Inhabitat

Would You Wear Your Dead Pet as Jewelry?

by Yuka Yoneda, 11/21/09

pet diamonds, dead pet jewelry, doggie diamonds, wearing your pets as jewelry, pet ashes, cremated pet pearls,

When a beloved pet passes away, it’s only natural to want to keep their memory close – but how close?!! A few very, er, enterprising companies are giving mourning animal lovers the opportunity to wear the remains of their dearly beloved furry friends as pearls or even diamonds. Technically, this faddish practice has some basis in eco-fashion (since it’s definitely better than unethically sourced jewels) but is it good for grieving pet owners’ mental health or just a sign that their sanity is already beyond repair?

READ MORE AT ECOUTERRE>

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Studio Lindfors’ Haunting Visual Prediction of Our Flooded Future World

by Moe Beitiks, 11/21/09

flooded cities, global warming, climate change, melting ice caps, rising tides, rising water lines, studio lindfors, new york, tokyo, london, paris

The phrases “melting polar ice caps” and “rising water lines” are so ubiquitous now that they’ve almost lost their meaning. It’s all too easy to think “it will happen to that city, not mine.” Well to give us a bit more perspective, Studio Lindfors has presented us with these hauntingly realistic post-flood visions of New York and Tokyo. In a future partially submerged by melting glacier water, gondolas reemerge as a form of travel, riverside plants nestle up against neon street signs, and aquaculture blooms under bridges. It’s Water World without Mel Gibson to ease the blow – scary.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Polar Bear Robots Replace Dead Bears at St. Louis Zoo

by Beth Shea, 11/20/09

fake polar bears, robots, st louis zoo

Officials at the St. Louis Zoo are preparing for their holiday Wild Lights exhibit by installing electronic polar bear proxies in place of the deceased polar bears who died in their captivity. The gesture is rife with social commentary, given the fact that polar bears have become the iconic images of climate change, and our generation could witness their extinction. Could artificial animal zoo exhibits be the reality of the near future? See what PETA proposes and learn more about this new breed of bear at Inhabitots.

READ MORE AT INHABITOTS >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Power Your Music Player With Your Running Pants

by Ariel Schwartz, 11/20/09

dancepants, mp3, ipod, kinetic energy

Instead of just burning calories, why not use all that energy from exercising to power your MP3 player? The Dancepants Kinetic Music Player, a shortlisted entry in Designboom’s Green Life competition, lets you do just that by converting kinetic energy from running, hopping, jumping, etc. into electricity to power an iPod or other music player. According to the Dancepants designers, the product is a “100 percent interactive way to feel the value of energy on your own.”

READ MORE AT ECOUTERRE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Construction Begins on Amazing Tunnel-Shaped Rotterdam Market Hall

by Bridgette Meinhold, 11/20/09
MVRDV, Provast, Market Hall, Rotterdam, public market, mixed-use development,

Imagine having this sweet public market pop up in your town? Well the lucky residents of Rotterdam are actually getting one! This week, the mayor of the city announced the commencement of construction on the huge tunnel-shaped market hall which will flash images of gigantic fresh fruits and vegetables via LCD screens on the inside and be lined with balconied apartments offering killer views on the outside. This true mixed-use development combining residences, shopping, restaurants and a public market will be a central hub of activity for citizens and tourists. The project is being developed by Provast and was designed by MVRDV.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Modern Manifesto House Made From Wood Pallets and Shipping Containers

by Bridgette Meinhold, 11/20/09

Manifesto House, Chile, Infiniski, James&Mau, Prefab, Prefab House, Prefab Friday, Shipping Container, shipping container architecture, recycled materials

While not totally prefabricated, the Manifesto House by Infiniski utilizes pre-made materials like shipping containers and wooden pallets to create a totally rad modern house. Infiniski’s mission is to build homes cheaply and quickly using sustainable materials while incorporating renewable energy systems. They have many designs already available, which can be interchanged and easily modified.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

LivingHomes Delivers KieranTimberlake Prefab in Orange County

by Evelyn Lee, 11/19/09

KTLH1.5, KieranTimberlake, Sustainable Buildings, Green Buildings, Sustainable Homes, Green Homes, LEED Platinum, LEED Home, LivingHomes

