Ghost gear is haunting our oceans

Fishing gear isn’t only deadly when there’s a fisherman at the other end of the line. Lost and abandoned equipment continues to kill, rampaging beneath the ocean’s surface, tangling fish, drowning seabirds and smothering reefs. This ghost gear haunts common and endangered species indiscriminately. According to a UN Environment and FAO report, another 640,000 tons of ghost gear is added to the undersea dump each year. In Southeast India, workers at the Suganthi Devadason Marine Research...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/ghost-gear-is-haunting-our-oceans
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Solar protective glass gives the iceberg-like Hercule home a mirrored finish

Modern, monolithic and minimalist, Hercule is a single-family home designed like an iceberg: the bulk of the building is hidden while the visible portion emerges out of the ground like the tip of an iceberg. Named after local hero John “Hercule” Gruen for its “robust strength,” the house located in Mondorf-les-bains in the south of Luxembourg is the recently completed work of local architecture practice 2001. Embedded into the sloped terrain, the concrete dwelling further immerses itself...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-protective-glass-gives-the-iceberg-like-hercule-home-a-mirrored-finish
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A new Polish film has exposed the illegal trafficking of sick cattle

After a film broadcast on Polish TVN 24 revealed that a slaughterhouse was illegally trafficking sick cattle, Polish police have launched an investigation into the matter. The film showed secret footage of cows too sick to stand being dragged into the plant, as well as slaughterhouse workers cutting carcasses at night “to avoid official supervision.” With no way of knowing where the meat went, the scandalous footage could end up being as serious as the 2013 EU horsemeat scandal that exposed...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-new-polish-film-has-exposed-the-illegal-trafficking-of-sick-cattle
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Toxic smog causes school closures in Bangkok

Officials in Bangkok have closed schools for the rest of the week amid growing concerns of toxic smog. The Ministry of Education in Thailand announced the closing of around 450 schools in Bangkok and surrounding area this week as the government tries to deal with a massive pollution problem. The air quality in the city of Bangkok has dipped to unacceptable levels. The amount of dust particles — also referred to as PM2.5 — deemed dangerous to health has far exceeded acceptable standards. PM2.5...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/toxic-smog-causes-school-closures-in-bangkok
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Brilliant home made out of cascading concrete planter boxes grows more than 40 types of edible plants

Related: + Via Archdaily

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/brilliant-home-made-out-of-cascading-concrete-planter-boxes-grows-more-than-40-types-of-edible-plants
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Budweiser's Super Bowl LIII commercial focuses on renewable energy

With millions of people around the world expected to watch Super Bowl LIII this Sunday, Budweiser is highlighting their commitment to renewable energy in their commercial titled “Wind Never Felt Better” that will air during the event. For many viewers, watching the commercials is just as fun - if not better - than watching the football game. And, Budweiser is known for having some of the most talked about ads in Super Bowl history. Last year, the popular beer company announced its commitment...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/budweisers-super-bowl-liii-commercial-focuses-on-renewable-energy
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8 of the best fruits and vegetables you can eat in their entirety

In the United States, approximately 40 percent of food is never eaten. Not only does this food waste damage your pocketbook, but it also has a major environmental impact. Changing your food habits is a great way to do your part in the battle against food waste. Shopping smarter, eating leftovers, improving food storage, and donating to food banks are great ideas for reducing food waste. There is one obvious move you can make that many people don’t realize - you can stop throwing out parts of your...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/8-of-the-best-fruits-and-vegetables-you-can-eat-in-their-entirety
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The world is close to annihilation according to the iconic Doomsday Clock

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board has announced that the iconic Doomsday Clock is remaining at two minutes to midnight because of the dangers of climate change and the lack of progress on nuclear risks. Midnight on Doomsday is a symbolic point of annihilation, and the iconic clock is as close to this point as it was at the height of the Cold War in 1953. The Science and Security Board made this decision with the Board of Sponsors - which includes fourteen...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-world-is-close-to-annihilation-according-to-the-iconic-doomsday-clock
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5 ways to throw a zero-waste Super Bowl party

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest party days of the year. And for many people, that means a house full of friends and family - as well as pizza boxes, chip bags, beer cans, and football decorations. However, it is possible to have an epic Super Bowl party without a ton of waste. It just takes a little bit of planning to go green, and the planet will thank you. 1. Tell Your Guests There is no need to keep your guests in the dark about your goal of having a zero-waste Super Bowl party....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/5-ways-to-throw-a-zero-waste-super-bowl-party
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New study finds harmful chemicals, including glyphosate, in disposable diapers

In the first study of its kind, French researchers have discovered that disposable diapers contain trace amounts of dangerous chemicals that are harmful to humans. After testing 23 different diapers sold in France between 2016 and 2018, the researchers found about sixty dangerous chemicals, including glyphosate, which is used in the controversial weed killer Roundup. Now, Ministers have given manufacturers two weeks to put together a “plan of action” to remove the harmful substances. In...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-study-finds-harmful-chemicals-including-glyphosate-in-disposable-diapers
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Reimagine a resilient future with this nature-based tool

Most Americans have personally experienced a federally declared, weather-related disaster in the last decade. In fact, the number is 96 percent of the population. Both science and personal testimonies indicate that extreme weather events are increasing in severity and frequency. A partnership of scientists and urban planners developed an online tool, Naturally Resilient Communities to highlight the proven success of nature-based solutions and their beneficial use in adapting to changing weather and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/reimagine-a-resilient-future-with-this-nature-based-tool
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MVRDV designs solar-powered KoolKiel with Jenga-like architecture in Germany

Dutch architecture firm MVRDV has unveiled plans to redevelop a post-industrial city block in Kiel, Germany, into an eye-catching mixed-use complex that matches the creative spirit of the site’s current tenants. Dubbed “KoolKiel,” the 65,000-square-meter redevelopment project will include the adaptive reuse of the existing single-story W8 Medienzentrum building as well as the addition of a new zig-zagging plinth, office tower, and hotel tower. The buildings will also be equipped with rooftop...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mvrdv-designs-solar-powered-koolkiel-with-jenga-like-architecture-in-germany
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This new initiative aims to sustainably recycle your old bras

As tidying up continues to be one of the top trends in 2019, bra company Harper Wilde is asking their customers what they are doing with old bras they no longer use. Charities don’t accept most used bras, but if you throw them in the trash, they end up in landfills. To fix that problem, Harper Wilde is teaming up with For Days to launch a new bra recycling initiative. When customers order bras from Harper Wilde, the company always sends a prepaid return shipping label with the order to facilitate...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-new-initiative-aims-to-sustainably-recycle-your-old-bras
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Competition-winning Bamboo Stadium is a sustainable solution to Lagos former landfill

In Lagos, Nigeria, one of the world’s fastest growing cities, a visionary design has been proposed to rethink waste and provide much-needed urban green space atop the metropolis’ former Olusosun Landfill. The proposal, titled Bamboo Stadium, is the winner of ‘Waste: Multipurpose Stadium’, the latest open ideas architecture competition launched by architectural research initiative arch out loud. The sustainable design explores transforming the brownfield into a bamboo forest that would provide...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/competition-winning-bamboo-stadium-is-a-sustainable-solution-to-lagos-former-landfill
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Minimalist tiny cabin is a secluded retreat in a Brazilian forest

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/minimalist-tiny-cabin-is-a-secluded-retreat-in-a-brazilian-forest
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Some of the largest manufacturers are going green with the milkman model

Loop, a new shopping platform introduced at the World Economic Forum last week, is attempting to change the way we buy name brand products. Some of largest manufacturers on Earth are partnering with Loop by ditching disposable containers used for everyday items like laundry detergent and shampoo and replacing them with sleek, reusable containers that will be picked up, washed, and refilled. "Loop is about the future of consumption. And one of the tenets is that garbage shouldn't exist," says...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/some-of-the-largest-manufacturers-are-going-green-with-the-milkman-model
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The convenience of "highway fitting" your clothes is hurting the planet

Everybody likes the convenience of a free return policy. But what consumers do privately in their home closets—say, ordering two sizes of jeans and returning the one that doesn’t fit—has a growing global impact. A recent UK survey concluded that more than 40% of clothing bought online is returned. A group called Fashion Revolution wants to do something about this. “Instead of the two-way drive of a delivery van bringing a package to you, it now has to drive back to your house to return...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-convenience-of-highway-fitting-your-clothes-is-hurting-the-planet
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Denmark to build 9 renewable energy-producing islands south of Copenhagen

In a bid to bring more renewable energy and greater resilience to the city of Copenhagen, the Danish government has announced plans to build nine new artificial islands as part of what will become the largest and most ambitious land reclamation project in Scandinavia. Slated to begin construction in 2022, the project, dubbed Holmene (the Islets) will comprise 3 million square meters of land and will be located just 10 kilometers south of Copenhagen. Copenhagen-based architecture and planning firm...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/denmark-to-build-9-renewable-energy-producing-islands-south-of-copenhagen
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This modern home built to house a renowned art collection is a work of art in itself

