Sustainability
Poverty and Global Politics
The history of the world has always revolved around power, wealth, and politics, and the larger nations have always influenced the smaller and poorer ones. The truth is that poverty is not merely an economic issue but also a weapon that powerful nations use for their own interests. Most of the world’s poor regions have always been victims of the policies of major powers, and the fruits of their labor often end up in the accounts of the wealthy nations. To keep their economies strong, powerful countries buy resources cheaply from weaker states, exploit the cheap labor of their workers, and then use various tactics to keep them politically under control. This is why many regions of Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East remain trapped in poverty and backwardness. The people of these regions work day and night, but the true results of their earnings are reaped by powerful countries, while the local populations remain in misery.
By Muhammad yar12 months ago in Earth
The Role of Temporary Solutions in the Present Between the Before and After of the Energy Transition, by Stanislav Kondrashov
Every transitional era, by its very definition, is suspended between a before and an after. Yet, in this great transformative game, the role of the present cannot be ignored. Indeed, we could never reach the "after" without the tools and means being used here and now to support the transition and push it forward.
By Stanislav Kondrashov12 months ago in Earth
Stanislav Kondrashov on Sustainable Architecture 2025
Design always shapes how we live. Stanislav Kondrashov writes often about this. In 2025 his eye is with sustainable architecture. Not only walls, not only roofs. Buildings now must care. For people, for city, for earth.
By Stanislav Kondrashov 12 months ago in Earth
Animal Entitlement to Life
Biologically speaking, life is an endless chemical balancing act. When a population of a plant or animal species fluctuates, at least one other species is directly disturbed, while many others become indirectly influenced. With this general truth in mind, one could logically conclude that all living beings share equal value in the planetary scheme. Each living being on Earth has its own niche in the biosphere, down to the smallest microorganisms. Our food chain quite literally is a circular cycle of life. Plants are eaten by animals which are eaten by larger animals. Feces from the animals helps fertilize the soil to grow more plants to sustain plant-eating life. It is a continuous system of locked interdependence. Yet, when it comes to the rights of animals in domesticated, commercial, scientific, or even natural wildlife settings, some humans attempt to argue the idea that they are not deserving of basic rights. In a society of intelligent beings that are evolving on various levels, it is time that humanity come to a consensus that all conscious living beings are entitled to pursue a life free from unwarranted cruelty and neglect.
By Lolly Vieira12 months ago in Earth
Bottled vs. Filtered Water
In an age where health consciousness and environmental awareness are at the forefront of consumer decisions, the simple act of choosing drinking water has become surprisingly complex. Strolling down a grocery store aisle, you're faced with a dizzying array of bottled water brands, each promising purity and a crisp taste. Yet, a growing number of people are turning away from single-use plastics and embracing the convenience and sustainability of home filtration. For those considering an upgrade to their home water source, a professional water filtration system service can be the first step toward understanding the options and ensuring the system is tailored to specific household needs. This choice is more than just a matter of convenience; it’s a critical decision with significant implications for your health, your finances, and the planet.
By The Weekend Project12 months ago in Earth
Discover Fresh Design and Sustainable Touches at W Singapore - Sentosa Cove
This coming October, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove is set to step into a bold new era, as it reveals its newly reimagined rooms and suites. Not only that, guests can enjoy wellness rituals and the island’s unfiltered energy through music and art.
By Anne Sewell12 months ago in Earth
The Multi-Level Effectiveness of the Energy Transition, by Stanislav Kondrashov
Energy innovations are changing the lives of businesses and ordinary people, and will continue to do so for a long time to come. As Stanislav Kondrashov, founder of TELF AG, has often observed, the transition has arrived on our streets, our cities, our homes, bringing with it a breath of fresh air that is already helping to transform people's approaches to energy supplies. This change, as Stanislav Kondrashov, founder of TELF AG, explains, is occurring on multiple levels.
