Issue 1 • October 2018
TOMORROW’S WORLD TODAY
VR HERE STAY
M A G A Z I N E
TO
(Probably.) CREATION
ARTIST KARA ZUPANCIC talks to us about her own little world.
INSPIRATION
HOT SPRINGS
And their natural health benefits
PRODUCTION
INNOVATION
SUSTAINABILITY:
RACE TO THE HYPERLOOP:
The tech and companies that are pushing it forward
It's a high speed chase 1
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TOMORROW’S WORLD TODAY M A G A Z I N E
ISSUE 1
OCTOBER 2018
EDITOR
RODNEY BURRELL
IN CHIEF
CREATIVE
JORDAN MITCHELL
DIRECTOR ASSOCIATE
ELIZABETH CLAY
EDITOR WRITERS
LAUREN JOHNSON
MARKETING
ASSOCIATE
CORY TAGGART
JOHN LAZARO
Would you like to know more about
TWT?
TomorrowsWorldToday.com has many more stories about sustainability, technology, new Ideas and worldwide concepts around Innovation!
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C R E A T I O N
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Kara's Little World Kara Zupancic, self-described multidisciplinary artist, gives us a peak into her life, work, and cermaic animals.
INNOVATION
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PRODUCTION
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Adidas: Best Foot Forward Adidas is running full speed into using more sustainable processes and technologies. We explore how.
Virtual Reality and Our Tomorrow VR is a rapidly growing market, serving many interests and industries. We take a look at the history, present and future of this technology.
INSPIRATION
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Hot Springs: Nature's Health Spa Stressed out? Back pain? Nature has a suggestion: try hot springs! We discuss the possible health benefits of hot springs.
MORE STORIES
10. Train Your Brain (Creatively) 24. Renewable by 2025
Bench pressing, but for your creative brain. Companies taking steps toward sustainablity.
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18. Race for the Hyperloop 31. The Garden of Gods
It's on its way. Who will get there first? Not growing tomatoes, but massive rock formations.
A message from
IN THE 21 ST CENTURY A digital citizen is someone who uses the internet appropriately and responsibly. A good digital citizen follows three simple rules:
Be Safe Balance your time spent online with connecting to people in the real world.
Protect yourself from online threats, such as strangers trying to steal personal information. Be aware of health problems that affect digital users.
When using public devices, don’t save passwords and make sure you log out.
Be Savvy Know which tools are best for different situations and how to use them. Be aware of copyright laws. Cite any sources and photos you use for projects.
Know the difference between a reliable source and an unreliable one. Use common sense. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.
Be Social Manage your digital footprint. Treat others with respect and dignity. If you wouldn’t say it in person, don’t say it online.
Know the rules, policies and social norms.
Stand up to cyberbullying. 3
Kara’s Kara’s Little Little World World
For a true artist, art isn’t just a part of you– it is you. It’s you when you look at the night sky and see the stars swirling; it’s you when you see clocks melting or you paint a woman who may or may not be smiling (we’ll never know). It’s you in everything you do and in every way you engage with the world around you. That’s especially true of Kara Zupancic, a self-described multidisciplinary artist. She focuses primarily on ceramics and sculpting, but she also creates watercolor artwork and has taught in the field of art education for twelve years.
Photography by Julie Kahlbaugh 4
According to Kara, she’s always been an artist, even from a very early age. “I was actually at my parent’s house this past week and there was a picture of me– I started at three years old- and it was my first drawing of a face. And I’m looking at the easel and I can remember my Mom being like, ‘Kara, turn around! Kara, turn around!’ And I couldn’t even hear her, I was just so engrossed in my artwork at the time,” Zupancic said. Kara’s mother also encouraged her to pursue her chosen career path, “My Mom was really good about fostering our creativity growing up,” she said. “She always provided us with different art mediums– especially sculpting. So I would make animals and then every accessory for that animal. And I really think she helped develop my fine motor skills– hence why I can sculpt the way I do today.” Kara typically works in ceramics art. She breaks this down into two categories: smaller, functional art (like mugs with hand-sculpted embellishment) and larger animal sculptures often made to function as hanging wall pieces. She always tries to make her pieces not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional in a space. Kara often draws inspiration from nature, specifically animals. “I’ve always been an animal lover,” she said, “If I didn’t go down the art path, I really wanted to be a vet or a zoologist. I like watching nature documentaries and traveling a lot. So I think my ceramic work is really inspired by my travels. Especially when thinking about the United States, some of the animals you can find here, but you can also find them out west, or up north or down south. And, a lot of the time, animals that I do choose to sculpt are images that reoccur in my life...kind of like a spirit guide. I love all animals, I would sculpt every animal if I could.”
