Welcome to a new series in which we round up the best Instagram photos of the week based on a theme.

We love photo sharing, and now we are sharing our favorites with you. Each week we will pick a theme, and bring you a round up of our favorite Instragram photos under that theme uploaded from users around the world.

This week we are exploring street art. Street art can be sprawled onto a building’s side or squeezed into the unlikeliest of places.  We especially love thoughtful street art that is a little quirky or comes with an inspiring message, but always brings something brighter into our day.

kcole716

lafemme_boheme

mrjohnson612

stephaniepresavoine

ryannworld

dymagate

sergiobang

sgsatd

bonbonlight

trinibad84

heathermariejewell

streetartnyc

paul3057

skevalley

jack_mochan

just1titus

featured image: bigpicturestuff

Have an idea or theme for next week’s Instragram roundup? Tweet to @spadesandsilk

See Also:

Graffiti Art Turns the Museum Inside Out

The Gentrification of Graffiti

The post Best Instagram Photos of the Week: Thoughtful Street Art appeared first on EcoSalon.

To stay, please.

Here at EcoSalon, we love our coffee. Wait, scratch that. We’re obsessed with it. We love drinking it. We love making it. We love journalling it and photographing it. We use it to exfoliate our skin and kill fridge odor. We even dedicate entire mix tapes to the glorious grind. And now, we celebrate the culture of coffee in a photo collection from cafes around the world. What can we say? Our love runs deep.

(above) Charix, France

Glastonbury, England

Kamakura, Japan

Melbourne, Australia

Koh Phangan, Thailand

Harrogate, England

Hong Kong

Canary Islands, Spain

Wroclaw, Poland

Galicia, Spain

Luts’k, Ukraine

Istanbul, Turkey

Los Angeles, California, USA

Vienna, Austria

Canterbury, England

Hoi An, Vietnam

Helsinki, Finland

Barcelona, Spain

Bali, Indonesia

Rome, Italy

Opelika, Alabama, USA

Montreal, Canada

Tokyo, Japan

San Francisco, California, USA

Cefalu, Sicily

Paris, France

Cinque Terre, Italy

Sydney, Australia

Berlin, Germany

Shanghai, China

SEE ALSO:

30 Photos of Food Trucks

40 Photos from Flea Markets Around the World

30 Gorgeous Photos of Farming and Agriculture

View more photo collections here. 

The post 30 Photos Celebrating Coffee Culture appeared first on EcoSalon.

20 images that have us falling in love (again) with Mother Ocean.

We love the ocean. We swim in it, we sail on it, explore and swing lazily in hammocks alongside it. We recently wrote about 10 ocean conservation groups that are going above and beyond preserving that which we love. So for this World Oceans Week, while those groups are out protecting, we thought we’d show you 20 ways you can fall in love with the ocean again.

We are completely smitten.

Pu’uiki Beach Park, Honolulu Hawaii

Ocean City, New Jersey

Florianópolis, Brazil

Port Campbell, Victoria, Australia

Shipwreck, Miami, Florida

Morro Bay, California

Ceide Fields, Ireland

Steamers Lane, Santa Cruz, California

Underwater Cave, Fiji

Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean…

Oregon Coast

Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts

Coral Reef, Bermuda

“Jaws,” Maui Hawaii

Festival of Sails, Brisbane, Australia

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Ba-Ria Vung Tau, Vietnam

Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve, Oregon

San Agustinillo, Mexico

Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, Maine

Top Image: Sawyer Glacier, Alaska

The post 20 Inspiring Images of Our Beautiful Oceans appeared first on EcoSalon.

The fight for clean water in America.

In 1965, high levels of sewage and toxic waste in the Potomac River led President Lyndon B. Johnson to call it “a national disgrace.” Several years later, Congress passed the Clean Water Act, a landmark piece of legislation that has been instrumental in ensuring the safety and cleanliness of America’s bodies of water for the past 40 years.

