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.
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!
At Milan’s 2009 furniture fair, Designersblock did not depart from its habit of showing the very best in fresh new design, and ChunWei Liao’s Transformer furniture and lighting collection is the perfect example of the show’s unique and innovative spirit. The Taiwanese designer presented a stellar catalog of work, but the most interesting product in the series was the lamp grandly named “Transformer Lighting Infinity.”
Soon, playing tennis at Wimbledon will no longer depend on the weather forecast, nor will spectators have to entertain themselves while they wait for the rain to stop and the courts to dry. A new retractable roof has been installed over Centre Court and the air management systems are currently being tested in preparation for its official debut in May. This new roof will is made out of translucent fully recyclable fabric, minimizing building materials while allowing daylight to stream down from above. The design will conclude the All England Club’s Long Term Plan, providing greater security for the grass courts, decreased play delays and more comfortable viewing for fans.
So we know MIO’s Bendant chandelier has been around for a while, but like all good things, it’s worth revisiting—especially now, when embracing well designed, American-made products is more important than ever. The idea behind this pendant lamp, which comes flat-packed and ready to customize, is simple: leaf-like petals surround a central fixture and can be moved and arranged to suit individual tastes and lighting strategies—fan the petals out completely for maximum illumination, or stagger for more shade.
One of our favorite entries from this year’s Greener Gadgets Design Competition is Francesco Biasci’s Cardboard Computer Case, which aims to ameliorate the perpetual problem of consumer e-waste. Built from the ground up with recycled cardboard, the case offers a simple, chic and customizable alternative to metal computer cases that must be disposed of every two to five years.
The folks at Apple recently debuted their latest line of sleek notebooks, and we were excited to hear that they’re the greenest Macs ever! They’ve removed many of the harmful toxins found in computers including mercury, arsenic and PVC and made the remaining parts nearly all recyclable. The software has also been redesigned to run on 30% less power than previous models, earning them Energy Star certification. And finally, Apple cut out nearly half of the bulky packaging to streamline their distribution and create less trash to bring home.
Every once in a while we come across an idea so fresh and simple it seems incredible that it has not been thought of before. The Rainwaterhog is just such an idea – the H2OG system is a modular rainwater harvesting system that is a ‘game-changer’ in the water harvesting and storage industry. The easy-to-install system “boldly fits where no water storage has fit before” and is expandable, reusable, and 100% recyclable.
Wrapped in a beautiful facade of hexagonal mesh, this Mobile Performance Venue cuts a striking profile while making strident efforts to size down its carbon footprint. Conceived by Norway’s Various Architects, the superstructure features an inflatable facade that is 100% recyclable and a collapsible design that renders it completely mobile, fitting into roughly 30 shipping containers. That’s an impressive feat for the largest mobile venue in the world, measuring 90 by 60 meters and accommodating up to 3,500 people!
This stunning energy-efficient glider recently took top prize in the Lucky Strike Junior Designer Competition for its innovative re-envisioning the life-cycle of the airplane. Designed by Roland Cernat, the Oriens Glider is constructed entirely of recyclable materials, runs on clean energy, and boasts a sleek translucent shell finished with glossy organic contours.
New York-based Dynomighty Design has perfected a long-lasting way to keep your currency in order. Their fun, postal packaging-inspired wallets are made from a single sheet of Tyvek, making them seamless, nearly impenetrable and super durable. Constructed with 25% post consumer content and 100% recyclable materials, Dynomighty wallets are a lightweight solution to on-the-go billfold wear and tear. While the wallets will become comfortably worn-in, the durable Tyvek material won’t break!
LOTS MORE GREAT GREEN DESIGN STORIES HERE... KEEP READING!
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