Archive for January, 2010
January 29th, 2010
With the ever present scares over BPA-laden products, it’s left parents in a tizzy trying to figure out which products are safe for little ones. One things for certain, steering clear of plastics and opting for food-grade stainless steel bottles will ensure that nothing nasty gets leached into beverages. Pura Kiki bottles are our latest fab find – in bright colors (using non-toxic paint, free of lead, phthalates, PVC and BPA) with a silicone nipple top, these modern feeders will keep baby happy and healthy.
The wide mouth top makes cleaning a breeze – plus the whole thing is dishwasher safe! And though we can’t think of a reason why you’d ever get rid of the bottles (you can transition them to regular drinking bottles as your kids grow), the stainless steel wonders are 100% recyclable.
Posted in 
January 28th, 2010
When disaster hit Haiti, readers said we should team up with some of the folks behind the many container projects we’ve featured to get shelter to the disaster areas. It seems like a good idea, and PFNC Global Communities makes an interesting sub-$10,000 container home. But it may not be a good idea.
In disasters, housing relief should include some combination of temporary and permanent solutions, and I’m not sure whether a container home would work as either one in Haiti. We believe something like this Shelter Box could provide some temporary relief.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 200,000 tents are needed for approximately 1,000,000 displaced people. In fact, competition for the tents has led to machete fights in some instances, according to the Associated Press. Or tents have been stolen and sold for profit, according to the NY Times.
We believe shelter is a basic human need worth supporting. As reported by the BBC, these Shelter Boxes are being given to families that need them, such as those with newborn babies and pregnant women in Haiti.
Therefore, in an effort to help and ease a major need, we encourage our readers to join with us and donate as much as possible to proliferate these tents. A Shelter Box weighs 110 pounds and is packed with a ten-person tent, as well as blankets, sleeping bags, tools, and other items. One complete Shelter Box costs $1,000.
If you have the ability, it seems that a donation could make a big, timely difference. Feel free to let us know if you’ve found other effective ways to help.
January 28th, 2010
Photos: Mountainsmith
Back in 2007 outdoor pack manufacturer, Mountainsmith started down the track of moving its product out of virgin nylon and into recycled polyester fabrics. That transition is continuing apace. No doubt encouraged by winning a Backpacker Magazine Editor’s Choice Green Award for their efforts, the company, has for 2010, been able to move 35% of their line into recycled polyester and sustainable materials, which they reckon is a feat not matched by their competitors.
For this year there is a new line of 11 backpacking packs, from day packs through to 75 litre of multi-day numbers al… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Go to Source
January 28th, 2010
A couple years ago, I watched with caution as Philippe Starck announced plans to design residential scale vertical axis wind turbines. Everyone loves the idea of small wind — especially VAWT designs — but practical issues can sometimes preclude actual energy generation with these things. Nonetheless, after two years of research, it seems the French designer has some actual products to speak about. Speaking to a crowd in Milan, Starck unveiled two Revolution Air turbine models to be made by Pramac.
The twin-blade WT400W (above left) is rated at 400 W and is expected to cost about 2,500 euros ($3,505*). The triple-blade WT1kW (above right) is rated at 1 kW and is expected to cost about 3,500 euros ($4,905*).
Starck went with the vertical axis design to capture certain benefits. The turbines can be nearly noiseless and small, as well as capture wind from most any direction.
At the Milan news conference, according to Reuters, Starck said, “We have to help people to produce energy, to be part of the fight … energy should not be a punishment, we should create a desire (among people to produce it).“
[+] Learn more at Revolution Air.
*Using today’s Euro to U.S. dollar exchange rate of 0.7133.
Photo credits: Alessandro Garofalo (top 3); Pramac (bottom 2).
January 28th, 2010
Image credit: catlovers/Flickr
The global tiger population has dipped below 3,200 individuals, making it one of the most critically endangered animals on the planet. Facing threats from habitat destruction, climate change, and poaching—encouraged by the animal’s value in illegal wildlife trade—the outlook for the tiger is not good.
