Every fortnight on Tasmanian Times, widely-read Geoff Dickinson chooses Six of the past fortnight’s Best Reads.

Pollution Infographic
Graphic of some interesting facts about pollution and our world. September 2011
http://www.reusethisbag.com/reusable-bag-infographics/pollution.asp 

Library’s “Living Books” Program Will Loan Human Experts
Like every other taxpayer-funded public service, libraries have been hit hard by budget cuts during the economic slowdown of the past several years. Adding insult to injury, fewer people read, and those who do are increasingly likely to use e-readers instead of print books. Those forces have combined to send many libraries searching for new ways of doing business.
One of the most innovative new initiatives comes from the City Centre Library in Surrey, British Columbia, which is scheduled to open next month. Realizing that bound volumes are far from the only source of knowledge, librarians in Surrey will also lend out “living books”—in other words, people. Staff will maintain a list of local residents who have volunteered to share their knowledge of any topic, and other library patrons can make appointments for 30-45-minute conversations…  USA Good Culture 25/8/2011
http://www.good.is/post/library-s-living-books-program-will-loan-human-experts

Guatemalan Schools Built from Bottles, Not Bricks
The cost of building new classrooms and schools shouldn’t prohibit students in the developing world from accessing a quality education, but new construction, even using inexpensive materials like cinder block, can run up a five-digit bill in construction costs. Now, Hug It Forward, a non-profit in Guatemala, has figured out how to build new schools on a shoestring budget by turning the plastic bottles that litter the countryside’s villages into raw construction materials….Guatemala Good Environment 19/9/11
http://www.good.is/post/guatemalan-schools-built-from-bottles-not-bricks?utm_campaign=daily_good&utm_medium=email_daily_good&utm_source=headline_link&utm_content=Guatemalan%20Schools%20Built%20from%20Bottles%2C%20Not%20Bricks

Closing Gender Gap Will Boost Growth: World Bank
Women in the developing world have made strides in education, but still lag far behind men in opportunities, a gender gap that is hampering growth, the World Bank said in a report.  Calling on countries to work to shrink that gap, the World Bank said gender equality is important in its own right as well as being “smart economics.” 
“Countries that create better opportunities and conditions for women and girls can raise productivity, improve outcomes for children, make institutions more representative, and advance development prospects for all,” the report said…. World Alternet Agence France Presse 19/9/11
http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/?akid=7587.81718.94QFzQ&id=668292&rd=1&t=7

Deep Oceans May Mask Global Warming for Years at a Time
Computer simulations of global climate lead to new conclusions.  Earth’s deep oceans may absorb enough heat at times to flatten the rate of global warming for periods of as long as a decade—even in the midst of longer-term warming. This according to a new analysis led by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)….USA Insciences - National Science Foundation Sept 2011
http://insciences.org/article.php?article_id=10351&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+insciences%2Farticles+%28Insciences+Newsletter%29

UK Moves to Reform Planning Disaster
The United Kingdom (UK) housing system is arguably the worst in the world because of a myriad of policies that work to severely restrict supply, pump demand, and make renting a highly undesirable substitute for home ownership. These policies have led to the UK housing market experiencing:….
UK Australia
http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2011/09/uk-moves-to-reform-planning-disaster/