Inhabitat

Europe Approves Universal Cell Phone Charger

If you’re like the rest of us, you’ve got a pile of chargers left over from retired cell phones. You can’t use them with your new phone, but finding an innovative way of recycling the tangled up mass of wires can be difficult — quite the ecophile’s conundrum. Luckily, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) aims to revolutionize the cell phone industry. The UN group recently unveiled its Universal Charging Solution, a charger that can be used in all future cell phone makes and models — as long as cell phone companies comply.

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Philips Design’s ‘Food Probe’ Promotes Healthy Eating With 3 Concepts

Home Farming

Pesticides. Genetic-modification. Mistreated animals. It could just about kill anyone’s appetite to hear about all the horrible news about food production. Fortunately, the emerging food revolution focuses on both health and re-establishing the connection between people and the food they eat (making it harder to abuse our food sources). Designers are both leading and answering this shift in interest. Philips Design has begun an investigation called ‘Food Probe’ that looks at current social trends and how this may affect the way that people will eat in the future — and how this will manifest in design. Their investigation includes three parts: a self-contained farm for the kitchen, a nutrition farm and a high-tech cooking device.

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Bel & Bel Upcycles Vintage Vespas into Office Furniture

With so many slick electric motorcycles on the horizon, it’s getting increasingly difficult to justify the use of polluting, petroleum-powered older models. But instead of sending old Vespas to the trash pile, Spanish design studio Bel & Bel has a more creative solution: turn the stylish relics into snazzy pieces of furniture!

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The Kitchen of the Future Today

The kitchen of the future was going to be so high-tech. Frigidaire’s Dream Kitchen of Tomorrow had it all; an IBM punch card recipe file, automatic dispensing and online TV ordering. And that’s not all – read on as we take a look at several extraordinary retro-futuristic kitchens to see how they’ve withstood the test of time.

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Zegna Sport’s Ecotech Solar Jacket Made From Recycled Plastic

With fall here and winter on the horizon we’re bundling up for brisk weather, and fortunately Zegna is heating things up with their brand new solar-powered Ecotech Jacket. This sharp technical shell is constructed almost entirely from recycled plastic, and it features a set of photovoltaic panels capable of charging your ipod, cell, or even an integrated heating system. Perfect for sunny days on the slopes yet …

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LG Unveils Solar Powered E-Book Reader

If we were stuck on a desert island with only one book, this recently unveiled solar e-book would be at the top of our list! Designed by LG Display, the sleek reader features a wafer-fin photovoltaic cell that provides it with a steady stream of solar energy. Whereas most e-books run the risk of losing juice mid-sentence through your next novel, this solar reader’s omnipresent energy source makes it a winning design in our book.

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New Super Efficient Pharox 60 LED Bulbs Last for 25 Years

One of the most exciting new products we found at West Coast Green this past weekend is the latest innovation by Lemnis Lighting, the Pharox 60 LED Dimmable Lightbulb, that uses just 6 Watts and has the equivalent luminescence of the traditional 60 Watt incandescent bulb. The Pharox 60 fits a standard sized household light fixture, is made of recyclable material, and is the most energy efficient bulb of comparable light quality on the market today with a light output of 300 lumens and a warm white light of 3000K. A patented heat sink keeps the bulb temperature low (we think it’s the aluminum housing surround) and it is the most environmentally safe option on the market as well, containing NO lead, mercury, or wolfram, unlike it’s compact fluorescent competitors.

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WEST COAST GREEN 2009: Day 1 Roundup

Each year, West Coast Green brings together the largest conference on green innovation for the built environment with leading sustainable businesses and an eclectic group of green technology and exciting design exhibitors. This year’s batch of booths focused mainly on natural building materials and alternative energy, with a few futuristic electric vehicles thrown in. Many of the products are already available, but some, including Armageddon Energy’s solar panels and the Stak Block, are still in the testing stages. Check out all of our fantastic finds after the jump.

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Design Revolution book launch at the Cooper-Hewitt October 6th

We posted about the exciting release of Design Revolution: 100 Products that Empower People, a few weeks back, and now it’s time to celebrate! Join author Emily Pilloton (founder of humanitarian product design coalition Project H Design and Inhabitat Senior Editor) on Tuesday October 6th, 6:30pm, at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City for a panel discussion with Cooper-Hewitt curator Cynthia Smith, Metropolis editor-in-chief Susan Szenasy, and Core77’s Allan Chochinov, followed by a reception and book signing. Register for the event via the Cooper-Hewitt site here ($10 members and students/$15 non-members).

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Inhabitat Reports from London Design Festival 2009

The London Design Festival is in full swing, and Inhabitat has been on the scene to give you the scoop on the dazzling examples of sustainable design presented at this year’s event. Read on for our favorite products and innovations that we spotted this year.

