Sky Factory's Holiday Gift Guide
We offer a few holiday gift ideas for those struggling to find just the right thing for the sky and nature lovers on their holiday gift list.
The Cloud Collector's Handbook
The Manifesto of Cloud Appreciation Society begins, "WE BELIEVE that clouds are unjustly maligned and that life would be immeasurably poorer without them. We think that they are Nature's poetry, and the most egalitarian of her displays, since everyone can have a fantastic view of them..."
As fellow lovers of all things skyward, we appreciate the global fellowship of the cloud appreciating community, and the wit with which the Cloud Appreciation Society propagates their noble efforts. A nominal fee will gain you membership in the Society.
The Cloud Collector's Handbook is an invaluable tool for learning to identify and more fully appreciate the meteorology that supports clouds creation and variety. The handbook is fully illustrated with spaces for cloud spotting notations. Visit the Cloud Shop for other items to increase your cloud cred.
Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science, and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life
Biophilia explains that our nearly universal love for the natural world is the product of a long evolutionary history (in which humankind developed in a purely natural environment). As modern society transforms and separates us more and more from this natural environment, we learn about how valuable experiences of nature are to our health and wellbeing.
The biophilia hypothesis is finding practical application in architecture as designers discover new ways to bring elements and qualities of nature into the built environment to enliven nature's benefits in our lives. The best introduction to this exciting new architectural development is Biophilic Design. This resource will be of interest to architects and designers, as well as anyone concerned with enhancing our engagement with the natural world. The book is available from the publisher, Wiley, or from Amazon. (Oh, yes, Sky Factory is mentioned on page 327.)
Star Walk App
If your gift recipient doesn't own an iPhone or iPad, then buy them one so that they can use this incredible app. For many, the greatest attraction of the sky is when the sun goes down and stars and planets rise. Star Walk is an award-winning education app that allows users to easily locate and identify thousands of objects in the night sky. Winner of a 2010 Apple Design Award, Star Walk uses your precise location to display an annotated view of the sky you are viewing. We enjoy Star Walk because it leads our attention to the vast territory of sky and space that our tiny planet floats around in. Learn more about Star Walk at the developer's site, where you can click over to an Apple App Store. (A similar app is available from Google for Android phones. Check out Google Sky Map.)
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