Ah, Le Mini Paris!

To most people, used cans, jars, cardboard boxes and other discarded household wares are just things to either be thrown in the trash or recycled.  To inspired Frenchman Gerard Brion, however, they are the brick and mortar with which he built a detailed 1/130th scale model of Paris, France over the past 15 years.  Located in his own backyard in the southern French town of Vaissac, 70 km north of Toulouse, Brion’s creation is open to the public, and even has a (human-size) cafe and various nearby attractions in case you get tired after an hour of strolling its mini streets.  It goes without saying that Brion’s work shows how a little creativity (and a LOT of dedication) can change the way we perceive of refuse, and perhaps even suggest the permanence of many of the things we think just “go away” when we throw them away.  Anyone interested in visiting should hurry, as the park will only be open through September 30th!

For more information please visit Le Petit - Paris

Modular Home Recycling

Recycling plays an important role in achieving sustainability. It conserves natural resources, energy, and landfill space.  And in contrast with standard recycling bins, having something a little more convenient and intrinsic to use, makes the process of recycling more attractive. Thomas Deckert, a student in San Francisco, developed a very useful device for a wide range of kitchen environments. In a product design class, he designed a container system which utilizes space for general recyclables and compostables, including food waste. Constructed with reclaimed plastics and spare parts from around the house, the Household Recycling System provides a bin for plastics, separate bagged spaces for toxic waste, and a compartment for decomposable waste. In the end, Deckert’s goal was to provide something that common households could use in one compact unit.

Trash Cans as Public Art

If your notion of a trash can is simply that of an everyday utilitarian product, you should take a look at what the non-profit known as the Steel Yard has been working on for the past few years. As part of its Urban Furniture program, the Steel Yard, based in a 5600 SF industrial space in Providence, Rhode Island, collaborated with local artists to design and fabricate a series of distinctive steel trash cans (along with a number of other street-based art/products), in an effort to revitalize and beautify the Industrial Valley district within the city. Working with the Olneyville Housing Corporation, the organization sought to create aesthetically beautiful (as well as thought provoking) works of art and function, that would aid in improving the neighborhood of Olneyville, while at the same time elevating the public dialogue of what it means to be a community in transition.

(All photographs courtesy of Steelyard’s flickr gallery)

On one level, what the Steel Yard has done with this project, is demonstrate how a community of diverse populations, vocations, etc, can come together to essentially “unify” a city, even if one neighborhood at a time, and how this can be done through the installation of functional “street art”. If urban living does eventually become the norm, it is all the more reason to make our urban spaces more enjoyable and livable, and hopefully more cities will realize that something as simple as a trash can presents an accessible way to achieve that. And to do so through creative collaboration, is surely a testament to how strong a community like Olneyville has already become.

BASF Adds a “Story” Section to Their Website

In the spirit of open communications with the public about their green projects, BASF has launched a section on their site devoted to promoting their green initiatives that have successfully had positive impacts on the environment. One material they’ve released recently is called Ecoflex, a plastic they say is completely biodegradable and compostable. Targeted as a replacement material in the production of trash bags and disposable packaging, it’s designed to decompose (in compost) within a few weeks. In soil, BASF claims it will leave no residues. Ecoflex is engineered to work just like Low Density Polyethylene, allowing it to be made into films, bags or coatings. This bio-based plastic does not require drying and remains stable for one year on the shelf or being warehoused.

BASF is also working on initiatives such as PremAir, a catalyst product for the commercial market that destroys harmful, ground-level ozone (different from the ozone that we’re used to hearing about). A main component of smog (smoke and fog), ground-level ozone causes eye and nose irritation while weakening the immune system, increasing chances of illness. It’s been found by some studies that hospital visits and fatalities caused by respiratory complications are increased when ground-level ozone amounts are higher than average. When BASF’s PremAir coating is applied to heat-exchange surfaces, such as traditional car radiators for example, the catalyst coating manages to reduce ground-level ozone in the air, converting the ozone molecules into oxygen molecules instantly upon surface contact.

Click here to visit BASF stories.

National Geographic Explains e-Waste and Recycling

This month’s National Geographic features a very informative article on e-waste called High Tech Trash. We highly recommend this read to any designer or business owner working in the electronics industry.

Click here for the full article.