“
I l ov e a l l animals , I would s c u l p t ev e r y animal if I could.
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One of the furry creatures that inspires Kara’s artwork the most can be found in her very own home, “I like sculpting cats a lot. That’s because I have cats of my own... I have one cat in particular who I don’t even think she knows she’s a cat, I don’t think she knows what she is. But she’s very loving and she’s got a really small head and a big body and big eyes. She’s very expressive and I kind of call her my therapy cat, too. If I’m in a bad mood or if I’m crying she’ll just come over and lay on me. So she’s been a big motivator in the expressions of my creatures. Her expressions even inspire some of my mushroom creatures,” Zupancic stated. What makes Kara’s ceramic work particularly unique is her style. “It’s kind of like I’m creating my own little world,” she said. “I actually have a friend who related it to Pixar characters– and I can definitely see that. When I make them, I get a lot of joy out of them. When I’m vending I really love when people come up to my booth and before they’re even looking at me they’re looking at my artwork. And they’re sort of smiling or laughing. I want my little creatures to all look like they’re part
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of the same universe. I want them to be unique.” Kara often works out of the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Studio with fellow artists and she finds this particular setting especially inspirational: “I have to say working with other artists in a communal space is really inspiring. Because I’ll work on my paintings in my studio here at home, but I like being able to stop and ask a fellow artist, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ and getting pushed in those types of directions. I think it really accelerated my sculpting abilities because I know there are other eyes on me with other inputs.” As much as she receives from fellow artists, she also likes to give back through her teaching. One of her personal struggles as a budding artist
was a lack of formal art education. “In terms of being a successful artist… no one taught me when I was in school how to market yourself as an artist or how to sell your art. I never took any business classes, I was never good at math. I always thought, you know, I’m good at art I don’t need to be good at math. It took me really in my twenties to kind of figure out, you know, how can I market my art?” Now, she attempts to give that knowledge back to students who want to pursue careers in art. “I’ve had so many different and wonderful experiences with students. I’ve come across so many talented students– students who I even think are better artists than me. The most recent experience was with a student from Braddock Hills High School. The seniors have to do a senior exhibition which is basically like a yearlong research project.” This particular student had asked to interview Kara as an artist and ended up learning a lot along the way. “I got to know this student and I brought her around the art community. Having the ability to bring her to
CREATION my community and see what kind of art community is out there really helped her gain some insight into herself as an artist because she wants to pursue art. It was very inspiring to work with a young person who was so knowledgeable about the art community at such a young age.” She advises all artists, upcoming or established, to help each other out in this regard. “I would actually give this advice to aspiring artists and artists: I think mentorship is really important. Young people that want to pursue the arts should research art centers or local artists in Pittsburgh to get their opinions and see where the state of art is in the city. And I really want artists in Pittsburgh to mentor with people to help give them some direction and navigation because I think a lot of artists my age...people told us how to make art but nobody told us how to be an artist. Giving back to the youth that wants to pursue art and helping them out. Explaining ‘here’s what I didn’t know, here’s what you can learn from this experience.’ You can help them cut out this waste of time of figuring out how to be an artist.” As far as future plans, Kara hopes to travel and continue to do shows and workshops across the country– even across the world. Ultimately, Kara wants to continue to grow in her passion. “I just want to keep making art. And I will, whether I have people who appreciate my art or not. I don’t think I could ever just turn it off.”
KARA ZUPANCIC INTERVIEW 7
Train Your Brain (Creatively)
more dedication to their craft– resulted in higher creativity. (It is worth noting that the longer-trained participants also had increased brain activity, even while passively listening.)
Knowing the keys on a piano does not land you a solo in Carnegie Hall. Making the high school football team doesn’t secure you a position in the NFL. You may have some raw, innate talent, but it takes dedication to transform that talent into something remarkable. And this goes for creativity as well.
