Archive for July, 2011
Filmmakers Dan Susman and Andrew Monbouquette set out this summer to learn about urban agriculture and how it is affecting the urban-rural divide in America. Urban agriculture is just what it sounds like: utilizing urban space in order to cultivate food. The movement has met with sporadic success, but has been picking up steam in the last few years. There are even some extremes, such as the urban forager, who uses existing urban plant life as sources for food. Here’s the trailer for the in-progress film (the duo is currently making their way out of Atlanta): Growing Cities It’s amazing to...
Check out The Knowhow Shop – a new collaborative design and fabrication co-op located in Los Angeles. The 1,800-square foot space offers woodworking machines, a CNC router, a laser cutter and perhaps the most important tool of all: education. Founded by Kagan Taylor, Justin Rice and Joshua Howell, the shop operates on a punch card system. DIY crafters pay only for the time they use, and they get access to all of the equipment. Kagan points out that Knowhow is as much about bonding as it is about building: “It’s a great way to develop a network of people who are interested and...
One of the original sustainable fibers, wool is gaining attention in the eco-conscious fashion world and Pendleton Woolen Mill’s new Portland Collection launching this fall is riding that wave. The new line, manufactured in the U.S. from domestically sourced wool woven in the company’s two Northwest mills, was conceived of by a trio of young Portland-based designers who took the aesthetic of classic Pendleton designs and translated them for a younger audience. Mort Bishop III, Pendleton’s president and the driving force behind the Portland Collection, said he didn’t set out to make eco-fashion. Instead it happened by default. Pendleton worked...
Dutch Ink is a group of South African “reverse graffiti” artists with a green ethos. Group members include: JP Jordaan, Nick Ferreira, Stathi Kougianos and Martin Pace, who are all Vega graduates, a brand communication school in South Africa. The group’s surprising and thought-evoking eco art is designed to draw attention to our ever-increasing alienation from nature. Instead of painting new images on degraded municipal walls and other infrastructure, the group enhances them withclean, temporary graffiti. While tagging is technically illegal, authorities are battling to pin down how exactly these “urban vandals” are doing harm. Doesn’t sound like harm to me! Sound...
The first episode of the Climate Reality Project will be a live-streamed event called 24 Hours of Reality held on Sept. 14-15. According to a press release from the organization, “people all around the globe living with the impacts of climate change will connect the dots between recent extreme weather events — including floods, droughts and storms — and the man-made pollution that is changing our climate.” The video feed will feature scientists, celebrities, executives and citizens from places like Tonga, Mexico City and Alaska, along with Mr. Gore. It will be broadcast over 24 hours in 24 time zones...
Legendary jeans company Levi’s is looking to donate 200 million liters of water to communities in need: first, by changing the manufacturing process to create a more sustainable Water<Less pair of pants, and then by providing ideas for wearers on water saving (including the importance of loading washing machines to capacity to save an average of 300 liters a month). The company has done away with H2O in the stone wash and combined a few wet-dry cycles for a kinder production process, which has earned it one of Good Guide’s highest ranking apparel lines for water use. In case you...
Porsche is now taking orders for the German carmaker’s first publicly available hybrid sports car, the 918 Spyder. Unveiled as a concept car one year ago at the Geneva Motor Show, the 918 Spyder is a plug-in hybrid car powered by a 500-horsepower V8 gasoline engine and two electric motors — one each in the front and rear axles — that will produce at least 218 horsepower more, Porsche promises. The car’s top speed will be 199 miles per hour, Porsche claims, and it will be capable of zero-to-60 acceleration in just 3.1 seconds. The 918 Spyder will also be...
With jewelry making being a popular hobby, finding fair trade and eco-friendly compliments to your outfit can be relatively easy. But, many of the finest pieces that come from Africa come at an unfair cost—dangerous environments for workers and little pay. However, MADE, an accessories company that advocates for fair trade jewelry from Africa, gives ethical conscience consumers the opportunity to purchase without a worry. The organization has a team of designers who work with people in disadvantaged communities to source and create colorful earrings, classic necklaces, and other African inspired jewelry. You can shop at their affordable online store,...
‘Lil homies need care and protection that won’t ruin their street cred (read: sorry mom, that full brimmed sun hat is sure to be left behind come playtime). The TruKid line of children’s sunscreen, hair and skin products, and relief balms are BPA and Phthalate free; just as importantly, little ones won’t squirm when you try to wash their hair or prep them for the sun. The sunscreen products are fresh smelling and, according to one user, blend in as well as chemical sunscreens with no white residue (sans the titanium dioxide). TruKid lotions and balms are highly rated by the Environmental Working...
