The Bardessono eco-resort is Napa Valley’s newest luxury hotel, and it looks to be quite the sustainable gem. The inn and spa took care not to disrupt the area’s natural habitat while including a host of green building strategies including rammed earth walls, grey and black water treatment systems, and solar and geothermal energy. Completed just seven weeks ago by eco-developer Phil Sherburne and architect Ron Mitchell, the project is currently pursuing LEED platinum certification.
Rebecca Brown
April 2, 2009
April 1, 2009
Traditional wall coverings often use PVC, a harmful and toxic material that has been known to leech into the air, so buying toxin-free textiles is an important health consideration that can’t be ignored. Mod Green Pod was founded by Lisa and Nancy Mims as a means to offer safer —and more fashionable— alternatives to conventional textile prints. Their products not just graphically gorgeous, but green in their materiality, completely free of vinyl, and use water-based inks on 100% certified organic cotton-based fabric.
March 24, 2009
The only manned solar-powered aircraft in the world, the Sunseeker II is slated to take off on a European flying tour after the popular e-flight expo on April 5th. Following the success of the Sunseeker I (the 2.5-horsepower predecessor that crossed the U.S. in 21 flights, with 121 hours in the air, in 1990), almost everything has been improved in both form and function, including wing modifications, an increase in surface area for solar cells, and lithium polymer batteries to improve performance.