Make no mistake--lovers of art reside here. Designed and built by Hufft, The Artery Residence is gorgeous, eco-friendly, and just as art-focused on the inside as it is on the outside. The owners, prominent contemporary art collectors, wanted a blend of home and gallery that allows them to live comfortably while displaying their impressive art collection in a modern way. The designer clearly made the space as a unique backdrop for the art installation in mind, with blank, clean walls enabling the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-modern-home-built-to-house-a-renowned-art-collection-is-a-work-of-art-in-itself
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Cargill announces plan to reduce deforestation from cocoa

One of the worlds top three food corporations, Cargill, announced a plan to reduce deforestation caused by their cocoa farmersa. The plan, Protect our Planet, promises 100% traceability of cocoa beans in Cote d’Ivoire by 2020 and zero clearing of forested land for plantations in both Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. The plan also covers Brazil, Indonesia and Cameroon and includes a wide scale mapping project that identifies the exact size and location of every small farm. Cargill has already mapped...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/cargill-announces-plan-to-reduce-deforestation-from-cocoa
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The sustainable wardrobe: its more accessible than you think

When it comes to making sure our homes are eco-friendly, it is easy to neglect the closet. Your clothes, however, might just be the biggest culprit. All those synthetic fabrics will take over 200 years to fully decompose, and the microfibers often end up in the ocean and in the bellies of sea creatures. The fashion industry produces 20% of all wastewater, and the amount of pollutants it emits is the second largest in the world (the first is oil). This is all while generating 10% of all greenhouse...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-sustainable-wardrobe-its-more-accessible-than-you-think
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Crayola Colorcycle initiative offers free recycling for markers used in K-12 classrooms

In the blur of school activity, students read, write, calculate and doodle. With that vision in mind, no company has created a bigger connection with the educational world than Crayola, monarch of colored pencils, crayons, and markers. With that title comes a wave of concern regarding toxins and waste. After all, Crayola manufactures 465 million markers alone each year, which begs the question of corporate responsibility. Fortunately, Crayola’s ahead of the curve on this one with the introduction...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/crayola-colorcycle-initiative-offers-free-recycling-for-markers-used-in-k-12-classrooms
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Sustainable pencil stubs Sprout into plants

Have you ever stopped to think about where your pencil came from or what it’s journey will be once it hits the trash? It’s okay if you haven’t because one company has made it their mission to not only produce eco-friendly pencils that are available in a variety of colors, but also to give new life at the end of the pencil’s functional usability. <!--more→ Sprout World began as an idea from MIT students on the lookout for a more sustainable pencil and has resulted in over 10...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/sustainable-pencil-stubs-sprout-into-plants
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Renewable electricity could overtake fossil fuels in Britain by next year

A new report from British power analysts EnAppSys is predicting renewable electricity will overtake fossil fuels as the main source of Great Britain’s electricity generation by next year if current trends continue. In their annual market review report for 2018, EnAppSys says that the levels of power generation from coal and gas-fired power stations fell by 6.7 percent, while generation from renewables increased 15.2 percent. If renewables do pass up fossil fuels in Great Britain in 2020,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/renewable-electricity-could-overtake-fossil-fuels-in-britain-by-next-year
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This countertop dishwasher promises to wash your dishes in just 10 minutes

Living in a tiny apartment—or tiny home—no longer needs to mean giving up the luxury of a dishwasher. Meet Tetra, an award-winning countertop dishwasher that’s not only compact and cute as a button, but is also easy to install (no plumbing needed) and affordable with a limited preorder price of $299. Produced by Heatworks and designed by frog, the tiny yet mighty Tetra is marketed with a 10-minute load cycle and was recently demoed at CES 2019 earlier this month. Winner of the CES...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-countertop-dishwasher-promises-to-wash-your-dishes-in-just-10-minutes
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The Wally Shop is bringing zero-waste grocery delivery to Brooklyn

Zero-waste grocery delivery has made its way to Brooklyn. The Wally Shop is attempting to change the grocery game by delivering local, organic produce from farmers markets and bulk stores to customers in reusable packaging that they later pick-up and reuse. The new delivery service wants to help with the global waste problem and reduce addiction to single-use plastic by making sustainable grocery shopping more convenient and breaking down barriers. The idea came from Wally Shop Founder...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-wally-shop-is-bringing-zero-waste-grocery-delivery-to-brooklyn
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ChimpFace could help fight the illegal trade in chimpanzees

There is now a new tool that can be used to fight the illegal trade in chimpanzees. The same facial recognition software that social media sites use is now being adapted to recognize trafficked animals, and this algorithm will be used to find the faces of these apes online. For an entire year, the BBC investigated the brutal smuggling of chimpanzees and found that they often end up as performers in a commercial zoo or pets in wealthy homes. Baby chimps are so popular, that they can be sold...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/chimpface-could-help-fight-the-illegal-trade-in-chimpanzees
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Harley-Davidson LiveWire Electric Motorcycle Debuts At CES

It may have taken five years, but Harley-Davidson’s vision for the electric motorcycle market is here and ready for pre-order. First conceptualized with a prototype in 2014, the production-ready model made its European debut at the Milan press conference of the EICMA show last November and appeared again at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in early January. <!--more→ The company reports that deliveries on the sleek, speedy ride will ship in the fall, 2019 and the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/harley-davidson-livewire-electric-motorcycle-debuts-at-ces
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Prosecco production is destroying soil in some Italian vineyards

Many people enjoy a glass of prosecco with their dinner because it pairs well with everything from seafood to spicy Asian dishes.  But, the demand for the Italian sparkling wine is starting to cause some problems. According to a new study posted earlier this month on bioRxiv.org, the wine is destroying the soil in northeastern Italy’s vineyards. The amount of soil erosion from Italy’s prosecco vineyards is not sustainable, according to Jesus Rodrigo Comino, a geographer at the Institute...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/prosecco-production-is-destroying-soil-in-some-italian-vineyards
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Igloo-inspired glass and timber cabins offer gorgeous views in Lapland's winter wonderland

Related: + VOID Architecture Via Archdaily VOID Architecture, Glass Resort, Glass Resort Finland

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/igloo-inspired-glass-and-timber-cabins-offer-gorgeous-views-in-laplands-winter-wonderland
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Studio Roosegaarde wants to turn space waste into shooting stars and 3D-printed housing

At the Space Waste Lab Symposium in Almere, Netherlands, artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde of Studio Roosegaarde announced his creative new solutions for reducing space waste. The main project of his ambitious proposals will be Shooting Stars, a collaborative effort between Studio Roosegaarde and the European Space Agency that will pull floating space waste through the Earth’s atmosphere to create a sustainable alternative to traditional fireworks. The second solution will explore repurposing...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/studio-roosegaarde-wants-to-turn-space-waste-into-shooting-stars-and-3d-printed-housing
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Vegan Fashion Week is coming to Los Angeles

Just a few days before Fashion Week begins in New York, the world’s first Vegan Fashion Week will debut in Los Angeles. Starting on February 1st with a party at the LA Natural History Museum, Vegan Fashion Week will be a four-day event that will feature fashion shows, exhibitions, a talk from Nobel Prize-winning climate scientist Robert Lempert, and discussion panels about topics like animal rights, social justice, and technology. French stylist Emmanuelle Rienda is curating the event, and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/vegan-fashion-week-is-coming-to-los-angeles
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The chemical elements that make up your smartphone are 'endangered'

The average smartphone is made up of about thirty elements. But, at least half of those elements could be in danger because of increasing scarcity. Now, scientists from the University of St. Andrews have developed a new, unique periodic table that highlights the “90 natural elements that make up everything.” And, the table also focuses on the scarcity and vulnerability of elements that we use in our devices like smartphones and televisions. In the European Union alone, more than ten million...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-chemical-elements-that-make-up-your-smartphone-are-endangered
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Concrete home perched on Greek island cliffside designed with large cut outs to frame the amazing sea views

Related: + OOAK Architects Via Dezeen OOAK, Patio House,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/concrete-home-perched-on-greek-island-cliffside-designed-with-large-cut-outs-to-frame-the-amazing-sea-views
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Light-filled, sustainable office in the Netherlands produces all of its own energy

Related: + Paul de Vroom + Sputnik

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/light-filled-sustainable-office-in-the-netherlands-produces-all-of-its-own-energy
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Is the Green New Deal the all-inclusive climate plan we need?

