Petz Scholtus
Petz left Luxembourg in 2000 to study eco-design at Goldsmiths College in London, trying to figure out what it’s really all about and how green she could make things. Her work took her from London to the small Tanzanian island Pemba, the Netherlands and to Barcelona where she has been working as a freelance eco designer since 2004, and writing for TreeHugger since 2005. Some of her design projects are the StuffBump and We Need More Trees cards.
Petz believes in design for people, planet and profit, connecting people and eating local food. She loves simplicity, good design and fairness, making practical and fun things, bringing people together (the more the better), travelling, speaking 5.5 languages, scuba diving, the Eden Project in Cornwall, open air parties, and her wormcompost on the balcony.
Apart from designing sustainable products, services and concepts, Petz is also a teacher at various design schools, (re)started the eco-design network o2Spain with some friends, founded the R3project, brought PechaKucha Nights to Barcelona in 2008 and launched the Barcelona Green Map.
To see all of Petz's work, visit her studio Pöko Design.
Latest Stories from Petz Scholtus
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It's Not Easy Being Green: Two Designers Explore Sustainability Worldwide (Book Review)
Designers Aart van Bezooyen and Paula Raché tell their story of adventure, people and sustainability.
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A Dank Laundromat Is Transformed into a Modern, Sunny Studio in Barcelona
Maio Studio turned an old, dark launderette into a bright new co-working space for creative professionals.
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The Spanish Porrón- an Eco-Friendly Way to Drink Wine
The Spanish porrón is a glass pitcher in the shape of a watering can that gets passed around at big events. That way, there is no need for plastic glasses or washing up!
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Today, the One-Billionth Tourist Will Arrives Somewhere in the World, And Better Buy Local! (Infographic)
One billion tourists have travelled the world in 2012, marking a new record for international tourism. By buying local, saving energy and transportation, protecting heritage and respecting the local culture, 1 billion tourists are 1 billion opportunities.
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Less Octopus, More Spider Crab. Climate Change Dictates This Year’s Christmas Menu in Spain
This year, most people can afford spider crab for Christmas, but no more octopus! Climate change and overfishing have reduced the amount of octopus, the crabs' predator, in spanish waters, and at the same time crabs are thirving.
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Buying Bulk in Barcelona: When Tradition Meets Sustainability (Photos)
In Barcelona, buying bulk is part of the city's history -- and visiting one of these historic shops is a unique olfactory experience.
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The Citrus Spray by Lékué Lets You Spray Juice Directly from the Fruit (Video)
Citrus Spray is a spray nozzle that you can screw directly into the fruit and use it to add fresh juice to plates and drinks without losing precious vitamins.
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Curro Claret Gets Former Homeless People to Design New Camper Shop From Recycled Materials (Photos)
Instead of designing it himself, Curro Claret gets people in risk of social exclusion to create and build Camper's shoe store in Barcelona, using reclaimed materials. The result is a fun store with a lot of personality.
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Enough Public Bike Sharing, Says Barcelona’s City Council. Get Your Own Bicycles!
Barcelona's bike sharing users are in an uproar; the city council wants to raise the anual fee by 116% in order to reduce the transportation budget.
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A Smart Guide to Utopia: 111 Inspiring Ideas for a Better City (Book Review)
This unique travel guide is the perfect book for the eco-conscious non-tourist. It features 111 projects you can visit around Europe, that make our cities better.
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El Nebot del Persianer, a Project by Salva Nadal to Save the Spanish Sunblinds from Disappearing
Designer Salva Nadal learned how to turn canes into blinds from his uncle and is now designing a collection of products to save this Spanish craftsmanship from dying out. The results are beautiful eco-friendly lamps and a table for now.
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B'Kid, the Balance Bike that Grows with your Child (Photos)
A wooden kids' bike with a cork seat adapts to the child's necessity as it learns how to cycle. First as a tricycle, then a balance bike and finally as a bike with pedals B'Kid is a longlasting and beautiful object.
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Egg Maps and Green Routes Create Vegetable Tourism in the Incredible Edible Town Todmorden
Todmorden is a town that embraced the local food movement by growing their own fruit and veg anywhere in public spaces. They also have an Egg Map and a Green Route for the Vegetable Tourists!
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Arum, a Biodegradable Ring of Ashes for a Tree Creates a Place of Remembrance
Arum is a ring of ashes that creates a place of remembrance on a specific tree. The biodegradable ring is placed around the trunk of a tree and then left to disintegrate naturally while leaving a permanent mark.
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Good Vibrations with Paper Pulp Speaker; Pulpop by MollaSpace
Donut shaped and made of recycled pulp this USB rechargeable MP3 speaker is a rather cute sound amplifier.
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New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Home to 360,000 Bees (Photos)
The Waldorf Astoria Hotel has beehives on the roof producing honey for guests. I went along for the honey harvest, and for a taste of their roof-to-table cuisine.
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The Maritime Hotel. How a Building Serves Sailors, Runaways and Now Hotel Guests in NYC. (Photos)
I visited the Maritime Hotel to see how the 1968 built headquarters for the National Maritime Union has become one of the most desirable hotels in NYC. Conserving the modernist "pizza box" building and its porthole windows is the key.
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Bamboo Bicycles from the Ozon Cyclery in Berlin (Photos)
Made from TigerBamboo and hand sculpted flax fiber composite joints, the bikes weigh around 1.75 kg, and, according to the designers, “have a ride quality similar to high end steel, but with better vibration absorption”. And they look funky!