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Found Cutlery Made from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Spanish designer Oscar Diaz has found a new way to rescue our Earth from discarded plastic bottles. In a series called “Found” the designer has cleverly produced a range of super-light flatware cut straight from the bottle. Each fork, knife and spoon assumes the bottles’ shapely angles and curves and feature an ergonomically designed grip that makes them as easy to pick up from the table as any other cutlery.

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Green Your Back to School Routine

This week marks the beginning of the school year for students everywhere, and for those looking to start their studies along a sustainable path, Inhabitat is here to help you green your academic routine! From our top picks for green universities to a bevvy of eco-friendly school supplies to hip bookbags with serious sustainable credentials, read on for our favorite back-to-school finds!

+ Top 5 Eco-Friendly …

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Copenhagen Design Week: It’s A Small World After All

One of our highlights from Copenhagen Design Week 2009 was a well-curated exhibit of new Danish design titled It’s a Small World. The show asks itself how Danish design is reacting to the challenges wrought by globalization, climate change, and technology, and the result is a rather extraordinary and intriguing attempt to encapsulate the energy of contemporary Danish design.

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2009 Index: Awards Showcase Designs that Improve Life

Danish design consultancy Index: recently announced the winners of the 2009 Index:Award, an international design competition that highlights the scale of the problems we face globally, while rewarding design work that points the way towards intelligent solutions. The prize is 100,000 euros per winner in five categories: “Body“, “Home“, “Work“, “Play” and “Community“. This year’s prizes have been chosen from more than 700 entries, all of which had to meet the theme: Design to Improve Life.

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Copenhagen Design Week 2009 Kicks into Gear!

Fans of fine Scandinavian design rejoice – Copenhagen Design Week is currently taking Denmark by storm and Inhabitat is on the scene to bring you all of the freshest designs and most exciting events! Running from August 27 – September 6th, this annual celebration of social and environmental design explores cutting-edge ideas, products, and services that stand to change the way we live. From the …

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DESIGN REVOLUTION: 100 Products That Empower People

Here at Inhabitat, we can’t stress enough the fact that materials alone do not make something sustainable. In fact, we consider many products made of typically non-eco-friendly materials like plastic extremely sustainable if they have the ability to solve life-threatening problems, empower communities and improve the lives of people around the globe. That being said, we are thrilled to announce the launch of a book showcasing 100 of the most innovative, beyond-green products you need to know about by someone who has definitely taught us a thing or two about world-changing design – our very own Emily Pilloton. If you are part of the cognoscenti who know that products are so much more than just “things you buy,” we strongly urge you to check out Design Revolution: 100 Products That Empower People to not only reinforce what you already know, but to learn about totally fresh ways that simple objects are making big ripples.

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X-Ray Umbrella Keeps You Dry as a Bone

Have you ever thought to yourself, “you know, I really dig x-rays from an aesthetic standpoint, but I only ever see them at the dentist or after some kind of injurious catastrophe. What a shame.” Perhaps not. But if you’re thinking that now, then check out this cool umbrella concept from Anastacia Spada. Composed of water-repellent sheets of skeletal film, her brilliant diy project is sure to cast rainy nights under a different shade.

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Our Top 5 Favorite Eco-Friendly Back to School Products

Dreaming of greening your back to school routine? Nowadays there is a bounty of eco-conscious choices out there! While our recommendation is to try and use what you already have, with school supplies sometimes that isn’t always an option. So from pop-art folders crafted from your favorite juice drinks to pencils that you can read as well as write with, here are our 5 tops picks for the best green back to school buys!

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BACK TO SCHOOL CONTEST: Win An Awesome Solar Book Bag!

Get ready for school with our back-to-school green giveaway contest!
Fall is just around the corner, and students everywhere are getting ready to go back to school. To get into the autumnal school spirit and help our readers green their back-to-school regime, we’re running a contest on this site to give away an AWESOME solar powered bag by NoonSolar, stuffed with eco-friendly back-to-school goodies like recycled paper notebooks, erasers and pencils. Our back-to-school goody bag is worth over $500, and it’s a really sweet prize that can be all yours, if you enter our contest. Here’s how:

1. Sign up for the Inhabitat newsletter >

2. Sign up to follow us on Twitter and Facebook

3. Await instructions, which will be emailed out to all of our subscribers on Wednesday August 26th.

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NEWS ALERT: Sigg Water Bottles Contain BPA!

You know those SIGG aluminum water bottles that eco-geeks carry around with them as a protest against plastic bottles? Well apparently, SIGG bottles manufactured before August of last year contain …

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Flow Kitchen Minimizes Waste, Maximizes Sustainability

Oregon-based Studio Gorm has created a complete kitchen in which energy is conserved and cooking waste is recycled and used to grow plants. Dubbed the flow kitchen, the design successfully integrates nature and technology into a system where drying dishes helps water plants and composting food waste helps to fertilize them.