Given that the brain is a muscle, it makes sense. If a bodybuilder doesn’t maintain a weightlifting regimen, their muscles will eventually begin to fade away. The same goes for limbs inside of a cast: the lack of use causes atrophy. Only by continually working out the brain does it reach its full potential. As the researchers put it, “[t]he task-related differences in upper alpha synchronization that we observed support the view that creativity can be conceptualized as a distinct mental state occurring during spontaneous musical performance.”
It may seem odd, given that being creative sounds less like a skill and more of a trait given to you at birth. There is a speck of truth in that: some people are naturally more creative than others. But being creative takes time and effort to yield satisfying results. It takes a fair bit of concentration and patience as well. Winging a project is far less productive than actually buckling down and focusing on it. Opening a notebook won’t make a novel appear, and even if one does, it’s unlikely to be a masterpiece.
The report concludes with the following: “Our findings further imply that creativity can be nurtured through training, and illustrate that immersion in the creative state has high cultural and economic value because it yields higher quality products.” In simpler terms, dedicating your time to a craft will result in a better final product than rushing and making it slap-dash. Yes, the first few end results may not be of the best quality, but it will improve with time.
In a study conducted at the University of Western Ontario, pianists were equipped with EEG caps and their brainwaves were measured as they performed. The participants, who had been playing between 4 and 48 years, were either tasked with listening to a jazz melody, performing a rote playback of the same, or improvising their own. Those who had been playing longer and asked to improvise had the highest level of creative activity in their prefrontal cortex. The conclusion? Having more training– and thus
And time is key to training your creativity. Give yourself a good chunk of the day (at least thirty minutes, if not more) and do whatever creative endeavor you want. Limit your distractions and put all your attention on the project in question. Don’t worry about it coming out “perfect,” seeing as “perfect” isn’t a solid construct and more based on opinion. Focus on just getting something, no matter how lackluster, done. To use the weightlifting analogy again, you don’t walk into the gym on your first day and immediately lift fully-loaded dumbbells. You slowly add more weight as the days go by until you reach that point.
As the old adage goes, “Practice makes perfect.” While “perfect” is subjective, the sentiment remains the same.
The same goes for creative skills. It can be disheartening to fail to draw a straight line or have your photos develop out-of-focus. But if you keep at it, dedicating your time and focus on your craft, you’ll improve. You can be more creative. It just takes practice.
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CREATION
Try, Try, Try Again The Starry Night, one of Vincent Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, was actually the 21st variation of previous work. Van Gogh would often sketch his paintings before he decided on one he liked and in this case, he painted more than one night sky until he found one that he felt captured the beauty of the view from his asylum window.
Go Organic In 1893, Frank Lloyd Wright founded his architectural practice in Chicago, a company which went on to pioneering a bold new approach to domestic architecture known as the Prairie style. During the early 20th century, Wright gave a new meaning to space, form, and pattern by designing homes with an all-encompassing philosophy toward “Organic Architecture"– a style in which a structure should be suited to its environment and be a product of its place.
Don’t Play With Your Food, Paint With Your Beer If you were to hand someone a bottle of beer, they would most likely have one of two reactions: either accepting it and taking a sip, or politely refusing. But for Karen Eland, she would see it as a bottle of paint. Eland is an artist who, rather than using watercolors or oils, uses beer and coffee to create works of art. This unusual medium has gained her fame and recognition across the internet, mostly for the novelty. Once you look beyond the method of creation, though, the true creativity of the work shines through.
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VIRTUAL REALITY A N D
O U R
T O M O R R O W
Virtual Reality, as a concept, is not anything new. People have been fascinated by the idea of immersing themselves in a digital world since the advent of computers. While many early attempts failed, we’re now living in an age where VR isn’t just possibleit’s commonplace.
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VR
The earliest attempt at virtual reality, or at least transporting people to another place, would be panoramic paintings. These date as far back as the 19th century and were depicted historical events or scenes. Because of their 360-degree nature, they were immersive in a way most portraits and landscapes were not. Other concepts like stereoscopic viewers (think the View-Master) and flight simulators began bringing virtual reality to the identity we know it as today.
M o re Hi sto r y Th an M e e t s t h e Eye
In the 1950s, cinematographer Morton Heilig invented the Sensorama, a giant sit-in theater cabinet that would work with all the senses. Stereo speakers, a 3D display, smell generators, and a vibrating chair would bring you
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into a movie. It failed to catch on, although many of those individual components did find their way into movie theaters later in time (see: D-Box motion seats).
