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.
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.
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Gigantic LEGO House Destroyed!
by Yuka Yoneda, 11/16/09In 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 of the colorful building blocks in the first place. Luckily, the final outcome did have a silver lining. Follow the link below to see what it was!
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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 tiny designer furniture (Egg and Swan chairs courtesy of Fritz Hansen) and lilliputian modern art pieces!
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Light Switch Ghost is Happy When Kids Save Energy, Angry When They Don’t
When it comes to teaching kids to conserve energy, positive reinforcement is the name of the game. Combine that with a cute and fun toy, and you really can’t go wrong. Case in point: Tio, an educational ghost pal and light-switch system for your tot that teaches them how cool turning off lights when we don’t need them can be. When lights are left …
NYC: The Great Green Playdate at Kidville
| November 15, 2009 | ||
| 10:15 am | to | 11:15 am |
The Great Green Playdate for a Cause is eco-play company Unplugged on a Rug’s traveling playdate that caters to families with young children from 0-5 years. Inhabitots editors Jill Fehrenbacher and Abigail Doan will be on the scene with their own tots so join us for some green play and musical surprises! All proceeds from this playdate will go to The Max Cure Foundation.
Hope to see you there!
Kidville’s Upper East Side location at 163 E. 84th St. in New York City
About Unplugged on a …
ANDREA Air Filter Purifies Indoor Air with the Help of House Plants
We first reported on the conceptual design of the Bel-Air living air filter back in 2007, and now everyone may breathe a little easier because it came to fruition as the ANDREA Air Filter and went on the market this week! The stylish air purifier, invented by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur with Harvard …
Great Green Halloween Costumes for Kids!
For little ones, no other night of the year can quite match the fun and energy that comes with Halloween! And if you’re interested in teaching your tots to grow up greener, this magical holiday is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to them that you can have a jaw-droppingly cool costume while still respecting the Earth and keeping waste to a minimum. From homemade cow outfits to eco-friendly baby monkeysuits, here are our favorite picks for great, green Halloween costumes for kids!
Top 5 Green Halloween Treats and Tips
Halloween is almost here, and if you’re a little spooked about going green with your little one this All Hallow’s Eve, we want to show you that there is nothing to be frightened of! From green kids crafts to healthy treats that your tot will love, here’s our comprehensive, one-stop guide of all the best tips and tricks for a green Halloween to remember.
Inhabit’s Mid-Century Modern Pillows and Wall Art
The eco chic Eames Modern Rocker is the quintessential rocking chair for green, design-savvy parents — and when we came across Inhabit’s Modern Chair collection of pillows and wall art featuring vibrant silhouettes of Eames icons including the plastic RAR Rocker, we knew baby’s nursery decor scheme just came full circle. Inhabit’s feather and down cushions, fabric wall hangings and stretched canvas art are handmade in the USA from 100% recycled polyester and printed with no waste, eco-friendly inks. …
Oeuf’s Adorable Animal Hats Show us ‘Where the Wild Things Are’
We’ve been in love with eco kids outfitter Oeuf for many years now, and they’ve just unveiled their cutest morsel yet: an adorable collection of baby animal …
KOZ Architects’ Colorful, Green Sports & Leisure Center in Saint-Cloud
KOZ Architects’ Sports & Leisure Center is a rainbow colored wonderland for kids in Saint-Cloud, France. Designed for festive celebrations and entertainment and featuring the ‘coolest’ indoor climbing wall in France, the vibrant hues from the outside of the building correlate via color coding to the interior areas — enabling spatial orientation …
Modern Cabana’s ‘KIDDO Cabana’ Prefab Playhouse
Fans of prefab design can now pass their affinity on to their children via Modern Cabana’s newest addition to their collection of modern living spaces — the KIDDO Cabana. Dubbed the “ultimate choose-your-own-adventure” dwelling space, kids will adore turning the blank canvas of the KIDDO into their own unique playhouse. KIDDO is made in San Francisco …
Birdhouse Lamp by Inke Heiland made from Salvaged French Oak
Designed to cast a sweet glow and add a touch of outdoor ambience, we think Inke Heiland’s Birdhouse Lamp is a joyful embellishment that would add natural flair to any room of the house. Handmade from 100% salvaged French Oak, the Birdhouse Lamp comes with an energy saving CFL light bulb and a pair of Heiland’s vintage handcut wallpaper bird …
