designShrine

Tom Friedman on how America can regain its international stature by taking the lead in alternative energy and environmentalism.  The New York Times
The Power of Green

Back in 2000, then New York Gov. George E. Pataki “proposed building one of the first museums in the country to be devoted to women’s history.” The following year’s competition for the Battery Park City site was won by Smith-Miller Hawkinson, but what interests me here is Weiss/Manfredi’s runner-up design.

[Museum of Women's History | scan [...]

Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution (2000) by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins, & L. Hunter Lovins
Back Bay Books
Paperback, 416 pages
Ten Shades of Green: Architecture and the Natural World (2005) by Peter Buchanan
W. W. Norton
Paperback, 128 pages

One look at magazines, newspaper or television, or a listen to the radio and it’s clear that sustainability has [...]

Here’s some inspiration culled from radio and television, for your Memorial Day Weekend enjoyment.
This weekend’s Studio 360 includes a piece on architect Danny Sagan, who was inspired to become an architect after attending a Mission of Burma concert in the late 70’s.
Last week’s CBS Sunday Morning was its yearly “On Design” episode. Broadcast from Berlin, [...]

It is hard to find the words to express what a fraudulent, pathetic excuse for an energy policy President Bush’s new plan is.
read the whole AMAZING article here

GEORGE W BUSH “SO EASY..” GEICO CAVEMAN PARODY SHIRT L
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Glastonbury revelers will be happy to know that a dead phone battery mid-festival doesn’t necessarily mean making no more calls until you get home. This is because Orange will be setting up their giant mobile phone charger again, powered by wind and solar power, to provide much-needed juice for low-powered festival goers.

Read more…
Link to the [...]

I’ve got to admit that the letters H and M are two of the biggest obstacles to my dream of being a fully-fledged ethical consumer. Unlike many of the low-end high street fashion stores that cater exclusively to the mass market, H&M consistently delivers genuinely trend-aware and tasteful clothing, often at very enticing prices.

Read [...]

An elegant, contemporary wedding dress made from a deconstructed charity shop purchase took top prize at the Ethic 08 award ceremony for sustainable fashion last night.
Read more…
Link to the Source

Custom-Made Satin Lace Bridal Gown/Bridesmaid dress
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In honor of earth day I have been looking around for eco friendly packaging. I came upon this packaging for Sennheiser CX 300 ear phones. The packaging is made from cardboard and is 100% recyclable - no nasty plastic clam shell to clog up land fills.
Design Muse Blog
Link to the Source

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Spotted in this week’s NYTimes Style section : a fantastic geometric tent dress paired with these bright red recycleable flats.
I always think of Australian Brazilian Melissa Shoes as the company that accomplishes what Crocs should have — plastic shoes that are comfy, cute and eco friendly (they’re recyclable!). This year, I’m seeing more [...]

We’ve all heard the term time and time again…but if you are still asking yourself what is a Carbon Footprint?…now’s the time to find out and make a difference. Your Carbon Footprint is basically an estimate of how much carbon dioxide you emit through the burning of fossil fuels for activities such as household energy [...]

Beautiful Coasters with a green purpose - Great as a gift or using for yourself!

O.R.E SEASHELL RECYCLED RUBBER STAR COASTERS 4 SET *NEW
US $1.99 (0 Bid)
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Cardboard - the new major medium! It’s green, it’s flexible… it’s being used for art and furniture. And what better way than DOING IT YOURSELF with Bloxes!
Make a sculpture to add to your mid-century style pad. Make a coffee-table, fort, massive installation. Then paint it and voila - ART extreme [...]

Rustic and sturdy, this handsome tray is hand carved by Philippine artisans from a local hardwood known as Acacia (Monkey Pod). Accented with Kamani bark, this three-part tray will complement any spread with its natural beauty and quality craftsmanship. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and comes with natural imperfections. Due to the natural materials, some bark [...]

Add laidback cool to any spread with this surfboard-inspired serving platter. Emblematic of summertime, sand and sea, these handsome bamboo surfboards with a decorative inlay stripe will be perfect at your next party serving anything from sushi to fresh fruit. Handmade in China.
Bamboo is a wonderful sustainable material. It is the fastest growing plant on [...]

how cool is this! now you can have a fire in your bedroom without setting your blanket on fire. even comes with a handle. fire briefcase, anyone?
it also doesn’t release toxic fumes, so you won’t die after showing off your new gadget. (via whiskeyandrecords )

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Fun to put together… and take apart and put together again every time someone admires them on my desk and asks what they are and how they work. The sound is so so but, really, their coolness overwhelms the fact that they’re not Bose-eque. Also, if you’re like me and drop things a lot, these [...]

(via Mia7 )
This is perfect for all those who hate spiders or other insects in your house but dont like killing them.
The Spider Catcher works by surrounding the spider with bristles that close around the spider, the bristles harmlessly trap the spider, to allow you to pickup and release the spider outside.
I [...]

(via whiskeyandrecords )
Want to water the grass with your umbrella runoff?  Here’s the solution.  Form and Function meet Green.

