Is it Wallpaper? Is it Wood? 15 Reasons to Look Twice at Tile (Slideshow)

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:50:25 GMT

Photos courtesy of Florim With roots dating back to the Egyptians and the Romans, why do we always try to stick tile in the bathroom or the kitchen? After attending Italian tile trade show Cersaie, it became clear that this construction material is seriously underrated. And that's too bad, since with a little attention to the details, tile can be darn green. But tile manufacturers have a smart idea: Let's make tile incognito. Tile as wood, tile as stone, tile as wallpaper, tile made of tvs, and more in:

Is it Wallpaper? Is it Wood? 15 Reasons to Look Twice at Tile Slideshow

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Is It Wallpaper? Is It Wood? 15 Reasons to Look Twice at Tile

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:03:15 GMT

Ceramic tile, as one miffed Italian told me at tile trade show Cersaie in Bologna, is an underrated construction material in the U.S. We tend to reduce it to activities in the kitchen or bathroom. And that's too bad, since with a little attention to the details, tile can be darn green: As Building Green (PDF) tells us, "tile is an inherently low-toxic, water-proof, durable finish material for flooring, walls, and other applications." One of the biggest trends at this fair, which I attended as the guest of Ceramic Tiles of Italy, was tile incognito, or tile that just didn't look like tile. Think that's wallpaper in this living room shot? Actually, it's the glass Austere from Trend Group.

Photo courtesy of Trend Group

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9 Best Eco Apocalyptic Science Fiction Films of All Time

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:20:35 GMT

Photo left via tvtropes.org; photo center via allposters.com; photo right via impawards.com. There's nothing like a vision of a world gone to hell to get the point across. Movies--especially fantastic movies--have the power to hit messages home with people around the world, regardless of class, race, or socio-economic background. In these nine post-apocalyptic movies (and one tv episode), ranging from the 1960's until next month (one's not released yet) the death destruction, and general bleak futuristic visions are all based on environmental disasters. A note on the selection process: Don't expect to see "Waterworld". Bombs, even with savvy green messages, didn't make the cut. Disagree or think I missed something? Fire away in the comments. Oh, and this list is filled with spoilers. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

From Cersaie: Magnets and Software in Tile Make 5 Minute Bathroom Renovation Possible

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:15:24 GMT

Photo via Bisazzablog.com What if renovating your bathroom took a click of your mouse? Or what if tile was applied with magnetic paint, removing the need to smash it out to replace one broken square (annoyingly labor-intensive, expensive, and wasteful)? Last week in Bologna, Italy at tile show Cersaie, Marcello Becchi, director of business development for Trend USA, the U.S. arm of Italian tile manufacturer Trend, told me that this Jetson-flavored future is closer than we think: Tile as we know it could drastically change with technology currently under development. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Architect Renzo Piano Charms Press at Cersaie with Below the Belt Humor

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:35:10 GMT

Photo copyright Mairi Beautyman So it's easy to fall for the Italian charm of Renzo Piano. Though maybe my crush began when I wrote about his super green California Academy of Sciences way back in 2006. Piano, recipient of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize and principal of Renzo Piano Building Workshop, was the keynote speaker this morning in Bologna, Italy at Cersaie, by far the biggest tile show in the world. TreeHugger is here tracking down green trends as the guest of Ceramic Tiles of Italy, and got to see first hand how quickly Piano had the crowd of Italian and international press at his fingertips: "It's not just that we need to consume less, but that we need a way to get out of this tragedy of performance anxiety--the idea of making (and wanting) things bigger and BIGGER," he said.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

German and Italian Design Team Go Nuts with Recycled Veneer

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:00:21 GMT

All photos courtesy of Transalpino What can 13 designers do with a pile of post-production veneer in seven days? Last week, during the DMY International Design Festival in Berlin, the combined German and Italian talent of design collective Transalpino went wild with veneer in the experimental exhibition "Open Progress," creating a total of 64 different objects. Since ideas like these get the creative recycling juices flowing, we took note.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

