FURNITURE STYLE GREEN BEAUTIFUL FUTURE CONCEPT

FURNITURE STYLE GREEN BEAUTIFUL

FURNITURE BEAUTIFUL FUTURE CONCEPT

Green furniture is more than a simple step for organic products. This is a move to a much better design and management of resources. Sustainable product life cycles are designed literally from tree to table, and thanks to modern technology, far more efficient use of materials.

FURNITURE GREEN BEAUTIFUL FUTURE CONCEPT DESIGN

THE FUTURE OF BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE

OLD STYLE PULP FURNITURE

Green modern furniture in a different league from the old wood pulp in layers and glue products. The products are cheap in theory, but in terms of cost to consumers, they have always been second-class alternative to good-quality furniture

Plumen

Why can't an energy efficient light bulb also be pretty? These bulbs are pretty good looking... I wouldn't mind putting them up in my house and my projects! Who needs a lamp shade when you've got a good looking light bulb like this!?!

Plumen

A House in the Trees

I quite like this house in the trees by Martin Fernandez de Lema and Nicolas F Moreno Deutsch. Not being allowed to take down trees, the architects came up with a clever solution to work around them - incorporating the trees into the building itself.

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As much as their solution for the trees.. I really like their material selection. There is a lot of texture and warmth in the home, without the overuse of too many materials.

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Via ISO50 and ArchDaily

40 ways to celebrate 40 years of Earth Day

1. Stop drinking from individual water bottles and use a reusable one instead.
2. Plant a tree that will provide shade and beauty for years to come.
3. Insulate all ductwork to minimize energy loss in your home.
4. Walk or bike to work for one week instead of driving.
5. Attempt to go one week without bringing any new plastic into your home.
6. Investigate alternative energy sources for your home - The government is still offering tax credits!
7. Go vegetarian at least once per week.
8. Visit your local farmer's market for locally grown groceries.
9. Use catch basins connected to downspouts to collect water for gardening.
10. Turn off your computer every night. This saves $$ and energy.
11. Build a microbial fuel cell and use it to generate electricity from compost.
12. Build your own solar panel from recycled aluminum cans.
13. Turn off the tv for a night and read a book.
14. Get rid of your windex and use water and vinegar instead.
15. Get an energy audit done on your home.
16. Cancel any catalogs you receive in the mail, especially any duplicates!
17. Buy a solar charger for your cell phone or ipod.
18. Stop using chemicals on your grass and get used to a varied lawn
19. Go out to dinner at a local restaurant rather than a chain where food is shipped in from across the country.
20. Use recycled toilet paper, otherwise old growth forests are being cut down for our toilet paper.

21. Switch from paper napkins to cloth.
22. Take a walk and meet your neighbors, instead of sitting inside using electricity.
23. Turn off your ac or heat and bundle up or strip down instead!
24. Update your roof to support a green roofing system (or living wall instead).
25. Add shading devices to windows now, to help keep heat down in the coming summer.
26. Invest in wind turbines.
27. Donate a hippo roller - http://projecthdesign.org/ - to a community in need of accessible water.
28. Install a shower filter to eliminate chlorine, stop drying your skin, and improve the surrounding air quality!
29. Install a programmable thermostat.
30. Install a solar powered attic fan to reduce cooling loads.
31. Use a slow cooker for dinner - even though it is on all day, it actually saves energy!
32. Use salvaged materials whenever possible during both remodels and new construction.
33. Take a native garden design class.
34. Volunteer (or donate) with Habitat for Humanity, Builders without Borders, or Architecture for Humanity.
35. Attend a local Earth Day event - for Seattle check out http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/archives/202870.asp?from=blog_last3
36. Donate used clothing to a charity in need, rather than throwing them away (or letting them take up space in your closet).
37. Vow not to kill bees for the summer - we need them for pollination!
38. Log on to your local freecycle to share and recycle in your neighborhood.
39. Switch your printer to print double sided instead of single.
40. Build a new birdhouse to encourage nature to visit you!

The Green Blue Book

I've been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to review a few books lately... the latest being the Green Blue Book by Thomas M. Kostigen.

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As someone who is interested in all things green... I think this is a great little book! So often, we think about the easy way to save materials (and in this case water), but we don't worry about the embodied energy of those same materials. I mean, bamboo flooring may be certified green, but it is still shipped over from overseas, which isn't exactly sustainable. The same kind of thinking can be applied to water conservation and this book really shows you how.