The media is abuzz with talk of a wildly ambitious proposal to address climate change and transform the economy. A group of progressive, first-term Democrats and youth activists are behind the proposal, called the Green New Deal. Met with doubt, inaction and controversy, these political newcomers argue that this extreme legislation is not only possible, but absolutely necessary given the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s recent report, which warns that the causes of climate...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/is-the-green-new-deal-the-all-inclusive-climate-plan-we-need
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Volvo creates the living seawall in Sydney to help with plastic pollution

With ocean habitats being degraded by plastic pollution and replaced with seawalls, more than half of the shoreline in Sydney, Australia, is now artificial. And, scientists say that the amount of plastic waste in the ocean is so massive, removing it all simply isn’t possible. So, instead of hosting more beach clean-ups or tearing down seawalls, Volvo is taking a more modern, creative approach to the problem - Living Seawall. Volvo has teamed up with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/volvo-creates-the-living-seawall-in-sydney-to-help-with-plastic-pollution
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Greenland is melting four times faster than it was 15 years ago

A new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found that Greenland is melting four times faster than it was just fifteen years ago. Using data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), which were two satellites launched by Germany and NASA back in 2002, researchers discovered that between 2002 and 2016, Greenland lost 280 gigatons of ice every year, and that resulted in the addition of .03 inches of water annually to the world’s oceans. "We're...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/greenland-is-melting-four-times-faster-than-it-was-15-years-ago
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This tiny home eschews minimalist design for vibrant colors and bold patterns

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-tiny-home-eschews-minimalist-design-for-vibrant-colors-and-bold-patterns
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Eco-friendly options for decluttering waste

Clutter in your home creates a weight, in every sense of the word. From the physical weight of moving objects around to the mental weight of maintaining each item, to the emotional weight of retaining items out of guilt, having too much stuff takes a toll. With the documentary “Minimalism” hitting Netflix a few years ago and now Marie Kondo teaching everyone how to declutter their homes, the idea of decluttering and downsizing seems to be everywhere these days. There are many reasons decluttering...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/eco-friendly-options-for-getting-rid-of-decluttering-waste
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Solar-powered home embraces Hudson River views and aging in place

Wanting to reconnect with the outdoors after decades of living in Manhattan, a couple nearing retirement asked New York-based architecture firm Resolution: 4 Architecture to design a contemporary home in the northern suburbs of New York City that would take full advantage of a waterfront site. Located on one of Croton-on-Hudson’s highest overlooks, the resulting design features an elevated profile that appears to float above the trees and boasts panoramic views of the Hudson River through walls...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-home-embraces-hudson-river-views-and-aging-in-place
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Conchs in the Bahamas could be extinct in 10 years

The Bahamas is famous for its large conch population, but some studies claim that could change significantly over the next decade if the archipelago doesn’t start enforcing their laws and introduce stricter regulations. Overfishing has devastated many of the Bahamian conch communities and it is making reproduction so difficult, the sea slug could be extinct within ten years. This would be devastating to Bahamian tradition and culture, not to mention the economic impact on the fishing industry. According...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/conchs-in-the-bahamas-could-be-extinct-in-10-years
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Shark fins still being sold in US restaurants amid ban

Shark finning - the act of slicing fins off of live sharks before tossing the wounded animals back into the ocean where they sink and eventually die because they can’t swim - is such a horrible act of animal cruelty that twelve U.S. states have banned the sale of shark fins in an effort to deter the practice. The bans are so difficult to enforce that restaurants in at least ten of the states still have shark fin soup on the menu, and some are starting to question if the ban is worth it. The...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/shark-fins-still-being-sold-in-u-s-restaurants-amid-ban
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A modern vacation retreat is embedded into the rolling hills of southern Portugal

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-modern-vacation-retreat-is-embedded-into-the-rolling-hills-of-southern-portugal
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Pipeline explosion in Mexico kills 91 and counting

Last week, a gasoline pipeline exploded in central Mexico, killing 89 people and injuring at least 51 others. And, it is possible that Mexico’s state-owned oil company did not respond properly to the initial leak. According to Reuters, Mexico’s state oil firm, Pemex, was notified of a leak in the gas pipeline last Friday. They reportedly didn’t think the link was “important” and did not close the valve, revealed Mexico’s security minister over the weekend. A Pemex engineer explained...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/pipeline-explosion-in-mexico-kills-91-and-counting
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Green-roofed home is built of waste bricks and wood in Poland

Environmentally friendly with a beautifully textured facade, this brick house built of recycled materials in Poland has been nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award 2019. Polish architecture firm Biuro Toprojekt designed the dwelling—fittingly named the Red House—that pays homage to the Cistercian landscape and history of Rudy Wielkie, a region in the Upper Silesia known for its brick architecture, with its walls built from hand-sorted...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/green-roofed-home-is-built-of-waste-bricks-and-wood-in-poland
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California teen finds golf balls are a major source of plastic waste in our oceans

The plastic waste in our oceans is a major environmental problem thanks to humans tossing out single-use items like take-out containers, plastic straws, water bottles, and plastic bags. But there is also an unexpected source of plastic waste that a teenage California diver discovered - golf balls. When 16-year-old Alex Weber was swimming in a small cove near Carmel, California, two years ago, she looked down and discovered there were so many white golf balls in the water that she couldn’t...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/california-teen-finds-golf-balls-are-a-major-source-of-plastic-waste-in-our-oceans
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Clyde Mews eco-village champions sustainable housing alternatives in Melbourne

Melbourne recently became home to Clyde Mews, an inspiring “eco village” that champions sustainable community-focused living in close proximity to the city center. Created as an alternative to resource-intensive, car-centric developments, Clyde Mews features attractive pedestrian-friendly design and energy-efficient housing. Designed by local architecture firm Six Degrees Architects for property development company Excelon Group, the eco-friendly development includes eight contemporary townhouses...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/clyde-mews-eco-village-champions-sustainable-housing-alternatives-in-melbourne
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Serene off-grid tiny home sits tucked away in a Hawaiian rainforest

Related: + Via Tiny House Talk Hale Iki

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/serene-off-grid-tiny-home-sits-tucked-away-in-a-hawaiian-rainforest
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Companies pledge $1.5 billion to reduce plastic waste

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) - a group of 28 companies that produce plastics and consumer goods - announced earlier this week that they have pledged to spend $1.5 billion over the next five years to reduce plastic waste. Global companies like Exxon Mobil, Dow DuPont, Procter & Gamble, Royal Dutch Shell, and BASF are all part of the AEPW, Reuters reports. And, their investment will go towards building waste collection infrastructure in Asia and Africa, designing waste-management...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/companies-pledge-1-5-billion-to-reduce-plastic-waste
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Global warming to blame for insect collapse in Puerto Rican rainforest

Thirty-five years ago, scientist Brad Lister left the Puerto Rican Luquillo rainforest after studying the arthropods of the region. He left an area that had a thriving insect population that provided food for all of the birds in the national park. But, when he returned in 2018, Lister and his colleague, Andres Garcia, made a shocking discovery - 98 percent of the ground insects had vanished. Lister says that he and Garcia knew right away that something wasn’t right. “We knew that something...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/global-warming-to-blame-for-insect-collapse-in-puerto-rican-rainforest
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GoSun unveils solar cooker that lets you serve up some sizzling meals at night

Related: + Via Solar electric cooking, CES, ces 2019,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/gosun-unveils-solar-cooker-that-lets-you-serve-up-some-sizzling-meals-at-night
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This high-tech LED lighting could grow veggies in space

Move over, freeze-dried foods and Tang. The astronauts of tomorrow may be growing veggies in their spacecraft, and even on the moon and Mars. OSRAM, a global high-tech lighting company, showed off its PHYTOFY horticultural lighting system at this year’s CES.  PHTOFY RL uses LED lights that can be tuned, controlled and scheduled for different research applications. NASA is experimenting with PHYTOFY at the Kennedy Space Center to create plant recipes, which could eventually be used at the international...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-high-tech-led-lighting-could-grow-veggies-in-space
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How to teach children about climate change

As the saying goes, children are our future. Insomuch as they will be the next voice in striving towards a sustainable planet, they must first be aware of the problems and possible solutions. But implying that the earth will eventually burst into a fiery ball and there’s little we can do about it, might not be the best approach. When educating children about climate change it’s important to make sure the information is age appropriate, you use positive, empowering language, and you remember to...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/how-to-teach-children-about-climate-change
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Pet food manufacturers are experimenting with insects instead of meat

It is now a well-established fact that there is a link between human meat consumption and climate change, thanks to the CO2 and methane emissions that come from raising and transporting cattle and pigs. And now, since pets are responsible for 20 percent of global meat consumption, some pet food manufacturers are turning to insects instead of beef to make their products. According to the BBC, one pet food manufacturer says that 40 percent of its new product is made from black soldier flies,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/pet-food-manufacturers-are-experimenting-with-insects-instead-of-meat
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Connecticut could mandate climate change education in schools