11 Eco Upholstery Textiles Revolutionizing the Global Market

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:30:49 GMT

Hardy Organic Hemp. Photo via O Ecotextiles "High-tech" isn't what you'd normally think of when it comes to fabric, but in recent years, that's exactly what it has become. Innovation has brought about revolutionary new materials and processes, and one rapidly changing industry. The 11 textiles below are some of the greenest and smartest now available to the residential and contract furnishings market. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

7 Eco Adventures that Could Kill You

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:41:02 GMT

Photo via Flickr Eco travel is all the new rage, but some trips require some real cohonas to take the plunge. From protecting sharks and crocodiles in Belize to biking Bolivia's Road of Death to volcano surfing in Nicaragua, these seven eco adventures are not for the pacemaker set. Sign up at your own risk, kiss your loved ones goodbye, and take out a life insurance policy before you embark. With a little care, you can knock each one off your list and live to talk about it.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Bye Bye Strip Mall: 5 Design Trend Reversals We Hope Stick

Fri, 15 May 2009 14:57:03 GMT

Strip mall photo via Flickr Good design and the psychology of the human mind go hand-in-hand. How do want to live our lives? What are the social norms? How can we make these two super important factors greener, without being a pretentious green ass? The ideas milling around TreeHugger lately allow us to envision a Jetsons-style green world of the future, and this future is optimistic. Maybe we will live in towering skyscrapers in which we can reach out and pluck a tomato off the side of the building, thanks to vertical farming. Maybe all plastics will be biodegradable--ending the massive pressure on our landfills and the death of ecosystems and endangered species like the Leatherback sea turtle. Until then, the progress is slow, but promising. Keeping in mind TreeHugger Lloyd Alter's fantastic definition of green design, here are five design trend reversals we hope are here to stay.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Hammy the Hamster Proves Once and For All: Organic Food is Better (Video)

Fri, 15 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Video via YouTube Still haven't made the switch to organic food? Well Hammy the Hamster is here to tell you for the last time: Organic food is better. Hammy participated in a rigorous survey involving carrots, broccoli, and other fruits and vegetables, and definitively choose organic eight out of 12 times. This rising screen star with the most original name was stumbled upon while spending precious working hours watching Hammy's other claim to fame on Cute Overload: motorcycle stunts. UPDATE: Hammy's organic food video was originally featured on theCooksDen.com and his motorcycle stunt was on SpotMotorcycles.com.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

16 Revolutionary Green Ideas From the Milan Furniture Fair

Fri, 01 May 2009 05:05:47 GMT

Smash lighting fixtures by Nendo for the Tokyo Fiber -09 "Senseware" exhibition, are a beautiful, effervescent mushroom-like example of experimental LED lighting. Tapping Japanese synthetic fiber technology, each lamp is unique due to the heat-activated production technique, and made of virtually rip-proof, super light-weight (and therefore carbon footprint reducing) thermoplastic, according to DesignBoom. Strips of bamboo are wrapped around a wood frame, then finished with Japanese Mulberry paper and low-heat LED bulbs.

Photo: via Nendo

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16 Revolutionary Green Ideas From the Milan Furniture Fair (Slideshow)

Fri, 01 May 2009 05:05:17 GMT

Photo: via Nendo. The best thing about the world's biggest contemporary furniture fair, Salone Internazionale del Mobile, which wrapped up last week in Milan, is arguably not the fair itself, but SaloneSatellite, highlighting young talent, and all of the events and exhibitions held simultaneously throughout the city packed to the rafters with design-enthusiasts. Often, Milan is where it begins, where the best-of-the-best showcase their talent, and where the manufacturers discover the new green ideas and send them to your living room. Stroll down a small via, gelato in hand, and you can easily find yourself discovering wild and innovative green design prototypes and production pieces ranging from a lamp made out of cow dung, a motion-sensitive LED chandelier fabricated from recycled PET bottles, a chair guaranteed to last 300 years, or glowing inflatable furniture made of recycled materials. At least, I did. Check out these and more in our:

16 Potentially World-changing Green Ideas From the 2009 Milan Furniture Fair Slideshow

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Milan Furniture Fair Day 4: Gorgeous Lamps Made of...Cow Dung?!

