For 40-odd years, Robert Glenn Ketchum has lent his considerable photographic talents to the cause of environmental conservation in America. From California’s Big Sur coastline to the Hudson River Valley, Ohio’s Cuyahoga River Valley to Laguna San Ignacio in Baja California, Ketchum's images of threatened landscapes cover every corner of the country. He is a Founding Fellow of......read more
Here's an interesting floor piece from Toronto's DesignRepublic that's sure to warm up any room. Looking like a collection of round stones, the Pebble Rug is actually made of extra material left over from fuzzy toy animal production. After a long day, who wouldn't want to lay down on a carpet of cuddly teddy bear arms? The Pebble Rug is available in four colors:......read more
Picture a giant, spiky tumbleweed from another planet and you get an idea what Massoud Hassani's Mine Kafon looks like. The project to bring cheap and easy-to-build mine detonators to Afghan minefields has just surpassed its Kickstarter goal of 100,000 GBP (approximately 161,000 USD). Hassani, a graduate of Design Academy Eindhoven who grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan, created the Mine......read more
Few things in nature are more creatively patterned than agate, a type of quartz that forms in concentric layers in a wide variety of colors and textures. The fine-grained rock has been a favorite carving material since at least as far back as Ancient Greece. These macro shots of agate, part of a Flickr set created by a Czech mineral shop, show off the rock's psychedelic patterns and......read more
A kite-like tidal power device off the coast of Northern Ireland has begun producing electricity. The technology, called Deep Green, consists of a hydrodynamic wing and a turbine tethered to the ocean floor. The tether also contains the unit's power and communication cables. As water flows over the wing, the turbine rotates and generates electricity. In an offshore control room, located in the......read more
From our good friends at Coyuchi, who make fantasic bed & bath towels and linens from 100% organic cotton of the finest quality. These pillow's soft, nubby texture is knit from pure, undyed alpaca by artisans in Peru. The animals graze high in the Andes Mountains, fewer than one alpaca per acre, and are sheared once a year during the warm season to collect the silky, highly insulating......read more
During the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump won over voters in coal country by claiming he would keep mines open, and retain coal as a prominent energy source in the U.S. His argument was an economic one: He knew that miners were worried about their jobs, and that many did not see a path forward should the mines close. But closing mines does not......read more
“Ophelia” by The Lumineers. From the album Cleopatra, courtesy of Dualtone Records, 2016 Director: Isaac Ravishankara Choreographer: Jillian Meyers Producer: Aviv Russ Executive Producer: Jason Colon, Danielle Hinde Prod. Co: Doomsday Entertainment...read more
Sebadoh, the seminal indie band led by Lou Barlow, returned last year from a prolonged hiatus to release Defend Yourself, their first album in 14 years. Now we have a video for lead single "State of Mine," in which the middle-aged Barlow sings about the pressures of fatherhood and family finances. The video, a collage-style animation by Geoff Hoskinson, is a nightmarish exploration of the......read more
Cutting boards take a lot of abuse. And while they may be tough, they deserve a good caressing on occasion. Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. has just the solution in the form of this Cutting Board Oil. Made from a special mix of white mineral oil, cold pressed oils and bee propolis, the oil works for all wooden kitchen items such as cutting boards and wooden spoons. The oil helps wood......read more