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How Many Carbs In A Cup Of Blueberries
Tags: Carbs, Diet, Cup, Blueberries, Recipes For Cooking

How Many Carbs In A Cup Of Blueberries

how many carbs in a cup of blueberries

My name is cyrus and i’m from pan the physicians association for nutrition now in last week’s article we talked about how many carbs in a cup of blueberries and the background and the methods of the first long-term randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of daily blueberry consumption on cardiovascular health

if you haven’t read this article yet i encourage you to check that out first because today we’re going to take a closer look at the results of the study in total 115 of the 138 participants who started out the study went on to complete the whole six months intervention adherence was pretty high with around 94 compliance which was measured with returned wrappers and unused shades of the blueberry powder double blinding also worked out quite well with 82 percent of the participants being unable to judge which treatment group they belong to also their general dietary intake and physical activity levels
NATUROPATHY BENEFITS AND GUIDE
By: Christina Ettore
Tags: Health, Diet, Adelaide, Healthcare, Naturopathy

A DEFINITION OF NATUROPATHY?

Take care of your health to maintain or recover it by natural methods. Understand how our body works so that we can accompany it on the path to health and well-being. Look for the root cause of a dysfunction (the symptom is just a signal sent by our body). Establish the link between our emotional states and our physical ailments. Get to know yourself better to make conscious decisions about your diet, your lifestyle, and your health.

In which case. Consult?

NATUROPATHY IS SUITABLE FOR ALL STAGES OF LIFE.

Chronic fatigue, digestive disorders, winter illnesses, weight problems, joint pain, sleep disorders, skin problems, depression… These are some of the health problems that Adelaide Naturopathy can help you with. Naturopathy also has an action to support a chronic disease in addition to your prescriptions. The Naturopath does not establish any diagnosis. Consultation advice is not a substitute for medical monitoring, but it can also act.

A NATUROPATHIC CONSULTATION IS A SPACE DEDICATED TO YOUR LISTENING.

Together we will take the time to investigate the source of your problems to be natural solutions for you to regain balance and improve your health.

WHAT IS A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROGRAM?

The 2 main axes of the program that I will propose will be:

• Energy Recovery

• Correction of observed imbalances

The techniques used (diet, physical exercises, stress management, hydrology, plants…) and the proportion is given to each axis will depend on your personalized balance of vitality.

I will take the time to explain what caused your ailments and dysfunctions and suggest, in consultation with you, the implementation of a vitality program in your daily life.

Adelaide Naturopath Christina Ettore will assess the improvement of your problems, to provide additional measures if necessary, and to support your motivation.
Chicken Marsala
By: Keto Plans
Tags: Fitness, Bhfyp, Diet

The rich, smoky flavor of the Marsala wine adds a depth of flavor to this recipe that is hard to replicate. If you do not have Marsala on hand, you could use dry sherry or omit the wine and substitute chicken broth with one teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.SLOW COOKER SIZE: MEDIUM



1 tablespoon olive oil1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighsSalt and pepper2 cups sliced white button mushrooms½ cup chicken broth½ cup Marsala wine1½ tablespoons arrowroot powder½ cup heavy whipping cream1 cup full-fat sour cream½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese1.Rub the sides and bottom of the stoneware with the olive oil.2.Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mushrooms over all. Pour the chicken broth and wine over, then cover and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours.3.Remove the chicken and mushrooms to a platter. Remove about ½ cup of the liquid from the slow cooker and whisk in the arrowroot. Return the arrowroot mixture to the slow cooker and whisk. Cover and cook on High for about 10 minutes to allow mixture to thicken. Whisk in the cream and sour cream. Place the chicken and mushrooms back in the slow cooker; cover, and cook on High an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan before serving.



PER SERVING: 538 CALORIES ★ FAT 35 G (59%) ★ NET CARBS 11 G (8%) ★ PROTEIN 40 G (30%)
Solving a real-life problem
By: Irfan Ali
Tags: Diet, Business Ideas, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Healthy Lifestyle

I was sitting with my friends who are daily going to the gym and doing workouts so they can gain weight and put on some muscles and was observing them and the other people around me including myself that we’re very careless about our diets and eat whatever comes in front of us. My friends those who are working out in fact most of the people who do workouts have been seen complaining that they are not putting on muscles and not gaining weight.

A skinny guy trying to put on some weight without a proper diet

After some observation, brainstorming and research I came to the point that diet plays an important role in building muscles. Not just muscles even if someone wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a good weight according to their height and age diet plays a key role but unfortunately who’ll just study about different kind of diets and the nutrition, the carbs, proteins, and fats in fruits or foods. Most people think this is a pain in the head sitting all day long and calculating their daily calories. After identifying the problem or I can say sometimes the root cause of not gaining weight or staying healthy, I was thinking of how to solve this problem.

