Minnesota lawmakers to pay homeowners for bee gardens

New legislation is awaiting the governor’s approval that will provide financial support for homeowners who want to transform their yards into bee-friendly gardens. The bill totals $900,000 and will up to 70 percent of the expenses associated with transitioning outdoor space into a flowering garden that attracts the indigenous and endangered rusty patch bumble bee. The endangered rusty patch bumble bee Like most bees, the rusty patch bumble bee population is declining rapidly. It is indigenous...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/minnesota-lawmakers-to-pay-homeowners-for-bee-gardens
via Inhabitat

Your guide to eco-friendly toothpastes

If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking for ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. You probably eat organic when you can, you remember to bring tote bags to the grocery store more often than not and you might even look into sustainable fashion brands. Cosmetics and toiletries are a major source of chemicals, but they can be hard to switch over to. Here is a guide of some of the best and worst eco-friendly toothpaste options, as well as a step-by-step guide for your transition. Baby...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/your-guide-to-eco-friendly-toothpastes
via Inhabitat

Philippine students must plant 10 trees to graduate, new law says

The Philippine Senate passed a new law passed this month requiring all students to plant one tree in order to graduate. The program would total about 525 billion trees planted across one generation of students. The “Graduation Legacy for the Environment Act,” championed by Congressman Gary Alejano encourages intergenerational collaboration and responsibility for the future of the environment. The Act encompasses 12 million elementary school graduates, 5 million high school graduates and half...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/philippine-students-must-plant-10-trees-to-graduate-new-law-says
via Inhabitat

MAD unveils an energy-saving snowflake-shaped terminal for Harbin Airport

MAD Architects has unveiled a snowflake-shaped design for Terminal 3 of Harbin Taiping International Airport that draws inspiration from the region’s snowy landscape and boasts greater operational efficiency and energy savings as compared to typical terminal architecture.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mad-unveils-an-energy-saving-snowflake-shaped-terminal-for-harbin-airport
via Inhabitat

Treehouses made from shipping containers offer the ultimate glamping getaway in Portugal

Looking for respite from the noise and stress of the big city? Check out these gorgeous shipping containers treehouses located in Portugal.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/treehouses-made-from-shipping-containers-offer-the-ultimate-glamping-getaway-in-portugal
via Inhabitat

Korvaa is the worlds first headphones grown from bio-based materials

Move over plastic and aluminum—the headphones of the future may be built from fungus and biosynthetic spider silk. Helsinki-based multidisciplinary design studio Aivan recently unveiled Korvaa, the world’s first headset made exclusively from microbially grown materials. Created using Synbio (short for “synthetic biology”, an interdisciplinary branch of biology and engineering), Korvaa is the first physical implementation of the technology and marks a potential shift away from a fossil-based...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/korvaa-is-the-worlds-first-headphones-grown-from-bio-based-materials
via Inhabitat

Colorado city to be the first to run on 100 percent renewable energy

Like many cities around the world, Glenwood Springs, Colorado has set a goal to run on renewable energy. But instead of picking a date a year or two ahead, they’re going renewable now. As of June 1, Glenwood Springs will become the seventh US city to run on 100 percent renewable electricity. "Many cities and towns across the country have set aggressive targets, and we are doing our part now — our future is now," Glenwood Springs Mayor Jonathan Godes told the Post Independent. In April,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/colorado-city-to-be-the-first-to-run-on-100-percent-renewable-energy
via Inhabitat