LivingHomes had the honor of building the first LEED Platinum certified home in the US, and now they’re on schedule to deliver the first LEED Platinum certified home in Orange County. The new KieranTimberlake LivingHome 1.5 (KTLH1.5) was erected earlier this month in a single day. Located in the city of Newport Beach, we carry no doubts that the home will be LEED Platinum certified given LivingHomes‘ track record.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 2

‘Mons Lavabo’ Sink Helps Kids Save Water When Washing Hands

by Beth Shea, 11/19/09

Designboom, Duralmond, eco-friendly sink, eco-friendly wash basin, Mons Lavabo, green kids, eco kids

With flu season upon us, parents can use all the help they can get when it comes to keeping their kid’s hands clean and germ free. The bright and cherry ‘Mons Lavabo,’ a short-listed entry in Designboom’s Green Life contest, is the wash basin equivalent of a superhero whose powers are promoting good hygiene and saving water. Designed by Teng Chuan Tey and Romualdo Faura Bernabe from Spain, Mons Lavabo is a kid-sized sink that caters to the hand washing habits of children. Made from Duralmond (biodegradable and recyclable crushed almond husks), the enclosed form of Mons Lavabo helps reduce splashes, a motion sensor turns water on and off to prevent waste, and Mons’ sole ‘tooth’ acts as a soap dispenser to remind kids to lather up.

READ MORE AT INHABITOTS >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 1

Plans for the Green George W. Bush Presidential Center Released

by Bridgette Meinhold, 11/19/09

Bush, GW Bush, George W. Bush, Bush Presidential Center, Dallas, Texas, A.M. Stern, SMU, LEED, LEED platinum, solar power, green roof

All U.S. Presidents get a center named after them upon completion of their term in the White House, and George W. is no exception. Plans for his presidential center were just revealed, and considering how energy efficient his ranch in Crawford is, it really should come as no surprise that the new center is chock full of green design elements. To be located on the edge of the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas, Texas, the George W. Bush Presidential Center will serve as a commemoration of all of his accomplishments [insert joke here].


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 9

Kris Kuksi’s Recycled Toy Sculptures Will Scare the Kids

by Ariel Schwartz, 11/19/09

sustainable design, green design, eco art, recycled toy sculptures, upcycling, kris kuksi, art, artist

The beautiful thing about upcycled materials is that the end results often bear no resemblance to the original items. Such is the case with sculptor Kris Kuksi’s toy sculptures, which are constructed out of old toys, statues, and mechanical parts.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 1

Los Angeles Without Traffic!

by Moe Beitiks, 11/19/09

LA Without Traffic by Tom Baker, LA without traffic, traffic-less LA, Los Angeles without traffic, Los Angeles traffic, digital photography, Tom Baker digital art, fun with photoshop

It’s a ghost highway in the middle of LA! Not the result of road closures, the apocalypse, a zombie scare, or a massive increase in the price of petroleum, this series of car-less highways are the brainchild of photographer Tom Baker. Curious as to what a traffic-less Los Angeles would look like, Baker went ahead and created this vision through the wonders of photoshop. The result is a series of images that are eerily calming.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 1

Wood Clad Science Academy Showcases Sustainable Design

by Bridgette Meinhold, 11/19/09

langley-center

The recently unveiled Langley Academy in the Berkshires, UK, is yet another exemplary model of sustainable education facilities. Designed by Inhabitat favorite Foster + Partners, the gorgeous wood clad academy focuses its curriculum around sciences and the environment. With dedicated science laboratories, a unique floorplan, and a design focused on green building, these 1,100 students have an amazing and inspirational place to learn. Now if only all of our buildings had this much thought put into them.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Bomb-Proof Wallpaper Could Save You in a Natural Disaster

by Ariel Schwartz, 11/18/09

Imagine: a hurricane is barreling towards your house, but instead of hiding in the basement, you can stay safely and comfortably in your living room, all thanks to your X-Flex Blast Protection System wallpaper. It’s not a fantasy; the wallpaper, invented by Berry Plastics in a partnership with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, actually exists — and a single sheet is strong enough to stop a wrecking ball.

READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 9

Kor Unveils Limited Edition Water Vessels that Give Back

by Evelyn Lee, 11/18/09

Thirst for Giving, sustainable design, green design, Kor Water Bottle, Sustainable Water Bottle, BPA Free

With all the controversy and outrage surrounding the presence of BPA in plastic water bottles, KOR has stood by its commitment to encourage individuals to stop buying disposable bottled water with its smoothly styled BPA-free water vessels. This past week they announced a limited-edition series of “Thirst for Giving” bottles that feature beautiful art and provide sales proceeds to non-profits that are working to preserve the environment.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

TreeHugger Reports From Greenbuild 2009

by Lloyd Alter, 11/18/09

greenbuild 2009, sustainable design, building materials, green building conference

Just last week Treehugger joined thousands of designers, builders and architects in Arizona to check out all the latest advances in sustainable building at Greenbuild 2009. By the time we got to Phoenix, we were 28,000 strong, all standing up and cheering for Al Gore’s speech, a new and different one directed at the Greenbuild audience. A conference like this shouldn’t be necessary; every building should be green. But there were stirring speeches, great educational sessions and hundreds of new green products to see.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

LAST CHANCE to Win a NYC Skyline Mirror Made from Recycled Records!

LAST CHANCE to Win a NYC Skyline Mirror Made from Recycled Records!


COMPETITION ENDS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!
We’re ramping up our coverage of eco-conscious NYC restaurants, book stores, boutiques and parks here on Inhabitat and we’re turning to YOU, our knowledgeable readers, to let us know which NYC green locales are most worth checking out. To offer you a little extra incentive for your advice, we’re giving away this cool, handcrafted NYC Skyline Mirror by WrecordsByMonkey made from recycled LPs to the person who gives us the best tip for an under-the-radar green destination in NYC (all five boroughs included). This twelve inch round mirror is upcycled from a recycled vinyl record in Brooklyn, NY and is sure to add a dash of green New York City style to your room.

TO ENTER THIS FABULOUS GIVEAWAY

1. SIGN UP FOR THE INHABITAT NEWSLETTER

2. Leave a tip below by TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT, telling us your favorite green destination in the Big Apple. Don’t forget to include the address, a link to the website and why you love it!

READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 17

World’s Fastest Computer is Working on Solving Climate Change

World’s Fastest Computer is Working on Solving Climate Change

This past Monday, the insanely powerful Jaguar XT5 supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee was named the fastest supercomputer in the world. With a speed of 1.759 petaflops (quadrillions of calculations per second), this incredibly swift machine is currently being used by the forces of good to solve the world’s problems – including one that is very near and dear to our hearts, climate change.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 3

Chrome Hotel’s Swiss Cheese Facade Saves Energy

Chrome Hotel’s Swiss Cheese Facade Saves Energy

Sanjay Puri Architect’s new Chrome Hotel features a fresh façade punctuated with holes that allow natural light to stream in while keeping air-conditioning costs to a minimum. The opaque windows were purposefully set throughout the swiss cheese façade to allow ambient natural light to enter, and they also create an incredibly cool effect at night when backlit by LED lights.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 2

Brilliant Bottle Bank Arcade Makes Recycling Fun

Brilliant Bottle Bank Arcade Makes Recycling Fun

The Bottle Bank Arcade is a recycling bin that encourages a higher rate of returns by rewarding bottle recyclers with musical notes and tons of fun. It’s one of several kooky and kinetic entries in The Fun Theory competition, which will award £2500 ($4185) for the best idea that proves “fun is the easiest way to change people’s behavior … be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something …

READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 1

All-Electric Peugout BB1 is Part Scooter, Part Car

All-Electric Peugout BB1 is Part Scooter, Part Car

Although the Peugout BB1’s styling may be some of the funkiest design work we’ve seen, it’s causing quiet a stir in the Electric Vehicle world, and for good reason. The BB1 is part scooter, part car, and features two in-wheel electric motors and a solar panel equipped roof.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 1