A diet full of proteins and carbs with healthy fats, but who's gonna calculate the calories

As I was continuously thinking about this issue, I suddenly came with an idea of how about building an application that can provide ready-made diets to the users according to their needs. For example, if a person wants to gain weight and he/she is 25 years old then why not the app suggest to him/her the weekly diet she can take with the number of calories being calculated and changes the diet on the weekly basis providing the same number of calories so that the user doesn't get bored on eating the same items again and again.

An image of an app calculating calories

After finding the solution and thinking whether it is a good solution or not, I met with a few more people to discuss the idea with them and ask them if this idea can help those who are struggling with eating proper diets. I discussed the problem with them and then discussed the solution. Those people were so inspired and encouraged me to go for this because they themselves were struggling with this issue of not following a proper diet. At last, I decided to discuss this idea with my team so we can further brainstorm on the idea and check for further improvement and find out the limitations of the idea.

Throughout the whole journey of identifying the problem, thinking about the solution continuously, meeting with peoples to discuss my idea, It was a great experience of mine on solving real-life problems. I realized how many problems are out there waiting for us to solve those. All we need is a keen eye and a problem-solving attitude so that we could identify those problems and find out their solutions.
Tips to Control Portion Sizes
By: Just Digital
Tags: Weight Loss, Portion Control, Diet, Portion Guidance, Portion Control Plate

Photo by Cleanlight Photo on Unsplash

The human body requires a specific amount of calories per day to function well. An average male requires 2500 calories a day to maintain weight and 2000 calories to lose 1 pound weight per week. On the other hand, an average woman needs 2000 calories a day to maintain weight and 1500 calories to lose 1 pound weight per week. [1]

Portion control helps you eat just about everything while keeping calories in mind. It is crucial when you are trying to reduce weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Here are a few tips for Portion Control:

Start every meal with a glass of water:

Studies suggest that drinking water 30–40 minutes before the meal is healthy. It fills up your stomach and makes you feel less hungry that helps in the digestion of food. Do not drink water too soon before or after the meal, as it will dilute the gastric fluids that slow down the digestion process.

Do not eat anything directly from the container:

Eating directly from large food containers supports overeating without even realizing the correct amount. Rather than eating from the dish, empty them into a bowl with the right serving.

Eat slowly:

You must take 25–30 minutes to finish a meal. Take a spoon with a small portion of your meal. Chew the food properly before swallowing. Count 32 times while chewing each bite of food. Be sure to chew your food thoroughly to get digested from the stomach. That can improve your digestion and result in weight loss.

Measure accurately:

When it comes to portion size, don’t make the mistake of believing that a cheese slice or an extra ice cream scoop doesn’t matter. Measure the portion accurately using teaspoon, tablespoon, cup, or scale before eating.

Eat more vegetables:

Eating veggies is a great way to control your carbs and calories intake. Make sure to add a cup of chopped veggies to each meal or eat a bowl of low-calorie vegetable soup before each meal. It can help in lowering blood pressure and reducing heart diseases.

Half portion when eating out:

Serving sizes can be trouble when eating out as they are large at many restaurants compared to standard sizes. Ask for half portion or child dish when you are eating out at a hotel or restaurant.

Use smaller plates for a smaller waist:

Serving food on smaller dishware can trick the mind into eating less. The same quantity of food looks big on a smaller bowl or plate.

Have a timetable:

Create a timetable with an alarm on your phone or download a similar application to keep track of your meals and snack time. You will always have something to look forward to in this way. It is necessary to have breakfast within an hour after waking up and dinner 3 hours before going to bed so that your stomach has enough time to digest food.
NuviaGO is best protein bar product to maintaining Fitness
By: Rishi Kannaujiya
Tags: Protein, Diet, Biskuit, Maintaining Good Health, Fitness

NuviaGo is a delicious protein bar with a cookie and cream flavor loved all over the world! Due to the large dose of protein and a small amount of sugar, this product can replace any meal. NuviaGo provides the body with an energy boost, helps build muscle mass and accelerates recovery after training.

NuviaGo bars are created with passion and in harmony with nature. This product contains the right proportions of macronutrients to strengthen the body and help maintain a fit-figure. NuviaGo bars are not only a delicious, sweet snack, but above all a real, wholesome meal.

