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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.107

It's well known that counting the rings of a tree reveals its age. Each ring represents a year, a 12-month growth cycle starting with a boom in the spring and ending in winter dormancy. Hidden within the rings is every iteration of the tree, including the original sapling. Italian artist Guiseppe Penone carves out the young tree from its final form. This is something amazing to see!

CARVING OUT SAPLINGS (photo essay)

Why cut down a tree to build a home when you can build a tubular glass structure encapsulating it? If and when this idea becomes a reality, sign RETREET up for a tour. Perhaps our future HQ?

BUILDING AROUND A TREE (photo album)

Taking the previous concept to the next level is this vertical eco-village. A design that creates more energy than it consumes and is entirely sustainable, this concept is an engineering marvel. Watch a short video and be dazzled. Hopefully, this will be a major element of cities to come.

INCREDIBLE VERTICAL ECO-VILLAGE (video)

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.86

Over the years, numerous studies have shown that a walk through the woods, or "forest bath" as Japanese doctors describe it, is a great way to reduce stress and fatigue. However, a new study out of Australia takes that notion one step further. Believe it or not, even gazing for a moment at something green outside of your office window will calm you down and help you focus. Give it a try tomorrow at work!

GREEN BREAKS FOR YOUR BRAIN (article)

What's the difference between fall in North America and fall in Europe? One word: RED. Finnish and Israeli scientists followed a trail of research that led them back in time 35 million years in order to answer what brought about this striking difference in foliage.

DIFFERENCES IN FALL FOLIAGE (video)

One man, obsessed with the history of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, decided the only way he could fully understand the story was to retrace John Wilkes Booth's 12-day run from the authorities after having shot the President at Ford's Theater. Lacking a horse, he realized the best way to do it was by bike. Follow his fascinating journey of discovery.

BIKING AFTER BOOTH (article)

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.83

This week, we bring you a rather international smattering of fascinating projects. First up, South Korean artist Young Deok-Seo spends months welding and forming discarded bicycle chains into striking sculptures of the human form. Truly, this is powerful repurposing.

BIKE CHAIN SCULPTURES (photos)

Second, Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia designed three 22-story buildings in Ho Chi Minh City that each have a giant roof garden. The roofs are all connected by suspension bridges, making the completed structure a giant linear garden in the sky. Now that's what we call green architecture!

DEVELOPMENT WITH CONNECTED ROOF GARDEN (photos)

Finally, Donhou Bicycles, a London-based company, set off to construct a bicycle with a chain ring big enough to achieve pedaling speed of 80mph. Theirs is a great story of determination and innovation.

THE 80MPH BICYCLE (video)

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.80

In 1982, artist Agnes Denes proposed a monumental artistic planting in the wilderness of Finland. Tree Mountain was created by 11,000 people from all over the world each planting a single tree in a specifically designed pattern that evokes ancient artworks as well as mathematical precision found in many of the works of painting masters. Planting took place over four years, from 1992 to 1996, and resulted in the world's first virgin forest built by humans. Check out this amazing artwork, meant to last for hundreds of years.

TREE MOUNTAIN (photo essay)

Sometimes, a tree stands in the way of a proposed construction project. Too often, such trees are removed. The following photos show beautiful examples of architects who decided to not only save the trees, but also incorporate them beautifully into buildings. 

BUILDING AROUND TREES (photos)

Believe it or not, bikes are good for business. They take up less parking space, encourage riders to make purchases more often, and make finding that random specialty shop across town a lot more fun. Learn more about the advantages of cyclist consumers by clicking the link below. Some great reasons to install more cycling infrastructure!

BIKES ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESS (article)

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.75

Did you know that, in 1900, Los Angeles had a bicycle highway and the US was a world leader in bike lanes? Or that Smithville, NJ, was home to a bicycle railroad that stretched two miles in 1892? This fascinating article takes a look at the history of bike lanes in America, and offers more than a few surprises.

HISTORY OF BIKE LANES (article)

New Zealander Barry Cox, who once aspired to be the Pope, spent 4 years building a church out of living trees. He just opened the structure and surrounding grounds to the public and made the location available for weddings. Each event involves 8 hours of primping, the results of which are glorious. Check out this architectural treasure!

THE TREE CHURCH (photos/video)

Detroit's Silverdome, once home to the Detroit Lions, Wrestlemania III, Supercross, and World Cup soccer games, was shut down for good a few years ago. Now, as the building slowly decays, a new kind of athlete is giving it a final farewell. BMX cyclist Tyler Fernengel made the abandoned structure his personal playground, to epic effect. 

A BMX FAREWELL TO THE SILVERDOME (photos/video)

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.64

Who wouldn't want to move to Turin, Italy, after seeing this amazing building designed by architect Luciano Pia. 25 Verde incorporates trees and plants into its undulating structure, protecting residents from noise and air pollution. Click below to see more!

VERTICLE TREEHOUSE (photo essay)

A California-based company has designed the perfect coffee cup: one that is biodegradable and grows into a tree when planted. Imagine a world in which each coffee you drank sequestered 1 ton of CO2 during the 40 years following its consumption? Amazing.

BIODEGRADABLE CUP THAT TURNS INTO A TREE (photos/video)

There are lots of innovative bicycle helmets hitting the market these days, from stylish to invisible. The DORA helmet puts safety communication at its core. With a headlight on the front, a brake light on the back, and two turn signals, this could very well be the choice helmet of the future. 

ALL-IN-ONE BICYCLE HELMET (video)

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.47

Have you ever seen a face in the bark of a tree? One artist took things a bit farther and created an entire gallery of amazing photos using just a few simple tricks. The results are portraits of fantastic, other-worldly creatures.

Take a look at Hovenring, the world's first suspended bicycle roundabout. Located in the Netherlands, it a true architectural beauty. We would love to see more of these pop up around the world.

Philippine officials held a tree planting yesterday that broke the world record for most seedlings sown in an hour. All told, 160,000 people planted 3.2 million trees at 6 different locations on Mindanao island. Guinness is currently verifying the new record, which previously stood at 1.9 million. That record was set in India in 2011.

FACES IN THE TREES (photos)

HOVENRING, THE SUSPENDED BICYCLE ROUNDABOUT (photo essay)

WORLD TREE-PLANTING RECORD BROKEN (article)

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.35

Happy Father's Day! We hope you had a chance to celebrate all of the important men in your life.

With the World Cup in full swing, we wanted to share an article that discusses the environmental impact of that event and the steps FIFA is taking to make it the greenest World Cup to date. What do you think? Are they going far enough? Any other thoughts, or links?

Also shared is an explanation for why Koalas hug trees and an awesome video of some amazing road bike skills.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

THE WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL

TREEHUGGERS

ROAD BIKE RIDICULOUSNESS