To Create Without Waste, Using Waste

Everyone, save for Sandhi Schimmel Gold of Phoenix, hates junk mail.

Rather than immediately dispose of the paper nuisances, she turns junk mail into art! Using old cards, advertisements, menus, calendars and even personal tax forms, Gold creates portraits on repurposed canvases and frames with acid free adhesives and lacquers. No programs, dies, or technology of any sort were utilized in the creation of these intricate works. Everything Gold does, she does by hand.

There is a deeper meaning to her art. Gold says, “Where can beauty be found in a culture of conspicuous consumption? I believe we are an aggregate of tiny bits: who we are and where we’ve been – or who we want or pretend to be. Each piece expresses a mood – a calculated effect – high drama, serenity, sexuality or humor.”

Her paper portraits are currently on display at the Springs Preserve Museum in Las Vegas through March 15 of 2010.

Visit Gold’s website to see more, where “sophistication meets sustainability.”

Via TreeHugger.

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Beam Down, Lower Costs

Standard solar power towers have been working fantastically and have proven to be an efficient and eco-friendly source of energy. It, however, can get better. A new and improved system that utilizes primarily the same solar energy attaining method is in the works at the Masdar Institute, the Tokyo Institute of Technology and Cosmo Oil.

Instead of building heat capturing systems at the top of large towers, which results in very expensive construction due to more intense fluid pumping, an extra set of mirrors will be used to direct captured light down towards the ground to be caught in a liquid filled tank under the tower. The fluid boils to about 500 degrees Celsius and subsequently goes through the general process of generating electricity.

Because of the extra step in the solar thermal process, efficiency is reduced by 15 to 19 percent. Improvements are sure to occur with further research. On the other hand, energy and cost in construction and processing are also reduced because fluids do not have to be pumped up into a high tower.

Mateo Chiesa, a researcher and professor at the Masdar Institute, estimates that the shorter, beam down tower prototype will generate about 100 kilowatts of power. Masdar hopes to be the first to gear this sort of solar thermal tower commercially.

This project is in its early, prototyping phases. Be sure to keep an eye out for further beam down news.

Via ecogeek and Greentech Media.

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Designers Using Recycled Materials: Furniture From Available Objects

Malafor has come up with a simple and easily stored furniture design entitled the Blow Sofa. It is made of 100% recycled and recyclable (inflatable) paper dunnage bags, which are traditionally used for cushioning and stabilizing cargo amidst rocky transportation.

For a comfortable rest, one just has to blow up the bags, which are completely transportable and easy to assemble. The materials used to construct this sofa are the recycled dunnage bags, a metal rack, rubber straps (and air).

More new furniture from Malafor can be found by clicking here.

Via Daily Coverage.

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Greener, Cleaner Dishes… Without Detergent

Dr. Youngblood at work. Via Treehugger.

A water-favoring, anti-oily treated surface. Via Discovery News.

Imagine the possibility of grease and grime being lifted from your dishes with just water. Jeffrey P. Youngblood, an associate professor at Purdue University, and his colleagues are currently in the process of formulating a coating for dinnerware that will eliminate the need for polluting dishwater soap.

This coating, made up of long chains of polymers, is based on perfluorinated end-cap polyethylene glycol amphiphilic macromers that had been polymerised with a variety of comonomer. This eco-friendly alternative to the harsh chemicals of traditional phosphorous soap contains a Teflon-like molecule that repels oil while allowing water to filter through and rinse off surfaces.

Youngblood and team have engineered the polymer chains to have different properties, leading to different cleaning solutions. One causes oil to gather into easier-to-clean beads, and, like other potential methods, simply has the oil “remove itself.”

One may argue that the coating material itself is not very eco-friendly due to the usage of the Teflon-like molecule, but Youngblood states that the elimination of soaps and detergents streaming into our waterways will be more than a good tradeoff for the minimal polymer coating that will run off from treated products.

The next step for Youngblood and his team of researchers is working with plastic substrates, anti-fog products, as well as easy to clean paints.

Via Treehugger. Read on at Discovery News + Chemistry World. Read more on the harmful effects of phosphorous soap at Treehugger.

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Nanosys is Working to Improve LED Light Quality

Image via Treehugger.

Nanosys is currently working on LED technology that will greatly improve the quality of light produced. They describe it as “spectrum engineering for LCD device displays using Nanosys’ QuantumRail™, where high-brightness applications call for improved color gamut, saturation and power efficiency from LED sources.” Using nanotechnology, fluids are created out of semiconductor materials, which are then layered over blue LED lights, the most energy efficient of the hues. All colors displayed will be more vivid and just as energy efficient as present LED technology.

With the advancements made, Nanosys has discovered how to produce LEDs in any color that are far more saturated than current LED-backlit LCD displays and in warmer tones. Standard blue LEDs are used with the addition of a nanomaterial based phosphor material to create warm white lights, a process nature uses that provides a greater wavelength range. They claim that energy input can remain low while boosting picture quality.