The first virtual reality console was Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, released in 1995. Resembling a modern VR headset but on a stand, it was marketed as “the first portable console that could display true 3D graphics.� Unfortunately, all the games were in black and red, causing eye strain and headaches after just a few minutes of use. The overall design of the console was also clunky and difficult to use comfortably. It was discontinued after just one year. Nintendo returned to 3D with the successful Nintendo 3DS line of handhelds in 2011.
INNOVATION Nowadays, many gaming companies have some sort of VR headset on the market. The Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive, the PlayStation VR, even specialty headsets with games and accessories included. You’re not likely to see people walking down the street wearing them, but they’re not uncommon sights in homes...or even in some workplaces.
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HOME VR
EXPERIENCES
THAT C HA NGE THE GAME
Like the smart phone in your hand or the game console under your TV, home VR devices offer a vast array of interactive experiences. Total immersion is now possible, allowing VR to offer a way to play that only existed in science fiction just a few years ago.
Job Si mulator
Set in a museum run by robots during the year 2050, Job Simulator presents the player with everyday job tasks such as working in an office or as a chef. Filtered through what a robot may believe humans and jobs were like in our modern day, Job Simulator takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to simulating real life scenarios, and proves that making copies and eating donuts is a lot more fun to do in a virtual world.
Google Earth VR
Although not technically a game, Google Earth VR still immerses you into a virtual world, that world just happens to be the actual planet Earth. This experience renders the Earth entirely in 3D and allows you to get up close and personal with any location in the world. Fly to Tokyo, walk the streets of Paris, or even visit your old childhood neighborhhood...Google Earth VR offers the user a glimpse into the true transportive potential of Virtual Reality. Now, if only we can get to the Moon...
V R i s Eve r y w h e re For companies with employees across the globe, VR can be used to set up virtual meetings. It allows coworkers to see what their colleagues are working on much easier than over video chat and offers a more intimate and personal conversation. Business travel is less of a concern for the same reasons. Training is also much easier, as new employees can just go through a simulation rather than the real deal. There are even studies that show it could improve employee health, thanks to giving workers an opportunity to move around. Some businesses are being totally reimagined thanks to virtual reality. Real estate agents have been offering virtual reality tours of properties, rather than hosting traditional open houses. It gives potential buyers a chance to experience the home with their furniture in place. Matterport, for example, gives homes listed on Redfin a 3D walkthrough. Says Marc Rehberger, Director of Commercial Real Estate to Forbes, “We’re making a digital copy of the inside of the world. It increases the amount of time spent on an ad between three to six times when there’s a Matterport model on that ad.” Other similar apps include roOomy and Virtual Xperience. Seeing new furniture in your already existing home is also a possibility. Ikea’s VR app for the HTC Vive allows customers to preview what their new countertops or chairs will look like before purchase. It saves buyers money and time, while also ensuring Ikea’s reputation remains solid. It’s easier to decide if your EKTORP sofa meshes (or even fits) in your living room before purchase versus after you’ve assembled the thing.
Super Hot VR
Super Hot VR is a first-person shooter unlike any other. In this game, the flow of time relies strictly on player movement. When stationary, all action is halted until you move, with the gameplay's flow directly matching your movement speed. Unlike the original non-VR version, this concept is taken literally for VR as the game tracks your actual body motions one to one. With the ability to calculate your actions thanks to the time mechanic, Super Hot VR is the closest thing to feeling like you're a super cool hero in an action movie. Out of bullets? Just throw the gun! 13
Vi r t u al B o ot C am p The military is also a big fan of virtual reality, it seems. LTC Michael Stinchfield of the Combined Arms Center’s Training Innovation Facility at the National Simulation Center said that immersive VR experiences help recruits “get better training…more efficiently.” For example, trainees can go through a virtual boot camp and run through potential real-life scenarios. Seeing as flight and vehicle simulations are already used widely, extending them to foot soldiers is the next logical step (no pun intended). Training for combat and field medics are also areas of interest. Even after training has ended, VR could still be in use for the new soldiers. LimpidArmor, a Ukrainian military equipment company, adapts Microsoft HoloLenses into helmets. Called an “omnidirectional review system,” it gives the wearers a 360-degree view of the battlefield. These helmets are still in beta and not for everybody, being specifically designed for tank drivers. Still, what LimpidArmor has created could become a huge asset for those in normally limiting vehicles.
