photos – EcoSalon

There’s a Big Wild World Out There, and It’s Too Beautiful for Words [Video]

Jill Ettinger — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 10:00:20 +0000

Still photographer for National Geographic and North Face athlete Cory Richards will take your breath away in this promotional video that demonstrates the scope of his work capturing the beauty of this big wild world. Take 5 minutes out of your day to just sit and focus all of your attention on these gripping images.

A Tribute to Discomfort: Cory Richards from Blue Chalk on Vimeo.

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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The post There’s a Big Wild World Out There, and It’s Too Beautiful for Words [Video] appeared first on EcoSalon.

Best Instagram Photos of the Week: The 33 Most Amazing First Sunrise Pictures of 2014

Juliette Donatelli — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 08:00:33 +0000

A picture evokes a lot of language, or something along those lines. So, from the shores of Thailand to the mid-western United States, we’ve rounded up 33 of the most amazing sunrise pictures of 2014’s first dawn.

After long nights or ambitious mornings, Instagram users around the world snapped shots of the sky at day break, like this radiant, serene photo above, taken on the shores of Vancouver, Washington by lanisakai.

Have a look around, and you might be inspired by the beauty and light this new year holds.

Taken in Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park Thailand by anna_bkk

Taken in Brooklyn, New York by ilikefatass

neckerputs

Taken in Encinitas by mirallegirl

mar10stm

abanob_3atf

Taken in Nepal by ilarit

Taken in the San Francisco Bay area by rfreeman88

Taken in Tomales Bay, California by leajulene

Taken in Kansas by michellelalu

Taken in Camino Alto Preserve in California by jjungsten

Taken in Vista, California by itsjbizzle

Taken in Colorado by uelhp

Taken in Ras Shitan by nadimmaximilian

niki17a

oddbone

Taken in Paris, France by mullerfrans

Taken in Oakland, California by mr_marcus_asshole

Taken in Juno Beach Florida by journeyofnow

Taken on Lake Tahoe by mukpeace

pcn_anais

shannont101

Taken in Joshua Tree National Park by steveu1975

Taken in Oregon by rdavidson3

Taken in Praia Beach, Portugal by danncaldas

Taken in Thailand by dungwaaplanil

Taken by kikajasmine

Taken in Florida by miichellex0x0

Taken in Ha Long Bay, Hanoi, Vietman by chartan

Taken in France by lottietowell10

Taken in San Francisco by cherdendelions

Taken in Sardinia by jiggiola

The post Best Instagram Photos of the Week: The 33 Most Amazing First Sunrise Pictures of 2014 appeared first on EcoSalon.

Best of Instagram This Week: Peaceful Simplicity of Snow

Juliette Donatelli — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 08:00:02 +0000

Holidays (for most of us) bring clean, silent, and peaceful snowfall along with the spirit of giving. Here are the most beautiful and best of Instagram photos for this week, based on the popular hashtag, snow.

No matter what climate you are in, the holiday season reminds us of the warmth giving to others can bring. Let go of the pressure and stress this holiday season, and be aware of the simple joy of the now. Accept who we are, what we can give in this minute, and be grateful. We will find we give more than material things, and our presence becomes the real present.

So, if you are in a snowy zone, grab yourself a hot chocolate and cozy up to these beautiful pictures. And if you aren’t near snowfall, here’s a look into this week’s winter wonderlands around the world. Because it is also the most wonderful time of the year for remembering the warmth within us all, even amidst ice and snow.

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer” -Albert Camus

carissaphotography

photo_active

treycw23

calidre

_football_fanatic_

ceciliebie

_lifethruthelens

serhandemirozer

ariella_xox

mohammadmesgar

gk_amber

Erinncoventry

30 Gorgeous Photos of Winter Snowscapes

Environment as Art: 15 Beautiful Photos of Nature

11 Absolute BEST Holiday Gift Ideas for Everyone On Your List (Under $89)

Metallic Holiday Fashion Trends 2013: On Trend

featured image: luiseb24

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Best Instagram Photos of the Week: Thoughtful Street Art

Juliette Donatelli — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 08:00:35 +0000

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.

ryannworld

sgsatd

just1titus

featured image: bigpicturestuff

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

The Gentrification of Graffiti

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31 (More) Photos of Doors From Around The World

Juliette Donatelli — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 07:01:53 +0000

Doors around the world mean shelter, home, familiarity; and mystery and intrigue. They represent possibilities, juxtaposing new adventures—or refuge—once entered. Their framework and design can be bright and modern, or intricate and hundreds of years old; imposing or tiny; handled or smooth; welcoming or intimidating.

