Sustainable Urban Agriculture In New York

Sustainable Urban Agriculture from DiscoveryNewsVideo on Vimeo.

The Science Barge is a prototype, sustainable urban farm and environmental education center. It is now docked in downtown Yonkers just North of the Yonkers Pier. This barge is the only fully functioning demonstration of renewable energy supporting sustainable food production in New York City. The Science Barge grows tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce with zero net carbon emissions, zero chemical pesticides, and zero runoff.

From May to October 2007 alone, the Science Barge hosted over 3,000 schoolchildren from all five New York boroughs as well as surrounding counties as part of our environmental education program. In addition, over 6,000 adult visitors visited the facility along with press from around the world. The video above describes more about the Barge and its features.

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Bamboozled by Bamboo?

Bamboo has been touted as the new wonder fabric, it is rapidly renewable, requires little or no pesticides, and is soft to the touch. Today consumers can find many “eco-friendly” products that are made from bamboo but can it really be all that sustainable?

Bamboo is a grass that grows up to two meters per week, and is cut and not uprooted when harvested allowing it to grow back quickly. It is extremely hardy and usually requires only rainfall to grow and thus many industries find it quite appealing as a source material. Unfortunately the majority of bamboo is derived from large plantations in China that are highly under-regulated. Many of the plantations were created through the clear cutting of forests, and although usually grown organically, bamboo is very invasive and can choke out native species and greatly affect local ecosystems. To be processed into fiber, a lot of energy is also consumed and toxic chemicals like caustic soda are needed to refine it into a wearable textile. The whole production process needs greater regulation and transparency to ensure its growth and production is more sustainable.

As with most products on the market there are usually trade offs in its production and use, and bamboo is no exception. Bamboo does have some great positive attributes however; It can be made into a variety of textiles that can be as soft as cashmere or as strong and durable as denim. Bamboo is also praised for its UV protection and its anti-microbial properties although further testing is needed to bolster these claims.

There is no doubt that bamboo is a highly versatile material. It can be used successfully not just for textiles but for a variety of other industries as well. For bamboo to truly be a sustainable material however, more attention must be put on its production and how it is harvested and processed. There is no doubt that bamboo can be a great sustainable material, but the hype surrounding it can be detrimental for the real facts to come out.

Visit the Organic Clothing Blog for more info

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Recycled Cardboard Made Into Furniture

Krooom focuses on environmental performance and makes products which are produced with at least 60% recycled paper. Their technical team has developed and invented patented technology that has enabled the creation of products which are strong, sturdy and lightweight. They ship folded flat and require no tools for assembly. According to Nitzan Bertele, their Chief Design Officer, “advanced patented technology ensures no visible corrugated edges. Our products are completely printable, and meet many of the standards for moisture resistance.  Their production facility in China is supervised by our own staff, strictly working under international and local labor laws.”

In a typical re-manufacturing process, recycled cardboard is dropped into a water-based solution in which it dissolves, contaminants (tape, staples, dirt, etc.) are removed by gravity, flotation, or filtration, the recycled pulp is blended to produce a mix with the characteristics required for production of a specific paper product, and the pulp is pumped to a paper machine where the final product is manufactured. Paper production from recycled cardboard consumes less energy, produces fewer emissions to air and water, and generates less solid waste than production of similar products made from virgin fiber.

Please visit Krooom for more information.

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Toys for Elementary Math Education in the Developing World

Project H Design is an Ecolect partner and a global design nonprofit who believes design can change the world. Their team has assembled a group of industrial designers, social entrepreneurs, and manufacturers to conceive and produce a toy for elementary math education with applications in the developing world and the US retail markets. Their case study is the Kutamba School for AIDS orphans, located in Uganda. Project H’s team will develop a locally-made version of the toy for Kutamba and broader distribution in the developing world, along with a sister US retail version based on the same system.

In addition to taking donations on their site, Project H is submitting their proposal on Ideablob “the living, breathing community of ideas”. Their team is striving to delve more deeply into the design development, prototyping, user testing and distribution. According to Emily Pilloton, Founder of Project H Design, “We will be able to fund the initial production of the math toys for both the Kutamba case study school as well as the US retail production and associated legal/intellectual property protection.”

If you like what Project H is up to, sign-into Ideablob and give them a vote!

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ICFF 2008: The Report

This year there were several pieces that considered the environment and stood out from the crowd. More than ever there was a reoccurrence of manufacturing in the New York metro area. Several designers we spoke with mentioned that their products were fabricated or produced in Brooklyn and also sold locally. We were also very excited to see an increase in the amount of recycled materials being used in the production of furniture.

Ayako Takase, Cutter Hutton and Chris Specce of Kaiju Studios in Providence, RI released the Airia desk and media cabinet, for Herman Miller this year at ICFF. These pieces are part of Herman Miller’s Lifework Portfolio series and strive to create a remarkable, quality design that is far from disposable and very desirable. Takase mentioned that through the design, ergonomics, materials and construction quality, they intend the furniture to be something “you’ll keep for the rest of your life and pass on for generations.” The desk and cabinet are both designed for easy assembly/disassembly and are made from walnut, featuring a plywood laminate top surface and cast aluminum legs.

Kaiju Studios

Akemi Tanaka is a Brooklyn based designer and a recent graduate of the Industrial Design masters program at Pratt. She launched her line of eco-friendly furniture this year at ICFF. The three new products that she released at the show include Ori, Sachi and Curve. They are locally made in Brooklyn and primarily sold to customers in the New York area.

Akemi Tanaka

Meredith Goodwin created the SURA table. A simple, modular coffee/side table piece designed for small spaces. SURA is fabricated out of a strong aluminum alloy with an Indian inspired design cut into the metal. SURA is made from Aluminum and produced locally in Brooklyn, New York.

Goodwin Design

Diane Ruengsorn, Founder and Director of Domestic Aesthetic created a line of housewares that use sustainably forested and reclaimed woods while being locally made in Brooklyn. Our favorite product uses scrap mahogany which is reclaimed from a local window manufacturer.

Domestic Aesthetic

With the rising cost of fuel and labor oversees, material companies such as IceStone, are using production facilities in the United States. IceStone manufactures Cradle to Cradle certified eco-friendly surface material used for countertops, bathroom vanities, and flooring for commercial or residential projects. The material is made from recycled glass and concrete and is produced by an environmentally friendly manufacturing process at a factory in Brooklyn, New York.

IceStone

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US Manufacturing Going Strong

Surprisingly, as US service industries shrank last month, factories expanded. Accounting for approximately 12 percent of the economy, manufacturing held strong in the United States. What does this say about our spending and production? Are consumers buying less as a result of higher prices and a loss in jobs? Bloomberg.com covers this pressing issue but neglects to mention the many eco-minded consumers who are now asking for locally made products, supporting manufacturers in the US while also buying less product in general. For the full article see bloomberg.com.

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Titanium, How Is It Made?

Discovered in England during 1791 and named after the Titans of Greek mythology, Titanium has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal. Industrial Designers and Architects know the amazing reputation and properties of Titanium however few outside of the aerospace and medical industries are well acquainted with the manufacturing process. This video from The Science Channel covers the production process in several steps. For more information about the history and production of this amazing high-tech material, click here…

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