I am a big fan of re-use (as is evident by my last post on bottled water and soda) and have always reused boxes, packing peanuts and bubblewrap for my shipping needs, but what happens when you run out? I usually just head down to my condo’s recycling room and pull out some boxes from the cardboard bin – but …
Vetrazzo Recycled Glass Countertops
When I think of what impacts me the most in a kitchen, I think of 3 things: Cabinets, appliances and counter tops. Beautiful counter tops can be the crown jewel of your kitchen – an essential focal point that just ties everything together. Granite was the standard for a very long time followed by manufactured stone, then came a ‘greener’ …
Brammo Enertia TTR Electric Motorbike
The Enertia TTR Electric motorcycle by Brammo could be one of the first to production (and available to buy from a store in the US). In fact west coast Best Buys are lined up to carry them later this month. With a ‘real world’ range of 35 miles, a top speed of over 50mph, and a wall outlet recharging system …
Recycled Fire Hose Gear
It’s amazing how many things we use out there that just get thrown away. Good thing there are creative and resourceful individuals who are willing to try to make products out of recycling just about anything. Recycled sails and recycled inner tube bags are the hot ones right now, but I just found another unique niche, fire hoses.
Recycled Glass Wine and Beer Glassware
Windshields are making a comeback, and they are being recycled to invade everything from wine glasses to flower vases. This is a great thing given how many cars are disposed of each year, just think of all the automotive glass windows and windshields we can save. Most of the recycled glass designs I have found are handmade in places throughout …
Eco Chic Runoff Design
Not entirely practical or even possible for most areas, but it does show great green design and some imagination. How ever you look at it, the what else? umbrella holder is quite the conversation piece. I could see this being an easy DIY project for the front porch, where it would receive enough light to grow. Or possibly along the …
Pollution Detecting Fish Robot
In an interesting fusion of technology and nature-mimicry design, British scientists have come up with a free-swimming robot to track pollution levels in oceans, lakes and seas. Set to be released off the coast of northern Spain, these 5 foot machines will sniff out pollution, pipeline and shipping leaks using sensors mounted throughout the fish. The data will be transmitted …
Recycled Glassware – Winebottle Vases and Vessels
The TranSglass Recycled Vases and glassware by Emma Woffenden & Tord Boontje are not only beautiful, but also a practical green design solution to the abundance of empty wine bottles out there. Remember, reuse is better than recycling, and although some energy is used to recreate these works of art, it is most likely less than that of the recycling …
Julia Failey Unique Eco Jewelry
There is something about artisan jewelry that captures me, but only when it is beautiful and unique. Julia Failey embodies that spirit with her wonderfully designed nature inspired eco jewelry. I am especially drawn to the pieces displayed below, and it was the rose vine bangles that really captured me. Designed and crafted in her Chicago studio, Julia uses sustainable …
Solar Powered Trash Can – Big Belly Solar Compactor
I always get excited to see well designed green ideas come to fruition, and the solar powered trash compactor is one of them. You can actually see these on the streets of Boston, MA and Palm Springs, CA. This isn’t just some solar powered gimmick, it actually has a function which furthers its eco impact. The solar panel charges a …