Archive for the ‘Eco Stuff’ Category

Posted on March 21, 2009 - by CDS

Latest Project: SC41 Furniture

We’re happy to announce the launch of SC41’s revamped website, www.sc41.com. SC41 is located in Santa Cruz, CA, and specializes in environmentally-friendly furnishings and bedding. SC41 really epitomizes what is means to be truly eco-friendly, from organic linens and low-impact manufacturing, to reclaimed wood and bamboo furnishings… even the floors and paint inside the showroom are eco-friendly. In addition, most of the furniture at SC41 is simply beautiful…. just see for yourself at www.sc41.com.

The design was inspired by the texture of organic fabrics, with the contrast of rich colored woods. We wanted to do something elegant, but trendy, and that incorporated the modern feel of SC41’s branding. This site includes valid CSS and XHTML, WordPress Blog, email signup, Flash goodies here and there, and tons of useful eco information.

Posted on October 31, 2008 - by CDS

Raindrops by Evan Grant

Here’s a fantastic, and simple idea to reuse rainwater. It was originally designed as a contest entry for Design for Poverty (and it won first place, GOLD). It’s such a good idea, I think it would be very easy to create your own for home use. It not only reuses rainwater, but puts to use plastic bottles that would normally be discarged.

Here’s an excerpt from Yanko Design. You can also find all winners after the jump.

GOLD – Rain Drops by Evan Gant (United States)

Rain water is a largely untapped resource, especially in many developing countries where clean water is scarce. Water harvesting consists of three main components: a catchment area (generally a roof), a gutter system and a water storage area. The water storage area is by far the most expensive portion of this system, which makes it out of reach for many families. The RainDrops system simply allows people to adapt standard plastic bottles to an existing gutter system to collect rain water. This changes water storage from the most to the least expensive part of the system. These are much easier to clean and replace than larger storage units. The repurposing of these plastic bottles will also give value to many bottles that are otherwise headed for landfills. Corruption in the water sector is a real problem in many developing countries. The scalability of this system helps to give more power to the communities in need… more at Yanko Design

Posted on August 19, 2008 - by CDS

Recycled Lamps from Bewley’s Rerun Productions

I just wanted to post a little information about Steve Bewley’s artwork at Bewley’s Rerun Productions, in Arroyo Grande, California. Steve and family make beautiful, artistic lamps and other furnishings out of discarded materails. The lamps are made from scrap metal, computer parts, guitar and piano strings, baseball bats, brake rotors, space shuttle parts, typewriter parts, reclaimed woods and much more. Looking at them, you wouldn’t know that each one is around 80% recycled. Even the handmade shades are organically made from banana tree leaves and vegetable dye. They are truly unique.

Bowtie in “Amber”

Dynasty Floor in “Amber”

Baseball Bat Lamp

Bewley’s Rerun Productions website

For purchasing, please call (805) 489-5152 or email bewley@rerunproductions.com  

Posted on August 12, 2008 - by CDS

JUNK FLOATS, and raises awareness about the plastic waste problem in our oceans

“So its no great surprise that plastic is now the “Soup of the day” for marine wildlife. Hundreds of marine species – from seabirds, to turtles, to cetaceans, to fish, have been found to ingest plastic.

For over 10 years, the Algalita Marine Research Foundation has studied plastic marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. What we have found – exponential increases in the quantity of plastic debris – have a range of ecological impacts we are only beginning to understand.

To put a cap on it, we’re sounding the alarm, by sailing across the Pacific on 15,000 plastic bottles. Along the way, we’ll report our findings, collect ocean surface samples, and answer your questions through our blog.

Out of sight, out of mind no longer, We need for people to begin paying attention, before our oceans turn to plastic soup.”

Source: JUNK: The Problem, JunkRaft Blog

Posted on August 8, 2008 - by CDS

Recycle Bike

Matt Clark, an industrial designer from Southern California, has designed a new recycleable inversion-1 bike. It looks pretty cool to me.

“This bicycle prototype is aimed at improving and solving multiple issues involved in production. Particular attention was paid to maximize the potential utilization of automated processes and more cost efficient materials (IE: plastics).

The bicycle consists entirely of reinforced and unreinforced recyclable polypropylene. The patent-pending bicycle features a two component
frame: the plastic INNERFRAME and the plastic outer structure, both (in this iteration) dual components sets. Ideally, the material would be sourced from recycled plastic sources (IE: previously used consumer products such as bottles, containers, etc) to reduce environmental impact and to reduce material costs.”

Sourece: Bike Commuters

Posted on August 8, 2008 - by CDS

löscheimer Windows Recycle Bin

 

“plastic, steel and glass. where should the data go? an icon regains its physical form.”

I wish this was available in the US. I would definitely buy one.

Source: dialog05

Posted on August 6, 2008 - by CDS

Recycle crayon-stumps by melting and die-cutting ‘em

 
A new idea for recycling old crayon nubs into something artistic and functional.

“I took a bunch of runty old crayons and placed them (unwrapped) in an old baking pan in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.   Here’s the mess all melted and looking very cool and tie-dye looking.”

Source: New Crayons from Old Ones