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INNOVATION
Cntrl+Shift
Robots on the Job Heavy Duty
Where will V R go nex t? Honestly, it’s possible it’ll be everywhere. Amusement parks are already using virtual reality to augment certain rides or as an attraction in its entirety. Mark Zuckerberg famously hosted a VR conference in 2016. Some experts even argue that it’ll change the very definition of “reality.” Steve Koeing, VP of research at the Consumer Technology Association, believes being immersed in virtual reality will be considered normal, even a lifestyle choice. “It really comes down to one single word: presence,” he said at a round-table talk. “When you talk about virtual reality, that sense of presence can be game-changing, not just for actual gaming, but also for education and medicine.” Looking at the examples above, it’s safe to say virtual reality has plenty of presence. The only question is if the public will stick around long enough to embrace it.
Japan is investing heavily in a robot workforce - so much so that one company, KAWADA Industries, has developed Nextage, a humanoid robot. Equipped with stereo vision which allows them to see like humans, Nextage robots demonstrate a monumental stride in the world of robotics. Rather than replacing workers, Nextage’s job is to complete the mundane, repetitive tasks that human laborers would find difficult to do to for an extended period of time.
Partners on Patrol Singapore start-up Otsaw Digital has engineered a unique security robot that’s helping assist human security guards. Unlike other autonomous security robots currently on the market, Otsaw’s fourwheeled ground-based O-R3 concept unit carries a built-in drone that can be launched to pursue intruders over obstacles. Not only can it track intruders from the air, but the O-R3 also has a sophisticated array of sensors and cameras that can detect suspicious objects such as unattended bags. 15
T
INNOVATION
he Hyperloop. It may sound like the name of the spaceship Tony, Peter, and Stephen infiltrate in The Avengers: Infinity War, but it’s really a subway system. That fact alone, however, doesn’t make it feel any less science fiction. The Hyperloop is a theoretical mode of transportation where a pod travels through a series of tubes without air resistance or friction, allowing for insane speeds and extreme efficiency. It’s heavily inspired by the vactrain proposed by Robert Goddard. While Elon Musk introduced the original Hyperloop idea in 2012, companies aside from SpaceX are now taking a shot at creating their versions.
Race
The Hyperloop's speed is its biggest selling point. The Virgin Hyperloop One website boasts it could take passengers from Los Angeles to New York City in just under four and a half hours (a traditional flight would take seven hours, forty-three minutes). However, construction of the tube system and the pods themselves are costly. A proposed route between LA and San Francisco would cost an estimated $6 billion at a minimum. Critics are also concerned about the safety of the system, as it would be vulnerable to both power outages and terrorist attacks.
For the Hyperloop
Nevertheless, research continues. On July 23rd, SpaceX hosted their third annual Hyperloop Pod Competition, where teams tested their vehicles and compared speeds. The winning team was a group of students from the Technical Institute of Munich, whose pod reached a top speed of 290 MPH. It’s their third year competing...and third year winning. Just one day after the event, LA-based group Hyperloop Transportation Technologies signed an agreement to build a Hyperloop in
Catch us if you can.
the Guizhou province. The goal is to create a path between Tongren, the city of construction, with the capital of Guizhou, Guiyang. The 250mile journey usually takes an hour by plane and is difficult to traverse by car due to the mountains of the region. With the Hyperloop built, travel time will be cut down to a mere 20 minutes. Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of HTT, told CNBC “regulations are the biggest hurdle when you are building completely new technology. Some countries are a bit easier to deal with than others, [and] it is very important for us to deal with several countries… China is definitely one of those countries that embrace [sic] new technologies, going after and facilitating them, and giving the support needed.” Construction is scheduled to start later this year. Other companies in the Hyperloop industry include Virgin, which has their own subsidiary, the aforementioned Virgin Hyperloop One. While the company has only raised about $245 million so far, it’s kept fairly active in other ways. In September of last year, it announced ten winning routes from the Hyperloop One Global Challenge. These routes are now to be heavily considered for future construction. The winners include Miami to Orlando (USA), Toronto to Ottawa (Canada), Glasgow to Liverpool (UK), and Mumbai to Chennai (India). Other notable startups include Arrivo and The Boring Company. So, when can you expect to board a Hyperloop pod? Not any time this year, unfortunately. Even with the record-breaking speed listed above, it’s still nowhere near the hopes for vehicles racing at 760 MPH. It’s unknown if such speed is even physically possible. There’s a lot of danger and variables left to decode related to Hyperloops. Still, the goal is admirable. It’ll make traveling easier and quicker for both passengers and cargo alike. Visiting relatives who live out-of-state will go from being a weekend trip to a quick visit for dinner. Sameday delivery of packages could become commonplace. That may be far off, but it’s a future we’re already barreling towards at top speed.