If you want to buy it, click on the link given below.

https://nplink.net/uppl7wpt
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
By: Keto Plans
Tags: Fitness, Bhfyp, Diet

You will never need to order takeout with this tasty recipe in your repertoire. This works equally well as a dinner or as an appetizer to take to a party.SLOW COOKER SIZE: MEDIUM



4 tablespoons olive oil2 pounds ground chicken½ cup finely chopped onion3 scallions, white and green parts chopped4 garlic cloves, chopped1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, whole or sliced, drained and diced1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced5 tablespoons soy sauce1 teaspoon sriracha2 tablespoons creamy-style peanut butter (100% natural, with no added salt, sugar, or palm oil)2 tablespoons white wine vinegar2 teaspoons sesame oil1 head iceberg lettuce or butter lettuce leaves1.Rub the sides and bottom of the stoneware with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.2.Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, 8 to 10 minutes. Place the browned chicken in the slow cooker.3.Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion and scallions and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Pour into the slow cooker along with the water chestnuts and diced red pepper.4.In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sriracha, peanut butter, vinegar, and sesame oil. Stir into slow cooker and blend well. Cover and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours.5.Spoon the chicken mixture into a serving bowl. To assemble the lettuce wraps, diners can spoon the warm
This One Thing is Causing Your Bloating
Tags: Health, Diet, Science, Advice, Self Improvement

This One Thing is Causing Your Bloating

Photo by Jannes Jacobs on Unsplash

Gut by Giulia Enders is one of the most interesting books that I have read this year. As a long-time IBS sufferer, I am obsessed with gut health and finding new ways to optimize my own digestive system. In the book, the author provides the lowdown on the inner working of the gut and deciphers information for ordinary people that is often reserved for scientific journals. The author refers to the gut as, “our body’s most underrated organ”, and with good reason; there are many secrets to unearth including a lesser-known function of the gut that helps control bloating.

Bloating is a chronic issue for many due to a combination of a bad diet and poor lifestyle choices. Although some cases of IBS, of which bloating is a common symptom, can be attributed to biological factors, in many cases, including mine, it can be fueled by our food choices. It’s important to look at what we eat but also how often we eat — this is the real reason that you’re bloated and here’s why.

The gut’s tiny housekeeper

The Migrating Motor Complex (MMC), a sequence of electromechanical activity in the stomach and small intestine, is responsible for maintaining a clean and tidy gut. Many scientists refer to it as the gut’s ‘little housekeeper’ as it works to sweep the undigested food from our meals and snacks onward from our stomach and small intestine to the lower parts of the digestive system. In her book, Enders writes that “an hour after the small intestine has digested something, it begins the cleanup process”. The MMC ensures that all food is processed and sent on its way into the large intestines and beyond, but critically the function only kicks in during periods of fasting, which is bad news for enthusiastic snackers.
Best Nutrition Protein Bar NuviaGo US 2021
By: Razin Brahim
Tags: Weight Loss, Diet, Protien, Keto Diet, Fitness

The first goal of life is to stay healthy and fit. Exercise and healthy foods are the keys to stay fit and healthy. It also improves circulation and body awareness and can help combat depression. But if you’re a fitness lover and do more exercise or go to the gym regularly then you’ll need more nutrition, more protein.

So a good nutrition protein bar can help you to full fill your protein requirement. If you’ll search which protein bar is good or best you’ll get lots of answers in this case it is hard to understand which is best. So we’re here to help you find the best nutrition protein bar. Here we’ve listed one of the best protein bars and this brand is leading in the US and other countries, i.e. Nutrition Protein Bar NuviaGo.

https://razinoxall.com/best-nutrition-protein-bar-nuviago-us-2021/
FYBSY:how to keep a diet and exercise journal
Tags: Fybsy, Diet, More, Shopping, USA

Fybsy: What it is

A food and fitness journal is a detailed record of everything you have consumed, and exercises you have completed over a period of time.

Check out Amazon’s latest promotions every day, sorted by Fybsy

Why it works

A food journal tracks your progress and instantly increases your awareness of your own eating habits. By keeping a record of your day, you can spot unhealthy habits, learn more about calorie consumption and nutrition and become more aware of how you treat your body. Basically, a food diary is your own personal confession and if you don’t write it all down, you will always know you were lying.
Top 6 “Healthy Foods” to Stay Away From
By: Jen Morrison
Tags: Health, Diet, Food, Foodies, Healthy

Reduced Fat Peanut Butter-Peanut Butter has good fats, when they take out the fat they replace it with sugar and other additives

Instead try Natural Peanut Butter where the ingredients are simply just roasted peanuts

2. Protein bars- Protein bars are packed full of crazy ingredients most bars average 20–30grams of sugar which is equivalent to a candy bar.

Instead try dry nuts and fruit or if you are up for it make your own!

3. Veggie chips- Marketed as ‘Veggies’ any sort of Veggie Chip has little to none veggies in them just powder. Leaving you with no nutritional value, if you what to eat veggie chips might as well enjoy what you are having and eat some real chips!!

Instead try popcorn with no added butter, or roast your own veggies and add olive oil to it!

4. Fruit Parfaits- Fruit parfaits are filled with sugar! The yogurt inside is filled with sugar! The granola inside is filled with sugar! The fruit inside has syrup on hit filled with sugar! Stay away from these at your local coffee shop or grocery store.

Instead make your own, they are really easy! Use plain yogurt with no sugar added, fresh fruits and nuts! It will taste the exact same and actually be healthy!

