Did you know you can power a clock with dirt? Dutch designer Marieke Staps has figured out a way to grow time, instead of killing it. Her soil-powered bio-clock (is that like a biological clock?), showcased at Dutch Design Week in 2008 and most recently at Dwell on Design’s Kitchen Ecology Show last week, keeps time by plugging into mud!

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Post tags: dwell on design 2009, eco-friendly kitchen products, green kitchen design, Home decor, home goods, kitchen design, kitchen ecology, marieke staps, potted herbs, potted plants, soil clock, soil-powered clock

As summer heats up, we’re looking forward to bikini and pina colada time by the pool. If you’re looking for stylish items to help keep you cool that won’t break the bank or your eco-conscience, here are a few that we can recommend…

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Post tags: alternative to takeout containers, eco jewelry, eco to go, eco-friendly fourth of july, green bbq, green independence day, green party, green sandals, green style guide, kumvana gomani, meflex, melissa sandals, melissa summer loving, recycled jewelry, recycled plastic bottles, save plastic containers, save waste, summer shop picks, sustainable sandals, sustainable style, takeout container waste

Happy Fourth of July! We know that you must already be celebrating in green style — with biodegradable plates,  composting bins and maybe even some eco-friendly fireworks.  But if you are having an itch that you still could do something to green your holiday weekend, here are a few super simple and practically free ways to make your BBQ, beach bash or rooftop gathering more about celebrating and less about waste. Uncle Sam would be proud!

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Post tags: eco-friendly bbq, eco-friendly celebration, eco-friendly july 4th, eco-friendly party, fourth of july, green bbq, green celebration, green party planning, vegan fourth of july, vegetarian fourth of july

You know we’re big fans of recycling, but this Fourth of July, doesn’t it just seem like more fun to be able to tell your guests to throw their used plates and cups into the bushes instead of a recycling bin? Well okay, you probably don’t want litter on your lawn, so that first scenario might be a bit extreme. But with Branch’s brand new Biodegradable Party Kit, you’ll have everything you need for an eco-friendly fete without any of the hassle.

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Post tags: 4th of july, bagasse, biodegradable cups, biodegradable party kit, biodegradable plates, biodegradable utensils, eco-friendly party, green party, independence day, potato starch utensils, recycled napkins

We all know that food and water are basic human needs, but what about something as simple as a place to sit? Right now, there is a pressing need for nearly 2 billion basic, low-cost seating units for schools hospitals and houses in underdeveloped countries around the globe. In response to the shortage, students Alon Tal and Fabio Alvarez teamed up with Zilca, a company that specializes in recycled materials, to find a solution. First presented last September at design fair Habitat Valencia in Spain, their senior thesis, the Reverse Project, makes cushions from re-purposed car foam for seating that is easy on the eyes, earth, and the behind!

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Post tags: alon tal, CasaDecor, Fabio Álvarez Hernández, Habitat Valencia, NUDE, Recycled Materials, reverse, reverse cushions, reverse project, reverse_baby, Seating

Inhabitat is happy to report that Dwell on Design, the west coast’s largest modern design event, featured more smart green design than ever before this year. When we walked the floor yesterday with Dwell Publisher and President Michela O’Connor Abrams (and the carpenter and designer from HGTV’s Carter Can show), it was clear to see that the majority of the companies showcasing their products and services at the three-day festival are paying a great deal more attention to sustainability than in the past. We guestimate that about 80% of the companies there were promoting some kind of green story - in a varying shades, of course. Read on for our highlights from the show!

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BBQs, frosty drinks, swimming pools and bikinis - these are what summer dreams are made of. With all of the excitement, planning a summer that is both unforgettable and eco-conscious can seem daunting, but Independence Day (that’s next week!) is the perfect time to celebrate and commemorate all of the progress towards a less wasteful life you’ve made so far. Here are a few easy ways to make your summer sustainably stylish - right in time for the Fourth!

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Post tags: alternative to takeout containers, biodegradable party kit, branch, compostable tableware, eco to go, eco-friendly fourth of july, green bbq, green bikini, green independence day, green party, green sandals, green style guide, meflex, melissa sandals, melissa summer loving, picnic set, save plastic containers, save waste, summer shop picks, sustainable bikini, sustainable sandals, sustainable style, sustainable swimsuit, takeout container waste

Talk about bringing the outdoors in! This Chaise Lawn Chair is perfect for citydwellers who want that fresh cut grass feeling without the hassle of a full lawn. Designed by Deger Cengiz, the lounger is sure to elicit a chuckle from your friends. And if you really want to show them a good time, cart them around and take full advantage of the human transporter (wheelbarrow) functionality. Note: It is not recommended for use on stairs.