Artist Amelia Santiago’s Wool Felt ‘Pet Portrait’ Sculptures
Since cloning your pet goes against Mother Nature, do the next best thing and have artist Amelia Santiago create a three-dimensional ‘Pet Portrait’ sculpture as an homage to your best furry friend. Santiago will handcraft a sculpture of your dog, cat, bunny or horse out of 100% wool felt, implementing every physical detail of the animal’s coat and appearance. Her replicas bear …
Manuel Villa’s Habitable Polyhedron – A Family Garden Retreat
We’ve seen our fair share of backyard retreats, but Manuel Villa’s Habitable Polyhedron shapes up to be one of the most unique dwellings we’ve come across. Designed as an escape for young families: parents and their newborn, the Habitable Polyhedron offers respite from day to day household activities in a family’s back garden in Bogota, Columbia. One windowed side of the polyhedron opens to a teak deck leading into …
‘Adoptabot’ Upcycled Robots Await Adoption into Green Homes
In the case of designer Brian Marshall, playing with toys all day really can culminate in a career. Inspired by a childhood spent building with Legos and Lincoln Logs, Marshall’s imagination unearthed the beauty in found items and he crafted an eco-inspired motley crew of robots currently awaiting adoption in the world’s first robot orphanage. Made from discarded objects including lamps, clocks, silverware and cameras, these personable robots …
Steven Guarnaccia’s Modern Fairytales for Design Savvy Families
Pass on your penchant for design and architecture to your kids in a language they’ll understand — via the re-telling of classic fairytales by illustrator Steven Guarnaccia, who gives a stylish update to The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. In the modern spins of these tales, Goldilocks takes a seat in a ‘Ladderback’ chair, a Danish ‘Egg’ …
‘Baby in Table’ Furniture Design Evolves as Children Grow
Parents are all too aware of the revolving door of quickly outgrown furniture that goes hand in hand with raising a child. Incessantly purchasing furniture is taxing on both the environment and the wallet. Designer Oji Masanori’s ‘Baby in Table’ is a clever alternative that is both stylish and sensible, as it changes in function as your …
Pizzly Bears on Melting Ice Rocking Chair
There was a lot of commotion several years back when an unlikely romance unfolded between polar bears and grizzly bears when the melting ice caps caused the habitats of these unexpected lovers to overlap. While most viewed the tale of the pizzly bear (or grolar bear, if you prefer) as alarming and tragic, designer Masahiro Minami was actually inspired by it, crafting …
Bamboo Soil Clock Powered by DIRT!
Nothing gets kids up in the morning like the thought of going to school – not! If your youngsters are anything like others around the world, they need something interesting to get them out of bed, and this living Bamboo Soil Clock is fascinating enough to fit the bill. It’s a great way to teach your children about alternative sources of energy because it’s powered by …
Rewritable Chalkboard Lamps by John Beck
Today is the first day back to school for kids all over the country, and now you can get in the back-to-school mood with a rewritable ‘chalkboard’ lamp. With John Beck’s ingenious lighting solution, all you have to do to get some “mood lighting” is to scribble whatever you feel like on these fun lighting fixtures. Made of 95% recycled steel, they’re …
Ginormous Handknit Pink Bunny in the Alps
Nothing can put a smile on your face quite like a ginormous pink bunny welcoming you with open arms. Up until now, we thought that such a delight existed only in our imaginations, but then we received word that there really is a larger than life cotton-candy colored rabbit in the Italian Alps! Check out all the pictures of this wondrous spectacle, including some of people lying on top of it to …
Petting Farm Nominated for 2009 World Architecture Award
70F Architecture’s Sheep Stable/Petting Farm is nominated for a 2009 World Architecture Award. The building’s open facade allows for wind to continuously ventilate the entire farm, and its shutters open and close with the rising and setting sun, as if the structure itself ‘wakes up and goes to sleep everyday.’ This gorgeous petting farm in the Netherlands offers local families a chance …
INHABITOTS INTERVIEW: Corkels Toy Designer, Ben Blanc
Toy designer, Ben Blanc creates classic Corkels push/pull toys from recycled wood chip that looks and feels like cork. His animal, car and boat designs are full of fun, wheelie appeal for kids; and they’re stylish enough to look great in a workspace or perched on a windowsill for adult fans who are kids at heart. Inhabitots contributing writer, Desmond Williams interviewed Ben Blanc regarding the inspiration behind …
WIN A FREE CHALKBOARD TEE FOR YOUR KID!