5. Deli meat- Deli meat is full of additives with sodium off the charts.

Instead meal prep some of your favorite meats before hand and store them in the fridge if you are in a rush and need to make a sandwich.

6. Energy Drinks- Energy Drinks are loaded with sugar. You might be thinking some have zero sugar though! and that is true, but the caffeine and amount of acid is very harmful to our body.

Instead drink water, black coffee or unsweetened tea

A few more foods to stay away from are whole-grain cereal, flavored oatmeal, low-calorie snacks, vegan baked goods, and so many more. I could list millions to stay away from.

The main thing we need to learn is how to read nutritional labels and look at the ingredient list. The least amount of ingredients are the best, they list the ingredients in order of what has the most in it. So, what is ever listed first is in it more than what is listed at the end.

Source: https://cleanfoodcrush.com/shopping-list/

We all like to eat good foods, just remember moderation and if you are going to eat veggie chips might as well eat something you enjoy!
Artificionaturality: why build parks when you can build ecosystems?
By: The White Orange
Tags: Cityscape, Future, Urban Planning, Travel, Ecocity

The other day an acquaintance was asking whether we had spotted some green parrots in the city he had never seen before. As he was enthusiastically describing the little birds he had seen, I realized I had seen those plenty of times in Barcelona long time ago.

Monk parakeets pasturing in Barcelona.

These parrots, called Monk parakeets, come originally from South America but can be now found pretty much anywhere in Southern Europe and in the US (if you’ve seen them, let me know in the comments below). These are a feral animals i.e. wildlife animals that descend from once domesticated specimens. He obviously did not know this, and when I told him, to my surprise, his reaction was: “Well, it’s good to see animals in the cities” and that got me thinking…

While introduced species are generally regarded as invasive and harmful for the existing ecosystem, this might not the case for urban areas. After all, what ecosystem is there to disrupt in a city? Instead, why not taking advantage of this serendipitous wildlife adaption to try to bring back nature into the urban habitat? It is now well known that natural environments improve cognitive performance and help reduce levels of stress and anxiety, among other benefits [1,2,3], so by bridging the gap between urban and natural habitats, we might make our cities a more comfortable place to live in.

Yet when trying to bring back nature into our cities, we tend to think about planting some trees or building a soulless park. But what if we could change entirely the way we think about reintroducing nature in our cities? What if instead of parks, that merely focus on reintroducing vegetation, we could build entire self-sustained ecosystems within the city? What if we could engineer nature, to design perfectly balanced ecosystems, much like the EcoSphere licensed by NASA? Imagine the feeling of entering a city park and seeing all sorts of animals roaming around you. This concept of creating pockets of nature-like environments inside cities is what I call artificionaturality.

In this regard, one city I find particularly extraordinary where wildlife adaption has occurred both spontaneously and artificially, is Amsterdam, where one can find animals such as swans and grey herons adapted to the city lifestyle. Much of this is thanks to the variety of natural elements present throughout the city, such as the canals, and the reduced number of cars in circulation as a result of the bike-friendly city planning.

Geese roaming around the canals of Amsterdam.

But perhaps more astonishing is the biodiversity explosion one can find in the Oosterpark. Ponds and canals fuse with all sort of trees that are host to a plethora of birds such as white storks, starlings, ducks, robins, coots and others. One can see them eating grass, bathing, mating and being territorial, much like in the wild. Surprisingly, one can also find non-indigenous species such as Egyptian geese and funnily enough, rose-ringed parakeets (yes, an African and South Asian species introduced in 1980).
Rooftop Farming Success
Tags: City Planning, Urban Perspectives, City Living, Farming, Urban Planning

Why are farms outside a city ?

You see — we humans desire to eat the sun. But it’s too far and too hot. So we hire the plants to do that for us.

And when they do their jobs well — we eat them.

What’s abundant outside the city — is fresh air and lots and lots of sun. There are no building shadows — which is why your backyard soil cultivation needs so much fertilizer.

How to start ?

To do farming — we need a nutrient medium. Something that the plant roots will hold onto. And absorb nutrients out of.

Soil and Water are the 2 known mediums today.

Hydroponics and Aquaponics — are both water based farming methods.

Between the 3 — I have found success with Aquaponics. The planting density is small — thus many plants can be placed together. And because there’s no nutrient solution to prepare — multiple crops can be grown together. This makes it ideal for hyperlocal farming.

What to expect?

Farming is doing. Robots aren’t ready to grow our food just yet. We humans grow food for humans. It’s unique to our species for the moment.

Expect to give up some of your rooftop area to grow clean and healthy food. Expect to experience the magic of mom nature and the gifts she gives.

Expect peace and happiness. But the most significant expectation you can have from successful rooftop farming — is to give your customers a chance to experience food like they’ve never tasted before.

