Denim Insulation at the CA Academy of Sciences

NOTCOT | posted on August 28, 2008

denim.jpgAnother Outside Lands’ Eco-lands discovery ~ that beyond the living roof, solar panels, and more sustanable architecture going into the new California Academy of Sciences building reopening in Sept in Golden Gate Park ~ they are using recycled DENIM insulation! So if you’re not sure what to do with all those old jeans, apparently this is a great way to make better use of them! …read full discussion

Galya Rosenfeld: Reclaimed “Puzzle” Pillows

Natalie Zee Drieu | posted on August 26, 2008

 

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Apartment Therapy Re-next showcases the puzzle pillows by Gayla Rosenfeld that are made with reclaimed ultrasuede scraps from the upholstery industry. Each pillow is handmade and one-of-a-kind.

Setcast By Voon Wong & Benson Saw

NOTCOT | posted on August 21, 2008

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SETCAST is a new gorgeous bone china collection from London architects, voonwong&bensonsaw. “The SETCAST collection is the result of a close collaboration between voonwong&bensonsaw and one of China’s most distinguished manufacturers of bone china, Asianera, based in Tangshan, the porcelain capital of northern China. Together, the companies have developed a collection that makes the best use of bone china’s excellent light-reflective properties and also moves away from traditional decorative tableware to focus on striking new typologies that make a bold statement.” …read full discussion

Woody Bamboo USB Drive Looks Cool, Sounds Wrong

Luke Anderson | posted on August 21, 2008

There’s no arguing that the world has slowly begun looking for “green” alternatives to everyday items. Most of us still don’t go too far out of our way to get everything made from natural or recycled components, but we still try to do our part when we can. Those that like to go the extra mile might enjoy this Woody Bamboo flash drive.

The drive comes in capacities of 128MB all the way up to 8GB. Aside from the essential components that comprise the electronics of the drive, the rest is made from bamboo, and includes a hemp-like string for carrying it around your neck. If you want, you can even get a fancy bamboo storage box. Right now they can only be ordered in large quantities, but you can get a logo stamped on them.

Memotrek ] VIA [ EverythingUSB ]

Cardboard Tube Chair

Becky Stern | posted on August 21, 2008

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Paula at Treehugger wrote about this cool chair made from recycled printing industry cardboard tubes. …read full discussion

How To - Turn Old CDs into Dumbbells

Michelle Kempner | posted on August 19, 2008

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Amy wrote in about Danny Seo’s project where he turned old cds into dumbbells. No tools are required and with just 150 CDs, a threaded rod and bolts you can make a 10 pound weight.

Going Back to School in Green, DIY Style

Rachel Hobson | posted on August 14, 2008

 

 

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When Austin clothing designer, Kathie Sever, and writer, Bernadette Noll, learned about Swap-O-Rama-Rama at last year’s Maker Faire, they were inspired. Not only did they see the environmental benefit of upcycling unwanted clothing, but they also appreciated the opportunity to get creative and make something their own. When they took that inspiration home to their families, they realized that a clothing swap didn’t have to be aimed just at adults. With schools heading back in session over the next month, the opportunity to extend their inspiration to other families was ripe. …read full discussion

Paper, Plastic, or Furoshiki?

babblin5 | posted on July 28, 2008

Plastic bags are being banned almost everywhere now, due to petroleum costs and landfill issues. Los Angeles just announced a ban on ALL disposable shopping bags… both paper and plastic. The Minister of Ecology in Japan is making an effort to spread the Japanese art of Furoshiki, which is an Origami-like means of carrying virtually anything with a simple square of thin cloth, is easy to do, and has been used by the Japanese for centuries. See for yourself! Watch an Introductory Video

The Human-Powered Floating Gym!

Jorge Chapa | posted on July 25, 2008

river gym, human-powered gym, electric gym, floating gym, new york magazine, create a gym contest, archinode, mitchell joachim, douglas joachim

Have you ever pedaled on a stationary bike at the gym and thought to yourself: ‘What if this energy I am exerting could be used for something better than just making me sweat?” Well now a new proposal from architect Mitchell Joachim promises to take all that energy expended at the gym to the next level, by capturing all that exertion and using it to transport people around the rivers of New York City. The River Gym concept is a human-powered floating gym that will provide the user with the one experience that no other gym can provide: floating your workout around Manhattan. Designed by architect Mitchell Joachim and personal trainer Douglas Joachim, this project could bring inspiration to both the morning commute and workout.

Read more about this: here

Beautiful and non-wasteful packaging from Japan

Mark Frauenfelder | posted on July 23, 2008

No country creates more beautiful product packages than Japan, in my opinion. Here, PingMag takes a look at some innovate packages from Japan.

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Tofu packed into balloons, by Kamakura-komachi?! Surprisingly a great example for reduced packaging: Its elastic material is extensively stretched, and when pierced with a toothpick, the balloon bursts and only a tiny bit remains. How amazing! REDUCE with more flexibility! The same packaging concept is also applied to a pudding.

Japanese Design #7: A How-to-Reduce-Packaging Journal (PingMag)

Click Here