GREENSPACE

Beautiful Islands

2010-08-18T09:18:00.004-04:00

Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater is hosting a special screening for Beautiful Islands on August 24th at 7pm. Beautiful Islands, directed and produced by Kana Tomoko, is a 106-min documentary that looks at the global warming effects of three unique islands: Tuvalu in the South Pacific, Venice in Italy, and Shishmaref in Alaska. This event is hosted by Eleven Arts and New York - Tokyo. To find out more and rsvp, check out this link.

Modular Goes Green

2010-07-19T12:26:00.002-04:00

ACCENT SIGNAGE SYSTEMS (Minneapolis) introduced Materia™, the only GREENGUARD® certified signage system. Derived from renewable resources, the materials "pose no problem for the environment in their manufacture or reuse." Check out The Ecology Series. - Anna

MAKING GREEN FROM GREEN Shaping the 21st Century

2010-06-25T10:10:00.007-04:00

Earlier this month, the Green Team attended a sustainable design talk event organized by the Sustainable Business Committee of the Columbia Business School Alumni Club of New York (CBSACNY). The panel discussion focused on how design innovation and its seemingly diametric relationship to business practices can come together to strengthen one another into the 21st century. Speakers included Eric Milot from branding agency, Wolff Olins, Ken Drucker from HOK, and Andrew Dent from Material ConneXion.

The discussion touched on many interconnected aspects of sustainable design for today's designers: using nature as a source for finding solutions to today's design challenges; understanding the idea that waste does not exist in natural ecosystems where closed-loop cycles mean the waste of one species is the source of food for another species; the importance of establishing core values that can be demonstrated through business practices; the necessity of quantifying the carbon footprint of a designed product from project conception to end. Andrew Dent spoke about having spent 15 months developing an ecofriendly shoebox design for PUMA made out of recycled material, only to discover later through detailed quantification that the manufacturing process by using the recycled material required higher energy consumption — Ultimately, the design went back to square one

Advances in design during the 20th century were driven by the feats of engineering with products created primarily to serve one purpose. Today, as the world becomes more populated, the consumption of energy, processes, and products will rise to unprecedented levels. It is estimated that about 80% of newly launched products fail in the marketplace today. The challenges in design will require careful management of natural resources so that we can products can be created to perform multiple uses while achieving eco-efficiency and eco-effectiveness.

All in all, the event proved to be an eye-opening and thought-provoking session, leaving us feeling intrigued and inspired.

CATALYST

2010-06-25T10:03:00.007-04:00

CATALYST Strategic Design Review is a quarterly magazine managed by students, faculty and staff of the Pratt Design Management program. The group was established in 2009 as a forum leading critical thinking and dialogue on the subjects of strategic and innovative design while striving to create economic value and maintain environmental stewardship. Through its first year of publication, CATALYST has covered topics ranging from the High Line project in the city, to the relationships between eco-friendly design and social wellbeing. Check out the digital issues

#1: Benign by Design: NYC
#2: Designing Climate-Safe Economies: Life-Centered Design
#3: Designing Climate-Safe Economies: Cradle to Cradle
#4: Designing Wellbeing: Re-focus. Re-invent. Rejuvenate.

For more regular postings and updates, CATALYST also has a blog, a sister site with article and discussion postings helping to keep the general public stay informed on various subjects and current events.

Society for Environmental GREEN Design

2010-05-28T13:42:00.004-04:00

From the better-late-than-never department (meaning that I meant to post this last week), SEGD has some news on the sustainability front. First, they're compiling a Green Resource Guide, which they describe as "a forum for sustainable innovation in environmental graphic design." Sounds rather relevant, no? Second, they released their Sustainability Issue of segdDESIGN.

Thanks Anna!