This was the scene at Unilever HQ in London this morning, when Greenpeace protestors dressed as orangutans protested against the company’s continued use of palm oil in its popular Dove brand. In using the controversial ingredient, Greenpeace claims it is helping to destroy the Indonesian rainforest and its resident primates.

Read more…
Link to [...]

Elle Magazine partnered with eco-friendly company SIGG to create one-of-a-kind limited edition bottles by some of fashions top designers. The bottles are to be auctioned off and benefits will go to Laurie David’s organization, Stop Global Warming. Unfortunately these bottle designs leave something to be desired…um maybe these designers should [...]

SOURCE: Core 77
There are plenty of chairs out there that claim to be ergonomic and better for your back, but how many of them have received direct endorsement from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)? Haworth Design, a North American based design firm, with the help of ITO Design in Germany, has created a [...]

Source Core77
fuseproject — Y Water bottle

Bottled-water-drinkers have surely noticed Poland Springs making the switch to lightweight bottles; once empty, the easily-crushed containers remind you that what was a vessel five minutes ago has now become garbage.
Yves Behar’s fuseproject and L.A.-based Y Water–targeting vitamin-enriched water at children–are moving in the opposite direction, with a distinctive [...]

Chicago collective The Post Family recently wrapped up a showing last month over at Letterform . Served as an unofficial retrospective of the groups work, the exhibit had displayed everything from screen print and letterpress work to post-it note and found object installation as well as photography.
Images after the jump. Enjoy!
Link: The Post Family
Link to [...]

Brought to you by Milwaukee DJ/Artist The Uncanny Orlow is easily one of the hottest customs seen in sometime.
More images after the jump!
Link: The Uncanny Orlow
Link to the Source

Vintage Paper mache Halloween SPIDER consol Bowl
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This is from DC finalist, Rachel. Comment away!

Name: Helen
Occupation: Economist
Location: Washington, DC
Type: 2 bedroom in a Beaux-Arts building circa 1900
Size: 800 sq/ft
Years lived in: Owned for 2.5 years
>> Enter Helen’s House Tour
Over her 6+ years in DC, Helen has filled her home with locally bought
furniture and accessories from her world travels. Helen uses her [...]

And they say you can’t meet anyone online…

ANNE TOP
30% organic cotton
67% bamboo
03% spandex
With a breezy trapeze shape and adjustable twill tape straps, the Anne top is flattering on all. Beautiful 1-3/4" cotton lace tops the double pleated front. Slightly curved hem and gathering throughout the front and back. Hits below hip.
style#1012 price:$102
one size [...]

The Sunjar: A Solar Powered Jar Full Of Sunshine
This would be a hit in Norway or right here in the North East during the doldrums of Winter (I kind of wish I had one the entire month of March). And it’s more humane than catching those adorable fireflies and trapping them in a jar [...]

Ready for a different spring break adventure this week? Costa Rica, anyone? Belize? Have I got the perfect eco friendly packing list for you!
The first order of business, of course, is being comfy without looking sloppy for your long plane ride. The loose organic dress will keep you relaxed but styling, [...]

Guess what time of year it is?!?!? Spring break time!!!!
Even if you’re not in any sort of vacation-offering school program, just about everyone I know starts to get a bit antsy around March. Whether it’s for a weekend or a glorious week, March is the time to break out the sunscreen and sandals. [...]

The reusable grocery bag trend, a highly-visible subset of the larger eco-sensitivity trend currently swelling throughout consumer consumption, is reaching a fevered pitch. And why not? It’s easy, increasingly fashionable, and, most importantly, great for the environment. Occasionally, it’s also refreshingly humorous.
In case you ever get the feeling that simply carrying a couple tote bags [...]

This is going to be the hippest gift for any ocassion. An entire self-sustainingecosystem thrives within thisattractive hand-blown glasssphere: Plants, live shrimp,algae, and microorganisms. Itrequires only indirect light andmoderate temperatures, andoffers hours of fascinating viewing.Each EcoSphere comeswith a handbook that explainshow it works and how to carefor it. The ecosphere contains living organisms that require [...]

This is taking recycling to a new extreme. Cremating a pet isn't enough these days, now you can turn your beloved furry friend's ashes into diamonds. Of course, Kimora Lee Simmons thinks this is a fantastic idea. And I'm pretty sure it's not because she's all about being green and recycling a dead dog. I [...]

I'd say that alcohol definitely has some green aspects; I mean, it's often a principal factor in encouraging people to engage in enjoyable "back to nature" style activities like open-air urination and public nudity.
That said, would the label "eco-friendly" encourage consumers to buy a particular brand of booze? The folks at McCormick Distilling must [...]

Who's greener, Ryan Seacrest, or Simon Cowell? These two are ready to duke it out over which of them is a more environmentally friendly person.
Unfortunately it looks like they're both on the losing side of the battle. Ryan mentioned on his radio show that he saw Simon cruising around Hollywood in an environmentally unfriendly, $1million [...]