Finding a clean and safe swimming spot in Europe this summer is at your fingertips with the Eye on Earth World Watch map, a user-friendly resource resulting from a partnership between Microsoft and the European Environment Agency (EEA). Beaches, rivers and lakes are marked by icons which are color coded (greens are safe, reds warn against swimming areas where the water is unhealthy and swimming is prohibited) and many are marked by a thumbs up or thumbs down, indicating other map-users rated a particular area as good, bad or average.   Read more...

Aanstaande zaterdag 4 juli is het weer internationale 'Free Hug Day'. De Australier Juan Mann startte zijn Free Hugs Campaign vijf jaar geleden en kreeg wereldwijd veel respons. Inmiddels worden in meer dan 80 landen campagnes georganiseerd, waaronder Nederland.   Read more...

Ode's hoofdredacteur Max Christern presenteert wekelijks op dinsdagavond op Het Gesprek het programma Voor de Wereld van Morgen. Aan tafel schuift deze week onder andere aan architect Paul de Ruiter: 'Duurzaam wonen is slim wonen.' Heeft u de uitzending gemist? Bekijk hem dan hier.   Read more...

A fund raising Zumbathon™, a dance marathon combining fitness and philanthropy, on one of the hottest days on record this year in Pensacola, brought together a diverse group of over 70 supporters who raised $851 dollars for The Global Corner International Learning Center.   Read more...

The International Ecotourism Society unites conservation, communities and sustainable travel while promoting responsible travel to natural areas while conserving the environment and improving the well-being of local people.

According to ecotourism.org, TIES works by creating an international network of individuals, institutions and the tourism industry, educating tourists and tourism professionals and influencing the tourism industry. Public institutions and donors integrate the principles of ecotourism into their operations and policies. As the world's oldest and largest international ecotourism association, TIES seeks to be the global source of knowledge and advocacy uniting communities, conservation, and sustainable travel.   Read more...

Dreamshield wordt geïnterviewd op Indigo Soulstation (www.indigosoulstation.nl) i.v.m. haar boek Running Deer en de liefde van de Tweede Werkelijkheid.

Zij was in de leer bij een Noord Amerikaanse medicijnman in de kunst van het dromen en ondervond de lessen en de liefde van de magische paddestoelen (paddo’s).   Read more...

Seventeen-year-old Iraqi piano prodigy Zuhal Sultan has confirmed plans for the first-ever National Youth Orchestra of Iraq. Her ambitious program will debut in August 2009 in the northern Kurdish region, and will feature performances by a 35-piece orchestra comprised of Iraq’s most promising young classical musicians.   Read more...

Often when I travel, I look for a good local bookstore. I am curious to know what people are reading and what is the role of the bookstore in the community. Plus, I have found that books can be treasures that transport you back in history or possibly forward in time to events yet to take place.

In Cairo, I discovered Diwan Bookstore in Zamalek. It is a special bookstore featuring books in Arabic, English, French and German. When I entered, they had on display front and center their recommended books, among them:   Read more...

Recession. Economic crisis. The air is abuzz with these words, from the concerned whispers of colleagues and friends, to the speculation and predictions of the media. Who will sink? Who will swim? How bad is it? How long will it last? Although it came as a shock, the current economic crisis serves as a reminder of the oldest, most pervasive and predictable aspect of life itself: change. The only thing that is certain, is change. In our society, our attitude toward change is often of sticking our heads in the sand. We try to pretend that it doesn't exist. We become rigid, seeking the illusory permanence of routine to make us feel safe, to feel in control. Many of us spend our lives dedicated to creating a stable environment; a solid career, a dependable spouse. But even the longest marriages can end in divorce, the largest fortunes in the world can dwindle down to nothing.   Read more...

InFocus, a web site created by Andrew Kilbourn and Faith Model, is an online, not-for-profit resource featuring "short documentary films that bring a thoughtful and thorough awareness to the positive forces of change in regions hammered by conflict, poverty, oppression or distaste", according to InFocusworld.org.

Their web site states their goal as "to tell stories of hope and inspire change. All too often, we are faced with images of certain parts of the world that are shocking; deplorable living conditions, war torn villages; starving children. But what we don’t always hear about are the everyday extraordinary people whom, in the midst of these struggles, are effecting real change in their homes and in their communities."   Read more...