These rewritable Chalkboard Tees are better than an apple a day. They’re a message a day – written right on your kid’s t-shirt! We’re giving one away to a lucky winner to send their child back to school in style. It only takes a minute to enter!
Vinyl-Free, Reusable Fabric Wall Stickers by Mae
Blank walls are the canvas of every home — just waiting to be livened up with thoughtful, personalized decor. However, renters aren’t always able to paint or wallpaper their walls, and kids’ tastes change on a dime; so what’s one to do? Mae’s extensive collection of vinyl-free, reusable, washable wall decals are the perfect solution for …
Panasonic’s Adorable Evoia Robot Sets New World Record
Want to know what Panasonic’s super-cute Evoia robot is up to this time?
DIY: Photo Puzzle Blocks Uniquely Display Favorite Snapshots
Anyone can frame a photograph; but the design-minded will love these photo puzzle blocks, which offer a creative, interactive way to enjoy a favorite snapshot. By upcycling alphabet blocks and using a few crafty household items, this tutorial instructs on how to create photo puzzle blocks — a cool conversation piece for your coffee table, which also serves as a charming memento and a game for kids and adults …
GREEN RANT: Having a Baby is NOT Bad for the Earth
Procreating is a basic human instinct and right, but some extreme environmentalists are pioneering efforts such as ‘voluntary human extinction‘ on a global level and undergoing sterilization procedures on an individual level, for the sake of protecting Mother Earth from overpopulation and human destruction. Resident Inhabitots writer Desmond Williams thinks it’s high time we put an end to this nonsensical debate, and poses …
Happy 1st Birthday Inhabitots!
We are thrilled to announce that our bouncing eco baby blog Inhabitots is turning 1 today! As proud parents, we’ve seen Tots grow and blossom into a wonderful young site in its own right and we are ever so proud. With 5 editors, 100,000 readers, and …
Outdoor Retreat Upcycled from Old Windows
If you’ll be replacing the windows in your home to increase indoor energy efficiency anytime soon, get ready to simultaneously up the ante on your outdoor aesthetics. This quaint backyard retreat made from old windows has us excited with its clever upcycling. What could have been dubbed ‘waste’ was instead turned into a treasured escape from daily household antics. Whether …
iSpy Gameboy Bags Chock Full of Old School Video Game Charms
Before we had Nintendo Wii and DS, there was a little thing we liked to play called Gameboy. How could we ever forget the graphic, superflat iconography of Super Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda, Pac-Man, and Tetris? That’s why we went a little nutty when we saw these handmade iSpy Gameboy bags chock full of colorful …
ENTER TO WIN an Ecozoo Backpack for Your Green Tot!
Send your child back to school in sustainable style with an Ecozoo backpack! Inhabitots is giving away an Ecozoo backpack to one lucky reader. The winner may choose one of four lovable creatures that comprise the Ecozoo backpack series: Panda, Puppy, Elephant, or Pig. Kids will get …
Oeuf Debuts Stylish, Affordable Eco-Friendly Kids Furniture Collection
Did you know that most babies are born in August? Perhaps this is why Oeuf is rolling out their greenest, most affordable line of baby furniture to date next month — the Robin Collection. The husband/wife design team behind Oeuf made a concerted effort to lower the price point of their furniture while maintaining their commitment to eco-conscious craftsmanship and beautiful design. …
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