Monday 30 July 2012

Living with Plants inside an enclosed Ecosystem: Doctor Tested and Approved

Professor Iain Stewart lived for two days in a glass box, photo by london24.com/news/health
Screenshot: Professor Iain Stewart lived for two days in a glass box
Source: london24.com/news/health: Doctor proves plants
hold the secret to life - by locking a man in a box
by Kate Ferguson, Reporter Saturday, February 18, 2012
Image Source: london24.com/news/health

A professor in the U.K., Dr. Ian Stewart, has gone to the extreme to prove just how vital plants are to our survival. For two days, he lived in a glass box with nothing but plants.

The experiment was the brainchild of Dr. Daniel Martin, a Consultant with Royal Free, who decided to replicate an experiment first conducted by 18th Century chemist Joseph Priestly—an experiment which would prove the existence of photosynthesis.

"Although, he did kill the first mouse,” Dr. Martin said of Priestly’s experiment which consisted of a mouse in a bottle.

Obviously, the 21st Century human redo at the Eden Project in Cornwall had a few safety measures in place, with Dr. Martin observing levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Still, most of the oxygen was sucked out of the box before the experiment began.

The public could watch as Professor Stewart exercised to increase CO2 for the plants, who in turn produced O2 for the good Professor. All in all, the simple indoor ecosystem went for two days.

Why stop at only two days? Living in a small oxygen-deprived box surrounded by plants makes for an interesting scientific experiment — and a pretty cool stunt — but at the end of the day, is pretty extreme for the average individual / family.

The real purpose of the exercise must have been to illustrate the value of plants on the vitality of humans. In other words, their effect on the vitality of our interior environments: livability and quality of interior space.

No matter what you live in today, Peapod Life has options to bring indoor ecosystems into your space to create extreme comfort, beauty, health and wellness, even food security ... without having to go to extremes.


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Peapod Life is Comfortable and Livable 365 days a year!, image by wobuilt + peapodlife
Extreme Comfort without going to Extremes:
Peapod Life is Comfortable and Livable 365 days a year!
2012 @ wobuilt + peapodlife

links:
bbc.co.uk: Scientist starts plant-only oxygen test at Eden Project
A scientist is spending 48 hours sealed inside an airtight chamber breathing in oxygen produced solely by plants.
14 September 2011
dailymail.co.uk: Living in a box: Scientist to spend 48 hours in an airtight container with 160 plants to keep him alive
By Ted Thornhill, Updated: 8 September 2011
edenproject.com: Scientist to be sealed plant-filled “bell jar” at the Eden Project for BBC photosynthesis experiment
14 September 2011
facebook.com: How Plants Made The World - Taken at Eden Project, Cornwall, UK
By BBC Scotland - Updated about 10 months ago

hamhigh.co.uk: Doctor proves plants hold the secret to life - by locking a man in a box
by Kate Ferguson, Reporter Saturday, February 18, 2012

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Green Success: Attendees of Live Green Toronto Festival give indoor ecosystems two green thumbs up!

Photos: Wo-Built Shares Its Latest Innovation for Peapod Life
Live Green Toronto Festival – where green hits the streets!
Toronto's largest celebration of all things green!
Saturday, July 21, 2012 @ Yonge-Dundas Square
and all along Yonge Street, from Dundas to Queen
2012 @ Wo-Built + Peapod Life

This past weekend Wo-Built attended the annual Live Green Toronto Festival on Yonge Street. Many ecology and sustainability-oriented companies, non-profits and agencies were out to showcase their products and services to the community.

Wo-Built was also present to showcase its latest innovation for Peapod Life: mini self-contained ecosystems designed for condos, apartments and other smaller spaces.

Peapod Life indoor ecosystems consist of aquaponics and include plants and optional living walls encased in attractive glass and wood enclosures. Timers and other supporting technologies ensure the systems are kept at the right temperature and humidity, with a constant stream of water recirculating throughout the unit.

Plants and select wildlife keep the system in perfect balance and practically maintenance-free.

Wo-Built had a Peapod Life demonstration unit on hand and the response was overwhelmingly positive. People loved the look and really liked the benefits of fresher air and a living system for their home.

The Live Green Toronto Festival was proof that Peapod Life really is desired by the general public, and will soon be available via the peapodlife.com website.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Extreme Heat and Drought: two more reasons for taking charge of your life with Peapod Life

Photo: Corn stalks struggling from lack of rain and a heat wave covering
most of the country lie flat on the ground Monday, July 16, 2012, in Farmingdale, Ill.

Image Credit: AP Photo/Seth Perlman
Source: Yahoo! News: Drought worsens crop damage, raising world food, fuel worry

It’s official: North America is experiencing some of the worst drought conditions in decades. It is being widely reported that the impact on food prices will have a major impact on an already beleaguered economy.

Peapod Life believes the time may be approaching when individuals and families will have to rely on themselves to ensure they have ready access to fresh produce and other foodstuffs. And, as admirable as urban and rooftop gardening efforts are, they can do little without Mother Nature’s cooperation.

Indoor ecosystems by Peapod Life benefit from a controlled environment all year ‘round. Peapod Life ecosystems are sheltered from extreme heat and cold, and constantly re-use and recycle their own water and nutrients, requiring a fraction of the inputs of traditional agriculture.

Because Peapod Life is not a greenhouse or a solarium but shares useable living space, the ecosystem’s environment is your environment: there is no disconnect between your life or your Peapod Life. This maximizes efficiency and ensures conditions suitable to produce food are constantly maintained.

The type and quantity of produce you can grow with Peapod Life depends on your existing indoor space and/or the availability of space to build a Peapod Life addition.

Contact Wo-Built, The Vision Builder, to see how your residential and/or commercial property can be upgraded with Peapod Life. Take charge of your life and future food security today.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build