Are you an Aquaponics practitioner ? I would love to connect with you and learn more. Please come have a see of my instagram channel — instagram.com/pluckit_/
ARK, worlds first patented urban flood system
By: Robert Chaney
Tags: Survival, Urban Planning, Flooding, Hurricane, Emergency

We came to the flood industry locked and loaded with our 4/6/8/10human flood aversion systems. Engineered durability combined with state of the art raft technology brings home and business owners a new evacuation system with added piece of mind. visit our website to order. www.rooftopliferafts.com
Arah Jalan Kota-Kota Indonesia
Tags: Data Visualization, Urban Planning, Indonesia

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Urbanexus Update — Issue #124
By: H. Pike Oliver
Tags: Real Estate Investments, Commercial Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Community Development, Urban Planning

Click here for a selection of real estate and community development news assembled and distributed by H. Pike Oliver. Some links lead to items that are behind a paywall.
Future Of Mega Cities. More Spacing Between People & Things.
By: Ngi Nextgenerationinvest
Tags: Lifestyle, Urban, Cities, Urban Planning, Philosophy

Going forward cities will likely create new rules for accessibility.

Shanghai, Singapore, London, Tokyo, New York, Paris. These are all magacities. There are more. Just as we are seeing social distancing rules being created for people now, there may be a time by 2050 when most megacities will implement plans for buildings and social distancing protocols. Distance rules maybe permanently created, 2–3 feet between people to always make sure we do not give each other any airborne virus. There are many such viruses that have existed, going forward people and institutions will be much more aware of these airborne diseases, Tuberculosis is one to name a few.

Cities will likely have restrictions on not only cars (which is a trend in New York and London) but also limitations on the number of people who get in to stay or visit. Have you seen in the developed world how a building or a restaurant has restrictions on the maximum amount of people who can be there at the same time? It is done to keep people safe from any potential fire so that there isn’t a stampede. With the increased usage of data to analyze anything, even an entire city will be assessed on the maximum amount of people who can be there. That computing power is already here. There will be face id center on different entrance points into a city, call them the main arteries.

At NGI we aren’t stating that the above will happen for sure or we are advocating for the above, we are just starting from the current trends what is most likely to occur in the future.
What’s New: 9 Places to Watch in 2021
Tags: Culture, Cities, Design, Urban Planning, Architecture

For years, the United Nations has taken the lead in coordinating a global response to climate change. With the UN’s own European headquarters in Geneva due for a major renovation, it was clear that the project should set an example for the 21st-century sustainable workplace. The challenges were also evident: How do you incorporate cutting-edge architecture into the context of an important heritage site?

The Strategic Heritage Plan involves the renovation of the Palais des Nations complex, initially built between 1929 and 1938, to dramatically improve its environmental performance, as well as the construction of an efficient new building that will initially be used as a swing space while the retrofit takes place.

Embedded in the landscape, the new building keeps a low profile on the site with a terraced design. It offers access to outdoor spaces and remarkable vantage points from inside, such as a new dining hall that faces the parklands and Lake Geneva. In this workplace that prioritizes well-being, people are immersed in nature. The new building is due to open in 2021, allowing the complete renovation of the Palais des Nations to proceed. Geneva’s refurbished landmark will embody the commitment to climate action that the United Nations continues to advance.

Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank Headquarters

Shenzhen

Photo © Seth Powers

A striking new architectural landmark is nearly complete in Shenzhen’s Bao’an district. The 150-meter-tall Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank Headquarters appears as a glass volume enveloped in a net of structural steel, pulled away from the facade. It’s the latest evolution in SOM’s decades-long development of diagrid structures — an approach that’s both efficient and sustainable because it reduces the amount of steel required for construction.

Photo © Seth Powers

The design was created with air quality and ventilation as key considerations, and it will be opening at a time when these factors are newly top-of-mind. Operable louvers give the building’s occupants control for natural ventilation, while two expansive atria contribute to better airflow. Even the diagrid structural design contributes to indoor comfort and energy performance by shading the facade and reducing cooling needs. When the building opens next year, it may well set a new benchmark for health and wellbeing.

800 Fulton

Chicago
“Are You Into Sustainability?”
By: Samantha Yannucci
Tags: Social Change, Environmental Issues, Urban Planning, Environmentalism, Wellbeing

“Are You Into Sustainability?”

Photo by Cleyton Ewerton on Unsplash

“I love these toothbrushes! Are you all into sustainability and stuff?” Asks the cute store clerk with her bleached ends, acrylic nails, and polyester sweater as she packs a plastic bag with my bamboo toothbrushes and other purchased goods. I’d guess she’s in her early twenties.

“I’ve gotten into it recently. My aunt lives in Seattle and they have this store where you bring your own mason jars and fill them up with stuff, and it’s so much more affordable and such a cool idea! And of course, so much better for the environment.” I interrupt her, “just one bag, please.” “No worries, I’ll just pack this separate–” she cuts herself off and blushes, “Of course, just as we were talking about sustainability.”