By Stanislav Kondrashov12 months ago in Earth
Bagram Revisited: A Historic Afghan Hub at the Center of Global Tension
Bagram is once again the focal point of power narratives. Built in the 1950s by the Soviet Union at the foot of Afghanistan’s snow-covered mountains, this airbase became the military hub for two global powers — the Soviet Union and the United States. Today, it is under the administration of the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Yet, the history of this site in Parwan province in northern Afghanistan is centuries old. It should be recalled that the Taliban government in Afghanistan has rejected the U.S. announcement of regaining control of the Bagram airbase, saying that those with such ambitions “should look at the history of Afghanistan.” Following the U.S. announcement, not only did the Taliban respond, but China also issued a strong reaction. At the crossroads of Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East, about 60 kilometers north of the Afghan capital Kabul, Bagram lies on a high plateau at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains. It has at different times served as the headquarters of Alexander the Great’s armies, and later, as the summer capital of Kushan kings. Buddhist monasteries once echoed here with the ringing of bells, and in the 7th century Arabs transformed the spiritual character of this region. As a key junction on the ancient Silk Road, caravans from Rome, Iran, India, and China passed through this trading hub. The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that the city of Alexandria-Capisa, founded by Alexander the Great, gradually became the most important center for India’s western trade. According to Britannica: “Not only goods but also ideas and beliefs passed through here. India’s religious concepts, particularly Buddhism, along with literary and artistic styles flourishing in Gandhara (present-day northwestern Pakistan, between the Kabul River’s lower valley, the Kunduz River, and the Indus River) and Mathura (Punjab, northwestern India), reached Bactria through these routes — from where they spread to Kashmir, Tibet, China, and sometimes as far as the remote oasis towns of Xinjiang.” In Archaeological Gazetteer of Afghanistan, Warwick Ball and Jørgen Glædgaard write: “The Buddhist and Hindu statuary from this city indicates that it was initially ruled by people of Indian origin — either migrants who came here, or those who mingled with Iranian peoples such as the Kamboja from Bactria who entered the region.” When Alexander’s successors were fighting among themselves, the Mauryan Empire was rising in northern India. Its founder, Chandragupta Maurya, confronted an invading army led by Seleucus I, Alexander’s general, in 305 BCE. A brief war ended in a treaty under which Seleucus ceded Gandhara, Arachosia (centered on ancient Kandahar), and the regions south of Bagram (modern southeastern Afghanistan) to the Mauryan Empire. During the nearly 120-year Mauryan era, Buddhism was introduced to southern Afghanistan, where it grew alongside Zoroastrianism and local ancient religions. Coins from the Mauryan period have been discovered in Bagram and Mir Zakah, pointing to either trade or administrative presence in the region. Later Called “Kapisa” Today, one of Afghanistan’s provinces still bears the name Kapisa. References to the city of Kapisa appear as early as the 5th century BCE in the writings of the Indian scholar Panini, who also mentioned the locally produced Kapisiana wine. The name Kapisa appears on the coins of Indo-Greek rulers Apollodotus and Eucratides, as well as on those of the Nezak Huns. Archaeological remains of ancient Kapisa (today’s Bagram) are found in the surrounding areas. Historian Tristan Hughes notes: “This city witnessed several invasions by ancient superpowers: the Persians, Alexander and his successors. But it was during the Kushan Empire that the prosperous, ancient Bagram saw its golden age.” According to Abdul Wahid Alikozai in A Concise History of Afghanistan: “Between the 1st and 4th centuries CE, the Kushan Empire — stretching from northern Afghanistan to northwestern India — established its summer capital here. It played a key role in the defense of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom.” “The city had high walls and towers. Along its main avenue stood the magnificent Kushan palace, housing workshops and shops filled with Indian ivory carvings, Indian lacquer chests, Egyptian and Roman glass, plastered panels, and goods brought along the Silk Road.” This famed “Bagram Treasure” testifies to the vibrant trade during the Kushan era. Even after Kapisa’s decline, goods brought via the Silk Road were found stored here in the Sassanian period. Later Periods After the Kushan Empire, Kapisa remained part of a kingdom ruled by a Buddhist Kshatriya monarch. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang visited here in 644 CE and wrote that the local king ruled over ten neighboring states. Xuanzang also mentioned the region’s famous horses, its grains, fruits, and an aromatic root grown here. The book Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire (edited by J.P. Losty and Malini) notes that Islamic conquests in Afghanistan and adjacent Pashtun regions began in the 7th century, shortly after the conquest of Iran. According to Richard Nelson Frye in Encyclopaedia of Islam, in 1221 the province of Parwan, where Bagram lies, was the site of a historic battle in which invading Mongol forces led by Genghis Khan were defeated by the Khwarazmian ruler Jalal al-Din Mangburni. Mughal India also records that Afghanistan’s fully Islamic identity was established under the Ghaznavids. The region later came under Timurid and Mughal control. It is believed that the present-day town was built on the ruins of the ancient city by Zahiruddin Babur. In his memoir Baburnama, he described his 1519 journey, noting a settlement of Hindu ascetics that fascinated him. Frye writes that in 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani incorporated Parwan into his Durrani Empire. Later, in 1840, during the First Anglo-Afghan War, Parwan again became the site of a major battle in which British forces were defeated. A Great Crossroads According to Hughes, this city was once a great hub linking China, India, and the Mediterranean. Goods produced across Eurasia arrived here through trade and diplomacy. One particular collection symbolizes this connection: the Bagram Hoard. French archaeologists discovered this treasure — a stunning assortment of objects from ancient China, India, and the Roman Mediterranean, all gathered in one place. In 1939, excavations revealed that Kapisa was also a center of wine trade in antiquity. Bottles, fish-shaped jars, and drinking vessels were found — typical paraphernalia of the wine trade. Grapes and wine from this region are also mentioned in several ancient Indian texts. Under the distribution system of that time, the discoveries were divided between the Musée Guimet (Paris) and the National Museum of Kabul. After the Kabul Museum’s closure in 1978, the whereabouts of ivory artifacts became uncertain, and many were looted in the 1990s. Robert J. Morgan in On This Day quotes the Times of London headline of October 22, 1996: “Lost Forever: A Nation’s Heritage Looted by Its Own People.” The paper wrote: “Kabul’s National Museum lies in ruins. Once home to one of the greatest collections of multicultural antiquities in the world — Persian, Indian, Chinese, Central Asian, and beyond — it has been destroyed. The basements were blown apart, showcases smashed, antiquities looted and sold worldwide for quick cash. Rockets pierced the roof, burying ancient bronzes under tons of rubble. Prehistoric pots were stuffed into sacks as though they were cheap porcelain.” “The Bagram Treasure — one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century — disappeared. Nearly 40,000 coins, among the world’s oldest, vanished. A radiant past was wrecked by an unrestrained present. A nation was robbed of its history.” Peter Beaumont wrote in The Guardian that in 2004, some of these missing objects resurfaced, and 20 more antiquities being sold illegally through dealers were recovered. After restoration at the British Museum, they were exhibited in 2011.
By Real content12 months ago in Earth
Hazardous Substances in Products
Whether you design electronics, source jewelry, package cosmetics, or simply want safer goods at home, “hazardous substances” show up everywhere in the product world. They’re part of alloys, platings, solders, coatings, plastics, adhesives, inks, and even labels. The good news: you don’t need to be a chemist to manage the risk. You need a simple plan, the right tests, and clear documentation.
By Mahgol Nikpayam12 months ago in Earth
The Challenge Of Integrating Renewable Energy, Analyzed by Stanislav Kondrashov
In recent years, we've heard a lot about the energy transition, that process of epochal change that should push humanity toward a sustainable future powered as much as possible by renewable energy. Stanislav Kondrashov, founder of TELF AG, has often addressed this topic, focusing in particular on the fact that the energy transition has now definitively arrived in our cities, even in our homes.
By Stanislav Kondrashov12 months ago in Earth