ChargeCar Aims to Create Crowdsourced Electric Vehicles

ChargeCar Aims to Create Crowdsourced Electric Vehicles

A person who drives 60 miles to work every day has different needs than someone who drives across town. So instead of designing electric cars to match the performance of petroleum-powered vehicles, researchers at Carnegie Mellon’s ChargeCar initiative think that EVs should be designed for individual commuting needs. To that end, ChargeCar hopes to create a so-called “commute ecology” based on crowdsourced data to develop EVs for different types of commutes.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 1

Michelle Kaufmann Tours Twitter’s New Eco-Friendly Office

Michelle Kaufmann Tours Twitter’s New Eco-Friendly Office

Michelle Kaufmann, one of our favorite design heroes, just took a tour of social media giant Twitter’s brand new eco-friendly office space in downtown San Francisco, and we’ve got all the sweet details and pics! We’re super jealous of the Twitter team’s plush sustainable furniture and fabulous design aesthetic conjured up by the very talented Sara Morishige Williams, who happens to be the wife of Twitter CEO, Evan Williams (@ev). Working for a hot internet company certainly has its perks – some of which are a bird’s eye view of San Francisco, eco-friendly and non-toxic finishes, playful and inspiring decorations, and your very own DJ booth.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 2

Scientists Create Bacteria that Glows to Reveal Land Mines

Scientists Create Bacteria that Glows to Reveal Land Mines

Land mines are currently strewn throughout 87 of the world’s countries, and each year they cause 15,000-20,000 new casualties, the vast majority of which are inflicted upon civilians. Sifting through minefields to remove these hidden threats is currently a dangerous, tedious, and expensive process, however scientists at the University of Edinburgh recently announced that they have engineered a strain of bacteria that glows green in the presence of explosives, making mine detection a snap.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 4

Energy Positive House to Supply Power to Grid in Sweden

Energy Positive House to Supply Power to Grid in Sweden

We’ve seen some pretty energy efficient homes here at Inhabitat, but houses that actually give back to the grid seemed to be a thing of the future — until now. Swedish designers are currently constructing Villa Akarp, a residence that aims to combine energy conservation, energy recovery and energy generation technologies. If all goes as planned, the home will actually produce more energy than it uses and provide the excess to the grid.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 2

Coke Announces Global Rollout of Plant-Based Plastic Bottles

Coke Announces Global Rollout of Plant-Based Plastic Bottles

Nearly 1.6 billion servings of Coca-Cola-branded beverages are served each day. Now some of them will be just a little bit greener now that Coke has announced the global rollout of its PlantBottle, a plastic bottle made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and 30% plant based materials (derived from sugar cane and molasses). The new bottles stand to cut down on carbon emissions by up to 25% compared to traditional PET bottles.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 4

Inhabitat Tours Manhattan’s New Green Spaces Office Lofts

Inhabitat Tours Manhattan’s New Green Spaces Office Lofts


Yuka Yoneda and Emma Grady of Treehugger

Green-powered productivity, eco-minded collaboration, and a beautiful, open space to do it all in? That’s exactly what Green Spaces, the company that pioneered sustainable office space in New York, has to offer in their newly opened 5,300 sq. foot loft in downtown Manhattan. Partners Jennie Nevin, Marissa Feinberg, and Roberto Rhett hosted a bash last Thursday night to celebrate the opening, and they invited green industry leaders, social entrepreneurs, and select media to check out their expansive new office filled with an eclectic mix of refurbished furniture, emerging eco-art, and a sense of community for all ‘EcoPreneurs’ looking to set up their headquarters in New York City.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

San Francisco Offers Christmas Trees that Live on After the Holidays

San Francisco Offers Christmas Trees that Live on After the Holidays

Since loads of us love Christmas trees and all things that bring Christmas cheer, here’s a way to indulge in your tree without killing it (strange tradition we’ve had all these years, eh?) The city of San Francisco has launched a program offering live local trees that you can take into your home. Then after the holiday cheer has run its course the tree lives on where it belongs — in the ground! Better yet, these non-traditional trees have been specifically selected to live in San Francisco’s climate, so your tree is sure to thrive long after it’s christening.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Gigantic LEGO House Destroyed!

Gigantic LEGO House Destroyed!

