WiserEarth Editors

Problem: A Woonerf in the Netherlands and Flanders is a street or group of streets in a town or city where pedestrians and cyclists have legal priority over motorists. Woonerfs were popularized in the Netherlands in the 1970s as a reaction to the growing dominance of the automobile over bicycles. Blurring the boundary between street and sidewalk, woonerfs combine innovative paving, landscaping and other urban designs to allow for the integration of multiple functions in a single street, so that pedest...

Action:   During the first few years after World War II, Dutch transportation engineers began to emphasize relocating bicycles onto separate paths to accommodate the growing number of vehicles on the streets. This created a backlash, and the country soon moved in the opposite direction. Motorists were now forced to make accommodations for everyone else. The intent of this new approach was not to make cars disappear, but rather to integrate motorists and other users of the street into a shared space. ...

Problem: The Produktif SunSpaces ( Implemented at the Montreal Productive House condo project) is a prototype innovation for applying passive solar design to balconies and patios, allowing these spaces to become become 3- to 4- season winter gardens.To seize the essence of this feature, think of the housing envelope as the skin that reacts to outdoor weather, sun, temperature and humidity, or a house that expands or shrinks according to the seasons and the needs to either conserve heat (shrink) or exp...

Action: New Product Development Process:In order to develop the SunSpaces, a dedicated team was set-up to deal with this challenge as a standalone project. The object was to build a prototype specifically for the Montreal Productive House, with design principles and application methods that can be replicated and scaled for other projects.The solution was designed to rely on already existing materials. Several precedents exist from the vernacular architecture, ranging from verandas found in hot climat...

Problem: The Problem Arizona’s juvenile corrections system, behavioral health services, and educational environments are lacking successful programs to meet the needs for at-risk or challenged youth across all ethnic groups. It is likely that this situation can be applied nationally. Patterns of abuse continue to plague our society in growing numbers. Emotionally and physically jailed juveniles are simply not available to learn coping skills that help them survive and thrive as community member...

Action: The Solution The analogy of taking a fish out of a dirty fish tank, cleaning it off, and throwing it back in with expectations of survival and success applies here. We need more than a clean fish tank, we need a new aquarium. Spectrum Academy is that new aquarium, equipped to meet the needs of habilitating at-hope youth with skill and precision for the 21st Century, by harvesting historical values and restoring cultural and traditional foundations. 21st Century youth need 21st Century ...

Problem: Transforming Compliance from a Burden into a Business Advantage For most organizations, the primary driver for sustainability management is the need to assure full compliance with government regulations, industry standards and rising public expectations.  ESS software gets you in compliance and keeps you in compliance.  It shows your up-to-the-minute compliance status — not ...

Action: EHS Sustainability Software Packages Provide Foundation for Better Management We bring together the information management tools and resources you need to solve your toughest sustainability challenges, combining ESS software products with services and content available thru ESS and our global partner ecosystem.  ESS Sustainability Software Solu...