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:11:30 GMT

Photo via Konstfack University College of Arts Crafts and Design. Organic design goes to a whole new level with this conversation starter: A lamp made of cow dung. Yep, you heard right: This lamp is actually made of what comes out of the back end of a cow (biodegradable, naturally), discovered during my final day at Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Milan Furniture Fair Day 3: Are Your Bed's Metal Parts Dangerous to Your Health?

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:16:51 GMT

Riletto bed by Kai Stania. Photo courtesy of Team 7. There's light green and there's dark green--and when it comes to large-scale furniture manufacturers, it's usually the former. Unless we are talking about the award-winning Team 7, which we've gushed about before on TreeHugger. This firm's environmental philosophy goes all the way down to the nuts and bolts. Take the new Riletto bed by Kai Stania that launched this week at Salone Internazionale del Mobile. It's made of sustainable lacquer-free European hardwoods and, like all of Team 7's beds, it doesn't contain a drop of metal--just rather beautiful wooden joints which seem both high-tech and reminiscent of a day long gone by. Why? "We avoid Electromagneticfields (EMFs) with just wood components," says Jacob Strobel, Team 7's head of design. So will EMFs floating out from the nails and metal plates in your bed really fry you while you are sleeping?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Milan Furniture Fair Day 2: Glowing Inflatable Furniture Made of Recycled Materials

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:39:52 GMT

Photo: via Meritalia Inflatable furniture, venues, and decorative elements--leagues ahead of that blow-up bed you once spent a terrible night sleep on--seem to be a hot trend for 2009 in Milan, and thanks to how light and easy to ship it is, it comes with a slashed carbon footprint. Glowing inflatable furniture made of recycled materials topped my second day tackling Salone Internazionale del Mobile. While browsing through some of the downtown showrooms participating in the design festivities, I came across Via Lattea, a luminescent air-filled line by Mario Bellini for Meritalia. Find more after the jump, and check out the sofa made out of Veuve Cliquot Champagne Boxes in Milan Furniture Fair Day 1 and our green product preview slideshow.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Milan Furniture Fair Day 1: Veuve Cliquot Champagne Box Sofa and More

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:28:15 GMT

Couch made out of recycled Veuve Cliquot champagne boxes by Front Design. Photo: Courtesy of Veuve Cliquot. Is this couch made out of recycled Veuve Cliquot champagne boxes comfortable? Here in Milan the 2009 Salone Internazionale del Mobile is now in full-swing (Check out our green product preview slideshow), and last night, at Veuve Cliquot's debut of its Designbox series, the designers at Front Design said, "surprisingly so." ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Star Architect Frank Gehry Fights Genetic Diseases With Recycled Bench

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:57:50 GMT

Photo: via Emeco Star architect and designer Frank Gehry, perhaps best known for adding steel and aluminum curves in unexpected places, is no newbie to the green scene: He has a prefab under his belt, and, in the late 1960's, he was a pioneer in the cardboard furniture movement. He has even had some of his classic pieces knocked-off in greener renditions. This week, at Milan furniture fair Salone Internazionale del Mobile (which we are covering live!), he'll help fight hereditary diseases with the Tuyomyo bench, made of 80 percent recycled aluminum.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

10 of the Best Green Designs Launching at Milan's Mega Furniture Fair

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:01:54 GMT

There's something so inherently evil about one-time use cutlery and dinnerware: Such a waste of resources--coming with a hefty carbon footprint--to be thrown in the trash after a 30-minute take-out meal? Italian firm Pandora Design comes to the rescue with the biodegradable White_collection, including cutlery, cups, plates, and bowls.

Photo: via designboom

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10 of the Best Green Designs Launching at Milan's Mega Furniture Fair (slideshow)

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:01:06 GMT

It's that time of the year again: when the design movers and shakers pack their bags and head to the world's biggest contemporary furniture fair, Salone Internazionale del Mobile. Now in its 48th edition, the 2009 fair will run April 22-27 in Milan--and TreeHugger's Mairi Beautyman will be on-site, gleaning the best of green things to come from some of the world's most cutting-edge designers and manufacturers. To kick things off, we have a sneak-peak at products set to debut, compiled from press releases and some of our favorite design sites (including designboom and Dezeen), and ranging from recycled eggshell stationary to polished biodegradable dinnerware to paper furniture by architect Shigaru Ban. Check out these and more in our:

10 of the Best Green Designs Launching at Milan's Mega Furniture Fair Slideshow

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

10 Green Furniture Highlights From IMM Cologne

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:21:49 GMT

The Torno side table, which appears to be pirouetting like a professional dancer, is made of eco-friendly faux quartz, according to German manufacturer Draenert Studio.