Connecticut state Representative Christine Palm, a Democrat from the town of Chester, has proposed a bill in the state legislature that would mandate instruction on climate change in public schools across Connecticut. However, some don’t believe the legislation is necessary because the state already adopted Next Generation Science Standards back in 2015. Those standards already include teaching about climate change, Reuters reports. But, Palm says that a lot of schools make it an elective,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/connecticut-could-mandate-climate-change-education-in-schools
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Eco-friendly Brae restaurant and retreat targets net-zero energy in Australia

Sustainability is woven throughout Brae, a renowned restaurant and retreat nestled on a hillside of a 30-acre organic farm in rural Australia. Designed by Fitzroy-based studio Six Degrees Architects, Brae is best known for its seasonally inspired menu and talented chefs—the restaurant was named among the world’s 50 best restaurants in 2017—however, the idyllic establishment also boasts six eco-friendly guest suites designed to target net-zero energy consumption. Durable and recycled materials...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/eco-friendly-brae-restaurant-and-retreat-targets-net-zero-energy-in-australia
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These are the world's top vegan cities

If traveling is a top priority for you in 2019 - and you follow a vegan diet - there are some cities that are more vegan-friendly than others. Vegan website Happy Cow has compiled a list of the ten most vegan-friendly cities in the world, based on the number of fully-vegan restaurants, the number of vegan-option restaurants, and their impression of overall vegan-friendliness. According to their list, nine of the ten most vegan-friendly cities are in North America and Europe. London At the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-are-the-worlds-top-vegan-cities
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Follow this diet for both personal and planetary health

If you have been looking for the ideal diet for your own personal health that also benefits the planet, a scientific research team from the University of London may have the perfect answer - the “Planetary Health” diet. According to the London scientists, the ideal diet includes doubling your consumption of plant-based foods like nuts, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and cutting your meat and sugar intake in half. The researchers say that if everyone followed this diet, it would prevent...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/follow-this-diet-for-both-personal-and-planetary-health
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Floating private resort in the Maldives is 100% powered by the sun

Basking in the beauty of the Maldives is a luxury that can now be enjoyed in all-inclusive resort powered entirely by solar energy. Opened at the end of 2018, the Kudadoo Maldives Private Resort was designed by New York-based architectural firm Yuji Yamasaki Architecture (YAA) to create a luxury experience guided by eco-conscious principles. The crowning jewel of the resort is The Retreat, a two-story dining and leisure hub topped with a folded roof clad in solar photovoltaic panels. Set...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/floating-private-resort-in-the-maldives-is-100-powered-by-the-sun
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Atolla combines technology with design to customize sustainable skincare

The skincare market has exploded with so many options that sometimes it feels like you need a PhD just to pick the right moisturizer. Costs seems to be rising right along with the breadth of product lines, so the pressure is on to find the right skincare in order to save yourself from money wasted on products that don’t perform for your skin type. <!--more→ One entrepreneur feels your pain. Meghan Maupin, MIT grad and CEO of Atolla skincare, has taken a new approach to the entire...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/atolla-combines-technology-with-design-to-customize-sustainable-skincare
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Essential old-fashioned tools and practices to make your kitchen more sustainable

Between planning meals, dragging home groceries, cooking, and clean up, the kitchen is the hub of activity in most homes. That means it can also be a significant source of waste. However, there are lots of ways to make your kitchen more sustainable. If you’re looking for ways to cut back on disposables and instead invest in products that will serve you for many years, we have some ideas for you to consider. <!--more→ Cast iron skillets and Le Creuset If you have ever used heavy-duty...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/essential-old-fashioned-tools-and-practices-to-make-your-kitchen-more-sustainable
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This tool measures children's connection to nature

Scientists at the University of Hong Kong and the University of Auckland have created a 16-part questionnaire for parents, called the CNI-PPC (Connected to Nature Index-Parents of Preschool Children), to identify how well children in Hong Kong are getting on in relation to nature. One of the densest urban areas on Earth, Hong Kong poses challenges for kids when it comes to connecting with nature, and the scientists are hoping to develop a tool to help with policy changes and interventions...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-tool-measures-childrens-connection-to-nature
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Farming insects too much too fast could create an environmental disaster

The potential of insects as an alternative source of protein is promising. But this week, Swedish scientists warned that more research is needed about the environmental impact of the mass rearing of insects before large-scale production begins if we want to avoid a potential environmental disaster. Writing in the Trends in Ecology & Evolution journal, the researchers explained that there is currently an “overwhelming lack of knowledge” about insects, especially basic things like what...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/farming-insects-too-much-too-fast-could-create-an-environmental-disaster
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An itty-bitty tiny home on wheels is pretty in pink

Related: + Magenta Tiny Home

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-itty-bitty-tiny-home-on-wheels-is-pretty-in-pink
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Nestle ditching plastic straws, water bottles to reduce plastic waste

Nestle, the world’s largest packaged food company, is on a mission to reduce plastic waste. This week, the Swiss group announced that they will be dropping plastic straws from their products, and they are also focused on creating biodegradable water bottles. With environmental groups all over the world advocating for alternatives to single-use plastic, Nestle says these changes are part of a campaign to make all of their packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. And, beginning next month,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/nestle-ditching-plastic-straws-water-bottles-to-reduce-plastic-waste
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Seeds on the moon started to sprout for the first time but quickly died

China has taken a major step toward long-term space exploration. Earlier this month, the Chinese Moon probe Chang’e 4 carried a container with cotton and potato seeds, yeast, and fruit fly eggs to the Moon’s far side (facing away from Earth), and the China National Space Administration says that those seeds have started to sprout. According to the BBC, the project was designed by 28 Chinese universities and the experiment is contained within a canister that is seven inches tall and weighs...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/seeds-on-the-moon-started-to-sprout-for-the-first-time-but-quickly-died
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Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport incorporates natural fibers into body design

A race car made from flax and hemp? Count on Porsche to pull that off. The second generation Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is built with the typical handling and speed capabilities you would expect, with one very different component--body parts derived from natural-composite materials. A first in the racing world, Porsche has sourced natural fibers from agricultural byproducts such as flax and hemp fibers to create the doors and rear wing on the cars. <!--more→ With sustainability...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/porsche-718-cayman-gt4-clubsport-incorporates-natural-fibers-into-body-design
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Jet black lakeside home in the Netherlands designed to embrace the surrounding nature

Related: Via Archdaily

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/jet-black-lakeside-home-in-the-netherlands-designed-to-embrace-the-surrounding-nature
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High-rise living in Utrecht to be transformed by a sustainable vertical village

A trio of high rises are expected to outreach Utretch, Netherland’s tallest building and be a beacon of sustainable urban living in the historic city. The MARK Vertical Village, designed by a consortium of architects and developers, won a recent high-rise development contest and the team plans to break ground starting in 2021. The residential buildings will surround an urban forest and feature extensive greenhouses at their pinnacles. Urban agriculture will also be integrated into every...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/high-rise-living-in-utrecht-to-be-transformed-by-a-sustainable-vertical-village
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Permaculture feeds and empowers refugees in Uganda

Refugees arrive at Palabek refugee camp in Northern Uganda with the clothes on their back and what little they carried. New arrivals, many from South Sudan, receive a tarp, tent poles, water can, cooking pot and a ration card for enough food to make starvation a slow process. While aid agencies swarm Sub-Saharan Africa, home to more than 26 percent of the world’s refugee population, few make their desired impact. But African Women Rising (AWR) is having startling success. The organization educates...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/permaculture-feeds-and-empowers-refugees-in-uganda
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Beautiful tiny home boasts passive design features and resilient materials to withstand frigid climates

Related: The off-grid Eucalyptus tiny home radiates cool, Californian vibes + Minimaliste Houses

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/beautiful-tiny-home-boasts-passive-design-features-and-resilient-materials-to-withstand-frigid-climates
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60% of wild coffee species are now threatened with extinction

When people think of threatened and endangered species, charismatic animals like tigers and giant pandas are usually top of mind. But climate change hits home when it lands in your morning mug. Coffea arabica, the wild relative of the world’s favorite coffee, has hit the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™. According to a study done by scientists at England’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 60% of wild coffee species risk extinction. The culprits?...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/60-of-wild-coffee-species-are-now-threatened-with-extinction
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Lawmakers are pushing gadget manufacturers with the Right to Repair movement

The amount of electronics that we are throwing away each year is growing at an exponential rate, and this toxic trash is hazardous to both people and the planet. What are we supposed to do when our smartphones or other gadgets stop working? According to lawmakers in the United States and Europe, there is one option that should be available instead of getting rid of them - fix them. Lawmakers in at least 18 states - and the European Parliament - believe that manufacturers should make it a priority...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/lawmakers-are-pushing-gadget-manufacturers-with-the-right-to-repair-movement
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UK's Guardian switches to biodegradable wrapping for newspapers