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Post tags: best chairs on broadway, chaise lawn chair, deger, green chairs, green seating, voos, wheelbarrow chair

Grey skies got you down? Turn to Simon Enever’s very clever Ella umbrella stand to brighten your home and remedy those rainy day blues. This rather elegant new age umbrella stand uses rainwater from your umbrella to feed thirsty grass and adds a fun spot of green to your foyer.

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Post tags: ella, rainwater, simon enever, umbrella, umbrella stand

If you’re looking for unique home accessories that are environmentally friendly and have a clean and elegant design quality, you’ll want to check out Corque’s new collection crafted with - you guessed it - cork! From the fun Rolha candle holder which allows users to turn old bottles into candelabras, to funky Topography placemats, which bring rough terrain to the table, their “Designing Living Objects” line truly showcases the versatility of cork.

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Post tags: "green furniture", cork furniture, corque, eco furniture, portugal, renewable furniture

Here at Inhabitat we are big botanical architecture fans, but we also love seeing ideas that stand to add an extra bit of foliage to our lives. So, if you are a fan of Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Gardens or even Mass Studies’ Foliage Covered Botanical Building and you fancy your very own extra bit of wall-mounted greenery, the team behind ELT Easy Green have the perfect solution in a whole range of beautiful Living Wall products. Their beautiful modular panels are made from 100% Recyclable HDPE and they’re a great way to add a little bit of green to your home.

+ ELT Living Walls

+ ELT Easy Green

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Post tags: ELT Easy Green, ELT Living Walls, green, Living Walls, plants

It’s often hard to appreciate the novelties of paper with the ever-present impacts of global deforestation looming overhead, but one reputable company, New Leaf Paper, helps simmer our conscious frets with their consistent creations of new paper products from eco-friendly sources. New Leaf’s latest paper product, the Farm Fiber Collection is made of 100% recycled fiber of banana or palm tree harvest byproduct with a minimum of 35% post-consumer product, all chlorine free, all premium grades. Why let thousands of tons of agricultural fiber go to waste when each ton of agricultural fiber used saves an estimated 17 trees?

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Post tags: eco-friendly paper, green design, new leaf paper farm fiber collection, paper products, Products, Recycled Materials, sustainable design

One of the debut brands at last week’s Greener by Design Conference in San Francisco was a company called Ditto Hangers, co-founded by industrial designer Gary Barker, also co-founder of Greenheart Global, Inc. It may seem trite to focus a brand on something as rudimentary as the everyday hanger, but that’s precisely why this kind of ‘re-thinking design’ is so pertinent. An estimated 8 billion polystyrene and polycarbonate hangers clog our landfills every year, and as Gary Barker points out, that’s enough to fill the Empire State Building 4.6 times!

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Post tags: cardboard hangers, ditto hangers, eco hangers, green design, Products, recyclable materials, sustainable design, Sustainable Materials

We’ve all heard of pieces of furniture that act as conversation pieces, but how about a table that not only starts conversations but actually looks like a giant speech bubble? Brilliant! Constructed entirely of scrap pieces of cardboard, Leo Kempf’s conversation table is sturdy, witty, and an excellent option if you’re looking for a coffee table that will get your guests talking every time they come over.

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Post tags: 360 see gallery, cardboard furniture, cardboard shelf, conversation table, corrugated cardboard, leo kempf, recycled furniture, speech bubble table

Tired of saving your fruit and veggie scraps only to have to carry them to another location to compost? You’ll be happy to hear that designers Leonardo Fortino and Andrea Bartolucci have developed an ingenious solution for precisely this problem: Jarst. Featuring a seal drum and cap inside a traditional flower pot, Jarst brings composting right to your countertop and makes sure plants get the nutrients and energy they need to stay happy, healthy, and in some cases, delicious. Fresh basil, anyone?

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Post tags: composter, composting bin, composting vase, Gardening, green design, green solutions, jarst, planter, sustainable design