Photo courtesy of Draenert Studio

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10 Green Furniture Highlights From IMM Cologne (Slideshow)

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:21:33 GMT

Photo courtesy of Draenert

In the design industry, there are a few big furniture fairs that make waves around the world, places where the most cutting-edge green furniture debuts. The biggest fair in Europe is the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, held each spring in Milan. But the earliest peak at home furnishing trends to come is at IMM Cologne, annually held in in Cologne, Germany in January. This year, from January 19-25, over 1,000 companies from 49 countries exhibited fresh new product design. Check out the innovations in our:

10 Green Furniture Highlights From IMM Cologne Slideshow

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

100% Organic Baby Tees Save Endangered Species, Stop Global Warming

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:31:00 GMT

Photos via Swell Foop

Learning how to be earth-conscious can be one uphill battle: How about we start the next generation early? In one tiny adorable onesie by new clothing company Swell Foop, baby can take on some major global problems, from global warming to endangered species. Formerly known as Darwin Design Clothing Company, Swell Foop is dedicated to "saving the world in one swell foop." Offerings include t-shirts for babies, toddlers, kids, and adults. The company still donates 10% of all proceeds to a select list of green non-profits and uses animals that are rare or endangered in designs: The difference is all clothing is now made from 100 percent organic cotton.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Green Smokers: Never Litter But Still Chuck Butts?

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:00:22 GMT

Photo: Dmodzelewski via Flickr

Let's confess: Sometimes, say a pack a week, I smoke. And when I've finished the dirty deed -- well aware of the health and environmental consequences -- I'm left with my hands full. Between my fingers is the smelly, smoldering remnant of a habit I'm trying to kick. And the temptation for some really schizophrenic behavior. In most facets of my life, I'm pretty green: From the way I live, to the way I get around. I certainly don't throw anything else on the ground. But when it comes to cigarettes, it's a struggle. And frankly, I'm not alone: I can't count how many times I've met some truly green people who don't think twice about tossing a butt on the street or out of a car. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

7 Celebrity Environmentalists in Need of Green 101

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:25:56 GMT

Photo: Via Huffington Post

Oh how we love our green celebrities, but for the most part, they are as fresh and new to this fight against climate change as Brangolina's twin babies Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline are to the world. They can give global warming a big 'ol kick in the organically-grown cotton pants simply by gracing the covers of supermarket rags. They can get the word out by looking posh in gleaming hybrids, shopping with chic reusable bags, or sending thousands of extra stilettos to New Orleans. But just like free-range baby chicks taking their first tottering steps into the farmyard, sometimes they fall in a big pile of cow dung meant for the methane digester. We're not going to call them eco hypocrites, that term that is all the rage now. These folks are on the right track, just under informed or misadvised. Here are our top seven green celebrities who need to enroll in Eco 101 ASAP.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Write Your Own Eulogy, Says Father of LEED David Gottfried to a Crowd in Las Vegas

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:22:02 GMT

David Gottfried's resume overwhelms us. He's the founder of the U.S. Green Building Council and the World Green Building Council, president of WorldBuild, a green strategic consulting firm, and author of "Greed to Green: The Transformation of an Industry and a Life." Oh, and he just happened to pen the white paper of this little thing called the LEED Green Building Rating System. Wow. This all makes us pretty excited to have him as a guest video blogger on Planet Green, where he will show us how to build a green home. Stay tuned for more info. On May 27, Gottfried was the keynote speaker at Lightfair International, which is billed as North America's largest annual architectural and commercial trade lighting show. We should live with our own eulogies in mind, he told a packed crowd at the Las Vegas Convention Center. What would we want to hear? Who do we want to have there with us? How do we want to leave our mark? This is all directly related to what he calls our "ecological comparative." We are Atoms of Change According to Gottfried, we alone are the solution in this global fight: "We are each the atom of change. If we can green ourselves and our sphere of influence, which are millions and billions of people, that can create the tidal wave of transformation that we need."... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Father's Day Gift Guide

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:05:04 GMT

Dad: We love him, but this guy sure is hard to shop for. He's a good sport no matter what we deliver -- gamely wearing that outlandish tie for years to come. Yet -- wouldn't it be nice to gift something easy on the earth that actually makes his eyes light up? With Father's Day around the corner (June 15!), we compiled a little green inspiration for those eco dads out there.