The Guardian - a national newspaper in the UK - has ditched its polythene packaging and replaced it with a compostable wrapper in an effort to reduce plastic waste. The newspaper and its inserts are now packaged in a clear, biodegradable material made from potato starch that will completely compost in just six months. The choice to scrap the plastic packaging makes The Guardian the first national newspaper in the United Kingdom to make such a switch, following publications like the National...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/uks-guardian-switches-to-biodegradable-wrapping-for-newspapers
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Solar-powered floating hotel room is designed to pop up anywhere on water

Valencia-based architecture firm Mano De Santo has proposed a plug-and-play hotel room that could be easily transported and installed thanks to its modular, off-grid design. Dubbed the Punta de Mar Marina Lodge, the conceptual floating pavilion is a sustainable tourism initiative that targets low environmental impact. Powered with solar energy, the Punta de Mar Marina Lodge would offer a private and luxurious experience for two on the water. Unveiled last year, the Punta de Mar Marina Lodge...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-floating-hotel-room-is-designed-to-pop-up-anywhere-on-water
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Perkins+Wills University of Hawaii building is an eco-conscious beacon in West Oahu

The University of Hawaii West Oahu has gained a new Perkins+Will-designed addition that’s not only visually striking, but is also site specific to Kapolei, a planned community on the island of Oahu. Created in collaboration with Hawaii-based KYA Design Group, the campus building offers a mix of workspaces and learning spaces for students, faculty, and staff. All parts of the University of Hawaii’s new Administration and Allied Health Building was inspired by the site context, from the siting...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/perkinswills-university-of-hawaii-building-is-an-eco-conscious-beacon-in-west-oahu
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A Victorian cottage gets a stylish and sustainable makeover

In one of their latest eco-conscious retrofits, Australian architecture firm Green Sheep Collective has given a single-fronted timber Victorian cottage a sustainable transformation in inner Melbourne. The renovation and expansion project combined recycled and eco-certified materials with low-tech, passive solar principles to reduce the carbon footprint of the home while improving livability. Filled with light and contemporary flourishes, the updated house—named Magnolia Soul—has also been designed...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-victorian-cottage-gets-a-stylish-and-sustainable-makeover
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7 ways to conserve water and reduce your water footprint

When it comes to conserving water, making small changes can have a huge impact. But, many of us don’t really think about water shortages unless we are in the middle of a heatwave, when temperatures are consistently at 85 degrees or more. But, extreme heat or not, the water system is overstretched. And, with climate change, we can expect to put even more pressure on the depleting water supply. According to Friends of the Earth, 97.5 percent of the world’s water is locked in oceans and seas,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/7-ways-to-conserve-water-and-reduce-your-water-footprint
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Gorgeous cedar-clad tiny home designed to withstand Ontario's frigid winters

Related: 8 inspiring tiny Airbnb homes for a taste of living small + Platform 1346 Platform 1346, WWII train car conversion

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/gorgeous-cedar-clad-tiny-home-designed-to-withstand-ontarios-frigid-winters
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Adaptable home brings together multiple generations under a solar roof

When local design studio Jost Architects was approached to design a home in Kew East, Melbourne, the firm not only navigated a challengingly complex site, but also designed for multigenerational living that wouldn’t feel claustrophobic. The result is an adaptable 358-square-meter home spread out across three floors and designed to harmonize with its surroundings. Moreover, the Kew East House was also crafted with a reduced energy footprint thanks to the use of passive solar principles and solar...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/adaptable-home-brings-together-multiple-generations-under-a-solar-roof
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Prefab timber complex shows off net-zero energy technologies in Beijing

Beijing-based architecture firm SUP Atelier has completed the Xuhui Demonstrative Project, a solar-powered community complex that serves as a demonstration project for net-zero energy technologies in Beijing. Built to follow BREEAM and LEED standards, the complex boasts an array of sustainable features ranging from low-waste prefabrication to green roofs. Real-time monitoring and smart automation optimize energy savings and comfort levels. Commissioned by Xuhui Group’s Beijing office for...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/prefab-timber-complex-shows-off-net-zero-energy-technologies-in-beijing
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From farm to table, sustainability shines at the Belle Mont Farm eco resort

Anyone who has savored the beauty of the Caribbean can attest to its splendor. Not only are there amazing coastlines, beaches, and warm inviting water, but the islands in the area are accustomed to managing limited resources and are naturally focused towards sustainable development. One resort has taken steps to lead the way in creating an earth-friendly luxury option. <!--more→ The Belle Mont Farm on the island of St. Kitts, West Indies is a lush sanctuary that incompasses a highly...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/from-farm-to-table-sustainability-shines-at-the-belle-mont-farm-eco-resort
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1942 army train car used in WWII gains a new life as a beautiful tiny home

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/1942-army-train-car-used-in-wwii-gains-a-new-life-as-a-beautiful-tiny-home
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Oceans warming 40 percent faster than previously thought

After discrepancies between climate models that projected higher levels of ocean warming and the observational data that resulted in lower temperatures, a new article published last week in Science showed that the world’s oceans are warming about forty percent faster than previously thought.  Apparently, the higher numbers were right, and even though this gives scientists a better understanding of climate change, the reality of the situation could be alarming for marine life and coastal residents. "The...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/oceans-warming-40-percent-faster-than-previously-thought
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Deforestation could wipe out over 50 percent of species in Haiti

According to new research from Temple University scientist Blair Hedges, the Caribbean island nation of Haiti is undergoing a mass extinction event, and the country is close to losing its rich biodiversity. Hedges - who has spent decades in Haiti’s rain forests - says that the results of his latest study are shocking. In a paper recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Hedges and his co-authors revealed that Haiti, which was once full of lush trees and teeming...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/deforestation-could-wipe-out-over-50-percent-of-species-in-haiti
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Kick your cold to the curb with these natural cold remedies

Have you ever wondered if natural cold remedies really work? When you catch a cold, chances are you are going to be sick for a week or two. But you don’t have to be miserable. There is no cure for the common cold, but there are natural ways to help yourself feel better faster. Here are some of the most common natural cold remedies that actually work, and what they do to help ease those cold symptoms. Vitamin C There is no proof that Vitamin C prevents colds, but it does boost your immune system....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/kick-your-cold-to-the-curb-with-these-natural-cold-remedies
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100architects upcycles phone booths into resourceful community hubs

When was the last time you stepped into a phone booth? If you’re under 30, you might not even be aware that phone booths used to be on nearly every street corner as a means to contact your parents after the football game or call a taxi after dinner. Of course, there are those scenes from the original Superman that might jog your memory. Once cell phones became mainstream, the empty phone booths became easy fodder for graffiti, pollution, and public urinal use. But while the era of the phone booth...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/100architects-upcycles-phone-booths-into-resourceful-community-hubs
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Award-winning innovation center harnesses recycled rainwater and solar energy

Rio de Janeiro-based architecture firm Atelier77 recently completed CASA FIRJAN, an innovation center that’s been turning heads for its award-winning design and sustainable attributes. Recently crowned the Best New Building in the Annual Award of the Architect’s Institute of Rio de Janeiro, the project is a contemporary counterpart to the Palacete Linneo de Paula Machado, a historic twentieth-century building with French-inspired architecture. CASA FIRJAN has raised the cultural cachet of the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/award-winning-innovation-center-harnesses-recycled-rainwater-and-solar-energy
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Metal-clad Eco Cottage puts a modern spin on Irish rural architecture

Ballymoney-based sustainable architecture firm 2020 Architects has completed a new contemporary and low-energy home that offers a refreshing and sustainable take on the typical rural architecture found across Northern Ireland. Located in the coastal fishing village of Ardglass, the Black Cottage (also known as the Eco Cottage) champions low-cost construction and energy efficiency with its simple material palette and highly insulated timber frame. The project is clad in cost-effective black corrugated...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/metal-clad-eco-cottage-puts-a-modern-spin-on-irish-rural-architecture
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This luxurious tiny home is powered by Southern Californian sunshine

Who says a tiny house can’t be luxurious? Certainly not David Latimer and Taylor Mallon of New Frontier, designers of this comfortable and alluring solar-powered tiny home. The contemporary farmhouse style of their Orchid House allows for off-grid living without sacrificing comfort, and its entirely solar-powered. Though it was build it Nashville, the Orchid House currently resides on a undeveloped piece of property in the Southern California. The owner is an LA-based artist who decided a tiny...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-luxurious-tiny-home-is-powered-by-southern-californian-sunshine
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Greenhouse gas emissions rose during 2018 after three year decline

After declining for three years, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States rose sharply in 2018. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), power generation, natural gas, and oil consumption resulted in an emissions increase of 3.4 percent, marking the second largest annual gain since 1996. The only year that emissions increased at a more significant rate was 2010 when emissions went up 3.6 percent after a huge recession-driven decline the year before. Even...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/greenhouse-gas-emissions-rose-during-2018-after-three-year-decline
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California's "Skip the Slip" bill pushes for digital receipts

A legislator in the California Assembly has introduced a bill that, if passed, would require retailers to make digital receipts the default instead of paper. California Assemblyman Phil Ting (D - San Francisco) has introduced AB 161 - nicknamed “Skip the Slip.” And, if it becomes law, it would be the first of its kind in the United States. According to the web page for the bill, each year up to 10 million trees in the US are used to make the paper for receipts, and the process also takes...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/californias-skip-the-slip-bill-pushes-for-digital-receipts
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Iguanas reintroduced to island after 200 years

In 1835, Charles Darwin was the last person to officially see a land iguana on Santiago Island in the Galapagos. After that encounter, predators like the feral pig wiped the lizard out of that location. Now - nearly two centuries later - an initiative by the Galapagos National Park authority has reintroduced more than 1,400 land iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus) back to Santiago Island. Authorities said in a recent statement that on January 3rd and 4th, the land iguanas were taken from neighboring...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/iguanas-reintroduced-to-island-after-200-years
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Win a trip for two to Buenos Aires, Argentina!