-Kaitlen

Emeco Chair Part Deux

2010-05-27T16:36:00.003-04:00

And here is another wonderful photo essay about the same Emeco chair:

http://www.notcot.com/archives/2010/05/11-coke-x-dwr-x-emeco-navy.php

Recycled chairs: Coca Cola bottles are the new trend at Design Within Reach

2010-05-27T16:19:00.007-04:00

Click on the link to find out more about the new and (green!) plastic chair:

Emeco's 111 Navy chair gives Coke bottles a second life

Tomorrow is National Bike to Work Day

2010-05-20T14:45:00.004-04:00

May is Bike Month in New York City!

Although you can't take your two wheels underwater like the group below, tomorrow morning you can get some miles in and a free breakfast if you ride your bike into work for National Bike to Work Day.

What a green thing to do!!! See more info below on the exciting events, and check out their website for more information: www.bikemonthnyc.org

Join fellow cyclists on May 21st at any of the pit-stops below:

Martha Stewart’s Whole Living Magazine Bike Commuter Breakfast Station
Fri, May 21 5:00 am
12th Avenue and 26th Street, New York, NY
Here's another reason to use some pedal power this Friday, National Bike to Work Day: If you're near the Whole Living offices in New York City, you can get free breakfast-on-the-go and a chance to win awesome prizes -- including a Gazelle bike valued at $849!

The Bronx Borough President's Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 7:00 am
Poe Cottage (Grand Concourse and Kingsbridge Rd.), Bronx, NY
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. invites everybody who lives or works in the Bronx and neighboring communities to enjoy Bike Month!

NYC DOT's Brooklyn Bike Commute
Fri, May 21 7:30 am
Plaza St. West and Union St., Brooklyn, NY

Queens Borough President's Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 7:30 am
Queens Plaza North between Crescent and 24th Street, Queens, NY 11101
Celebrate cycling in Queens with refreshments provided by the office of Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall.

T.A. Manhattan Bridge Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 7:30 am
Manhattan Bridge Bike Path (Canal Street and Forsyth Street) NY, NY
Celebrate cycling on the Manhattan Bridge courtesy of Transportation Alternatives.

Times Up! and T.A. Williamsburg Bridge Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 7:30 am
Williamsburg Bridge, Brooklyn, NY
Celebrate cycling on the Williamsburg Bridge courtesy of Time’s UP! and Transportation Alternatives.

Staten Island Borough President's Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 7:30 am
St. George Ferry Terminal, Staten Island Ferry
Celebrate cycling in Staten Island with a free breakfast with Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro.

UWS Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 7:30 am
Riverside Park S. at 68th Street, New York, NY
Bike to Work along the Hudson River Greenway and enjoy breakfast goodies from the Upper West Side Street Renaissance Campaign.

Brooklyn Bridge Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 7:30 am
Middle of the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, NY
Join Transportation Alternatives on the Brooklyn Bridge for a free breakfast.

Self Magazine and T.A. Times Square Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 7:30 am
Broadway between 42nd St. and 43rd St., New York, NY
Celebrate cycling in Times Square courtesy of Self Magazine, Times Square Alliance and Transportation Alternatives.

Brooklyn Borough President's Pit Stop
Fri, May 21 8:00 am
209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY
Celebrate cycling in Brooklyn with a ride and free breakfast courtesy of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

To Buy Organic or Not to Buy Organic

2010-05-04T11:51:00.007-04:00

...that is the question. I'm always tempted by the tons of cheap produce available a block away from me in Chinatown, but I feel like I should probably be buying only from green markets. Then again, I once paid $7 (seven dollars!) for one tomato at the Union Square farmers market. (It was a big tomato, but not that big.) If I bought everything from the farmers market, I'd go broke or hungry or both.

Apparently this is a common dilemma. Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group conducted a series of experiments to find out just how many pesticides wind up in our non-organic fruit and veggies by the time they're ready to eat (e.g., once you've washed and/or peeled them). Here's the full list of results of the 49 fruits and vegetables tested. And some aren't so bad. It is still possible to buy some of your produce from a conventional grocery store (or stall in Chinatown, even) and some from a green market and not be irresponsible. Just read the results of the testing and make your purchases accordingly.

