American artist Jose Agatep from The Slug and the Squirrel enjoys making tiny green ecosystems inside repurposed glass jars. He gives a new life to old containers while creating a confined space for plants to live inside. The glass containers have various shapes and have been found around local flea markets or repurposed from the artist’s own kitchen. They include old bottles, jars, vases and pots, all made from glass because it’s easy to clean, long lasting and the best material to see through. The incredible terrariums filled with plenty of plants, wild mosses, flowers, small stones, soil, and wood… read more

Handy, pocket sized and very cute, Velocino is Italian manufacturer Abici’s latest bike. Charming and charged with history, they are a re-design of a bike first commissioned by Italian dictator Mussolini, who wanted a two-wheeler which was the perfect size to carry around with him. In fact, Abici’s first models were inspired by classic pieces from the 30s, 40s and 50s that owners Giuseppe Marcheselli, Stefano Seletti and Cristiano Gozzi would find in old bike shops and nearby scrap yards within Italy’s Alpine region of Lombardy. But one day they found an old Velocino model and never looked back. Each Velocino… read more

The world of design has some inspiring, environmentally driven artists who have made a true difference with their talents. Designers that use their skill in combination with eco friendly undertakings to produce art and projects that give back in some way, through reducing waste or helping others, have more than just a physical ability. However, inspirational missions aren’t just reserved for the exhibition spotlight. There are some outstanding examples of those who have taken their visions and turned them into proactive, meaningful events for children on their home front. One such case is The Edible Schoolyard Project. Nearly two decades… read more

As temperatures begin to rise, many assess what can be done to reduce energy costs. In looking for potential sources of energy waste, the rooftop may often be a forgotten about structure. As long as roofs are leak free and stable, sometimes not much more thought may be put into them. There are, however, modifications that can be made to roofs to make them more energy efficient. Darker roofing can clearly attract more heat, thus reducing energy savings. Cool roof designs use roofing materials that reflect light, therefore lessening heat absorption. A lighter colored covering or a white roof can… read more

Plant fibers can be a durable yet still pliable material that can be transformed into stunning, artistic pieces. Quite different than the look of the first basic natural fiber monobloc chair, there are many other designs that incorporate naturally produced resources and construct them into sturdy, eco friendly seating. Some designs stand out for their unique composition of organic materials. For example, the Sushi Daybed from Pie studio is a handmade floor chair made from the dried stalks of the woven water hyacinth, which is a renewable, fast growing fiber. Water hyacinth can quickly take over an area and those… read more

The problem with modern times is that we are all hyper-connected, doing multiple things at the same time and frankly, a bit stressed out. In response to this issue Marie Dessuant and Margaux Keller created a great flexible space to read, relax, hang around and be with oneself. Developed within the Fabrica experimental center, Soft Fold Cabane gives people a stress-free time. Soft Fold Cabane consists of a wooden structure that can be folded and unfolded and fits in just about any corner of the house. The long square section of wooden bars, found at a local flea market, are bolted together creating… read more

Katell Gélébart is an eco designer who creates eye-catching fashions from cast off materials and garbage. An award winning artist and environmentalist, she uses recycling as a medium for her designs, making a mark in the fashion world without creating excess waste or using industrialized processes. Noting the sheer carelessness of things that are made only to be discarded, like food packaging, she has formed and sewed them into wearable art like trenchcoats, jackets, dresses and sturdy, neat looking carry-alls. Along with thrown out packaging, she repurposes items like rags, old clothing, towels, and even items like parachutes and inner… read more

There are proper ways to get your home in shape for the summer, and then there’s the way most everyone else does it. We’d like to share some important tips and techniques to help you best ready for the summer heat waves. Some of our suggestions may seem like no-brainers, but they can often become neglected. The first is to use your air conditioning unit conservatively. This can be done in several ways. You can make sure to insulate your home so that no cool air escapes (this is also useful in the wintertime), purchase some oscillating floor fans to… read more

Historical buildings that need restorations or energy updates have an added concern when trying to adhere to environmental considerations, since conserving the customary aspects of the space is also important. Preserving and operating antique sites can be costly, and renovating them can be even more so. However, as pointed out by South Carolina’s Preservation Society of Charleston, existing historic buildings are generally already green in nature, making them ideal for an efficiency overhaul. When compared to the financing and energy consumption required to replicate a new structure on the same scale, redesigning or performing energy audits to update problem areas… read more

The more we get to know nature, the more we will love it, and therefore, look after it. With the aim of incorporating nature into our everyday life, Spanish designer Martín Azúa created a collection of useful objects which can host life, both animal and vegetable. On of the most surprising objects from his collection is a seat entitled “The Inner Life”, which serves different purposes as well as offering a comfy place to sit down and relax. An adaptation of Azúa’s 2008 “Sillón Om”, his latest design “The Inner Life” is also made from 100% recyclable polyethylene. Polyethylene is… read more