In a tragic turn of events, the supercool House of LEGOs constructed for the James May BBC television challenge was torn, hammered and shattered into nothing more than a pile of 3.3 million LEGO bricks, along with the dreams of many a young (and old) LEGO lover. This sad news was more than disheartening, especially considering how much effort and energy it took to build a giant house out …

READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 2

UNstudio Wins Challenge to Revitalize Beijing with Their Creative Zone

UNstudio Wins Challenge to Revitalize Beijing with Their Creative Zone

A recent competition to design a creative zone in Beijing yielded this fascinating proposal to incorporate open space and an economic zone on the edge of the Beijing River. The winner of the competition was UNstudio, whose approach to the challenge was to compress the two distinct zones together in an accordion-like fashion, weaving both nature and the urban fabric together. Stores, shops and craftsmen will all take residence in the creative zone allowing tourists and Beijing residents to be able to enjoy the peace of the greenbelt as well as shop in local stores.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 2

Uber-Thin Modular Solar Panels Energize Any Building

Uber-Thin Modular Solar Panels Energize Any Building

The recent evolution of solar technology has been nothing short of amazing, and we are continuously impressed by all the products hitting the market that make it easier to integrate clean tech into our daily lives. One innovative company at the forefront of the solar energy bustle is Sulfurcell, the producer of a new kind of modular solar panel that add energy-generating capabilities to any building. The super-thin panels are entirely self contained, so they don’t require any substructure, and they can be applied to new buildings as well as retrofitted old buildings to provide a sleek look and plenty of power.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Solar Powered Treehouse Classrooms Unveiled in the UK

Solar Powered Treehouse Classrooms Unveiled in the UK

Recently the Elleray Preparatory School in the UK unveiled an incredible set of tree-top classrooms. Situated in the Lake District National Park, the three green-built class pods stand on stilts connected by a center platform made from recycled materials. Built to have a low impact on the environment while accommodating the school’s expanding student body, the Treehouse School is sure to inspire all the children the walk through its doors.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 7

Jewelry Made from Human Teeth

Jewelry Made from Human Teeth

Here’s some eco-jewelry you can really sink your teeth into. Or rather, that Australian silversmith Polly van der Glas has sunk some sterilized human molars, bicuspids and canines into. What do you think – are these dental creations creepy or cool?

READ MORE AT ECOUTERRE>

READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 1

Stunning Dress with 24,000 LEDs is the Newest Way to Advertise

Stunning Dress with 24,000 LEDs is the Newest Way to Advertise

Have something to say? Get the word out by emblazoning it across the Galaxy Dress – the world’s largest wearable display! With a blinding 24,000 LED lights, 4,000 hand-applied Swarovski crystals and 40-layers of pleated silk organza crinoline, this illuminated frock will make your company logo, political message or other cause …

READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

A Miniature Dollhouse Version of Arne Jacobsen’s Charlottenlund Villa!

A Miniature Dollhouse Version of Arne Jacobsen’s Charlottenlund Villa!

There’s no better way to get kids interested in something than to incorporate it into their play! If you’re modern design fanatics like we are, may we recommend this gorgeous 1:16 scale dollhouse reproduction of designer Arne Jacobsen’s 1928 villa in Charlottenlund, Denmark as the perfect way to introduce beautiful, minimalistic design to your little ones? Designed by Linda Stenberg and Claus Hojer Hansen of miniature toy company Minimii, the dollhouse even features …

READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

Terrafon Plays the Earth as an Instrument

Terrafon Plays the Earth as an Instrument

If the earth could make music, what kind of songs would it sing? This crazy contraption, called the Terrafon, actually lets us find out the answer to that question! Designed as a huge turntable tone arm and transducer, this musical instrument plays the earth like a big gravelly vinyl record. Artists Olle Cornéer and Martin Lübcke premiered it as part of a performance entitled “Harvest” at the Volt Music Festival in Sweden. Read on to check out the video of these determined choir musicians as they drag the big wooden tool-of-music through the Swedish countryside.


READ MORE >

digg this digg this email this email this tweet this tweet this facebook this facebook this 0

LOTS MORE GREAT GREEN DESIGN STORIES HERE... KEEP READING!