Oh, and if you have a couple extra minutes, the methodology section is particularly interesting, too.

-Kaitlen

Domestic Transformer

2010-04-28T12:49:00.002-04:00

Space is a luxury in crowded metropolitan cities like Hong Kong. Gary Chang, an architect, has transformed his small 330 square foot apartment using a sliding wall system to maximize spacial efficiency, creating up to 24 different room combinations!

Also check out more recent World's Greenest Homes on Planet Green.

-Julie

Open Green Map

2010-04-23T10:55:00.007-04:00

Green living is all around us—not just on Earth Day! As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, perhaps this is a chance to seek out something "green" in our neighborhood.

Using familiar Google map technology, Open Green Map is a collection of 10,235 green living sites around the world. From buildings to local markets to hiking trails, this small but growing database was created by Green Map® System in hopes to "make these places part of your life, and help your community become a greener and healthier place."

Also check out Green Map® System homepage to see their collection sustainable maps.

But celebrations aren't over yet!
Here are some notable Earth Day events on the weekend.

Earth Day at Grand Central Terminal:
featuring the annual The Giant Earth Images, exhibits at Vanderbilt Hall and outdoor celebrations on Vanderbilt Avenue

NY's greenest at Battery Park:
art installation in the World Financial Center and workshops during the day

NYC Grows Festival at Union Square:
gardening and tree-planting workships, organic cooking demonstrations and hands-on urban farming activities

-Julie

The History of Earth Day

2010-04-22T14:42:00.010-04:00

As we prepare to roll home after a delicious Earth Day luncheon, let's take a few moments out of our dessert-induced stupor to reflect on the history of Earth Day itself.

The push to recognize the need to do something to address the steadily-worsening environment was initially made as early as 1962 by Senator Gaylord Nelson. (Now there's a name you don't hear much these days.) He even got President Kennedy on board, but, unfortunately, the issue didn't really take off.

Over the next few years, Sen. Nelson drew inspiration from the anti-Vietnam "teach-ins" taking place on college campuses around the country, and had the idea to stage his own environmentally-themed teach-in. In September 1969, he announced plans for a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone to participate.

On April 22, 1970, the event that Sen. Nelson initially called the National Environment Teach-In but was quickly dubbed Earth Day took place. On this first Earth Day, 20 million people across the U.S. participated. According to this account by Sen. Nelson:

Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself.

By 1990, the 20th anniversary of Earth Day saw global participation, with over 140 countries involved. By the 30th anniversary in 2000, that number had swelled to 184 countries.

In recognition of his environmental work, Sen. Nelson was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest honor given to a civilian—in 1995. Although Nelson died in 2005 at the age of 89, he would no doubt be delighted to see that the cause he supported and tradition he began 40 years ago has been taken up so fervently by so many.

For a more thorough timeline of Earth Day history, take a look here. To learn more about the Earth Day Network, the organization that coordinates Earth Day events and helps found local Earth Day groups worldwide, check out their website.

-Kaitlen

iLCP & Conservation Photography

2010-04-21T08:30:00.002-04:00

The International League of Conservation Photographers is a non-profit organization made up of professional photographers whose mission is to convey the beauty of the natural world through the power of conservation photography. It members collaborate with scientists, leaders, conservation groups, and policy makers to shed light on various environmental issues that may affect us on different levels.

In light of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the iLCP has selected 40 photographs spanning a hundred years of photography, showcasing an array of hard-to-capture moments in nature while highlighting some of the most important environmental issues of our time. Prints of the selected photographs will be sold at Christie's Green Auction, where proceeds will go to several green organizations.

-Andy

Food for Earth Week

2010-04-20T14:59:00.000-04:00

Hi Two Twelvers!!!

In celebration of Earth Day I am bringing to you our plans for this Thursday. The Green Team will be catering a vegetarian lunch for all of you from City Bakery. City Bakery specializes in organic, local and sustainable foods.