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The Green Blue Book illustrates exactly how many gallons of water go into your daily foods, materials, resources, and more. Want to know how many gallons it takes to produce your tennis shoes? or your spinach salad? It's all in the book... Which by the way was definitely written by a man. In the clothing section it suggests women can save water by wearing thongs instead of briefs, but doesn't suggest the same for men!

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The book is a quick and easy read, and a great resource for future purchases. If you're interested check it out...

The Green Blue Book: The Simple Water-Savings Guide to Everything in Your Life

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And, in celebration of World Water Day... today I'm giving out one copy of the book (sent straight from the publisher) to the reader with the best idea for saving water. Put your idea in the comments (with an email address), and if I think your's is the best I will email you for your shipping info.

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Can't wait to hear your good ideas!

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Wally Pockets

I am loving these planting pockets by Woolly Pockets. Felted recycled plastic is handstitched to create each pocket... and can be used inside or out.

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Love it!

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The Functionality

Recycled felt scarves cut by a CNC machine billowing in unison to form a chandelier.

Pretty cool.

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The functionality via Space Invading via Archinect

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DeCarbonize Chicago

Chicago is looking to decrease its carbon consumption by 30% (by 2030) and Smith Gill is leading the charge... They've developed 8 key strategies; Buildings, Urban Matrix, Smart Infrastructure, Mobility, Water, Energy, Waste, and Community Engagement. At the crux of their plan is the retrofitting of existing buildings, rather than the construction of new ones.

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I'm excited to read more details about their plans...

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Via Inhabitat

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Cute and Compostable!

One of my favorite architects/designers, Claesson Koivisto Rune has a new design for a children's chair. Made from a pulp comprised of paper and a cornstarch based plastic, this chair is not only light and durable (which is great for kids!), but also completely biodegradable.

Very cool indeed.

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Planter Alternative

Looking for an alternative to traditional planters? These are designed to minimize wasted water and keep soil from falling out... and their not even surrounded by macrame!

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At Rocket St George via Poppy Talk

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Academy of Fashion

This Academy of Fashion in Jaipur, was designed by Morphogenesis. Because the project is located in the middle of the desert, the architects created a passive climate controlled environment including a double skin exterior and a surprising interior courtyard and pond. The double skin design is both modern in pattern and traditional in detail... The architects did a great job combining historic technologies with current function and aesthetic.

Give Green Reads

As someone who is very interested in sustainability, green technology, and the like... I generally find if difficult to find good books to read. Usually, the books seem overly simplistic (compost is good!) or overly scientific. Its hard to find a well-written and informative book for general, but well-educated reader. Luckily, I've recently had the opportunity to read two such books!

Our choice is the follow up to Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. Where An Inconvenient Truth was quite the doomsday presentation, Our Choice presents us with clear options for moving forward. Its not just telling us everything that we've done to screw up the Earth, but its explaining how we can fix what we've done... using both large and small scale solutions. The book is an easy read, while still explaining in detail the science behind the global warming crisis. And unlike An Inconvenient Truth, its got fantastic full color photos and diagrams to help illustrate the text. And personally, I really enjoy the immediacy of the book. Gore tells stories about current events - liking the birthers to climate change deniers - which helps root the book in the now. So, if you or anyone you know is looking for an informative book on climate change, with an upbeat personality... check out

Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis

The Whole Green Catalog is a much more interesting book than the cover would suggest... Really makes that whole, don't judge a book by its cover thing ring true. The book lists 1000 action items that individuals can undertake to improve our quality of life. The book is broken down into simple sections - homebuilding, energy, clothing, furniture, etc. Within each section are various technologies and suggestions pertaining to sustainability and a high quality of life. Products range in scale from solar powered calculators to equal exchange chocolate to geothermal HVAC. The beauty is that each product recommendation comes with a 2-3 paragraph explanation of the technology and image to help you understand. Again, this is a great book for anyone looking to improve their knowledge of green technology without reading through scientific literature. Its an easy and entertaining read... in fact, it was sitting on my coffee table during Thanksgiving dinner and everyone passed the book around and even took time out of watching football to read it! If that sounds good to you... check out

Whole Green Catalog: 1000 Best Things for You and the Earth

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Good Intentions

I've got a lot of strong opinions about LEED, not all positive. But, still if the Obama administration truly intends to upgrade the White House and apply for LEED status, then I'd be all for it... While LEED has its problems, it would be a great symbol for sustainable architecture if the symbol of our democracy was a bit more green. It can only help encourage others to make similar improvements...

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schubLaden Love

I love these pieces by schubLaden... they are combing two of my favorite things - clean minimal design, and adaptive reuse. schubLaden finds old drawers and puts them together in a way that highlights their individuality.

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Lovely.

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