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Archive: May 2011
From Participatory Mapping to Coastal Livelihoods
I'm a huge fan of the Buckminster Fuller Challenge. The annual international design award grants $100,000 to support the development and implementation of a “bold, visionary, tangible initiative that is focused on a well-defined need of critical importance.”READ MORE | COMMENTS
Energy: A Sense of Loss
Whenever electricity is transmitted from one place to another a certain amount is simply lost. In older grids, energy is wasted overcoming resistance in the lines themselves. In extremely high voltage lines, so-called corona discharge losses (as shown in the image above) can offset the lower resistance losses.READ MORE | COMMENTS
Open: A Survival Issue
In 1909, Peter Kropotkin was asked whether it was possible to learn a trade so difficult as gardening is, from books. "Yes, it is possible" he replied, "but a necessary condition of success, in work on the land, is communicativeness — continual friendly intercourse with your neighbors."READ MORE | COMMENTS
A Smooth Journey
Two images have preoccupied me in recent days.The first one was taken in a lounge at a Paris airport. On the tv screen were images of the revolt that is unfolding, bloodily, in Yemen. But the sound was off. The second image that's bugged me is this new shot of Unit 3 at Fukushima.
READ MORE | COMMENTS (7)
John Thackara is a writer, speaker and design producer, and director of Doors of Perception. In addition to this blog, he is the author of twelve books including In The Bubble: Designing In A Complex World and Wouldn't It Be Great If….
Newsletter
From March 2002 to September 2010, John Thackara sent out a monthly email newsletter: Doors of Perception Report. The newsletter contained short, opinionated texts about social innovation and design.
ARCHIVES >>
Recent Book
In the Bubble: Desiging in a Complex World
John Thackara
The MIT Press, 2005
More books by John Thackara >>
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JOHN THACKARA: RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Social VenturingRobin Murray, Julie Caulier-Grice & Geoff Mulgan
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Agriculture in Urban Planning: Generating Livelihoods and Food SecurityMark Redwood, editor
The New EconomicsDavid Boyle and Andrew Simms
Just Enough: Lessons In Living Green From Traditional JapanAzby Brown
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Animate EarthStephan Harding