We are having a dessert potluck to go along with the lunch.
Feel free to bring sweets to share (and anything else if you desire). Scroll to the bottom for one idea for an amazing dessert :)

This Thursday April 22, 12:15-1:15pm.

On the menu:

A selection of sandwiches.
Israeli couscous, yellow pepper, cucumber, herbs & ricotta salata
black-eyed peas, red onion, oranges, spinach & orange-chipotle vinaigrette
sweet potatoes, almonds & spinach with curry vinaigrette
sautéed broccoli rabe
cornbread salad with cherry tomatoes & pepperjack cheese

Scroll down for facts from the Sierra Club and some of my favorite vegan recipes:

According to the Sierra Club:

To produce one pound of grain-fed beef: We use 16 pounds of wheat and up to 2,500 gallons of water. Cattle production also consumes large amounts of fossil fuels—about a gallon of gasoline per pound of beef—and produces water pollution.

Chicken and pork production also require large amounts of water, grain, and energy and result in significant water and air pollution.

About 260 million acres of forests in the U.S. have been cleared to create cropland for cattle, and many millions more have been cleared, and are cleared every day, in forests around the world.

This doesn't even mention the amount of hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides that we are ingesting along the way. Or make mention of the horrible treatment of caged animals and workers on these farms.

Fact is, we must all start being more conscious about what we eat. And yes, you can still remain a meat-eater. Just start consuming less animal products and more local and organic foods.

CHOCOLATE SMLOVE PIE: What would Paula Deen do?

This is a rich yet airy chocolate pie smothered in peanut butter caramel, studded with maple candies pecans and finished off with a chocolate drizzle for good measure. I use a graham cracker crust but a chocolate cookie crust would be nice, too. The pie itself is gluten free so if you have a gluten free crust you celiacs are good to go. I was inspired to make it when I asked myself what Paula Deen would bake if she were vegan. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making the toppings, the pie by itself is pretty yummy, too! Top it with soy whip cream if you got it. I'll be serving this and other good stuff at a vegan dinner event for New York Magazine in May. Check back for details!

If you're wondering why it's called Smlove Pie, it's a long and stupid story. The recipe is below. Enjoy!

For the graham cracker crust:
12 graham crackers (or 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs)
1/4 cup canola oil

For the chocolate pie filling:
1 lb silken tofu (NOT the vacuum packed kind), drained
1/4 cup hazelnut liquer (other liquers would work too, like coffee liquer or chocolate liquer, or just use rice milk or soy milk)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons arrowroot
12 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted (you don't need directions for melting chocolate, do you?)

For the caramel peanut butter:
(This is basically the same as the recipe in caramel apple bars, but the quantities are tweaked a bit)
1/3 cup natural peanut butter, smooth or chunky, at room temperature
3 tablespoons pute maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup

For the maple candied pecans:
1 cup pecans
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup

For the chocolate drizzle:
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or 1/4 cup chocolate chips)
1/4 cup soy or rice milk

Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare the crust by processing the grahams into fine crumbs. Place them in a bowl and drizzle the oil into them. Use your fingertips or a fork to mix the oil in until all crumbs are moistened.

Spray a 10 inch pie plate with cooking spray. Pour the crumbs into the pie plate and firmly press them to the bottom and sides of plate. Set aside.

Prepare the filling:
First melt your chocolate. Crumble the tofu into a blender or food processor. Add the liquer, vanilla and arrow root and blend until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides to make sure you get everything. Add the chocolate and blend again until completely combined.

Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 40 minutes. The center may still be jiggly, but that's fine. Let cool on a counter top for 10 minutes then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, the top of the pie should be firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, prepare your candied pecans.

Have ready a large plate, preferably covered in parchment paper. Preheat a heavy bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Add the pecans and stir them very frequently for 3 minutes, until the start to brown. Stir constantly for 2 more minutes, until they are a few shades darker and relatively uniformly toasted. (If a few don't look toasted don't worry about it. That's better than having them burn.) Add the oil ans salt and stir for another minute. Add the maple syrup and stir constantly for about a minute. The maple syrup should get bubbly and dry.