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adidas: BEST FOOT FORWARD Most people know Adidas as a shoe company. Which it is: it’s
the second largest sportswear company in the world behind Nike. They’ve sponsored various sports teams, appeared in video games, and currently have revenue of $24.834 billion. But what fewer know is their dedication to creating sustainable products. Earlier this year, Adidas revealed their Futurecraft 4D shoes. What sets these sneakers apart is the production method: they’re 3D printed using tech by startup Carbon. This comes after the sportswear company helped Carbon seal a $200 million Series D. Shortly after the release of the Futurecraft, Adidas’ Executive Board Member Eric Liedtke joined Carbon’s Board of Directors. The shoes themselves, which retailed for $300 during their limited run, were reportedly comfortable and impressive. Most notably, the midsoles featured 20,000 struts, something difficult to pull off with traditional production methods.
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This is just the latest step in Adidas’ sustainability pledge. They’ve banned the use of chlorofluorocarbons in all of their products and have never used any sort of SF6 gases. In 1998, they created and enacted a Restricted Substances policy. More recently, they helped found the Better Cotton Initiative, dedicated to “address[ing] the negative social and environmental impacts of mainstream cotton farming.” They’re also seeking to update their factories. In April of this year, Adidas opened a “Speedfactory” in Atlanta. It’s completely automated and designed to make limited runs of custom products or quickly replenish hot-ticket items. According to the company, a Speedfactory can get shoes to market three times faster than they would using traditional production means. And it’s not even the first of its kind- the original Speedfactory opened in Germany a year prior. Current goals include having the two factories produce a combined one million shoes by 2020. While the process is entirely automated, roughly 150 employees do work at the Speedfactory.
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Their most lofty goal, however? To only use recycled plastics by 2024. It’s not the first company to announce reduced use in plastics (Starbucks is working to eliminate plastic straws from stores), and it’s no doubt the last. What sets Adidas apart is the scope and deadline. 2024 is five and a half years away: it sounds like a good chunk of time, but it’s still ambitious. The shoemaker does have a jump start, as they’ve been using recycled plastics for years. Their “Parley” line of shoes is also made exclusively with plastic waste taken before reaching the oceans, with sales expected to increase this year. Before any of these advancements occurred, however, Adidas had its own rocky history with sustainability. For quite some time, the paper used in Adidas packaging was bought from Asia Pulp & Paper. AP&P had been criticized for their destruction of Indonesian rainforests. In 2011, the shoe company ended the contract. The act gained them the commendation of Greenpeace Executive Director Phil Radford. (AP&P continued to use rainforest wood for their paper until 2013.) Are these advancements and dedication to becoming environmentally friendly a response to this and other controversies? Perhaps. But the ambition is laudable if a bit optimistic. Working to save the planet is something more companies should put effort towards. By all accounts, Adidas isn’t sacrificing quality or innovations in production solely (no pun intended) to get green points. Between their DryDye fabrics from 2012 to Run for the Oceans events this year, they’re combining sustainability with technology to create something useful and sustainable. Only time will tell if Adidas is able to stick to their ambitious plans, but the efforts already made mean it’s not entirely impossible. While we wait for the other shoe to drop, we can watch as Adidas puts their best foot forward. (OK, pun intended that time.)
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PRODUCTION
CAN ADIDAS STAY A STEP AHEAD?
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TEN
What does that mean? They must match 100% of the electricity used across their global operations with electricity produced from renewable sources – biomass (including biogas), geothermal, solar, water and wind – either sourced from the market or self-produced.
COMPANIES PLEDGING TO BE 100%
T-Mobile US
RENEWABLE BY 2025
is committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricity by 2021
Philips
is committed to carbon neutrality for its global operations by 2020, which includes purchasing 100% of our electricity from renewable sources.
Apple
has-achieved 100% renewable electricity powering its global facilities across 43 countries. Apple is also helping its manufacturing partners lower their carbon footprint, working with them to install more than 4 gigawatts of new clean energy worldwide by 2020.