Ready to tango in Argentina's capital city? Get ready to embrace local culture, food and wine on the trip of a lifetime to Buenos Aires. Keep reading to find out how to win a trip for two. We've partnered with General Assembly to offer a lucky reader the chance to win a trip for two to Buenos Aires, including a $1,000 airline credit, four nights at a boutique hotel, a tapas tasting street food tour, a traditional dinner and tango show as well as a walking tour of some of the city's stories...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/win-a-trip-for-two-to-buenos-aires-argentina
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These AI-powered cameras can sense poachers and save wildlife

Animal poaching is on the rise as people find interest in ivory, fur, skins and more for their financial value. Previous technologies have tried to capture poachers in the act, but often failed because the poachers could ping cell towers and find (and avoid) the tracking technology. Now, Intel is debuting a smart system of cameras that relies on radio frequencies and artificial intelligence to catch the criminals and save the wildlife. We gave this technology a go at CES 2019, and here is how it...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-ai-powered-cameras-can-sense-poachers-and-save-wildlife
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Foie gras ban in California stands after court battle

The foie gras ban in California continues. After six years of court battles, the United States Supreme Court announced earlier this week that it would not hear a challenge to the state’s 2004 ban on the production and sale of foie gras, and that means that the 2017 ruling to uphold the ban will stand. Foie gras, which means “fatty liver” is butter-rich duck or goose liver that has been especially fattened, and it is a popular delicacy in French cuisine. Traditionally, it is seared and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/foie-gras-ban-in-california-stands-after-court-battle
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New library in Hanoi aims to show young children the benefits of aquaponics in an urban setting

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-library-in-hanoi-aims-to-show-young-children-the-benefits-of-aquaponics-in-an-urban-setting
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These are the most endangered species in the world

At the end of 2018, scientists announced that three bird species went extinct, and there are even more species that could vanish in 2019. Unlike past mass extinctions - which were the result of things like asteroid strikes and volcanic eruptions - the current crisis is mostly caused by human activities that have led to a loss of habitat. And, the Earth is currently losing animal species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the natural rate, which means we could see 30 to 50 percent of the planet’s species...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-are-the-most-endangered-species-in-the-world
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A bivouac is lightly perched on a rocky peak of the Italian Alps

Related: + Roberto Dini + Stefano Girodo Via Archdaily Bivouac Luca Pasqualetti at Morion

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-bivouac-is-lightly-perched-on-a-rocky-peak-of-the-italian-alps
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Fiat Chrysler pays millions to settle emissions charges

Fiat Chrysler has reached a settlement with the Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the owners of about 100,000 of their diesel-powered Jeep SUV’s and Ram pickups. After facing charges that the company had sold diesel vehicles in the United States that had improper software - allowing it to violate emissions rules - Fiat Chrysler has agreed to pay $800 million to settle the matter. The automaker will pay different state and federal agencies approximately $400...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/fiat-chrysler-pays-millions-to-settle-emissions-charges
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Dangerous jellyfish have invaded Australian beaches

Bluebottle jellyfish have invaded Australia’s Gold and Sunshine Coasts. This past weekend, the jellyfish (also known as the Portuguese man-of-war) stung more than 5,000 people, and many of the victims weren’t even in the water. Just walking on one bluebottle jellyfish on the beach can bring the pain, and due to strong north-easterly swell conditions, the jellyfish have been pushed to shore. “I have never seen anything like this — ever. Not everyone reacts the same way, but there have...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/dangerous-jellyfish-have-invaded-australias-gold-and-sunshine-coasts
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Californias Monarch butterfly population hits 'potentially catastrophic' low in 2018

California’s Monarch butterfly population hit a record low in 2018 after dropping a whopping 86 percent from the previous year. According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, the total population has declined 97 percent since the 1980s, but this latest one year drop is “potentially catastrophic.” In the western part of the United States, monarchs migrate to California for the winter, traveling from Idaho and Utah. In 2017, the traditional California coastal sites like...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/californias-monarch-butterfly-population-hits-potentially-catastrophic-low-in-2018
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Trump threatens to halt federal disaster relief funding for California wildfires

President Trump has threatened to withhold federal disaster aid from California after a series of deadly wildfires devastated the state. For months, the POTUS has accused California of bringing the wildfires on itself because of poor forest management. But in a recent tweet, he took things further by threatening to halt federal aid, and this drew criticism from lawmakers in his own political party. “Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forest fires that, with proper Forest...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/trump-threatens-to-halt-federal-disaster-relief-funding-for-california-wildfires
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Former camping site turned into gorgeous family home clad in charred wood and natural stone

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/former-camping-site-turned-into-gorgeous-family-home-clad-in-charred-wood-and-natural-stone
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11 ways to be more self-sufficient in the new year

Self-sufficient living is all about providing for your own needs - and the needs of your household - without resources or help from the outside. To become more self-sufficient, you need knowledge and skills, plus motivation and a spirit of independence. The reasons for living a self-sufficient lifestyle can be political, social, or personal. But, whatever the motivation, learning how to become self-sufficient can offer a feeling of security, even in the event of a disaster. There isn’t a...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/11-ways-to-be-more-self-sufficient-in-the-new-year
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MVRDV proposes a glowing Times Square Taiwan with interactive media facades

Prolific Dutch architecture firm MVRDV has unveiled a bold proposal to transform Taipei’s Main Station into a “Times Square for Taiwan.” Designed as part of a consortium led by Nan Hai Development, the Taipei Twin Towers aim to reactivate the area with two high-rises clad in interactive media facades. The mixed-use project would offer new retail, office space, two cinemas, and two hotels, in addition to the unification and redevelopment of the existing plazas. Located on the east...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mvrdv-proposes-a-glowing-times-square-taiwan-with-interactive-media-facades
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Net-zero home is designed to blend in with its natural, protected landscape

Related: + Project Architecture Via Archdaily Project Architecture, Tung House

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/net-zero-home-is-designed-to-blend-in-with-its-natural-protected-landscape
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An adaptable timber house celebrates recycling in Ecuador

Ecuadorian architecture firm Natura Futura Arquitectura has teamed up with Frontera Sur Arquitectura to develop an inspiring example of social architecture in the town of Huaquillas, Ecuador. Dubbed La Comuna, the project is a double-story timber structure that not only provides a local family a place to live, but also a safer work environment for them to continue their recycling business. The building was constructed with six easily replicable modules that take inspiration from the local vernacular...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-adaptable-timber-house-celebrates-recycling-in-ecuador
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7 of the biggest eco-friendly and green living myths

When you decide to go green and adopt a sustainable lifestyle, you might think that some of the biggest steps you can take in the right direction are doing things like buying a hybrid car, dropping meat from your diet, or using eco-friendly products. But, over the years, we have been inundated with eco-friendly messages that are easily taken for granted, and some of them are filled with misinformation. So, to help you go green the right way, here is a list of seven of the biggest green myths that...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/7-of-the-biggest-eco-friendly-and-green-living-myths
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Recyclable art pavilion made of mesh pops up in Kolkata

West Bengal’s biggest annual festival recently saw the addition of an strikingly contemporary pavilion that’s 100 percent recyclable in Kolkata, India. Designed by Abin Chaudhuri of the firm Abin Design Studio, the metal mesh pavilion was one of many temporary pavilions—or pandals—constructed to honor the goddess Durga as part of a five-day Hindu festival called Durga Puja. Unlike the other pandals, which are typically built of natural materials and reference traditional motifs and artworks,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/recyclable-art-pavilion-made-of-mesh-pops-up-in-kolkata
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This aerodynamic tiny home embraces flexible indoor-outdoor living