image: Moyan Brenn

1. Barcelona, Spain

image: David Ohmer

2. Alcatraz, San Francisco, California

image: Martin

3. Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany

image: Eric Gonzalez

4. Pavia, Italy

image: Meaduva

5. Zanzibar, Tanzania

image: Pauline Mak

6. Morocco

image: Peter Rivera

7. Montmartre, Paris, France

image: Christopher Jensen

8. Location Unknown

image: Denis LcLaughlin

9. Fahan, Ireland

image: Loozrboy

10. Hornepayne, Ontario, Canada

image: Lindy

11. France

image: Marco Alioli

12. Sardinia, Italy

image: Mark Ehr

13. Bangkok, Thailand

image: Angie Harms

14. Granada, Nicaragua

image: Andrey Upadyshev

15. Suomenlinna Ferry, Helsinki, Finland

image: Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho

16. Saint-Tropez, France

image: Marco Zanferrari

17. Elephanta Island, India

image: vxla

18. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

image: Anna Fox

19. Anaheim, California, USA

image: Eric Chan

20. Granada, Spain

image: d. fuka

21. Shanghai, China

image: Julia Chapple

22. Fez, Morocco

image: Nick Taylor

23. Baku, Azerbaijan

image: Ethan Hein

24. Krakow, Poland

image: Andrew Turner

25. Beijing, China

image: Chad Kainz

26. Copenhagen, Denmark

image: Andrew Morrell

27. Gandia, Spain

image: Eric Molina

28. Hanoi, Vietnam

image: Phil Whitehouse

29. Buenos Aires, Argentina

image: Martin and Kathy Dady

30. Southern Morocco

image: Peter Rivera

31. Montmarte Cemetery, Paris, France

Related on Ecosalon:

21 Incredible World Monuments Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before

40 Photos of Doors From Around The World

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

The post 31 (More) Photos of Doors From Around The World appeared first on EcoSalon.

21 Incredible World Monuments Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before

Juliette Donatelli — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 07:00:39 +0000

World monuments are spectacular feats of humankind in and of themselves, inspiring awe in their architectural detail, grandeur or simplicity. Match that with a keen photographer in just the right moment and the outcome is a new piece of inspiring artwork. Here are 21 incredible photographs of world monuments like you’ve never seen them before.

image: Marvin Soriano

1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA

image: Andrew E. Larsen

2. Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocoo

image: Paul Stocker

3. Petra, Jordan

image: Trey Ratcliff

4. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

image: Jon McL

5. Inside the Pyramid of Unas, Saqqara, Egypt

image: Koen

6. Taj Mahal, Agra, India

image: James Byrum

7. Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

image: Jason Pier

8. Colosseum, Rome, Italy

image: ThomasThomas

9. Machu Picchu, Cusco, Peru

image: New York Public Library

10. Statue of Liberty being assembled in Paris, France

image: dalbera

11. Alhambra, Grenada, Spain

image: Notre Dame Architecture Library

12. Great Sphinx, Giza, Egypt

image: Christian Córdova

13. Rapa Nui, Easter Island, Chile

image: Jean-Marie Hullot

14. Bagan, Mandalay Region, Myanmar

image: photophilde

15. Le Louvre, Paris, France

image: Dennis Jarvis

16. Great Wall of China, Juyong Pass, China

image: Nitin Gajria

17. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

image: Taro Tyler

18. Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England

image: Lab604

19. Pashupatinath, Kathmandu, Nepal

image: Gonzalo Díaz Fornaro

20. Big Ben, London, England

image: Josh Gross

21. Ankor Wat, Cambodia

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

40 Photos from Flea Markets Around the World

The post 21 Incredible World Monuments Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before appeared first on EcoSalon.

Drowning Islands: A Visual Account of the Effects of Climate Change

Brook Meakins — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:00:05 +0000

Tuvalu, one of the smallest countries on the planet, is also predicted to be one of the first to disappear under the rising sea. Brook Meakins, an attorney who advocates for those in climate-threatened locations, recently visited Tuvalu and shares the story of this fragile and beautiful chain of islands through her photos.

Top image: Morning until night, life in Tuvalu happens on the beach. With a total landmass of 26 square kilometers, 24 of which are coastal, most activities occur within a stone’s throw of the sea.

Children in Tuvalu have a comfort and familiarity with the water, undoubtedly connected with the omnipresent sea in a way that only those raised on an atoll seem to understand.