Use a spatula to transfer the pecans to the plate and spread them out as much as you can, it's best if they aren't touching. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Once the pie has been chilling for at least 3 hours, prepare the peanut butter caramel and chocolate drizzle. Have your pie out and ready to be assembled.

To prepare the caramel:
Stir all the ingredients together in a small sauce pan. Gently heat everything over low heat, stirring constantly with a fork, just until smooth and heated through. It should fall from your fork in ribbons. If it seems stiff, turn the heat off immediately and add a little extra brown rice syrup, until it's fluid again. This happens because different peanut butters have different amounts of moisture.

Pour the peanut butter over the center of the pie, leaving an inch or two at the edges because it spreads. Get your pecans and place them on top of the caramel, pressing them in firmly. You may have to break the pecans apart from each other if they were touching.

Prepare chocolate drizzle:
In a small sauce pan, heat the soy milk to boil. Once boiling, add the chocolate and lower heat. Use a fork to stir it until completely combined. Turn the heat off and let cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You can either drizzle the chocolate over the pie with a spoon, but I like to put it in a pastry bag fitted with a wide writing tip and drizzle it that way, in stripes.

Chill for at least 10 minutes before serving.

VEGAN SNOBBY JOES

prep time: 15 minutes | cooking time: 35 minutes start to finish | makes 4 to 6 sammiches

From Veganomicon. Every vegan cookbook needs a sloppy joe recipe with the name changed around a bit, right? Well, this is ours. Those sloppy joes we loved as a child but made with lentils. Snobby Joe thinks he's better than all the other Joes because he doesn't have any meat.

Equipment:
Just a pot or two

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked lentils
4 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 green pepper, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard (wet mustard)

4 to 6 kaiser rolls or sesame buns

Directions:
Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.

About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more.

Add the cooked lentils, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through.

Turn the heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld, or go ahead and eat immediately if you can't wait. I like to serve these open faced, with a scoop of snobby joe on each slice of the bun.

SPINACH MUSHROOM QUICHE

From Peter Berley's The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen

For the crust:
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
1/3 cup unflavored soy milk or water
1/3 cup light sesame oil or pure olive oil plus more for brushing the pan

For the filling:
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
10 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry white wine or water
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
3 garlic cloves, slice crosswise into 1/8-inch rounds
10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Pinch hot red pepper flakes
1 pound firm tofu, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 pounds fresh spinach
Paprika for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. To make the crust, spread the oats and sesame seeds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 minutes.

3. Transfer the toasted oats and sesame seeds to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, and process until the oats are finely ground.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy milk and oil. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the dry ingredients to form a dough.

5. Lightly brush a 9-inch or 10-inch tart pan with oil. Put the dough in the tart pan. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the dough and press down evenly, making sure to fill in the fluted sides of the pan. Trim the tart of any excess dough and refrigerate while you make the filling.

6. To make the filling, in a wide saute pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and mushroom, raise the heat to high, and saute for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and shaking the pan until the vegetables are caramelized. Add the wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and continue to cook until dry. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the vegetables into a mixing bowl and set aside.

7. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, basil, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes or until the garlic is golden. Do not let the garlic brown or it will become bitter. With a rubber spatula, scrape the garlic oil into the bowl of a food processor.

8. Crumble the tofu into the bowl of the food processor. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and puree until smooth. With a rubber spatula, scrape the puree into the mushroom-onion mixture.

9. Remove and discard the tough stems of the spinach. Wash the leaves in a large bowl with several changes of cold water. Transfer the spinach to a pot and cooke, covered, over high heat for several minutes, just until wilted. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to arrest the cooking. Drain well and squeeze dry. Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and chop fine. Add the spinach to the rest of the filling and stir well to combine.

10. Fill the tart shell with the tofu and vegetable mixture and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Dust with Paprika. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes,until firm.

