Electric Tree House

Global Commodification of a Natural Resource

A Brief look at Water Privatization In 2002, the United Nation recognized water as a human right in the General Comment 15. As such, water should be universally available, affordable, and safe. As true as this philosophy may be, the General Comment 15 is little more than an altruistic guideline that countries could follow to...

SticKs: A Kindergarten in the Park

Appropriately titled “SticKs”, this modern wooden modular structure is French architectural design firm Djuric Tardio’s vision of a miniature kindergarten. Shaped like a modern rendition of the tipi, the designs are meant to be installed in parks throughout the Parisian metropolis. “Why build kindergartens in city parks?”, you might ask. Djuric Tardio created the design...

Cotton and the Disappearance of the Aral Sea

Receding of the Aral Sea from 1960 to 2008 (Source: Wikipedia) The fishing towns that lined the borders of the Aral Sea were once a showpiece of the Soviet Union’s industrial might. The sea was so teeming with life that sailors could pull ashore 50,000 tons of fish a year, bringing resources and economic opportunity to...

A Curious Hummingbird: Beautiful E-Waste Art

I remember how I used carry around my CD collection in a zip-up case that I kept in my backpack. It feels like just a few years back, but technology and music mediums have changed quite a bit in that time. I still keep a stack of CDs in the glove compartment of my car...