Making Things Glow

The lamps of yesteryear, incandescents, produce light when electricity heats a thin filament. This causes it to glow. The quality of light is pleasing to many. But the lamps only last about 1,500 hours at best. They’re also inefficient. Roughly 90 percent of the energy is emitted as heat rather than light. Full,  partial, or … Read more

B’More Healthy — Joint Effort Yields Better Food Choices

Poor urban neighborhoods are often food deserts, bereft of fresh fruits and vegetables. According to a report by the Bloomberg School of Public Health, nearly one in four school-aged children in Baltimore live in a food desert — an area where nutritious food choices are limited, and almost one-third of city households lacked access to … Read more

Train Your Ear to the Pulse of Innovation — 3d Printing is Here!

Need a new knocker for the front door? Select a design and push the print button. How about that fork that got damaged in the garbage disposal? Scan one of the remaining ones and print a replacement. Printing 3d objects at home is now possible although the choices of material are somewhat limited. Soon, very … Read more

Empowerhouse — From Concept Home to Family Residence

One of the green concept homes showcased at the Department of Energy’s 2011 Solar Decathlon now has a permanent address in Washington, DC. The design is based on several net-zero energy systems that reach peak efficiency when they are joined together. A rainwater harvesting system captures water from the roof and adjacent land, minimizing the … Read more

The Social Unit

Wouter Kalis and Corinne de Korver are two Dutch designers who have long been aware of the overall importance of sustainable accommodations throughout the world. Based in Amsterdam, the duo are dedicated to socially-conscious designs that incorporate simple and often recyclable elements, such as their most recent piece, “Social Unit.”  Devised as a solution for … Read more

What Nutrition Experts Won’t Feed Their Kids

Beth Wallace, a registered dietitian at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, asked twenty well-respected, experienced, pediatric nutrition experts what foods they refuse to provide to their own children. The children range from 18 months to 20 years old. The results are in. The top 10 foods experts won’t bring into their home: Sugar sweetened beverages- … Read more

Nutrition in the Democratic Republic of Korea

Chronic malnutrition, has an irreversible impact on children’s physical and intellectual development if it is not treated in the first two years of life. To prevent stunting and anaemia in mothers and their children, food and nutrition security, water, hygiene and sanitation, and other endemic social and health-related problems need to be addressed together. Desiree … Read more

Nutrition Education for Vietnamese Women on Calcium Intake

A new study suggests that community-based education programs to improve intake of dietary calcium could make a difference in bone health and fracture prevention for the postmenopausal population. In many Asian countries, levels of dietary calcium and vitamin D in the general population have been shown to be below FAO/WHO recommended levels of calcium intake. … Read more

The Garden Classroom

At Mark Twain Middle School in Los Angeles, a blooming garden serves as a classroom. Students learn math by measuring the growth of wheat, ancient history by building a Mesopotamian-style irrigation system and the science of evaporation, evolution and genetics by watching their garden grow. At lunchtime you will find them snacking on pasta tossed … Read more