As anyone in the tiny home community knows, space comes at a premium. Most tiny home inhabitants look for ways to incorporate nature and the outside world into their living space. French tiny home builder Ty Rodou has made this goal easier with the release of the Ty Bombadil tiny home. This tiny home offers a breezy outdoor feel along with a very desirable feature -- an additional deck to provide outdoor living space. <!--more→ Of course, there is no reason to escape the indoor space,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-aerodynamic-tiny-home-embraces-flexible-indoor-outdoor-living
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Endangered bluefin tuna sold for $3.1 billion to sushi tycoon

A recent predawn auction at Tokyo’s new fish market brought a record-breaking bid for the endangered bluefin tuna. Sushi tycoon Kiyoshi Kimura, who owns the Sushi Zanmai chain, paid $3.1 million for the enormous fish, more than double the price from five years ago. Kimura’s Kiyomura Corp has won the annual action in the past, but the high price of the tuna this year definitely surprised the sushi king. But, he says “the quality of the tuna I bought is the best.” The 612-pound (278 kg)...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/endangered-bluefin-tuna-sold-for-3-1-billion-to-sushi-tycoon
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Precycle, a zero-waste grocery store, opens in Brooklyn

For many of us, a trip to the grocery store results in a ton of waste, thanks to the mountain of plastic bags and food packaging. But some stores are trying to change that by going zero-waste and selling in bulk. Precycle is a zero-waste grocery store in Brooklyn that has opened for business, and they are avoiding all plastic by having their customers buy food from bulk containers. Katerina Bogatireva, the owner of Precycle, is from Latvia, and she says that in her home country food waste is not...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/precycle-a-zero-waste-grocery-store-opens-in-brooklyn
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Millions of Christmas candles are heading to the landfill this month

The holiday season has come and gone, but part of our Christmas decorations will be here forever - or at least 1,000 years. Millions of candles are heading to the landfill this January, and when it comes to holiday waste, candles are some of the worst offenders says a new report from business waste management service BusinessWaste.co.uk. The popularity of candles is soaring. Not only were they on-trend for Christmas gifts, but the Scandinavian trend of “hygge” is also playing a big part in...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/millions-of-christmas-candles-are-heading-to-the-landfill-this-month
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Historic apartment is rehabbed into a bright and modern home in Barcelona

In Barcelona, Spain, a historic apartment in a block of flats dating back to 1900 has been transformed into a minimalist and modern home. Local design studio Alventosa Morell Arquitectes directed the renovation for clients who wanted a completely renewed space with greater access to daylight. Completed in 2017, the project, called the TS01 Interior Refurbishment, not only offers improved access to natural light and ventilation, but also uncovers original architectural details. Located in...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/historic-apartment-is-rehabbed-into-a-bright-and-modern-home-in-barcelona
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This AI food truck could bring fresh produce directly to you

It’s no secret that artificial intelligence is trending worldwide, which is why it is also a prominent component of CES 2019. But as interest in futuristic tech grows, so does consumer interest in fresh, local food. The farm-to-table concept continues to gain popularity, which is why Panasonic has proposed an innovative mash-up of these two seemingly polar opposites — an AI mobile delivery service that operates like an ice cream truck to bring local fruits, vegetables and other grocery items...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-ai-food-truck-could-bring-fresh-produce-directly-to-you
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An old post office is reborn as a bright and breezy beach house

A former post office has been revived as a bright and breezy beach house in Breamlea, Australia. Designed by St. Kilda-based design firm OOF! Architecture, the modern makeover—dubbed the Green Shutter House—was created for clients who had already adapted the post office into a home but were frustrated with the building’s lack of connection with the outdoors. The renovation process opened the front of the house up to waterfront views while introducing more natural light and ventilation to the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/an-old-post-office-is-reborn-as-a-bright-and-breezy-beach-house
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Faux fur or real fur, which one is better for the planet?

Remember the days when anti-fur advocates would sling red paint onto the fur-clad fashion elite? The fur debate has come a long way since then, with many key players in the fashion world now becoming some of the biggest voices in the anti-fur movement. But, instead of ditching fur altogether, some brands have switched to lavish faux fur options, and that has pivoted the discussion. Instead of focusing on ethics and animal welfare, the issue is now environmental sustainability. Over the past couple...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/faux-fur-or-real-fur-which-one-is-better-for-the-planet
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Snhetta designs healing forest cabins for patients at Norways largest hospitals

Patients at two of Norway’s largest hospitals can now find respite in Snøhetta’s newly unveiled Outdoor Care Retreats. Designed for the Friluftssykehuset Foundation, the forest retreats offer a calm getaway where patients and their loved ones can benefit from the therapeutic qualities of nature. One of the retreats is located about a hundred meters from the entrance of Norway’s largest hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, while its sister building is set near a woodland pond...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/snohetta-designs-healing-forest-cabins-for-patients-at-norways-largest-hospitals
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Potato peels offer a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials

Many of the typical building materials used in construction - like medium-density fiberboard (MDF) - contain toxic materials and formaldehyde, plus they have a shockingly short lifespan and a negative environmental impact. But now there is a new option to these single-use materials - potato waste. London-based designers Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll and research scientist Greg Cooper have developed Chip[s] Board, which is a biodegradable alternative to MDF that is made from non-food-grade industrial...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/potato-peels-offer-a-sustainable-alternative-to-traditional-building-materials
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Californias largest utility company plans massive sale of natural gas division

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), California’s largest utility, is exploring the possibility of selling off a major part of the company, according to a new report. Thanks to the massive liability costs that they could be facing for their possible culpability in recent deadly wildfires, PG&E has a strategic plan called “Project Falcon” to cover costs and avoid bankruptcy. This plan would involve the company selling its natural gas division and then using the proceeds to pay the potential...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/californias-largest-utility-company-plans-massive-sale-of-natural-gas-division
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Solar-powered glass cafe overlooks a green lung in Jerusalem

Sacher Park, the largest public park in the center of Jerusalem, Israel, has recently gained a new cafe that embraces its green surroundings with walls of glass and an environmentally sensitive design. Israeli design studio Yaniv Pardo Architects created the Sacher Park Cafe, a coffee shop that’s powered entirely with solar energy. Completed in September 2018, the coffee shop is the first phase of larger scheme to revitalize Sacher Park. Spanning an area of 250 square meters, the Sacher...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-glass-cafe-overlooks-a-green-lung-in-jerusalem
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We tried the new Impossible Burger at CES heres what we thought

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 is in full swing in Las Vegas. While smart home technology, televisions and wearable tech takes center stage, many surprising innovations are grabbing media attention. Take, for instance, the latest iteration of an Inhabitat favorite — the Impossible Burger. We tried the newest recipe from Impossible at this year’s CES; keep reading for our thoughts. Delicious in tacos or served as a classic burger, the Impossible Burger has become a favorite...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/we-tried-the-new-impossible-burger-at-ces-heres-what-we-thought
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Heritage Melbourne home is reborn as a modern dwelling filled with light and views

Fitzroy-based design studio Field Office Architecture has given a small 19th-century Victorian terrace a contemporary facelift with walls of double-glazed glass and crisp, clean lines throughout. Dubbed the Clifton Hill House after the suburb in which it resides, the compact home sits at the end of a row of similar heritage houses and had been given many ad-hoc renovations over the years. The architects stripped back all of the additions to bring in light and views, while improving the home’s energy...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/heritage-melbourne-home-is-reborn-as-a-modern-dwelling-filled-with-light-and-views
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Tuck into these off-grid meditation cabins proposed for rural Latvia

Bee Breeders and Lauku Tea have recently announced winners of their Silent Meditation Forest Cabins competition, an open international contest seeking designs for off-the-grid meditation cabins in rural Latvia. Launched in search of eco-friendly and cost-effective proposals for compact and easily replicable cabins, the competition asked designers to propose a series of all-season cabins that could comfortably house a single person for nearly a week, have enough room for meditation activities and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/tuck-into-these-off-grid-meditation-cabins-proposed-for-rural-latvia
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Triple-skin facade brings daylight, fresh air and beauty to a tropical home

Hanoi-based design studio Nghia Architect has completed Maison A, a beautiful home that brings to life the cherished childhood memories of the client. Located in Nam Định, a coastal village southeast of Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi, the house was created for the client’s aging mother and is large enough to accommodate her children and grandchildren who visit during the holidays. Inspired by the traditional countryside vernacular, Maison A is built for comfortable modern living and features a...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/triple-skin-facade-brings-daylight-fresh-air-and-beauty-to-a-tropical-home
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Zero-waste packaging is coming to a freezer aisle near you