But the fight for clean water is far from over. Today, American Rivers released a list of the nation’s Most Endangered Rivers, with the Potomac topping the list. Not only does the river have high pollution levels, but its location in the heart of Washington, D.C., is emblematic of the recent Clean Water Act rollbacks in Congress, which will cut funding for river restoration projects nationwide. Take a look at the other rivers on the list, then join American Rivers’ efforts to preserve them.

(above) Potomac River (Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Washington D.C.)

Green River (Wyoming, Utah, Colorado)

Chattahoochee River (Georgia)

Missouri River (Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming)

Hoback River (Wyoming)

Grand River (Ohio)

South Fork Skykomish River (Washington)

Crystal River (Colorado)

Coal River (West Virginia)

Kansas River (Kansas)

ALSO CHECK OUT:

View more photo collections here. 

Images: Craig Pennington, David, Viswanath Duvvuri, Darren Blackburn, US Army Corps of Engineers, pfly, The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company, apliiq, Patrick Emerson, American Rivers

The post 10 Most Endangered Rivers in America appeared first on EcoSalon.

These cycles will make your spokes spin.

May is National Bike Month, and as the weather warms up, there’s no better time to embrace life on two wheels. Not only is biking great for your health, it’s also an easy, empowering, and environmentally-friendly way to get around. Plus, nothing beats the thrill of pedaling to great music with the wind blowing through your hair, whether it’s in Brazil, Birmingham, or Black Rock City.

(above) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Las Morlas, Cuba

Cologne, Germany

New York, New York, USA

Terni, Italy

Paris, France

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Montevideo, Uruguay

Leipzig, Germany

London, England

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Taipei, Taiwan

Brighton, England

Laguna Seca, California, USA

Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA

Portland, Oregon, USA

Vienna, Austria

Timisoara, Romania

Copenhagen, Denmark

Cascais, Portugal

Sydney, Australia

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Cologne, Germany

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Palo Alto, California, USA

Chézery-Forens, France

Antwerp, Netherlands

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Irwindale, California, USA

Portland, Oregon, USA

Washington, Pennsylvania, USA

The post National Bike Month: 40 Photos of Bikes From Around the World appeared first on EcoSalon.

Appreciate them now before it’s too late.

It seems that every other day, a new study is released predicting the catastrophes that will result from a continuation of worldwide climate change. For most of us, these forecasted disasters seem lifetimes away. But one immediate effect of global warming that we can’t ignore, is the shrinking of the world’s glaciers and ice caps. In addition to causing an alarming rise in sea levels, the phenomenon is also destroying some of the world’s most stunning landscapes, such as the ones depicted in the photos below.

(above) Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica

Marmolada Glacier, Italy

Chenega Glacier, Alaska, USA

Potaniin Glacier, Mongolia

Fox Glacier, New Zealand

Portage Glacier, Alaska, USA

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

Glaciers on Mt. Kenya, Kenya

Glaciers of Greenland

Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

Monte Rosa Glacier, Switzerland

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, USA

Victoria Glacier, Alberta, Canada

Pasterze Glacier, Austria

Athabasca Glacier, Alberta, Canada

Karola Glacier, Tibet

Vatnajökull Glacier, Iceland

Grey Glacier, Chile

Concordia, Karakoram, Pakistan

Glaciers on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Northern Inulchek Glacier, Kyrgyzstan

Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, USA

Aletsch Glacier, Switzerland

Nigardsbreen Glacier, Norway

Himalayan Glacier, Southern China

ALSO CHECK OUT:

View more photo collections here. 

The post 25 Photos of Glaciers in Danger of Disappearing appeared first on EcoSalon.

It’s a crazy world we live in.

There’s no better day than Earth Day to learn more about the planet we call home. To help, we present 10 informative graphic representations of the Earth, providing data, statistics, and information on everything from population density to ocean currents to Twitter connections. You know, the important stuff.

