Skip to main content

What is Matcha?

Matcha is some kind of Japanese green tea, in most definitions of the term. It is in fact green tea leaves that are smashed into powder. But not all green tea leaves will be considered Matcha: they are shade-grown for a couple of weeks. The shade-grown aspect is needed for theanine and caffeine producing.

Traditionally the matcha tea focusses on the preparation and serving as a hot tea, but nowadays there are a lot of matcha products available. You can buy the powder and make your own tea but it is also available as coffee or ice cream, etc.

What is LivePanel?

LivePanel is a panel that is alive, or in more descriptive words: it is a living wall. LivePanel is a system that is developed (and patented) by Mobilane a company that has several ways of turning your workspace or livingspace in something more green and healthy. Because a green environment is not only good for the environment and your status as a company but it is actually good for the well-being of your employees: when employees are happier, in a more comfortable space they automaticly become more productive which is good for the company they work for.

The LivePanel is a wall system that has various gutters and plant cassettes that are attached to the wall (if desired or needed there can also be a frame). The (unique) plant cassettes can be simply attached to the gutters and the cloth in the cassettes will come in contact with the water. The roots of the plants intertwine with the cloth and so a nice living wall is formed. And with the attachment of a water pump the water level can be kept constant

The LivePanel is suitable for use indoor and outdoor so there is always a way to make your building more green. When you have a certain type of plant you want, or one that is already heavily present you can ofcourse use those plants. But Mobilane is also able to make a plant selection or advise on a suitable plant mix for your use: there is a big difference for outdoor and indoor plants of course, but location of the wall can also be of influence, or the type of work that gets done in the surroundings. The people of Mobilane are ready to advise on the best plants for the situation.

Depending on the season and the plants that are used, the growing process takes at least twelve weeks, so do not expect an instant grown living wall.


Image credit: Mobilane

What is Absinthe?

Absinthe is a beverage with a kind of a history: it was said that I could make you hallucinate. There are stories that famous painter Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear under the influence of absinthe. The chemical compound thujone which is present in absinthe was blamed for these effects and the reason it was banned in the United States and several European countries in 1915. Recent studies show that this spirit is not any more dangerous than any other spirit.

Since the 1990s it has become a more popular drink, due to the lifting of the ban. Absinthe itself is high in alcohol (45% tot 74%) and is anise flavoured. It is derived from botanicals, flowers and leaves, anise, fennel and other herbs. Traditional absinthe has a green colour but is also available without colour. Because of the stories of hallucination and the green colour it is often referred to as The Green Fairy.

Want to know more about Absinthe check out Absinthe 101

unsplash-logoAllie Smith