This photo, taken from the sand on one side of the island of Funafuti, looks to the sea at the other side of the island. Coastal vulnerability is exacerbated for those in Tuvalu who live near the burrow pits, like the pits shown here. A remnant of the United State military presence during WWII, burrow pits are unsightly, unhealthy, and particularly dangerous during storm surges or prolonged rains. Lacking spare land, Tuvalu is unable to fill the pits.

The lagoon in Funafuti is a national playground and an absolutely breathtaking site. It is 14 kilometers wide and 18 kilometers long, making it the most prominent of Funafuti’s natural sites.

Fish are plentiful in Tuvaluan waters, and fishing (whether on commercial boats or for domestic trade) is a very common source of income. Increasing levels of “toxic fish” concerns some in Tuvalu, although not all. I witnessed children and their parents eating raw reef fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

This picture shows the realities of Tuvaluan life, both literally and figuratively. Commercial fishing boats loom in the distance, most likely foreign. Tiny, fragile islets, connected during low tide and isolated during high tide, border the photo. Blood seeps from the shore, where village women prepare the daily catch for eager schoolchildren. And the small boy clutches his translucent life preserver, drifting slowly out to sea.

While some criticize the country of Tuvalu for storing their garbage on the far tip of the island, much of the garbage drifts to Tuvalu, rather than from it. This refrigerator provided a source of play for village children for many hours.

Many visitors to Tuvalu, myself included, store all personal garbage and recycling during their stay, to be properly disposed of upon returning home. The simple reality is that there is a lack of space in Tuvalu – with climate change making matters only worse. The government and aid organizations have made significant progress on waste management in the recent past.

Even the most rudimentary houses in Tuvalu have water cisterns, many of which have been donated through foreign aid. Fresh water lenses have been infiltrated by salt water during storm surges, and a growing population on Funafuti stresses local water supplies. Last year, water had to be shipped in from overseas because of an extended drought.

With the Pacific ocean on the left and the lagoon on the right, this image highlights the dire situation people who live in Tuvalu find themselves in when faced with a rising sea and increased storm surges. Awareness of climate change in Tuvalu was higher than any place I have ever visited.

Homes build on the ocean-side in Tuvalu do not enjoy the reef protection the lagoon-side offers, causing increased vulnerability to climate change impacts. Homemade sea walls like the one pictured here are common, yet only offer minimal protection from storms and wave surges.

Taken elsewhere, this photo would represent a fringe example of the most vulnerable in a population. In Tuvalu, this photo represents average vulnerability- a home that sits just feet above the water line. And this photo is taken during low tide.

The Funafuti Conservation Area peeks out of the surrounding waters, covering 33 square kilometers of protected reef, lagoon, channel, ocean, and island habitats. The preservation project began in 1996 and is one of 17 Pacific Island Country conservation areas, and happens to the one of the loveliest places I have ever visited.

Brook Meakins is an activist and attorney in Berkeley, California with a practice that specializes in providing legal assistance and advocacy for the populations of low-lying island countries who face imminent threat of climate-related disaster.

The post Drowning Islands: A Visual Account of the Effects of Climate Change appeared first on EcoSalon.

Bored? Here Are 10 Awesome Free Things On The Internet

Mike Sowden — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:23:18 +0000

Feeling bored by the Internet? Want to see something fun & useful that will truly rock your socks off and might just make your day?

Let us begin.

Sustainable Energy – Without The Hot Air – David JC MacKay

Described by Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow as “the Freakonomics of conservation, climate and energy”, this is a book you shouldn’t miss, not least because it’s available entirely for free. You can buy the book on Amazon (note the thirty-nine 5-star reviews) – but you can also read the entire contents online or download them in PDF form, free of charge.

Author MacKay is an English Physics professor, so he really knows his stuff. What is remarkable is how elegantly and breezily he conveys it. (This is no ponderous high school textbook). Want to know what it would really take to balance the energy budget? Want to know the real numbers behind renewable energy? This is the book for you.

The Brain Pickings of Maria Popova

Since 2005, Wired and The Atlantic writer Maria Popova has been reading more books than most people get through in a lifetime. If that wasn’t enough, she only reads good books – the most fascinating, quirky, inspiring and thought-filled reading material lining our shelves today. And if that wasn’t enough, she blogs about them too. Her website, Brain Pickings, now gets more traffic than the New York Review of Books, and no wonder – it’s a treasure-trove of suggested reads that may very well make you a better human being.

(Check out an interview with Maria here).

Read The Best Journalism On The Internet

Love good writing? Love reading? Love knowing what’s really going on in the world? Check out our reading list or our recent post on 10 sources of quality journalism – but if you don’t want to have to trawl for the good stuff yourself, there are websites that curate and archive the most fearless, insightful and beautifully-written journalism out there.