Ikea
is committed to producing as much renewable energy as the total energy it consumes in its buildings by 2020.
Wal-Mart
aims to produce or procure 7,000GWh of renewable energy globally by the end of 2020.
(source: there100.org)
How do they do it?
+
Production of renewable electricity from their own facilities. These can be grid-connected (either onsite or offsite) or entirely off the grid. A company may consume its own renewable electricity or decide to make production-only claims.
Nike
is committed to reaching 100% renewable energy by 2025.
currently sources 100% renewable electricity.
Ebay
Purchase of renewable electricity sourced from generators and suppliers in the market. This includes direct purchases from specific generators (e.g. power purchase agreements), which can be located onsite or offsite. It also includes retail purchases from suppliers and utilities, and the purchase of stand-alone (“unbundled�) energy attribute certificates.
promises 100% renewable energy in its electricity supply by 2025 at its data centers and offices.
Coca-Cola
is committed to power all of its operations with 100% renewable electricity by 2020.
Microsoft
has been 100 percent powered by renewable energy since 2014.
Sustainable Manufacturing
According to the EPA website, sustainable manufacturing is defined as “the creation of manufactured products through economically-sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources.” In layperson’s terms, it uses cheaper and more environmentally friendly processes to create their goods. It also increases the safety of both employees and the community.
The Bottom Line IT TAKES
A
A LOT TO MAKE
A LITTLE.
BURGER 1/3-POUND REQUIRES
600 OF WATER. GALLONS
IRON AND STEELPRODUCTION
TAKE UP
3 % OF ALL TOTAL
ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED STATES.
Thousands of resources are used to make a single item, and it not only hurts the environment but drives up costs. With higher populations than ever, wasting all these resources seems like… well, a waste. And that’s where sustainable manufacturing comes in.
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Several sustainable manufacturing initiatives (SMIs) exist across both the US and the world. Kentucky, for example, offers online seminars and on-site workshops to help companies engage in sustainable practices. The “webinars” can be viewed for free on the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center website. The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining also has an SMI program. According to their website, the program begins with identifying “significant energy users” inside of the facility. The NCDMM then recommends alternatives and ways of optimizing resource management. It boasts that energy reductions can reach up to 50%.
PRODUCTION It’s worth noting that sustainable manufacturing is not the same as going green. Brian Lagas of the National Institute of Standards and Technology wrote on his blog that going “green is more frequently associated with a singular product or process.” A new lamp may be made in a way that is considered “green,” for example, but the entire factory may not meet
niques. A New Hampshire company, for instance, was able to save $25,000 annually by becoming more energy efficient. Another company in New Jersey hired five new employees and had $500,000 in savings.
the same “green” standards. “You may purchase a green product made out of recycled goods,” he wrote. “However, if that product was made overseas, and environ
as the catalyst for improving manufacturing processes to be less demanding on the planet is welcome.
mentally harmful methods were used to transport [it to your home], this would not be adhering to sustainable principles.” Lagas continues to describe the benefits of sustainable manufacturing, such as attracting new customers and boosting workforce morale. He also makes note of tax incentives offered both by the U.S. Department of Energy and individual state incentives, the latter of which can be viewed here. Towards the end of the blog, he details some success stories of companies that began using sustainable manufacturing tech-
It would be nice to believe that the reasons companies seek out sustainable manufacturing methods are altruistic, like helping the community and protecting the environment. However, money remains as big a motivator as ever. That’s not to say goodwill should be entirely dismissed, but there’s a reason the aforementioned incentives exist if you follow. That said, whatever acts
Same Corn, Different Plastic Did you know there’s a new type of plastic that’s helping change the way we recycle? Bioplastics are a revolutionary new form of plastic that’s made from renewable resources like corn starch. Not only is this new material easier to make, it’s also far more biodegradable than petroleum based plastics.
Sustainable manufacturing may seem like a pipe dream for some particularly demanding businesses like steel or food production, but it can be adapted and integrated into almost any process. It may not be easy or affordable (at first), but it means delivering the same quality products your customers desire at a fraction of the traditional cost. It could create new jobs, improve customer satisfaction, and help lessen our impact on the planet. And if none of those are enough, it’ll save everybody money overall. And if there’s anything certain about the world, it’s that money is the greatest incentive there is.
