Creating water out of thin air—ingenious billboard helps alleviate drinking water shortages

Using the power of technology to help ease water security issues, Peruvian ad agency Mayo DraftFCB and the University of Engineering and Technology in Lima have joined forces to create the first water-generating billboard. Built in Lima, Peru, the innovative structure pulls moisture from the air and condenses it into clean, potable water.

One of the driest places on Earth, Lima receives less than two inches of rainfall per year yet has an atmospheric humidity of around 98 percent - making the city an ideal location for the water-producing billboard. The system collects water from the air, condenses it in a similar manner as an air conditioner and then purifies the water through reverse osmosis. The billboard can generate up to 96 liters of water per day, which is stored in 20-liter tanks and dispensed via a spigot at the bottom of the structure. The billboard has already provided 9,450 liters of clean water in three months of operation.

Xylitol: Uncovering the dark side of this popular sugar substitute

Many of us who have jumped on the lower-carb bandwagon have embraced xylitol as the darling of natural sugar substitutes. And yet, questionable manufacturing processes and the end product can be problematic—that is, a chemically extracted sugar alcohol the body is unable to fully digest which causes an uproar in the digestive tract. To make matters worse, xylitol is frequently made from GMO corn and produced in China. The sugar alcohol is also extremely toxic to dogs and can cause liver failure, as this study found.

Origin and history

Originally developed by French and German chemists in the 1890s, xylitol didn't become well-established on the market until World War II when sugar shortages in countries like Finland forced citizens to seek alternatives. Large scale production of xylitol coincided with the discovery of dental and diabetic advantages in the 1970s. The sweetener is derived from xylan (a polysaccharide), which is present in the plant cell walls of birch and beech trees, rice, oat, wheat and cotton seed hulls, corn cobs and stalks, along with sugar cane bagasse. Due to cost factors, most xylitol today is made from corn, rather than beech or birch. Chemically, all xylitol is the same, although GMOs are often present in non-organic varieties.

15 Things You Need To Give Up To Be Happy

(Spirit Science and Metaphysics)
By Luminita D. Saviuc 

Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go:

1. Give up your need to always be right
There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?

Heavy metal detox: Sharpen your mind, reduce cancer risk and banish electromagnetic sensitivity with these tips

Suffering from brain-fog, irritability, cardiovascular disease or depression? If so, you may be contending with heavy metal poisoning. Present in contaminated food, industrial and medical waste and beauty products as well as environmental pollutants, heavy metals are a major part of daily life and wreck havoc on our minds and well-being.

Despite the fact that there are over a dozen heavy metals which can cause health issues, arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, aluminum and cadmium are the most common. Have a look at the list below to see if you may have a problem:

Plant these 6 perennial vegetables once, and reap their harvest year after year

(Tree Hugger)
By Derek Markham

Traditional backyard gardens tend to be full of annual vegetables that need to be started year after year from seed, and while those veggies can be well worth the time and labor it takes to grow them, planting some perennial vegetables in your garden and yard can end up putting food on your plate for far less effort.

Unless you live in a region with a year-round growing season, your tomatoes and peppers (which are perennial by nature) will need to be planted anew each spring, because they can't handle the cold temperatures of winter, but there are other vegetables that can overwinter in many place and spring back to life as soon as soil temperatures are warm enough. By dedicating a garden bed or two to perennial vegetables, especially in a polyculture with other perennials, you can pack a lot of food production into a small area.

No Yard? No Problem: 5 DIY Garden Projects For People Who Don’t Have Space For A Garden

(Collective Evolution)
By Alanna Ketler

Gardening can be such a rewarding hobby for you, your family, your neighbours and some friends as well as there is much to benefit from. Aside from being rewarding for your mind and soul, it is also physically rewarding because you actually get to harvest the “fruits of your labor.”

Being able to grow your own food means that you have COMPLETE control over what you are putting into you and your family’s bodies. You get to pick the seeds, the soil and the water that is being used to grow your fruits and veggies. That means completely organic, GMO free, fresh food could be right at your fingertips!