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 (reduce energy use, permeable paving, sustainable building practices, etc) ....

Today is Blog Action Day 2009, and this year’s topic, selected by popular vote, is climate change. 

If you haven’t heard by now, there is a lot of scientific evidence that the earth’s atmosphere is changing due to man-made side effects of the consumption of fossil fuels.  Along with the atmospheric changes come weather and elemental changes such as melting glaciers and loss of habitat, rising oceans, droughts and loss of potable drinking water, tsunamis and hurricanes.  There is a tipping point, beyond which we cannot stop the mounting effects that will destroy much of the life on this planet.  It’s probably the single biggest challenge of our generation, and may be the defining act of humankind, how we respond to this self-created crisis.  So what can we, as designers, do to positively affect climate change?

Live, work and design sustainably.  Take a serious look at your workplace, your home, and your designs.  Do they incorporate sustainable principles?  Are you taking every possible measure to reduce your consumption, reuse what you have already and recycle anything else in a responsible manner?  Are you considering environmental and chemical factors when selecting products and finishes?  Do you provide a transparent service to your clients and educate them?  Are you educating yourself with the latest information on products, services and eco-design techniques?  (Furnicology.com can help you here!)