Nanoysys CEO, Jason Hartlove, estimates that we will see around 60% of notebooks made in 2010 utilizing LED backlights. With mandates such as the ones in California, the television market is also sure to jump on a technology that creates displays of higher picture quality without consuming additional energy.

Via Treehugger.

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Get Political With Timberland’s “Don’t Tell Us It Can’t Be Done” Campaign.

In December, 192 nations from around the world will come together in Copenhagen to attempt to ratify a new global climate change treaty, designed to replace the soon-to-expire Kyoto protocol. COP15 represents a significant opportunity to take action on climate change. Through the Don’t Tell Us It Can’t Be Done campaign, Timberland hopes to rally the power of individuals and consumers around the world to affect this process positively by challenging government leaders to set standards for emissions.

Timberland is challenging world leaders at COP15 to commit to reducing global emissions – even if that means a cap and trade system. Even with the restrictions that such a model could produce, Timberland is confident that it would force innovation in industries everywhere and that businesses, as problem solvers, would find a way to adapt without passing the cost to the consumer, just as Timberland has. Through measures such as improving lighting design, using renewable energy sources at Timberland facilities and building all new US stores to LEED specifications, Timberland has reduced its direct carbon emissions by 27% since 2006 – all while achieving cost savings.

As part of this campaign, individuals can make their voices heard by signing an online petition at www.donttellusitcantbedone.com or by going through Facebook.com/timberland and Earthkeeper.com. The petition asks world leaders to come to an agreement on fair and binding climate legislation that clearly sets a limit for greenhouse gas emissions; and then asks them to step aside and let businesses innovate and lead the way to finding solutions to achieve those limits.

In addition to signing the petition, visitors can learn about other ways to address climate change or stay up-to-date with happenings at the conference from December 7 – 18. An on-the-ground correspondent will be providing daily updates and exclusive interviews at www.donttellusitcantbedone.com.

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The International Student Energy Summit (ISES)

The International Student Energy Summit (ISES) is a global forum that focuses on sustainable resource management and the role that students will play in defining the future of energy development. The event is set to take place in Calgary, Alberta Canada from June 11-13, 2009. ISES aims to bring together a a group of more than 500 international, multidisciplinary students in undergraduate and graduate studies. They are holding the Summit to build a network of driven individuals looking to make a difference in the energy sector.

The program will focus on three main pillars of today’s critical energy issues. “Finance, Regulation and Sustainability” will be centered around analyzing the current energy market and the development of new forms of energy. “Global Energy Cooperation” will address how energy impacts geo-politics and global development as the world becomes increasingly interdependent. The “Technology and Innovation” portion will draw emphasis on new processes and technologies being developed and implemented in both conventional and alternative disciplines. The Summit promises to bring together the next generation of energy leaders, instilling the confidence, knowledge, and network for bringing about a sustainable future.

ISES will take place on June 11-13, 2009 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Click here for more info.

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Going Green At The Home Housewares Show, Chicago 3.22.09

This years Home Housewares Show is once again big, expansive, overwhelming, extraneous, wasteful, etc., but it also included many new green products and materials, giving hope to those of us who desire change.

They featured 50 of the most sustainable products in a separate display and had several speakers to present the “latest thinking on green design and practice”.  CA Webb from Preserve shared the reality of having a successful business based on the re-use of materials and also discussed the importance of transparent practice and straightforward information when developing an authentic relationship with the consumer. Accordingly, Howie Fendley from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, discussed eliminating the concept of waste, which is vital to America utilizing it’s by-products more efficiently and effectively.

Seeing so many thousands of products presented at the show, I can’t help but hope that very soon all of these companies integrate and prioritize a higher level of green innovation and responsibility.  The effects would be far-reaching and could actually benefit the company, as well as the consumer and the environment.

Top 10 eco-items scouted at the Housewares Show:

1. EZ Bagz – 100% biodegradable trash bags in 12-24 months, even in a landfill and they are actually puncture resistant, affordable and sold everywhere!

2. Ecologic dishware – made from bamboo fibers.

3. Aladdin Recycled and Recyclable Plastic Products – coffee tumbler.

4. Twist – a collection of natural sponges and cleaning clothes.

5.  Zak designs – Confetti – recycled melamine dishware.

6. EcoGen – durable, affordable and biodegradable products for the home.

7. Pedrini – Eco-line – the first line of biodegradable kitchen tools.

8. Blue Avocado – cool kit grow bags – a compacting system of all the bags you need.

9. “Power Plant” by Prepara – very attractive, good for indoor air quality and automatically dispenses nutrients.

10. Oots – 100% recycled fiber and handmade seed paper for boxes, bags, place-mats etc.  They also make a great baby bib that covers a larger surface area – the bbib.

Related posts about eco-friendly product design:
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