In response, representatives from 13 Asian nations have gathered for th… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Go to Source
January 28th, 2010
Here are today’s picks for what’s wow in the world of green:
Cold War Era Plane Converted into Luxury Hotel Suite
Will Apple’s Tablet Save the Earth?
Urban Umbrellas to Replace NYC Sidewalk Sheds
South Korea Planning Giant Eco Domes for New Nature Reserve
How to Avoid the Sneakiest Sources of BPA
January 28th, 2010
Imagine the perfect dinner party, to which you would invite Dostoyevski, Emily Frost, Tom Waits, and Mozart – now imagine what on earth you would wear. Blank Verse designers Jane Farrar and Laamie Young did just that, and then brought the vision to life through draping vintage necklaces, glovlettes and cuffs made with leather scraps, flea market finds and vintage lace – each with their own story.
Blank Verse’s runway debut last year with Mr. Larkin at The Green Shows introduced these poetic embellishments to the world, and to the eyes of buyers from Anthropologie (you can find some of the one-of-a-kind glovlettes in their Manhattan store). They appeared again on the runway last December at the San Francisco Global Green Gala alongside many other talented designers, and continue to wow with each new collection.
What fascinates our internal artistic side is not simply the dazzling finished product, but the prolific process. It’s not uncommon for the pair to stop and read aloud to each other when they become unsure of how to complete a piece, letting the power of words inspire and encourage the creative experience. The girls attest that by listening to “the words of Pablo Neruda, Oscar Wilde, M.F.K. Fisher and the like, we find inspiration as well as a fresh avenue into the creative process.”
Available in-store or online at Eco Citizen.
January 27th, 2010
A few weeks ago, we told you Nationwide Homes was preparing a 523-square-foot home called The Osprey for IBS 2010. Timothy Dahl of Charles & Hudson was on the scene and snapped a few photos amidst the hordes of industry professionals. Like Clayton Homes’ i-House, the Osprey is a small, green modular home designed for flexibility. It can be used as a small home, home office, retreat, casita, or in-law apartment.
The Osprey is one model of five ECO Cottages unveiled by Nationwide at IBS 2010. All of them are supposed to be “eco-nomical, eco-friendly, and eco-logical.“ The Osprey itself includes some of the following green elements:
- Energy Star, low-e windows;
- Energy Star appliances;
- R21 walls, R19 floors, and R50 ceilings;
- 15.5 SEER/8.5 HSPF ductless HVAC;
- On-demand tankless water heater;
- Zero-VOC paints and an air filtration/cleaning system;
- Low-flow faucets and showerheads; and
- Ready for solar thermal and solar PV.
The ECO Cottages will be built in Martinsville, Virginia, and one- and two-bedroom homes are priced between $50,000 and $100,000.
The Osprey includes a bedroom, bathroom, living room, galley kitchen, and integrated decks.
It can easily go off-the-grid, as well, if that’s what the homeowner
wants or needs. The standing seam metal roof has room for thin-film solar to
generate some or all of the home’s energy needs.
[+] Learn more about these ECO Cottages.
Photo credits: Nationwide Homes (top; bottom 3); Timothy Dahl (rest).
January 27th, 2010
Photo credit Ferdinand Rodil.
This tiny verdant island, called Vulcan Point or sometimes Vulcan Island, lies at the center of a strange-but-entirely-true natural wonder. It’s known for being the world’s largest volcanic island that’s on a lake, on a larger island, on a larger lake, on another (bigger) island. Should it be considered a wonder of the world?
<a href="http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/2010/01/tiny-philippine-island-is-center-of-a-crazy… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Go to Source
January 27th, 2010
Image via Earth Island Institute.
Sometimes it’s better to drive. Whether that means you carpool, rent a car, or take public transportation the fact of the matter is that you’d blow more carbon emissions if you traveled by airplane. Not only do you have to use <a href="http://www.treehug… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Go to Source