This interaction reminds me that we have a long way to go. If the fate of the planet and of humankind is left to the chance that enough people will stumble upon a cool store, a compelling article, or a riveting story that might cause some internal shift that inspires them to learn that everything around them is fucked up and make enough right choices within a very damaged framework so that they could hopefully cause a ripple effect that may lessen mankind’s impact on the world a small fraction of a percent, then this is just a big game of chance, now isn’t it?

We can only begin to repair the damage done, both environmentally and socially, if sustainability is so embedded into our culture, our way of life, and of doing business, that it is no longer a choice but the only choice. If “regenerative” becomes the new “sustainable”. This isn’t the store clerk’s fault. This isn’t your fault or mine. Humans are like water; we’re designed to take the path of least resistance.

You’re not meant to think twice about the consequences of your conveniences. In fact, you may praise the system for offering you such noble and time-saving “options” (I “ ” that word for a reason)–such as your personal vehicle. But I can’t shake this notion that these “conveniences” are killing us, and that they’re usually not really convenient at all. In fact, oftentimes they deliver the exact opposite of what we’re needing.

I think it would be a fun writing and thought exercise to examine contemporary conveniences and break down their consequences on our wellbeing from a holistic perspective (social, environmental, and health) in a relatable delivery. So once a week, I’ll do just that, by delivering a personal experience, a short story, an anecdote, an essay, or a long-form ramble that just might shift your perspective. This is a personal, interactive, project and I call it “Killer Convenience”. I’m eager to see how this will unfold.

And I ask you first, name me your conveniences in a comment below.
Mysuru has urbanized rapidly, now is the time to take actions
By: Mysuru Civic Issues
Tags: Urban Planning, Mysuru, Karnataka, Civic Issues

Urbanization beyond MCC limits

The following two satellite images show the outskirts of city of Mysuru in 2007 and in 2020.

Outskirts of Mysuru in 2007

Outskirts of Mysuru 2020

Skyline of Hootagalli, a suburb in the outskirts of Mysuru, now made a separate city, (Pic: Manju Visual Emotions on Google Maps)

Despite this massive change, the city limits hasn’t changed since 1995. Infact, the Mysuru City Corporation refuses to integrate these areas despite efforts from the MP Sri. Prathap Simha and MLA Sri. G.T. Devegowda, stating lack of funds to maintain. To be fair to MCC, the state government hasn’t released enough funds for MCC to maintain a city as big as Mysuru. Even though, MCC was the second highest revenue generator among corporations in Karnataka after BBMP.

Mysuru’s Urban Problems

A couple of twitter handles — Voice of Mysuru and My twitter handle ran a poll on two different issues related to Mysuru — Most needed infrastructure projects and major issues faced by civilians in Mysuru. Among the issues, most people said that the roads were not maintained well and illegal garbage dumping was prominent. Most people also wanted the city limit to be expanded to meet the city’s growing urban population.
Desire Paths and Sneckdowns
By: Brandon Hall
Tags: Transit, Sneckdowns, Urban Planning, Desire Paths, Urban Design

I’m fascinated by the mechanics of successful cities and public spaces.

Why do some places soothe, captivate or excite us while others disappoint, repel or disturb?

Desire paths and sneckdowns are two concepts that show how human behavior can reveal opportunities for smarter design.

Desire Path: A path created as a consequence of erosion caused by human or animal foot traffic … Desire paths emerge as shortcuts where constructed paths take a circuitous route, have gaps, or are non-existent … The path usually represents the shortest or most easily navigated route between an origin and destination. [1]
An Analysis of Covid-19 Deaths by Age and Income in São Paulo, Brazil
By: Bernardo Loureiro
Tags: Urban Planning, Covid 19, Urbanism, Inequality

Deaths among younger individuals

It also struck me the considerable number of deaths among younger low-income persons, especially when comparing against young and high-income. In the 30 years or less age group, there was only 1 death attributed to Covid-19 in the period in higher income postal codes (average household income above 6,500 BRL or 1,270 USD). In comparison, there were 52 deaths among young persons in the lower income postal codes during the same period.

Note: How to read the chart above?

In the vertical axis, I’ve divided deaths in income buckets; in the horizontal axis, in age buckets. Each cell represents the number of deaths for that specific age and income buckets. The diagram below explains how to read the chart:

Considering population size

Population size varies according to income and age, so I did further analysis to take this fact into consideration.

To do this, I added the number of deaths according to age bucket (ignoring income). Then, I distributed the deaths in that age bucket considering the population distribution according to income. This allows me to approximate the number of “expected” deaths, in case income had no impact in Covid-19 mortality rates.

Here’s an example: let’s say there were 100 deaths in the 31–40 age bucket and, in the same bucket, 7,000 poor individuals and 3,000 rich individuals in the population. If income didn’t matter, we’d expect to see 70 deaths among poorer individuals and 30 deaths among the richer. If we subtract this expected number from the real number of deaths, we can get a better picture of the impact of income on mortality.

