...end of the road?

Remember even when it's all rainy outside, beauty can still be found...


Kick ass image courtesy of http://rock-zo.tumblr.com/.

Alternative transport

Transport methods such as cars are becoming increasingly difficult to use in dense inner city urban areas. To combat this issue, Hong Kong introduced the 'Mid Levels escalator' in 1993,"it stretches a horizontal distance of 800 meters through the centre of the city". This system of moving sidewalks is popular, carrying "more than 55,000 passengers each day".

Although the initial cost was high, since 1993 the escalator has proved to have numerous benefits.

"Private developers and entrepreneurs began developing the “second level” that the escalator system had created. New restaurants, shops, bars and cafes flooded into the area and sparked a new wave of vertical development. With more trendy stores and the pedestrian capacity of the transport network increased, the standard of living in the area rose substantially. This, in turn, caused a jump in real estate value and drew the eyes of developers seeking to increase the vertical density and living capacity around the escalator". (http://sustainablecities.dk/en/city-projects/cases/hong-kong-re-discovering-escalators-as-public-transport).

The positive consequence of this transport system is that vertical spread has been seen as more desirable for developers than horizontal, thereby saving the integrity of the nearby parkland's and harbour.

Snorkeling journalists circled...

Global warming is undeniably effecting our planet. We have slowly but surely begun to adopt sustainable efforts in our town planning and design practises. In a unique move to highlight the issue of global warming, President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives held a meeting underwater. He and his cabinet "spent half an hour on the sea bed, communicating with white boards and hand signals" to sign a document that called for global cuts in carbon emissions. The Maldives, similarly to other areas of the world, face the threat of of their low lying island disappearing underwater.

"If the Maldives cannot be saved today we do not feel that there is much of a chance for the rest of the world" - President Mohamed Nasheed.

Stirring words that are a reminder to us all of the planets plight.

(source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8311838.stm).