This week Awesome Stories brings you strangers, amazing photography, living street art, vertical gardens and more.
Talk to Strangers
Here’s a fun twist on the idea we’re taught as children to NOT talk to strangers. Robbie Stokes decided to travel the world talking to strangers to see if he could bring more understanding into the world with simple conversation. What started as a bold personal step has become a world- wide movement to connect called I Talk To Strangers. ITTS supports peace collaboration, conversation and understanding across diverse backgrounds, cultures and beliefs to build better human relations.
Solar Sailing
Recently I highlighted a bold dream to fly around the world via solar powered plane. This week, we look at solar powered sailing. Raphaël Domjan, the CEO of Planet Solar, decided he wanted to sail the world via solar energy. He collaborated with Immo Stroeher, a German advocate of solar energy. Together they planned and designed a bold new catamaran covered with 5,381 square feet and over 38,000 high efficiency solar cells! From 2010 to 2012, they circumnavigated the world’s oceans stopping at an amazing 52 ports of call to promote solar and renewable energy.
Creative Adaptation
I love this fanciful collection of 28 murals from around the world. The artists creatively adapted their murals to interact with nature in a way that seems to become living art. My favorite is from Ernest Zacharevich, what’s yours?
Buildings Sprouting Plants
As you may know, living roofs and vertical gardens are the rage in sustainable building. They add many benefits to a building like energy savings, harvestable food, cleaning the air, visual interest and sex appeal. OK, I made up the last one, but to me they look more interesting. The CDL Tree House condo building in Singapore is set to be the world’s largest vertical garden. When completed in 2017, it will have an estimated 24,638 square feet of plants, saving about $500,000 on energy and water expenses. The building will also feature motion activated lights, heat reducing windows and more of the latest sustainable technology. Now that’s cool. XD
YouthBuild
I love creative solutions like YouthBuild. They are addressing the 38 million homes lacking weatherization, 19 million abandoned properties, and 3.5 million unemployed young adults living in poverty. YouthBuild has partnered with USGBC to put youth to work helping to revitalize their own communities. Together, they are training young adults and putting them to work in green building and weatherization. The youth are learning valuable job skills related to a growing market for energy efficient homes. These joint projects have now created some of the first affordable, energy efficient homes in their communities.
Wowza, Amazing Photography!
Mind bending video by Vincent Brady with some amazing time-lapse panorama photography.
Thanks for tuning into another week of inspiring stories. I hope they touch your heart and encourage you to live more fully. Blessings, Brad
writing to freedom 
Very interesting information. Great video.
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Thanks Lee, I was totally amazed at the video photography! 🙂
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Wonderful stories Brad! I LOVE the street art! Couldn’t pick a favorite, but the concept of the little girl watering the tree in the middle of the city really speaks to me. 🙂 Also very inspired by the I talk to strangers movement, and of course, the sprouting building idea… totally cool!
Thanks for sharing!
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‘Lost Eye’ by Oak-Oak.
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Hi Hariod, I thought that one was fun and almost shocking in its impact. Thanks for sharing. Brad
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Hi Brad, nice to meet you! Yes, ‘Lost Eye’ has a big impact from an overlooked place . . . 💡
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Thanks, I’m not sure what you mean by overlooked place. But it strikes me viscerally as if I had been poked in the eye.
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Spiritual allusion.
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Thanks Jewels. I would love to see street art like that in our town. We’ve had some fun murals in the past and we have a lively art and music scene, so who knows. XD I could imagine living in a green building like that. Sometimes I wonder if all the work in taking care of house and yard is worth it. Thanks for your support and passion for nature.
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Ah, I’m a little slow today. XD
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Yay! So fun to be back! Loved all of this, Brad…But “I Talk to Strangers” just makes me want to pack my bag and never return! I’ve collected many amazing souls along my journeys — and I’m still in touch with them no matter how much time passes. Thanks for the Saturday smile!!!!
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Great to see you back Shauna! And you’re most welcome. I can relate to the wanting to pack and go. Most of my peak experiences have been while traveling, living simply and being so open, that I don’t pull off as well focused on home, making money, etc. That’s why I think I’m a nomad at heart, yet I haven’t allowed that side in a long time. Welcome back. 🙂
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I always appreciate the awesome stories you share, Brad. Thanks!
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Wonderful, Thanks!
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I love this issue, Brad. My faves are Talk to Strangers and 28 Murals…
Interesting people doing interesting things to uplift our world.
As are you.
Thanks.
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Hi Cynthia, Yes, several of us seem to have a travel itch and fondness for the Talk to Strangers mission. And the murals are fantastic. I’ve love to see more public murals and street art. It adds a fun, creative alive feeling to towns. I’m touched that you consider my writing uplifting and valuable. Thanks!!!
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You are welcome.
Toronto actually has a lot of street art.
There’s also a whole street of heritage murals, depicting the way people used to live in that area — in bygone days.
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Sounds wonderful. Do you ever take photos of those to share?
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Hi Brad…I’m always amazed at the wonderful diversity of stories you present here. I loved the ITTS…and the murals. Oh and the solar powered catamaran…it is so amazing looking isn’t it? But I wonder…how do you do the research for the post…it must be time consuming. And I bet you listen to your intuition when deciding what stories to pair together. Bravo…always entertaining …always informative! Love to you ❤
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Thank you my dear Lorrie. Your words and kindness help me more than you know. I read many blogs, social media etc. and the stories that tug at my heart/ passions are what I choose to include. I love it when others are touched or uplifted by the stories. I like being a connector of people, resources and ideas as well as musing with words and poetry, plus my love of photography. Much like my stories and blog, I have many interests, and it is hard to choose and focus. Plus trusting that I could make a living with my passions, like with photography, which was my first deep passion. I love to find and share beauty. 🙂 ❤
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I really like the video on talking with strangers. Sometimes I start up conversations with others, but I sure don’t have the gumption he does. Thank you for sharing that…maybe it will inspire me to be braver 😉
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Thanks Denise. You can do it! For me, it’s connected to my emotional state. When I’m happy I want to reach out, and when hurting I want to isolate. When I was traveling, hiking our National Parks, I was so filled with joy, I naturally reached out to others to share the joy. Maybe that’s the beauty of following our passion, which admittedly, I’m still working on…. Thanks for connecting. 🙂
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That’s probably very accurate for me as well, Brad.
I think I’m also more likely to reach out if the other person looks like they are hurting, or need something. I’ve had some amazing interactions from those situations, too.
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Good reminder Denise. When others are hurting, I forget myself and rise to the occasion! Seems like when we drop our ego and personal concerns, we have a lot more to give. 🙂
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Great stories very inspiring! Love the Talk to strangers post what a great idea, will definitely read more about this one Thanks
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Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time to read and connect. blessings, Brad
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Love this Brad! I remember as a child loving to hear stories from a man named Charles Kurault. I was envious of his travels to different places telling true American stories…the story of Talking to Strangers reminded me of this! Thanks for sharing it. What a great movement.
My husband, Joe, makes friends with everyone, and I used to be shy about it…but then I decided, “What the heck?” and talked to a few more people….Blessings to you Brad. And thanks for not being a stranger.
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Thanks and welcome Marie. WordPress is a great place to meet people. 🙂 The adventures of Charles Kurault sounds like a good story. I’m drawn to travel and related adventures. I tend toward introverted, but reach out at times, especially online. Written words are easier for me. And I reach out more when I’m feeling good. blessings back!
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