Near the interior of California’s mid-region, among the Giant Sequoia trees—some of the largest on Earth—that made it famous, is tucked Sequoia National Park. Established as the second national park in the U.S. in 1890, the mentality here is “big,” and in addition to larger-than-average trees, it’s also home to the highest peak in the lower 48 states: Mount Whitney.

Being such a “big” place has proven a natural lure to adventurers nationwide. That’s why, only a few years ago, architect Burr Hughes chose the space to develop a backcountry, bungalow retreat. Today, the ecologically responsible operation is known as Sequoia High Sierra Camp.

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I love nature-inspired accents in my home, they soothe my soul and keep me in touch with my surroundings.

As the seasons change, I like to make little changes in my space.  Throw pillows are a simple way to alter my perspective and perk things up. I just came across these eco beauties for a touch of fall, but their elegant design is timeless.

Soft to the touch, this fabric is a blend of hemp and organic cotton, and printed by hand with non-toxic, water based inks. For the insert, you can choose from two different eco friendly options:  either a high-quality fiber generated from spun recycled plastic bottles or a natural, downy fiber from the seed pods of the kapok tree. Kapok is a sustainable, pesticide-free and hypoallergenic product.  An organic cotton shell encases the fill.  Designed by, and available @ Amenity Home. (printed and sewn in the USA, machine washable)

Related:  previously on altCon – amenity for the modern eco home

Last week, the world class Frankfurt Motor Show served as the proving grounds for a line-up of efficient electrics. And topping the list of glitzy unveilings with four, all-electric cars was none other than Renault, Nissan’s sister company, with the Twizy Zero Emission (Z.E.), Fluence Z.E., Kangoo Z.E. and Zoe Z.E.

Designed to come to market in the next three years, Renault is making a punchy statement about their plans for (more…)

• Strange bedfellows…China and U.S. Try to Jumpstart U.N. Climate Talks – rueters
• Before we get all Kevorkian – where would we get all those cute photos? ‘Pull the Plug’ on Giant Pandas, Naturalist Says – msnbc
• They must have photoshopped big ‘ol Rush into that Smart Car…Rush Limbaugh to Take Green Car Challenge on Leno – ecorazzi
• Talk about getting ‘plugged-in’. U.S. Lends Plug-In Carmaker $529 Million – npr
• From the ‘they can’t make this stuff up’ file…Miss. Police Use Taser, Handcuffs on Wayward Emu -myway
• Which came first the brain injury or the tequila…Booze: Possible Treatment for Brain Injury – livescience
• Non-invasive monitoring…‘Fingerprints’ Identify Cheetahs – bbc

An interesting example of a stylish, fully functional product created out of a renewable, recyclable, natural material.  This collapsible, accordion shaped bag is made from laminated banana leaves.  Folds flat or expands to carry your vital junk.

(L40 x D21 x H23 cm)  £56 @ greenhaus.co.uk