An Urban World from Unicef: an interactive map showing world population growth from 1950-2050 (click for interaction)

Geological Time Spiral from the USGS: showcasing the Earth’s storied past

The Hardest Places to Survive on Earth: where not to live

Perpetual Ocean from NASA Goddard Photo and Video: a video visualization of the world’s ocean currents

The Earth at 7 Billion: a snapshot of the world’s population today

A Lonely Planet: a map of the most remote spots on the planet, from the guidebook publisher itself

A Year of Photos from Triposo: different parts of the world light up according to how many photos are shot there throughout the year in this video visualization

The World, As Connected By Twitter: tracking conversations around the world using Twitter’s geolocation feature

Map Shaped By Population Density: an interactive look at the world by population density (click for interaction)

The Environmental Impact of the Internet: In case you needed a reminder to shut off the computer and head outside. Happy Earth Day!

Image: DonkeyHotey

The post 10 Earth Day Infographics appeared first on EcoSalon.

In one door and out another.

There’s something about a doorway that is at once welcoming and guarded. It provides an entrance as well as an exit; it beckons you while keeping you out. When you browse through this collection of door photos from around the world, you can’t help but wonder what lies beyond those thresholds. Let your imagination run wild.

(above) Lansing, Michigan, USA

Valletta, Malta

Santa Cruz, California, USA

Vicars Close, Wells, England

Valderrobres, Spain

Budapest, Hungary

Polperro, England

Williamsville, Delaware, USA

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA

Darap, Sikkim, India

Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada

Lodi, Italy

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Santorini, Greece

Bathurst, Australia

London, England

Busan, South Korea

St. Goar, Germany

Lima, Peru

Taquile, Peru

Banquiao, New Taipei, Taiwan

Portland, Maine, USA

Santorini, Greece

Lincolnshire, England

Vientiane, Laos

Dixon, Illinois, USA

Luc-Sur-Mer, France

New Delhi, India

Chiloè Island, Chile

Tehran, Iran

Hanoi, Vietnam

Weilheim-Schongau, Germany

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Paris, France

Aivali, Turkey

New York, New York, USA

Rising, Illinois, USA

San Mateo, California, USA

Michigan City, Indiana, USA

Montbrió, Spain

SEE ALSO:

40 Gorgeous Photos of Europe

40 Gorgeous Photos of North America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Latin America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

40 Gorgeous Photos of Africa

25 Photos of Islands Threatened by Climate Change

25 Images of Female Adrenaline Seekers

40 Photos from Flea Markets Around the World

30 Gorgeous Photos of Winter Snowscapes

30 Gorgeous Photos of Farming and Agriculture

15 Hilarious Photos of Interspecies Mingling

30 Photos of the World’s Most Uniquely Designed Buildings

20 Photos of Female Activists Throughout History

30 Gorgeous Photos of Spring

30 Gorgeous Photos of Traditional Textiles

25 Photos of Urban Green Spaces

25 Photos of Zen Retreats

25 Photos Celebrating Jazz History

The post 40 Photos of Doors from Around the World appeared first on EcoSalon.

Jazz through the ages.

“Jazz is restless,” trombonist J.J. Johnson once said. “It won’t stay put and it never will.” The history of jazz music reflects that restlessness and tumult, starting from the genre’s African American ragtime roots, through the height of the Jazz Age during Prohibition, the popularization of jazz during the 1950s and 60s, and the fusion and foreign influences that characterize jazz today. In honor of Jazz Appreciation Month, we celebrate the movers and shakers that helped shape one of music’s most dynamic genres.