Try Longform (above)…

…and Longreads, and Byliner.

For a one-stop bookmarking of the good stuff, check out Conor Friedersdorf’s list of nearly 100 pieces of superb journalism. And if you have a Kindle – why not use Klip.me to send these articles to it, and do your reading offline?

Browse the Open Culture Language List

Being bilingual gives your brain a good workout – we all know this, but there’s increasing amounts of scientific evidence to back it up. So why not take 10 minutes out of your day and start a new language? Problem: those courses can be pricey. Solution: this colossal archive of free resources (ebooks, audio, video) for learning 40 languages from Arabic to Yiddish. (Thank you kindly, Open Culture).

Sloth Yourself Silly

To keep your smile topped up, watch this trailer for Animal Planet’s Meet The Sloths every day. And if that doesn’t work, scroll through these 111 adorable pictures of them at Buzzfeed. Sloths – they bring the happy. (More cuteness at Slothville).

See The World Up Close

Earlier this year the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite orbited our planet six times and took a series of staggeringly detailed images that NASA stitched together and released on Flickr. The above image is one; this is the other. Incredibly beautiful, yes – but we’re not done yet. Under the “View All Sizes” buttons on each page you’ll find the original high-resolution image…and they will blow your mind: (Hi-Res Image 1) (Hi-Res Image 2)

Know At A Glance When Your Edible Garden Is In Season

As you may have guessed by now, we love infographics – but we were particularly taken with this set from the good folk at Chasing Delicious. Work out when your fruit, vegetables and herbs are in season, and plan your meals accordingly.

Listen To Neil Gaiman Talk About Doing What You Love

A few months ago author Neil Gaiman was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and was asked to give the Keynote Address to the 2012 graduating class. The speech he gave has become an internet phenomenon, and is a must-watch for anyone doing anything creative (read: everyone).

For those on a tight schedule, the transcript is here.

Explore An Idea a Day With The Change This Manifestos

Running since 2004 and born of an idea by Seth Godin, the Change This manifestos are short, succinct and above all fun downloadable books built around ideas. Their authors are some of the internet’s smartest people (the aformentioned Seth Godin is a contributor). There are hundreds of titles to choose from, they’re all easy on the eyes and stretchy on the brain – and they’re all completely free. Get started here.

Let Jodi Ettenberg, Legal Nomad, Show You A World Of Food

Jodi Ettenberg is a globe-trotting food nut with a thing for spices and gluten-free cooking. An ex-lawyer, she’s been traveling the world since 2008 and garnering mentions in the New York Times and on Jason Kottke’s super-popular blog. Her site is a wealth of tips on traveling the world, but for sheer eye-candy you’d be wise to go to her food page and start clicking for some really incredible nom-shots.

Images: MSVG, orangeacid, NASA Goddard Photo & Video and David JC MacKay.

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Video: Our Story in Two Minutes

Anna Brones — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 13:16:37 +0000

VideoHistory condensed.

Made by a high school student for a class project, “Our Story in Two Minutes” is an impressive summary of pretty much every book about western history that you have ever read, and then some.

The post Video: Our Story in Two Minutes appeared first on EcoSalon.

25 Photos of Stylish LEED-Certified Hotels

Jessica Marati — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:38:27 +0000

Lodging that’s both stylish and socially responsible.

Here in the United States, the hotel industry has an enormous environmental footprint, equalling 5 billion square feet of space, 5 million hotel rooms, and $4 billion in annual energy use, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. That’s a whole lot of impact, particularly when you consider that the vast majority of properties operate with little to no regard for the environment.

But little by little, the tide is changing, and hotels are coming to realize that operating sustainably doesn’t just affect the environment – it also affects their bottom line. On average, hotels that incorporate green principles use an average of 26 percent less energy and 30 percent less indoor water, and they generate 33 percent less energy and 50-75 percent less solid waste.

The gold standard of the sustainable hospitality industry is the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification program, which encompasses stages from certified to Platinum. The application process is rigorous, and as of October 2011, only 122 hotels worldwide had made the cut. Here are some of our favorites.

(above) Bardessono, Yountville, California, USA

ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru, India

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Kandalama Hotel, Dambulla, Sri Lanka

The Hotel Wilshire, Los Angeles, California, USA

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio, Texas, USA

Posada de Mike Rapu, Easter Island, Chile

Sandpearl Resort, Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA

Portola Hotel & Spa, Monterey, California, USA

The Park Hotel, Hyderabad, India

Proximity Hotel, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, California, USA