Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

9 hours ago

A comprehensive new analysis released today says that nearly half (49%) of all recent tropical deforestation is the result of illegal clearing for commercial agriculture. The study also finds that the majority of this illegal destruction was driven by overseas demand for agricultural commodities including palm oil, beef, soy, and wood products. In addition to devastating impacts on forest-dependent people and biodiversity, the illegal conversion of tropical forests for commercial agriculture is estimated to produce 1.47 gigatonnes of carbon each yearequivalent to 25% of the EU's annual fossil fuel-based emissions.

"We've known that the production of agricultural commodities is a principal driving force behind deforestation, but this is the first report to show the outsize role that illegal activities play in the production of hundreds of food and household products consumed worldwide," said Michael Jenkins, President and CEO of Forest Trends, a Washington-based NGO that published the report.

"Increased agricultural production will be necessary for food security and to meet the demand of the emerging global middle class. However, the world must also wake up to the scale of how much of this agricultural production is taking place on land that has been illegally cleared. Urgent action is needed to help countries where these agricultural products are being grown, both for governments to enforce their own laws and regulations, and for businesses aiming to produce commodities legally and sustainably."

According to the study, Consumer Goods and Deforestation: An Analysis of the Extent and Nature of Illegality in Forest Conversion for Agriculture, 90% of the deforestation in Brazil from 2000 to 2012 was illegal, primarily due to the failure to conserve a percentage of natural forests in large-scale cattle and soy plantations, as required by Brazilian law. (Much of this occurred prior to 2004, when the Brazilian government took steps to successfully reduce deforestation.) And in the forests of Indonesia, 80% of deforestation was illegalmostly for large-scale plantations producing palm oil and timber, 75% of which is exported. While other countries also experience high levels of illegal deforestation, Brazil and Indonesia produce the highest level of agricultural commodities destined for global markets, many of which wind up in cosmetics or household goods (palm oil), animal feed (soy), and packaging (wood products).

Illegal deforestation is also rampant in most other countries across Asia, Latin America, and Africa losing large areas of tropical forest. Examples include the following:

In most cases, the companies that illegally razed forests to grow these crops had some form of government permit in hand. However, the report finds that it was also often the case that these permits were corruptly issued or fraudulently obtained; that these companies were missing additional required permits and licenses; or that these companies violated laws when clearing and planting, causing significant negative impacts on the environment and the rights of local people who have lived in these forests for generations and who depend on them for their food and incomes.

"All over the tropics, companies are bribing officials to obtain permits, trampling the legal or customary rights of Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dwelling communities, clearing more forest than they are allowed, and causing pollution and environmental devastation by flouting the law," said Sam Lawson, the report author.

Export Agriculture a Key Driver of Illegal Deforestation

According to the report, the international trade in agricultural commodities (beef, leather, soy, palm oil, and wood products, including paper) produced on land illegally converted from tropical forest is worth an estimated US$61 billion per year. The EU, China, India, Russia, and the US are among the largest buyers of these commodities.

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Illegal land clearing for commercial agriculture responsible for half of tropical deforestation

INTERIOR DESIGNER! | The Sims 4 | Episode #6 [Livestream]
Never miss a livestream, follow my twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/thegaminggeek Please take a moment to LIKE if you enjoyed! SUBSCRIBE for more: http://youtube.com/TheGamingGeek15 ...

By: TheGamingGeek | Drink Tea and Game On!

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INTERIOR DESIGNER! | The Sims 4 | Episode #6 [Livestream] - Video

Edward Ray Fernley, Interior Designer, Adventures In Life #69
Edward Ray Fernley, Interior Designer, Adventures In Life #69.

By: Earl Beecher

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Edward Ray Fernley, Interior Designer, Adventures In Life #69 - Video

VS2 How To Fit A Metal Venetian Blind
Fitting your venetian blind is quick and easy if you know how. This short video shows the best way to ensure a perfect fit. How to fit a Venetian blind. This is a quick presentation from Angela...

By: PolesandBlinds

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VS2 How To Fit A Metal Venetian Blind - Video

VS2 How To Fit A Roller Blind
How to fit a Roller blind. This is a quick presentation from Angela Broughton, Interior Designer and Director at PolesandBlinds.com. Angela #39;s short video guide to fitting Roller Blinds should...

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VS2 How To Fit A Roller Blind - Video

VS2 How To Fit A Roman Blind
How to fit a roman blind. This is a quick presentation from Angela, Interior Designer and Director at PolesandBlinds.com. Angela #39;s short video guide to fitting Roman Blinds should give you...