This analysis is shown in the chart below. It shows the significant impact of income in the number of deaths attributed to Covid-19. The number in each cell indicates the number of deaths above (positive) or below (negative) the expected, for each age and income bucket.
Transforming Urban Living
By: Mahnoor Sargana
Tags: Urban Planning, Smart Home, Smart Home Technology

Urban housing

To accommodate the growing urban population, more affordable and adequate housing needs to be arranged.

In urban areas, people have to sacrifice the functions of their homes to get a place that ticks off either of the following: good location, size, or budget.

In the bustling dynamics of a city with a growing population, space is scarce. The u-turns in hopes of finding a parking lot, checking up with the restaurant you love to find a reservation at, and countless hours viewing apartments that fit your budget is not only exhausting but is also time-consuming. To ensure the quality of life in a competitive environment, every person has to be smart and considerate about the space they take up.

To get a home that incorporates all spheres of your life: social, work, and personal, the square feet of an apartment increases which could potentially put a strain on your budget.

Ori: Creating a new movement in urban living

To solve just that, Ori, a Boston-based company, has designed furniture units that move and expand according to your needs. Using machine learning and IoT applications, this robot furniture folds and expands with the command of hand or voice.

Ori is optimizing small spaces to provide comfortable, and storage-efficient furniture units that modifies to the different amenities that you need to use throughout the day. They are revolutionizing the way spaces are designed; that involves using multiple unnecessary items to make different parts of the home functional.

Products

Ori’s products allow you to find the space to do all the activities that you need to do in the comfort of your home.

Their Cloud Bed is a structure that could be made into a couch, coffee table, or a bed.

Pocket Closet allows you to store your wardrobe in a contemporary structure that opens up to be a walk-in closet.

Pocket Office expands to let you have a separate, distraction-free workspace to help you get through all your zoom calls. It also gives you the space to relax, hiding away everything work-related.

Their Studio Suite Slim incorporates all elements of a studio apartment in a streamlined design. The entire unit moves to make space for a bed, a dining table, and an entertainment wall for the living room.

Studio Suite gives you the space to do everything you possibly have to do in a day. From a walk-in closet, a private office, a bedroom, to a living room, it serves you exactly what you need, when you need it.

In your apartment

Ori’s products remove the need to own many furnishing items to make a home functional. It centralizes all your needs in one unit which would be convenient for when your landlord decides that he has had enough of you.

These multi-functional units allow users to conserve trees by reducing the demand for single-use individual furniture items.

Ori is flexible to your activities so you don’t have to adapt to your home, your home adapts to your life.
BARRIER — FREE LANDSCAPES: ALEXANDERPLATZ
By: Betul Bekmez
Tags: Barrier Free Environment, Landscape, Urban Environment, Urban Planning, Climate Change

WHAT IS UNIVERSAL DESIGN?

It is generally agreed that the term universal design ( or barrier-free design) first entered into usage in the mid-1980s by United States (US) architect, Ronald L. Mace. Universal design aims to create accessible, readable, safe, sufficient, comfortable and independent living spaces that are suitable for all ages and genders. These environments are designed to be used by all people at the widest possible scale without the need for adaptation and expertise. In this way, an environment will be accessible, understandable and usable by everyone regardless of the age, size, ability or disability of the individual.

Good public spaces are designed by primarily considering accessibility. Accessibility by design can provide more opportunities to people for work independently, shop, travel and play.

Observations and studies of social scientists and designers such as Kevin Lynch, Gehl, Clara Cooper Marcus and Barnes show that the most important requirement for public spaces is utilization. As a result of these studies, It turns out successful urban open spaces are areas that can respond to the needs of users, are democratic in their usability, and can make sense for a large part of the society.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE AREA

Alexanderplatz is a square and transportation center located in downtown Berlin, Germany. At the end of the 19th century, the square gained great importance with the Alexanderplatz station built near it. And nearby markets stimulated trade. The bright times of Alexanderplatz began in the 1920s with the start of nightlife in Potsdamer Platz. Square is called Alex among the local people.

Alexanderplatz in Berlin 2009.

There is two landmark very close to square. One of them has over one million visitors per year, Germany’s one of the most popular attraction center, the 388 m high Berlin television tower. Other is the World Clock in the square, which shows the current time of 148 major cities. World Clock has been a tourist attraction and meeting place since its foundation in 1969. In July 2015, the German government declared the clock as a historically and culturally important monument. The Friendship Fountain is another important structure in the square.
Are Global South Cities the Future of Transport?
By: Julia Nebrija
Tags: Global South, Transportation, Cities, Urban Planning, Mobility

Are Global South Cities the Future of Transport?

The short answer is- yes.