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Hot Springs: NATURE'S HEALTH SPA
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Soaking in a hot spring is a unique experience difficult to replicate. Sure, jacuzzis are nice, but an
all-natural hot spring is special and mesmerizing. It’s greatest advantage over a hot tub, however, lies in the many health benefits that a hot spring provides. There’s
a reason these pools are widely regarded as a cureall for minor ailments throughout Europe and Japan.
PAIN RELIEF
REDUCE STRESS
A good soak in a tub or a warm shower is already excellent at easing sore muscles, but hot springs go above and beyond. The minerals found in spring water offer many more perks than just the heated water. A study in Rheumatology International found that the minerals can help with arthritis and fibromyalgia symptoms. It also promotes freer movement due to the buoyancy effect on your joints.
When your body is at ease, so is your mind. This is how a hot spring can help with those suffering from anxiety or other stressors. Some claim the minerals help with the psychological healing process, but these are not backed up by any hard proof. What is proven is that your body warms up quickly during a bath, then cools down once you’re finished. The rapid change in temperature can actually help your body relax and promote better sleep.
SOOTHE SKIN Have skin problems like eczema or dry skin? A bath in a hot spring can help. This is due to the high silica content found in the water. The sulfur can also ease symptoms related to psoriasis. Do note that only some skin conditions are treated via spring. Other common ailments like acne or rashes aren’t affected by the minerals or the water.
BET TER BLOOD FLOW Among the minerals found in spring water are calcium and sodium bicarbonate. Your skin naturally soaks in these minerals during bathing and it increases your hydrostatic pressure. As it continues to rise, your oxygen flow increases, which in turn helps blood circulation. It’s the same effect on your blood that exercise has. That oxygenated blood will keep your heart and other organs strong, healthy, and less prone to other health problems.
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SO WHERE ARE T H E H O T S P R I N G S? Hot springs occur naturally throughout the world. Japan is well-known for their springs, called onsen, and many hotels and spas boast about having a natural bath on premises. In North America, there’s quite a few in Oregon, Wyoming, Idaho, and Colorado. If you can't make it out west, there is at least one natural spring resort located in Virginia. Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, and Israel are also notable for their springs. Before you indulge, there are few things to keep in mind. Larger, commercial hot springs are required to be kept sanitary and purified. Backcountry and wild springs, on the other hand, do not follow the same guidelines and can be home to dangers like amoebas or stagnant water. You should also check with your doctor if you’re elderly, pregnant, have cardiovascular problems, or any other serious medical conditions. But aside from those warnings, hot springs are amazing. They may not be the miracle cure they’re touted to be online, but they are remarkable, beneficial, and a testament to the power of nature. Be sure not to drink the water, though.
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Elsewhere...
INSPIRATION
They Call It The Garden Of Gods The Garden of Gods- shockingly enough, this natural wonder most certainly lives up to its name. The Garden of Gods was discovered in 1859 by surveyor Rufus Cable. Upon beholding the rocks, which tower over 300 feet in the air, he declared that the area near Pikes Peak was, “a fit place for the gods to assemble!” Hence how this Colorado Springs park received its name. According to Denver Magazine 5280, the history of this wonder of nature began hundreds of millions of years ago. The Garden was once home to what is referred to as the “Ancestral Rockies” which was a mountain range similar to our modern Rockies. Around 280 million years ago, the mountains wore away and the climate began to dry out. Large sand dunes soon formed across the area and the mountainous region soon turned into a place comparable to the Sahara desert. Then, millions of years later, the dunes retreated and the sands were buried and compacted into uniform sandstone (locally referred to as the Lyons Formation). The Lyons was originally deposited in horizontal sheets, but when the Rockies rose the older igneous sediments were uplifted. This uplift is what tilted the rocks and created the God-like inexplicable effect for which they’ve gained their fame. Although it’s been hundreds of years since its discovery, all those who behold the garden today still echo the exact sentiments expressed by its founder- that it’s fit for the gods themselves.
A Giant (Technically) Living Sculpture Earth Goddess was at one point, the largest living plant sculpture in the world. While on display at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in 2014, this living sculpture stood a tremendous 25 feet tall and was made using 18,000 annual flowers. Thousands of meticulously groomed flowers were planted into soil and moss which encompassed steel skeletons that gave the living sculpture its shape.
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