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Gorgeous Wooden Bicycles by Renovo

Two grand for a bicycle? Just reading Renovo’s quietly beautiful narrative of how they handcraft wooden bikes is worth every penny. Based in Portland, Ore., this family-owned business takes wood seriously. Their unique line of custom-built bike frames are studiously forged from two halves of wood that have been hollowed out and bonded together. The result is a super strong, fast and attractive set of wheels that’ll make your eyes pop and mouth water.

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Wearable Solar-Powered Leaf Phone Charges on the Go

The hot hand-held gadget of choice may not be the iPhone for much longer – if this wearable and solar powered wrist phone comes to market, everyone on the streets may soon be sporting it. Inspired by photosynthesis, the Leaf is a wearable phone concept created by Seungkyn Woo and Junyi Heo. The flexible device incorporates solar cells into the front and is capable of rolling up into the form of a wristwatch so that users can wear it and keep it charged while they’re on the move.

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IS IT GREEN?: Clorox Green Works

Launched in January of 2008, Clorox’s line of natural cleaning products, Green Works, currently holds more than a 40% share of the natural home cleaning market. The first year success of their product single-handedly grew the natural cleaning product market by more than 80% in one year by selling Green Works through their current distribution chain in more than 24,000 stores alongside their regular household cleaning products. However the question remains, is Green Works truly green? Critics argue that since no industry standard definitions currently exist for natural cleaners, Green Works is simply deeming itself green against its own standards – a dangerous trend to set. Read on to find out more.

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Samsung Unveils Green Phone Made From Corn

The Reclaim – Samsung and service partner Sprint’s newest green phone – has innovative features that go beyond the bare bones that similar products like Motorola’s W233 Renew phone offers. This eco-conscious smart-phone is 80 percent recyclable and made mostly of corn-based bio-plastics, but that’s not all this compact phone has up its green sleeves.

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Novacem Develops Carbon Eating Green Cement

We use it to build bridges, roads, sidewalks, and just about every structure relies on concrete for its base – wouldn’t it be wonderful if cement actually negated CO2 emissions instead of creating more? Well, now it can! Novacem, a fresh new startup company has actually concocted a cement that eats up carbon as it hardens! And with an annual production of more than 2.5 billion tons, can you imagine what kind of impact it would have if all the cement we used could do what Novacem’s green cement does?

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IS IT GREEN?: Wal-Mart’s Sustainability Index

Green labels abound for seafood, coffee, fair-trade, organic products and more, but we have yet to come across one unifying label that allows us to compare apples to oranges in terms of sustainability. Now it looks like Wal-Mart, may be changing that with the recent announcement of their ‘Sustainability Index.’ Their grand plan could help consumers choose products not only based on their cost and features, but also based on their environmental impact. But is Wal-Mart really turning over a green leaf – and can the benefits of this new system help outweigh the mega-corporation’s questionable environmental reputation as the world’s largest retailer?

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Stunning ‘AquaIris’ Water Purifier by Talia Radford

In answer to the ever-intensifying global water crisis, industrial designer Talia Radford has created the AquaIris, an elegant, portable water purifier for developing countries with tropical climates that is simple to use and requires no electricity! How does it work? Contaminated water enters the AquaIris, passes over a removable/re-usable filter, then travels under a layer of ‘converter crystals’ where germicidal UVC rays purify the water molecules as they pass by.

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EDIBLE ART: Biodegradable Bowls Made From Vegetables

Dutch artist Geke Wouters has created a stunning collection of paper-thin bowls made from carrots, peppers, beet root, leeks, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Each delicate piece of edible art is made using a proprietary drying and forming process that converts organic materials into the paper thin layers, giving you the sense of a microscopic view into their intricate cellular structure. True to their natural materials, no two of these vegetable bowls are exactly alike.

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Laser Cut Leaves are Nature’s Unique Business Cards

If you’re in the market for new business cards or a cutting-edge new advertising medium, you should take a look at this brilliant idea – your message or logo etched right onto a real leaf, no paint necessary! The resulting leaves are simple, stunning when looked at against the sunlight, and the best part is that if they are thrown away, there is no adverse effect on the environment. Design Firm Tatil Design of Brazil came up with the elegant marketing idea, which they recently used in 2008 during the 55th Cannes Advertising Festival to promote their “Designing Naturally” workshop. Natural Medium, which is what they call their amazing laser cut leaves, was so popular and well received at the festival that it won the Bronze Award for the 2009 International Design Excellence Awards in Eco Design.

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Clever Lids Convert Tin Cans Into Stylish Containers

Not since the advent of the tin can telephone have we seen such an ingenious use for cast-off cans! Designer and recent graduate of Northumbria University Jack Bresnahan has created a set of nine lids that will turn any ordinary can into an industrial-chic container that looks like it came from a museum store. Made from biodegradable plastic, the sterile-looking white lids will transform a can into a vase, soap dispenser, sugar caster, tea and coffee canisters, toothbrush holder, money box, or desk organizer.

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