This Hiding Place Should Never be Disturbed

Nuclear waste “Every day, the world over, large amounts of high-level radioactive waste created by nuclear power plants is placed in interim storages, which are vulnerable to natural disasters, man-made disasters, and to societal changes. In Finland the world’s first permanent repository is being hewn out of solid rock – a huge system of underground tunnels – that must last 100,000 years as this is how long the waste remains hazardous.

Once the waste has been deposited and the repository is full, the facility is to be sealed off and never opened again. Or so we hope, but can we ensure that? And how is it possible to warn our descendants of the deadly waste we left behind? How do we prevent them from thinking they have found the pyramids of our time, mystical burial grounds, hidden treasures? Which languages and signs will they understand? And if they understand, will they respect our instructions? While gigantic monster machines dig deeper and deeper into the dark, experts above ground strive to find solutions to this crucially important radioactive waste issue to secure mankind and all species on planet Earth now and in the near and very distant future.”

“Into Eternity”. Watch (75 min) & Read. Via TOD.

A Second Skin for Bananas

“Bananas come in the perfect package already, a disposable, compostable skin that doubles as a handy banana holder and instigator of vaudeville humor. But that’s not good enough for Del Monte.”

Designed For The Dump

The Story of Electronics: Why ‘Designed for the Dump’ is Toxic for People and the Planet” (video). Related:

French Towns Swap Rubbish Trucks for Horse-Drawn Carts

Horse-and-cart-recycling-005 Perpignan is one of 60 French towns that have struck upon a cheaper and greener way to collect household waste – ditching the dustbin lorry in favour of a horse and cart. Read. Thanks, Johan.

The State of Humanity

Why crack an egg by hand if you can use a machine?

Art Can Save The World – But Then We Need More Artists

Strange-fish-sculpture by ptolemy elrington

These days, artists have no difficulty in finding free materials to work with. The same stuff can be used over and over again, for different purposes. One artwork can be transformed into another. Why can’t our industrial production system work the same way? Because it is automated and needs standardized parts. Mass production and re-use of scavenged materials don’t match, unless the materials undergo the (mostly energy-intensive) intermediate step of recycling.

Above: Hubcap creatures by Ptolemy Elrington (also see his lamps – why do we need new materials to make lamps? There is enough trash in the world to make lamps for another 10,000 years).