This past year frozen food made a comeback thanks to healthier and tastier options hitting your grocer’s freezer, and the debunking of the myth that fresh is always healthier than frozen. For the first time in five years the frozen food market has grown, and consumers are starting to see frozen products as a healthy option for easy meal prep. In recent years, frozen food companies have shortened their ingredients list by removing artificial ingredients from frozen dinners and meal kits, and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/zero-waste-packaging-is-coming-to-a-freezer-aisle-near-you
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Get cozy this season with these 7 hot vegan drinks for winter

Thoughts of crisp fall nights and snowy winter days bring to mind snuggling by the fire, slippers, sweaters, blankets and warm drinks. It makes sense since they are the perfect combination of coziness. While traditional tea or coffee is a lovely choice, it’s fun to explore new flavors. For those that are vegan by choice or by circumstance, traditional drinks can be limiting so we’ve conjured up a varied blend of hot drink options to fit your vegan lifestyle. Note that most of these options can...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/get-cozy-this-season-with-these-7-hot-vegan-drinks-for-winter
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Farmhouse-inspired family home combines salvaged and sustainable materials

Salvaged materials from a century-old farmhouse and barn have been given new life as Ben’s Barn, a spacious family home in Kennebunk, Maine that takes inspiration from New England’s rural architecture. Designed by Portland, Maine-based architecture practice Caleb Johnson Studio for a young family, Ben’s Barn was constructed with a mix of reclaimed materials sourced not only from the former farmhouse and barn that had stood on another portion of the site, but also from a mid-century modern teardown...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/farmhouse-inspired-family-home-combines-salvaged-and-sustainable-materials
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Veganism on the rise, record number of sign-ups for Veganuary

Could 2019 be the year of the vegan? This past week, people all over the world promised to make lifestyle changes with various new year’s resolutions. And, this January, more people than ever have pledged to go meat-free - for at least a month. A movement known as Veganuary started five years ago, and each year the number of participants committing to a plant-based diet during the first month of the year has more than doubled. This year, more than 250,000 people in 193 countries have signed...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/veganism-on-the-rise-record-number-of-sign-ups-for-veganuary
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17 easy ways to upcycle worn out sweaters

Wardrobe upcycling is nothing new. After all, when you think about it, clothing is made from cloth. Lots of other things are made from cloth. So when your clothes have served their functional purpose as attire, why not use that material for other things? Sweaters are a great example of apparel that can be given new life in a variety of ways. From leg warmers to satchels, the pieces and parts of your old sweater will serve a new purpose. If you’re onboard with refusing to trash that old sweater...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/17-easy-ways-to-upcycle-worn-out-sweaters
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Historic hotels in Spain switch to renewable energy in the new year

A state-owned chain of historic hotels in Spain is going green in 2019 and setting an example for the rest of the country. The Paradores hotel brand - which are grand hotels housed in ancient castles and monasteries - has announced that starting this year all 97 of their properties will use electricity from renewable resources. “Paradores is a company that supports sustainable tourism in every sense of the word,” said company chair, Óscar López Águeda. “What’s more, as a public company,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/historic-hotels-in-spain-switch-to-renewable-energy-in-the-new-year
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9 sustainable living tips to take from our grandparents

Our grandparents and great-grandparents lived in a simpler time, and we aren’t just talking about technology. During the Great Depression, many rural areas didn’t have running water and electricity, and things like proper refrigeration, freezers, or air conditioning were a luxury. What’s more, big-box chains and massive supermarkets didn’t exist, and you didn’t have the option of throwing a pre-packaged meal into a microwave or hitting a drive-thru for lunch. Many modern conveniences...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/9-sustainable-living-tips-to-take-from-our-grandparents
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Sean Parker's wedding violations result in new app for California coastline

What started out as a high-profile beachside wedding turned into a useful and long-term solution to beach access issues along the California coastline. When Napster founder and original president of Facebook, Sean Parker, started planning his 2013 beachfront wedding to then fiance Alexandra Lenas, he had no idea that he was breaking usage rules. With a redwood grove in mind, he simply leased the space from the hotel that fringed the area. He then spent months having the perfect set built. It included...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/sean-parkers-wedding-violations-result-in-new-app-for-california-coastline
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New York City bans polystyrene foam starting January 1

New York City has officially become the largest jurisdiction in the United States to ban polystyrene foam food and beverage containers. On January 1st, the city’s new policy went into effect after a five-year lobbying and litigation effort from the plastics industry to upend the city’s environmental initiative. Back in 2013, the City Council authorized the statute that states NYC restaurants, food vendors, and stores can’t possess, sell, or offer polystyrene foam containers for food and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-york-city-bans-polystyrene-foam-staring-january-1
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MVRDV to transform an Amsterdam office complex into a green residential zone

In response to Amsterdam’s increasing housing demands, prolific Dutch architecture firm MVRDV has designed Westerpark West, a sustainable proposal to transform the former ING office complex into a new residential zone flush with green space. Located in the Amsterdam Brettenzone, directly west of the city’s popular Westerpark, MVRDV’s master plan envisions a neighborhood of approximately 750 homes that will range in size, building typology, and price. Westerpark West will also follow an “innovative...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mvrdv-to-transform-an-amsterdam-office-complex-into-a-green-residential-zone
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National Parks are being trashed during the government shutdown

As the government shutdown continues, many National Parks are suffering from a lack of staff, as well as a complete disregard for the rules by visitors. According to multiple reports, some parks - like Yosemite National Park in California - are being overwhelmed by trash, vandalism, human waste, and destructive off-roading. “It’s a free-for-all,” says Yosemite worker Dakota Snider, who added that the heartbreaking situation is the worst he has seen in his four years living there. The...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/national-parks-are-being-trashed-during-the-government-shutdown
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7 eco-friendly insulation alternatives for a green home

Insulation is an important part of any home. Not only does it retain heat during the winter by restricting air flow, but it also reduces the cost of heating and cooling throughout the year. For more than a century, most new homes were built with fiberglass insulation, but that has caused some problems. Fiberglass consists of plastic layers that are reinforced by a blend of recycled materials, like glass and sand. While that helps with conserving energy, the particles in fiberglass insulation can...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/7-eco-friendly-insulation-alternatives-for-a-green-home
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Solar-Powered smart home in LA can be remotely controlled with a phone

Los Angeles-based general contractor and real estate development firm LA Build Corp has recently completed a single-family custom home that combines luxury modern design with energy-saving smart home technologies. Located in West Hollywood’s Kilkea Drive, the contemporary dwelling is equipped with a full home automation system that allows the homeowners to control multiple aspects of the house—from the sound systems to the window shades—with a touch of a button on their smartphones. The house...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-smart-home-in-la-can-be-remotely-controlled-with-a-phone
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UK bans pet stores from selling puppies, kittens

In an attempt to protect animals from exploitation, the United Kingdom has passed a new law banning third-party commercial retailers from selling puppies and kittens. The UK government wants to crack down on “puppy farms” and make things more difficult for dealers who seem to have no regard for animal welfare. There was overwhelming public support for the ban of third-party sales, and Animal Welfare Minister David Rutley says that the new law “is part of our commitment to make sure the nation’s...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/uk-bans-pet-stores-from-selling-puppies-kittens
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Massive shipping container shopping center to pop up in Warsaw

Nearly three hundred shipping containers may soon be given a new lease on life as a massive pop-up shopping center in downtown Warsaw, Poland. Designed by local architecture practice Szcz and commissioned by investor Nowa Epoka Handlu, the cargotecture proposal would transform a 2.6-acre site into one of the world’s largest shipping container retail complexes. Named Implant, the three-story modular building would house approximately 80 tenants and host mixed programming from retail and restaurants...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/massive-shipping-container-shopping-center-to-pop-up-in-warsaw
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Gorgeous new Apple store is powered entirely by renewable energy in Paris

The latest Apple store designed by Foster + Partners has opened in a beautifully renovated 19th-century building on Paris’s Champs-Élysées. Powered with 100 percent renewable energy, Apple Champs-Élysées draws energy from the photovoltaic panels integrated into its kaleidoscopic roof light and collects rainwater for reuse in the bathrooms and irrigation systems. Described by Apple as the tech company’s “grandest Forum,” the retail location blends historic architecture with contemporary...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/gorgeous-new-apple-store-is-powered-entirely-by-renewable-energy-in-paris
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Tham & Videgrd Arkitekter designs Swedish vertical village built from CLT

Stockholm-based architecture practice Tham & Videgård Arkitekter has unveiled designs for a new housing typology in Gothenburg, Sweden, that will be built from cross-laminated timber. Named the “vertical village,” the project is a “solid timber” iteration of the firm’s previous development by the same name that had been designed for Stockholm in 2009. Like its predecessor, the Gothenburg “vertical village” champions a dense and family-centric development built around a series of...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/tham-videgard-arkitekter-designs-swedish-vertical-village-built-from-clt
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