Folding Strida Bike

What's only 22 lbs, folds in a snap without greasy fingers, tackles traffic in cities like New York, and hangs from a meat hook? The Strida 5.0 Folding bike ($800), and TreeHuggers are addicted to this two-wheeled wonder like tap water. Dad will be too. The triangular aluminum frame pushes down to a compact shape in five seconds flat and some smart technology makes it grease-free -- so no black smears on your organic threads. Available in silver, red, black, dark blue, pink, white, yellow, and a cream special edition. ::Strida available through ::Areaware... Read the full story on TreeHugger

TH Interview: How the Wolf Trap Foundation uses the Performing Arts to Raise Environmental Awareness

Fri, 16 May 2008 04:14:52 GMT

Wolf Trap president and CEO Terrence D. Jones
With the performing arts, a good showing is when the fall of the curtain leaves you shuffling off into the night a bit dazed, a bit dazzled, and perhaps, just a bit thoughtful. This media, like no other, has the power to make you laugh, cry, and cringe. It has the power to captivate and influence. So tapping the performing arts to raise environmental awareness and educate audiences about climate change sounds pretty savvy to us. A pioneer and major player in this field is the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, the only National Park for the Performing Arts in America. Based in Vienna, Virginia -- about a 20-minute drive from Washington, D.C. -- the $28-million-organization holds more than 270 performances a year. We chatted with Wolf Trap president and CEO Terrence D. Jones. TreeHugger: We love the concept of using the arts as a way to raise awareness of environmental issues. Can you name a few individuals who have successfully done this in the past? Why you think this works? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Lounge Constructed from Seat-Belt Scraps

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:25:02 GMT

Seat belts save lives and recycling saves the planet: Now the two create the perfect union with the Seatbelt lounge chair by designer Nuttapong Charoenkitivarakorn and manufactured by Boonchucharoenkit. Thai villagers take seat belt scraps -- made of a crash-dummy tested cotton-nylon -- and weave them in a criss-cross pattern around the plywood frame. The result is high design, available through the Future Perfect in Brooklyn, New York. via ::Interior Design ::The Future Perfect Also check out this recycling machine that miraculously transforms auto parts into fuel. More on recycled seat belts ::Recycled Bags from Alchemy Goods ::Classics: Freitag Recycled Freeway Bags ::Low+Tight Bags: Buckle Up For Style ::HauteGREEN 2007 Sneak Peek: Peter Danko's Kumo Chair... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Pedal for Positive Climate Change

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:13:23 GMT

It makes sense to use one of the world's most energy-efficient vehicles to spread the word on climate change: That's why we are excited to hear about Climate Ride 2008, a new initiative bent on raising awareness for positive climate change and renewable energy legislation. Participants will bike for five days -- that would be a total of 320 miles -- from New York City to Washington, D.C. Each rider will raise $2250 to support educational organizations Clean Air-Cool Planet and Focus the Nation. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Planet Green Lands ABC Anchor

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:47:24 GMT

There's much excitement here at TreeHugger, as our sister site Planet Green will soon bring the first-ever 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network into 50 million homes (that would be June 4, for those of you programming your TVs.) The network will be action packed full of celebrities and personalities, and Bob Woodruff is the latest addition. Beginning in July, the ABC News anchor and familiar primetime face will head up an eco-newscast on the network, as part of an ABC News production. Each week, Woodruff will dish on a long list of green issues -- climate impact, environmental policy, and world events -- in a format ranging from studio-based round table discussions to narratives and political debates. The award-winning journalist -- who was seriously injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2006 -- joined ABC in 1996 and was named co-anchor of ABC's "World News Tonight" in December 2005.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany

Is it Wallpaper? Is it Wood? 15 Reasons to Look Twice at Tile (Slideshow)