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VS2 How To Fit A Roman Blind - Video

Wednesday, September 10, 2014, by Lily di Costanzo

Formerly home to famed interior designer LM Pagano, who's best known for working with stars like Johnny Depp and Nicolas Cage, this colonial Greek revival mansion just sold for $3.1M after about six months on the market. According the brokerbabble, the 1930 manse comes "steeped in Hollywood lore," which basically means that it's housed actress Lynda Carter in the 1970s, and a "hippie art colony" shortly after, where a celebrity or two may have stopped by for a quick drum circle. These days the five-bedroom, 4,320-square-foot abode is miles away from its Wonder Woman island-turned-psychedelic party palace past, instead boasting a lavish and probably very polarizing display of dramatic, deeply retro furnishingkeep an eye out for the a minty green 1950s kitchen, lots and lots of drapey velveteen curtains, and a Miami-centric pastel bathroomall interspersed with original molding and marble fireplaces. Outside, A lovely garden terrace looks backyard party-ready, thanks to 20 Chinese lanterns strung up to form a canopy. Take a look:

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Designer Digs: Retro Manse 'Steeped in Hollywood Lore' Rakes in $3.1M

AN EDINBURGH interior design company have been slammed for advertising six unpaid internships worth at least 34,000 a year.

Casa Morada Interiors posted the six-month, 35-hour-a-week vacancies on Gumtree.

And owner Eva Serrano has now been forced to scrap them after a furious backlash from workers rights activists over the lack of pay.

Serrano had initially defended the offers, saying those dedicated enough would be willing to hold down a second paying job to make it in the industry.

But the 40-year-old copped a torrent of abuse online. Logan Vaughn wrote: The idea that you wanted to add value to your company by exploiting free labour is inherently disgusting and flagrantly illegal.

Work experience does not last six months.

Anthony Hall said: Exploitation of young people or any people for that matter with this nonsense is wrong. Disgusting.

Neill Hope added: Could you redesign the interior of the living room of my house please? If I like the work youve done, I might pay you. Sound fair?

The Scottish Trade Union Congress also warned the practice was not acceptable and that the firm who Serrano founded two years ago were in serious danger of falling foul to minimum wage legislation.

Roles advertised included an office admin assistant, a graphic designer and a design technician. If paid at least the minimum wage for over-21s, they would be worth around 34,000.

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Interior designer facing backlash after posting unpaid internships..worth at least 34,000

Spring is here and so is the time for a new interior design.

Krystal from Manly asks:

I am ready for something completely new in my home! What are the hottest interior design trends right now?

Jane says:

It can be fun and exciting to completely reinvent your home. Some fabulous interior design ideas are taking off this year. Here are five top trends for you to consider.

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1. The retro style with bold geometric patterns has enjoyed many phases of trendiness since its inception in the WWII era. Think bold colours combined with straight lines for an energetic retro design that is ideal for the upcoming summer season. This design can have white as its base on walls and floors for a new, trendy look that can be updated inexpensively when it is time for the next trend.

2.Sophisticated and rustic may not seem like terms that go together, but they are ideal for describing a new trend that is Earthy but not overly countrified. For example, envision reclaimed wood floors with shaker style furniture and oil rubbed brass fixtures. Consider it an upscale cottage style. A colour scheme of muted grey-blues and grey-greens looks great with this style.

3.Grey is the new beige. If you're looking for a neutral palette that can be updated and changed through use of fabrics and accessories, consider using a colour scheme of greys as your base rather than tired old browns. Brighten up this base with reds and yellows for the summer or tone it down with blues and greens for the winter. This is a great way to create a versatile design base that you can change as often as you like.

4.Going green with natural woods can create a gorgeous and earth friendly interior design. Use bamboo, wicker and rattan for your renovation, and create a modern atmosphere with clean lines and neutral colours or a tropical resort feel with comfy seating and bright accessories. These woods are renewable resources, so they are ideal for anyone looking for a new design for their home that is also environmentally friendly.

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Five top interior designs trends

Richard Lawson, Barratt Homes sales director

The low maintenance benefits of a new home have been highlighted in a new survey from five star housebuilder Barratt Homes.

The survey reveals high levels of DIY disasters among the area's home owners, something the housebuilder says can be avoided if you buy a brand new home.

Barratt sales director Richard Lawson, said while many homeowners enjoy stamping their own personal style on their new houses, more ambitious DIY projects on older homes can prove disastrous.

He highlighted one of the many plus sides of moving into a new home is that you can still make it your own but without undertaking expensive, time-consuming and potentially dangerous renovations as you will be moving into a perfectly prepared home.

"People can still have the chance to choose their flooring, lighting or kitchen for example but have none of the hassle involved in fitting,'' he added.

In addition, the five star housebuilder also offers an exclusive five year warranty covering almost everything it fits as standard so owners can relax, with no unexpected repair bills to pay for up to five years.

He said that Barratt's five year warranty comes with 24 hour, 365 day a year emergency cover, so in the unlikely event that something does go wrong, buyers will have trained professionals to deal with it so that you don't have to face a DIY disaster.

The Barratt research, conducted by One Poll, exposed a range of DIY disasters from collapsed ceilings, flooded bathrooms and toxic spills, resulting in a list of personal injuries caused by drills, screwdrivers and chisels.

And recent research from Co-op Home Insurance reveals that a third of homeowners are injured while doing jobs around the home.

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Banish DIY disasters with new home from Barratt