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How's this for bitter irony? Most forms of the color green, the chosen emblem of environmentalism since the 1960s, are not only not ecologically responsible but potentially poisonous. Writing in the Design section of the New York Times, Alice Rosthorn says that because the color green is so difficult to create, manufacturers have to use toxic chemicals to stabilize it. That means that......read more
As part of its footprint reduction project, Puma commissioned Yves Behar of fuseproject to create a new packaging system for Puma shoes. The result is a revolution in showbox design. Using 65% less paper than a traditional shoebox, the "Clever Little Bag" is a cardboard stock frame wrapped in reusable shoe bag. The packaging has no laminated printing, no tissue paper, requies less space......read more
More and more people are working from home, and that trend doesn't look like it's going to reverse anytime soon. Which is great. We welcome a shift that blurs conventional lines between life and work. And the most eco-friendly commute is no commute at all. But between the fridge, the TV, and the stereo, it can be hard to stay focused on work. Trust us. Inhabitat hips us to a UK design......read more
In Toronto, local architects recently won a design competition for a new farmers market building in the historic part of the city. The building is four stories tall with a roof covered in skylights and green vegetation. It utilizes a geothermal heating and cooling system, in addition to natural daylighting and ventilation. The structure will be built to the Toronto Green Standard, and shows that......read more
Visualizing the spill: From our friends at GOOD, an animated simulation of a 25,000-barrel oil spill — less than half the estimated daily amount gushing into the Gulf. Dropping the ball: A scathing account of the U.S. Interior Department's handling of the offshore oil industry. Oh phew, at least there's that: Oil-Splattered BP Promises Uninterrupted Flow of Art Funding. The......read more
Muji is one of the most influential brands working in sustainable design today. The eco-minded Japanese retailer sells nearly 5,000 products in hundreds of stores. A new monograph from Rizzoli tells the Muji story. A new group show at UCR's Sweeney Art Gallery explores the growing cultural impact of the bicycle. Re:Cycle: Bike Culture in Southern California is up until the end of the year.......read more
In a converted gym in San Francisco's Sunset district, a collective of four artist-designers have joined together through a shared love of craft, surfing, and sustainability. Under the humble name of Woodshop, the group's workspace and showroom is filled with functional art made from reclaimed wood and landfill-bound objects. The studio is made up of four guys whose individual skills......read more
Sao Paulo-based designer Brunno Jahara has unveiled a new collection of scrap wood furniture called Neorustica. Produced by NDT Brazil, a local furniture factory that specializes in working with wood leftover from construction sites, the line of 10 tables, containers and benches pay respect to the country’s rural background. Each Neorustica piece is named after a shanty town or favela in......read more
Earth is increasingly being touted as the building material of the future, leading to a hot new architectural trend: grass houses. Designed by GRID Architects, the Amalia House in Styria, Austria joins the trend...sort of. The family holiday home is completely covered with artificial turf, highlighting the interchange between indoors and out. We may be taking the idea of "green" design......read more
With the "Trash Cube," Swiss designer Nicholas Le Moigne sets his sights on the small market of green design fanatics who also happen to be narcoleptic. There is no danger of falling asleep sitting on this thing. Created entirely from scrap fibre cement, the Trash Cube is an interesting vision of green furniture — and maybe the least comfortable seat imaginable. Workers at the......read more
