer heat from underground passages to heat exchangers and into heating pipes for 17 apartments. Carbon dioxide emissions would be substaintially lower than that of traditional forms of heating.
This type of geothermal technology is already being used in Austria, and construction in Paris is planned for 2011. If the project is successful, other cities around the globe might warm up to the idea.
The Ultimate Closet Makeover – Martha Stewart
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXOLy1N7m98
Take a break — go wireless
Wireless systems have made communications mobile and easy. While ”going wireless” gives us the “ability to instantly communicate almost anywhere on the globe…the steady stream of beeps and rings is fragmenting our workdays and our lives,” says University of Utah psychology professor David Strayer (”Housewatch: Doctors prescribe a daily dose of nature,” The Washington Post).
When the human mind has to field a steady stream of phone calls, emails, and texts throughout the day, the mind’s “executive attention function” is compromised, according to Professor Atchley at the University of Kansas. Over time, the brain grows tired and less able to function at a high cognitive level.
And the best prescription for mental fatigue turns out to be as simple as a ”timeout.” Taking a 15 minute walk outdoors or removing oneself to a quieter space in the house or office may be the best prescription for curing the fragmented mind. If the forest is not outside your door, you might try gazing at a fishtank or listening to music featuring the sounds of nature. The goal is to find a sanctuary away from the work, not privacy to do more of it.
Traveling this Labor Day weekend?
If you’re getting ready to pack up your car and drive to a travel destination this weekend, check out The Wall Street Journal’s “Some Tips to Avoid Labor Day Traffic Blues” before you depart. With road construction at a record-high level, planning ahead is key.
Wall Street Journal, “Some Tips to Avoid Labor Day Traffic Blues”
Traveling this Labor Day weekend?
If you’re getting ready to pack up your car and drive to a travel destination this weekend, check out The Wall Street Journal’s “Some Tips to Avoid Labor Day Traffic Blues” before you depart. With road construction at a record-high level, planning ahead is key.
Wall Street Journal, “Some Tips to Avoid Labor Day Traffic Blues”
