Live and work in the same loft. To combat the proliferation of tawdry office cubes, Rainer Graff of Atelier Graff, has created this patented concept for a folding workspace or dining cube — creating a space that can be mobile and foldable.

via: doornob

For serious shoe lovers, what could be better than shoes that love you?

OKA b — how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways…You’re

• made in the USA
• machine washable
• priced from $20 to $40
• 100 percent recyclable
• easy on the eyes
• super comfy
• even for the bride to be

find your perfect match @ shoesthatloveyou.com

Let’s get a little ‘old school’ here with these re-usable notepads for your fridge, office or bulletin board.  Stop wasting paper and make a new friend of ‘Dusty boy’ or ‘Dusty girl’.

These new age chalkboards come in boy or girl shapes and are made of non-formaldehyde, 100% recycled wood MDF core.  The cute, scruffy dog eraser is cut from scrap felt.  Measures 18.5”x 10.5” and is made in the good ol’ USA.   A great green gift for a forgetful friend. $29 @ Fuz’s supermarkethq.com store

As you probably already know, for every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS Shoes always donates a pair of new shoes to a child in need via their One for One charity.

Scheduled to launch tomorrow, founder and professional do-gooder, Blake Mycoskie has an additional, socially responsible, philanthropic cause underway.

You’ll be able to get a sense of what it’s like to walk in his shoes.  For every purchase of either of these two, limited edition Water Styles, ($58/pair), 100 percent of the proceeds will go to TOMS Water Charity, which will fund the hand-digging of a clean-water well in the village of Sekura in North West Ethiopia.  Currently among the largest villages in Ethiopa without ready access to clean water — yet upon completion of this project, 540 residents of Sekura will be able to drink clean, safe water either near or in their homes.

(above, L to R) The Map Shoe is a heather gray Classic made from sustainable fabric with a tonal map pattern of Africa and jerry-can lining and the Water Shoe is a vibrant blue Classic made from sustainable fabric with a multi-tone water illustration. more @ tomsshoe.com

Strong, durable, lightweight Kirei Board is made from reclaimed sorghum straw, a renewable grass.  This board can often replace traditional, heavy, toxic particle board – which is typically made with formaldehyde based resins – and valuable wood, as a building and design component in furniture, cabinetry and flooring.

Kirei Board is made by Kirei USA which specializes in creating natural, non-toxic, sustainable materials for interior designers, architects and green builders.  They also create materials and surfaces comprised of eco-friendly bamboo and wheatboard.

Having recently moved I experienced the potential waste and expense that traditional moving supplies, particularly cardboard boxes, create.  Now there’s a better, greener way.

ZippGo, a new company out of San Francisco, is a business that helps make local moving both greener, and more cost effective.  ZippGo rents you re-usable packing boxes specifically designed for urban household and business moves  – at a better price than buying cardboard boxes – and they pick them up after your move.  The boxes are crush proof, tear proof and waterproof.

Company founder Ash Sud came up with concept after using re-usable plastic boxes in his other business – home delivery of organic groceries – and then having to move a couple of times in San Francisco.  He realized that plastic boxes performed much better than cardboard in protecting his valuable belongings.  Ash also came up with the idea of picking up the boxes after his customer has moved, eliminating the cardboard disposal and recycling issues associated with tradition moving materials (un-recycled cardboard makes up a large percentage of landfill composition).  He’s made ZippGo even greener by manufacturing his moving boxes out of 100% post-consumer plastic, and powering his delivery trucks with earth-friendly biodiesel.

Currently ZippGo is only servicing the San Fransisco Bay area, but due to an overwhelmingly positive customer response,  ZippGo will be opening another office in Los Angeles later this year and plans are in the works for expansion to Boston, Chicago and New York in 2011.

A fine example of thinking “outside the box“.

• Tar beach…possible worst case scenario…Coast Guard: Tar Balls Recovered From Key West Beach – cnn
• A positive sign (with the exception of that trout with a hook in his lip)…Urban Fishing Catches on in Rebounding Rivers – natgeo
• Is this working, or is their PR machine ramping up? BP Doubles Estimate of Oil Siphoned From Leak – msnbc
• I already had this concept – it’s called my closet…Artist Christian Boltanski Makes Mountains From Laundry – aol news
• Southeastern US faces problem…Invasive Kudzo Plant “Increases Ozone Pollution” – bbc
• Recycling from the grave…Naples Italy Pizzas ‘Cooked with Coffin Wood‘ – orange uk
• Is this the first ‘butter-based’ diet for kids…Georgia Public Schools Team Up With Paula Dean for Culinary Program – ecorazzi

While supplies last, great sale on beautiful jewelry, Fair Trade made from natural, sustainable materials.  A portion of the proceeds helps the local artisans of Ecuador.  Prices range from $8 to $30 on finely handcrafted bracelets, necklaces and earrings @ new york city-based, theandeancollection.com/

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a whopping 4.5 million kids under the age of 17 in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD – Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder.

You’ve likely heard of the disorder more common among young boys, characterized by ease of distraction, difficulty paying attention and oftentimes, severe peer relationship issues. For a long time, scientists have been studying the potential environmental causes behind ADHD, and today a new study revealed a strong link between diagnosed children and a common pesticide used on fruits and vegetables.

Testing 1,000 participants ages 8-15, the data shows that those with the highest concentration of pesticides present were also the most likely to have ADHD, supporting the idea that the chemicals are harmful to child development, triggering behavioral and communication problems. The info comes shortly after the President’s Cancer Panel Report, encouraging consumers to be picky when it comes to produce.

At the supermarket, look for food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, antibiotics and growth hormones…in other words, go organic. When browsing the aisles, look for the USDA Organic label and scan for five-digit produce SKUs that start with the number “9.”

Better yet, head to your local farmer’s market, or grow your own organic garden and reap the rewards (truly fresh picks AND cost savings). Want to brush up on the organic facts? Check out the dirty dozen and pay the premium.

The largest study of its kind, facts like these are a good reminder that the reason organophosphate pesticides were originally created was to kill pests.  Nothing about that sounds appetizing to me.

Related:  (4.17.10) toxic & nontoxic produce