Informal transportation dominates the mobility landscape in global south cities. These systems move billions and provide livelihoods for millions of people.

Informal buses and taxis go by many names — matatus, ojeks, and tuktuks, to name just a few. These systems demonstrate the effectiveness of ubiquitous, flexible, demand-driven services. The agility of informal transportation systems is an asset especially in this age of disruption and rapid change. They are resilient, close to the user, and can adapt on the fly.

Importantly, they are critical connectors for the informal economy in cities, as well as manifestations of homegrown ingenuity, vibrant community culture, and rich local arts.

As arguably the world’s most popular way of getting around, ride-hailing apps such as Grab, Ola, and Gojek are racing to add this makeshift mobility to their platforms, creating new markets for cashless payments and attracting investment from the world’s biggest tech players — including Facebook. But they can’t scale these operations alone — how can a combination of tech, policy, public investment, and innovation protect their best features — ubiquity and affordability — while maintaining and improving upon safety and sustainability?

The Global Partnership for Informal Transportation (GPIT), launched on day one of the conference. Initiated by Agile City Partners with New Cities Foundation and CoMotion LA, the partnership was established to bring visibility to this crucial transport sector. The panel discussion is the first of many dialogues that GPIT will facilitate to elevate the narrative regarding informal transportation.

Here’s what the panelists had to say.

Benjamin de la Pena. Founder/Director Agile City Partners. Author/Curator Makeshift Mobility. Chair, Global Partnership for Informal Transport.

“Given the scale of these systems, they represent, in my opinion, the single greatest lever to decarbonize the transportation sector.”

Sonal Shah. Founder, The Urban Catalysts

“In cities, the shared rickshaws are used for 24% of all trips, 91% of all public transport trips, and 43% of all motorized trips. So for us to think that we will introduce a bus service and that suddenly all of these trips will just shift is a sort of misnomer.”

Deepa Shekar. Chief Operating Officer, SafeBoda

“They are seen as criminals, dirty, not an asset to the city, but actually, without the bodaboda industry, people would not be able to get to work.”

Devin de Vries. CEO & Co-Founder, WhereIsMyTransport

“People forget that informal transport is something that has stepped in in the absence of the state being able to provide the subsidized and formal services to meet the needs of the entire population, in particular peri urban areas that are transport deserts.”

Nadjeli Babinet. General Director of Transport Operation and Licenses, Mobility Secretariat of Mexico City (SEMOVI)
Södertälje maps and stories
By: Jonny Axelsson
Tags: Maps, Urban Planning, Stadsplanering, Södertälje

Maps

I have made several Google Maps of Södertälje. Some of these will be self-explanatory.

Stories
Seminar Nasional ASPI 2020
By: Nabilah Aufaraihan
Tags: City Planning, Seminar, Urban Planning, Covid 19, Kota

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Biosphere Earth — 17: Local Priorities
By: Chris Searles
Tags: Life, Culture, Urban Planning, Urbanism, Climate Change

OK, so, local strategy #1 is global strategy #1: Act Globally. In other words, the number one thing you can do locally is help globally; help best practice organizations working on resolving our most urgent global priorities.

Then #2, Go vegan.

Then #3, Act Locally — do things where you live and work that rebuild and reconnect green infrastructure; natural wilderness ecosystems. This blog provides a quick vision for that: Acting Locally to rescue and restore Biosphere Earth.

Context

Once one considers the history and architecture of the human life-support system it’s easy to see Earth not as some planet in space we just happen to live on, but as the only planetary biosphere; a contiguous wilderness of land and water ecosystems animated by their biodiversity, which has recently been interrupted and scaled-back by humanity’s growth.

From our perspective, Earth is a wild planet not a “blue” planet. It’s the advent and continuation of life, then wilderness ecosystems in waters and on lands, that created us. “Blue” is just the color of the oceans. Wilderness keeps us alive.

Currently, we are driving wildernesses into extinction. Again, act globally first. The local goal is to reverse wilderness loss by restoring and re-linking local vegetative continuity; local “green infrastructure.”

(my image)

Reconstructing continuity can mean starting with any bit of vegetation you can add to your personal landscape. The wilder, the better. Local species, a must. Scale-up from there to bring things like wild yards, school gardens, and public parks into ubuiquitous presence everywhere there are humans. Biospherically even small, low-grade wildernesses provide bio-physical benefits, services, and security technology cannot.

You can play a role at every level. Here’s a sequence showing how rebuilding and reconnecting wilderness integrity can look, for small to local spaces—

From outside your door

To rewildling your nearest landscape (photos: Annette Stone)

To cultivating your yard (CG)

Or converting it into production (Helvenston)

To school gardens

And shared community spaces (images: Justin Stewart)

To urban parks (Creek People)

Vegetated walls

And rooftops

To roof farms

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We want to see ecosystems merge with and connect to larger wildernesses.

More in the next blog! Thanks