Repurposed Holiday Helpers

Jennifer Davidson — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:15:07 +0100

It's that time of year again - wrapping paper, packaging and consumerism abound, setting off my unsustainable alarm bells. To soothe them back to charming jingles, check this awesome list of everyday items repurposed for the holidays plus creative uses for holiday-themed goods. My favorite is creating a table runner out of last year's holiday cards - gives you the opportunity to revive the memories while creating new ones.

New Uses for Christmas Items

Happy Holidays,...

Illuminating Sustainable Design - Plume 001

Jennifer Davidson — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:38:42 +0100

Many of us have already switched to using compact fluorescent light bulbs, both for their money-saving and energy-saving qualities. But if you have a light fixture that reveals the bulb... well, it didn't exactly become the high point of your interior designs. Hide it under a bushel? No! Now you can let your eco-friendly bulbs shine proudly, with a fabulous new design called the Plumen 001!

Plumen Bulbs on Display Spring has sprung, you can feel it in the air! It's time for Spring Cleaning again! Of course we all want a cleaner house, but we don’t want to spend money, and we especially don’t want to use chemicals. Here are 35 ways to address those dirty issues with natural materials and household items you already own.

Plain Paper Towels Have Sustainable Competition

Jennifer Davidson — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 03:32:14 +0100

What do you get when you cross elegant table linens with regular kitchen paper towels? MYdrap, a convenient way to dress up your table with individual cocktail napkins, lunch or dinner napkins and placemats that come right off the roll, perforated for easy dispensing. But don't throw them away just yet -- each piece is washable and reusable up to six times!

MYDrap cocktail napkins

We are surrounded by beautiful plants in our San Francisco apartment, even though we have no outdoor space. Here's a great way to achieve that, or to improve your outdoor gardening when there's inclement weather.

EarthBox® makes it easy to grow plants ...

No More Crooked Lampshades

Jennifer Davidson — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:48:34 +0100

Ever been bothered by a lampshade that just won't stay on straight no matter what you do? How about chandeliers with multiple lampshades at crazy angles? I found this great little item from our friends over at Daily Grommet to straighten that pro...

Calendar of Eco Events

Susanna Mendiola — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:59:58 +0100

I just stumbled on this great listing of eco events in the SF Bay Area from the ecology center. Find the link here.

There are some cool events coming up including: The Art of Solar Cooking, Sat, July 31. "Solar cookers are used as a humanitarian tool in many parts of the world, such as Kenya and India, to help alleviate the high costs and terrible heal...

Eco Fab Bath Furniture

Meghan Field Lopez — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Tiles: $2000

Contractor Labor: $5,000

Finding the perfect Eco Fab vanity? PRICELESS.....

My search began with looking at the typical vendors- Kohler, American Standard, Porcelianosa, etc. And after days of disappointment, I came to the conclusion that custom would be my only choice to really select something responsibly made. Until! Until, I literally fell into this add on my facebook page for Waterfall Bath Furniture.

The pieces are hot. I mean really good l...

EcoHaus Now Open in SF!

Susanna Mendiola — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:15:51 +0100

I popped into the newly opened eco home improvement store called EcoHaus. It is at 1090 Bryant Street. Telephone: 415.692.0662. Monday - Friday: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, Saturday - Sunday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

There are green products galore including: marmoleum, FSC certified flooring, low flow toilets, kitchen cabinets, paints... There was an FSC certified floor (where they displayed wood flooring) that blew my mind, it had lots of colors and grains. &nb...

Dwell on Design - LA

Susanna Mendiola — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:57:30 +0100

Dwell on Design hits LA June 25-27 at the LA Convention Center - it's billed as the largest design event on the West Coast. Some exhibitors include: Akeena Solar, Arrigoni Woods, Berkeley Mills, ecofabulous.com, Gus Modern, Ice Stone, NanaWall and Solar City. Asia Now, Architizer Design Clinic and the Designer is IN are some of the featured exhib...

AIA Top Ten Green Projects

Susanna Mendiola — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:04:21 +0100

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and their Committee on the Environment (COTE) have chosen the 2010 Top Ten Green Projects.

2010 Top Ten Award Winners

For information on the ten measures and supporting metrics used to evaluate the entries, see the Top Ten Metrics View.

355 11th Street (Aidlin Darling Design) San Francisco, CA
Homer Science & Student Life Center (Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects) Atherton, CA
KAUST (HOK) Thuwal Ki...

Sustainable Outdoor Living from Scout Regalia

Susanna Mendiola — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:46:16 +0100

I just came across this chic modern outdoor furniture from LA based Scout Regalia. The outdoor table set is made from untreated FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) wood (wood from managed forests) and enameled aluminum, which puts a nice spin on the classic park table. Time for a picnic!

wall pockets

...

Wal-Mart goes Sustainable?

Jennifer Davidson — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:35:34 +0100

Breaking news: EDF (Environmental Defense Fund) approached corporate giant Wal-Mart about greening their supply chain. The results could be healthier indoor environments for many of us, plus a better world overall. Read about this massive change here.

I want to highlight that EDF approached Wal-Mart, not the other way around, so ignore the doubters in the article comments. Now if we can just get them to do something about the environmental impact of their stores...

Q Collection Commits to Sustainability

Jennifer Davidson — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:02:49 +0100

Our friends over at Q Collection recently sent out an email blast highlighting the steps they've taken to become more sustainable in their fabrics, furnishings and accessories lines.

Here's one of my favorite pieces, the Abigail Settee:

Abigail Settee Front View

I've been researching different products to figure out how to have a trash free breakfast and lunch that works with my long on-the-go day. As far as lunch kits go, this one is very functional! It is the Zojirushi Mr. Bento kit. It comes with a bag, a utensil (sort of a spork) and four containers. The key things are that 1) one co...

Cool as a Cucumber

Jennifer Davidson — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:10:07 +0100

You might have one of these little wonders in your refrigerator right now. After you read this list from a New York Times article, I bet you'll be energized to try some of the ideas right away! Home-related ideas at the top (we are focused on interiors here, after all).

Looking for a green way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean. Not only will it remove years of tarnish and br...

From Tree to Your Table

Susanna Mendiola — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:24:46 +0100

Found these cool bowls made of coconut -- "Coconut is the New Bamboo!"

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