Buddy Bolden’s Band, circa 1905

The Original Dixieland Jass Band, 1918

Ray Miller Orchestra, early 1920s

Bessie Smith, 1936

Duke Ellington and his band at the Hurricane cabaret, 1943

Count Basie’s band and Ethel Waters from the film Stage Door Canteen, 1943

Mary Lou Williams, 1946

Django Reinhardt and Duke Ellington, 1946

Sarah Vaughan at Café Society, 1946

Coleman Hawkins and Miles Davis at Three Deuces, 1947

Ella Fitzgerald with Dizzy Gillespie at Downbeat, 1947

Billie Holiday at Downbeat, 1947

Harry Gibson, 1948

Louis Armstrong, 1953

Anita O’Day at the Newport Jazz Festival, 1958

Benny Goodman and Jackie Searle, 1960

Dave Brubeck Quartet, 1967

Dizzy Gillespie and Mickey Roker, 1977

Betty Carter at the Great American Music Hall, 1979

Nina Simone, 1982

Amina Claudine Myers, 1983

Etta James at San Jose Music in the Park, 2000

Cassandra Wilson, 2006

Herbie Hancock, 2008

Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis, and Norah Jones, 2010

SEE ALSO:

40 Gorgeous Photos of Europe

40 Gorgeous Photos of North America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Latin America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

40 Gorgeous Photos of Africa

25 Photos of Islands Threatened by Climate Change

25 Images of Female Adrenaline Seekers

40 Photos from Flea Markets Around the World

30 Gorgeous Photos of Winter Snowscapes

30 Gorgeous Photos of Farming and Agriculture

15 Hilarious Photos of Interspecies Mingling

30 Photos of the World’s Most Uniquely Designed Buildings

20 Photos of Female Activists Throughout History

30 Gorgeous Photos of Spring

30 Gorgeous Photos of Traditional Textiles

25 Photos of Urban Green Spaces

25 Photos of Zen Retreats

Top Image: Elisabeth D’Orcy

The post 25 Photos Celebrating Jazz History appeared first on EcoSalon.

No laptops allowed.

We live in an over-connected world of smartphones, social networking, and 24-hour news cycles. Sometimes, you just need to get away from it all. Whether you dream of a wood cabin in the forest, a cabana on an empty beach, or a treehouse outfitted in sustainable materials, there’s a zen retreat that’s sure to fit the bill. Let this collection of images inspire your next escape.

(above) Minimalist Retreat, Leiria, Portugal

Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

Hudson Passive Project, Hudson Valley, New York, USA

Desert Nomad House, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Minimalist Country Retreat, Corcovado River, Portugal

Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos

Asilomar Retreat Complex, Pacific Grove, California, USA

Stealth Barn, Norfolk, England

Summerhouse, Sweden

Temple, Kyoto, Japan

Palm Island, The Grenadines

Mesa Cabin, Utah, USA

Desert Nomad House, Tucson, Arizona, USA

The King of the Frogs Tree House, Münster, Germany

Bay of Fires, Northeast Tasmania, Australia

Latitude 10 Resort, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Tierra Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Little Cabin, Yakutat, Alaska, USA

Romantic and Stylish Upstate Cabin, Elizaville, New York, USA

The Naka Island, Phuket, Thailand

Off-grid itHouse, Pioneertown, California, USA

Japanese Garden, Pasadena, California, USA

Canvas Hotel, Telemark County, Norway

lostrivermodern, Lost City, West Virginia, USA

Paperbark Camp, Jervis Bay, Australia

SEE ALSO:

40 Gorgeous Photos of Europe

40 Gorgeous Photos of North America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Latin America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

40 Gorgeous Photos of Africa

25 Photos of Islands Threatened by Climate Change

25 Images of Female Adrenaline Seekers

40 Photos from Flea Markets Around the World

30 Gorgeous Photos of Winter Snowscapes

30 Gorgeous Photos of Farming and Agriculture

15 Hilarious Photos of Interspecies Mingling

30 Photos of the World’s Most Uniquely Designed Buildings

20 Photos of Female Activists Throughout History

30 Gorgeous Photos of Spring

30 Gorgeous Photos of Traditional Textiles

The post 25 Photos of Zen Retreats appeared first on EcoSalon.