The Vancouver Convention Center should serve as a shining example of the kind of “green” development communities should undertake when faced with the challenge of new construction.  The incorporation of sustainable features, like green roofs, into the design of new buildings can reward municipalities with more than just aesthetic benefits.

There’s something about seeing all this green atop an urban building that is downright inspirational.  The roof pictured here was designed by the Canadian green roofing firm Flynn Canada and DA/MCM + LMN Architects and built by PCL Westcoast Constructors.

Green roofs control storm water run-off, provide urban green spaces, lower heating and cooling costs and can provide recreational areas that expand the usable footprint of a structure.  And one more thing…they look great.

The city of Miami will formally introduce its first hybrid-powered, “eco-friendly” solid waste truck on Wednesday, September 15th.  Miami Mayor Thomas Regalado will be joined by reps from the EPA and the vehicle’s manufacturing partners, Autocar and Parker Hanafin.

The Autocar E3 – powered by an innovative hybrid-drive system developed by Parker-Hannifin – features the most advanced hybrid technology and energy recovery system available.  The vehicle’s RunWise Advanced Series Hybrid Drive,  increases fuel savings up to 50 %, lowers carbon emissions up to 38 tons per year and reduces noise levels and overall operating costs.  The garbage truck was acquired through the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program, from which the City obtained a grant to purchase the truck.  The vehicle is 1,000 lbs lighter than competitive trash vehicles and is designed to be highly maneuverable in tight urban traffic situations.

It’s always an eco-friendly plus when a former waste by-product gets an extended life as a item.   These colorful bowls are created from the coconut shell that remains after the coconut meat and milk have been harvested.   Coconut palm is a fast-growing, renewable tropical plant, much like bamboo.

Each unique bowl features the naturally irregular shape of the individual coconut from whence it came – a nice departure from the usual symmetrical plastic shapes that dominate the modern household.  Every bowl is cleaned and polished, then finished with a durable food-safe PU lacquer and bright, tropical color.

A set of 4 will run you $58 @ re-modern

If you’re like me, you have several boxes, drawers and assorted containers holding a jumbled mess of precious accessories.  Here’s a solution for storing and displaying that mound of tangled earrings, bracelets and whatnot on your dresser…a retro-looking jewelry rack created from a repurposed printer’s drawer.

A perfect DIY project for anyone with access to antique desks, flea markets, or auctions, a working knowledge of hardware stores and a modicum of talent with tools.

Easier solution – buy one of the many racks sold  @ birdblueheaven’s etsy shop (pictured above)

• Cleanup of this toxic spill will begin immediately…Lady Gaga Wins 8 MTV Video Music Awards – bbc
  
• A tad creepy, but it may improve prosthetic limbs and robots…Robotics Breakthrough: Artificial Skin Detects Touch – msnbc
• Perhaps there are more claims beneath the surface…BP Sees Oil Spill Claims Below $20 Billion – reuters
• See story above…Scientists Find Thick Layer of Oil on Gulf Seafloor – npr
• Has Daryl had some work done?  I’m just askin’…Daryl Hannah Participating in Two-Week Permaculture Course – ecorazzi
• Ironic or moronic? LA Environmental School Built on Toxic Soil Cleanup Site – yahoo! news
• Euro virus threaten pet industry food source…US Cricket Farms Face Crisis – cs monitor

The design professionals at Fuse Finds created this dining room table from an upcycled, original London Underground sign.

The Naturally It’s Clean line of home cleaning products was originally recommended to us by my sister – a clean fanatic if ever there were.  Given her glowing recommendation, we tried the company’s plant-based enzyme floor cleaner.  The stuff works great on our hardwood floors, no streaks or residue.  And it goes a long way, too – mix 4 small capfuls of the cleaner with 1 gallon water in a bucket, clean with your favorite mop (well wrung out for hardwood); no rinsing needed.

This floor cleaner is non-toxic, free of fumes, phosphates, alcohol, ammonia, chlorine and petroleum based surfactants and fragrances.  We’ve had trouble in the past with other solutions leaving residue and film on our hardwood floors, but not with this stuff.   This natural-based solution is also designed to clean ceramic tile, stone, cork, bamboo, linoleum, vinyl and any water washable floor.

Ingredients: Water, pure & fresh enzymes blended from plants, coconut oil surfactant, Carmine natural color, and orange essential oil fragrance.

Naturally It’s Clean also has a complete line of plant-based enzyme cleaners, though we haven’t tried any other ones yet.

You can find the floor cleaner @ amazon for $10.36 for two 16oz. containers.  Naturally It’s Clean products are also sold at your local Whole Foods.  Naturally It’s Clean is made in the USA by a company called Enzyme Fresh Home.

As NY Fashion Week kicks off, (yes, Luis Valenzuela’s gown, above, is made of recycled footballs), we turn the spotlight on the ten designers of ecofashion who’ll be strutting their stuff at The GreenShows. Aptly enough, this year’s venue of choice is in Chelsea, at the newly renovated Metropolitan Suite, retrofitted with eco-friendly flooring and LED lighting, located on the second floor of the Metropolitan Pavilion.  We’ll be there and we can’t wait to bring you the highlights.

In order of appearance, beginning Sunday September 12:

• SUSAN CIANCIOLO (New York)
• LUIS VALENZUELA (Miami); with OPENING NIGHT EVENT co-hosted by our pals at ecouterre

Monday September 13:

• AURALIS HERRERO (New York/Puerto Rico)
• JOANN BERMAN (New York)
• ASHTON MICHAEL BLACK LABEL (Los Angeles)

Tuesday September 13:

• MILLINERS GUILD (New York)
• LAVUK by NATASHA GINDIN (Los Angeles)
• DRESS REFORM (New York)
• BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS by ELIZA STARBUCK (New York)
• SAMANTHA PLEET (New York); CLOSING NIGHT EVENT

the photos above were gleaned from the following designer’s Web sites;  from top to bottom: Luis Valenzuela, Ashton Michael, Bright Young Things…and we thank you!

For victims of major environmental disasters, as well as those in developing countries, access to potable water can make the difference between life and death.  Recent catastrophies in Haiti and Pakistan have made this issue all the more apparent.  Technology like this solar powered water purifier may eventually become a valuable tool for aid organizations endeavoring to save the lives of both humans, and livestock.

The Trunz Seawater / Brackish Water Container is a complete, self-contained water purification system – compact, mobile and ready to deploy.  The brackish container can be fully operational within hours.

The system can be powered by renewable solar or wind energy and can produce over 8,000 gallons of virus-free drinking water per day from any salt / brackish water source.  The system is complete with feed pump, automatic back flushing filtration and controls.  Two energy efficient, reverse osmosis membranes remove dissolved solids (salt, inorganic contamination, etc.) as well as virus and bacteria without requiring toxic chemical treatment.  When powered by a photovoltaic solar array, the panels can be folded down and/or stored in a specially designed structure on the container.

The product is a joint venture of Spectra Watermakers, a California company known for its reverse osmosis watermaking equipment, and Trunz Water Systems.

source: ereleases.com