11.Let the tart cool for 8 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

-Lindsay

Capturing It In Pieces

2010-04-16T09:23:00.008-04:00

As if animals couldn't be 'funner' and educational, the Philadelphia Zoo is showing an animal exhibit titled: Creatures of Habitat: A Gazillion-Piece Animal Adventure exhibit that is made entirely out of LEGO. The artist, Sean Kenney, has spent the past year creating his 30 plus-animal ensemble with focus on endangered species like the antarctic penguins pictured above entirely out of LEGO, in the hopes of highlighting the importance of natural preservation. See the slideshow for a selection of the featured creatures.

Also learn and see more of the artist's work at his website.

-Andy

TerraCycle at Port Authority

2010-04-01T15:52:00.004-04:00

I never thought I'd consider Port Authority a shopping destination, but things are about to change: TerraCycle has opened a popup store in Port Authority. This is so many kinds of awesome. First of all, it's an actual retail location where you can browse a bunch of TerraCycle products all in one place. Second, they'll give you discounts if you bring in materials to upcycle. Third, this may motivate some of us to be not just barely-in-the-nick-of-time, but early for our buses just so that we'll have some time to browse!

Good find, Julie!

-Kaitlen

New Bike Share System, Copenhagen Competition

2010-03-29T08:51:00.005-04:00

Check out this highly designed bike share system proposed for Copenhagen. The end goal is to increase the number of commuters traveling by bicycle from 37% to 50% by 2015, but in order to do so the design calls for a high-tech, all knowing, (somewhat frightening) bicycle.

Via RAFAA Architecture and Design.

- Anna

Film Screening Tonight 3/23: PLASTIC PLANET

2010-03-23T13:24:00.003-04:00

Another good reason to check out our recently installed work at Lincoln Center. Plastic Planet is being screened tonight with the following panel discussion:

"In this playful look at a serious subject, Werner Boote exhaustively examines the far-reaching effects of plastics on the environment. Can we curb our love for this ubiquitous material, or do we still need it despite the problems it causes?

Screening followed by a panel discussion with: Elisabeth Royte, author of "Garbage Land and Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It" and Michael Rieser, Staten Island Recycling Outreach Coordinator, Office of Recycling Outreach and Education Council on the Environment of New York City."

- Anna

The View From Spain's Solar Power Tower

2010-03-22T12:35:00.005-04:00

Hundreds of enormous mirrors that turn "themselves towards the sun like a field of giant metal sunflowers" allow Spain's Solar Power Tower to produce 11 megawatts of energy, enough to power a town of 6,000 homes. Valerio Fernandez, the director of operation, isn't satisfied with that accomplishment and continues to refine the tower in order to produce more energy. Check out the article online at CNN.

- Anna

This Weekend: Go Green Expo

2010-03-17T15:44:00.004-04:00

So this is pretty exciting: This Friday through Sunday, the Go Green Expo is happening right here in New York City. (Friday is the business-to-business portion of the expo, but Saturday and Sunday are open to the public.) Admission is complimentary all weekend long for b2b participants, and you can get a discount on general admission with the code GGENYC. I'd love to see Saturday's keynote speaker, Ed Begley, Jr., but I'm unfortunately busy all day, so I'll have to content myself with Mariel Hemingway on Sunday instead. Though, honestly, I'm interested in more than just the keynote address—several of the seminars sound intriguing, and there are more than 200 booths and exhibits to check out. My suggestion? If you decide to go, wear comfy shoes. You might be walking around for a while.

Thanks for the heads-up, Sarah!

-Kaitlen

After the Snow Melts

2010-03-05T08:53:00.004-05:00

Have you checked out the Green Team's new magazine subscription to Greensource? It is full of sustainable design solution examples. Very inspiring! If you can't find our actual copy (because Andy has it at his desk), you can also check out the magazine online Greensource

The current issue has an interesting article about how the Vancouver Olympics has made strides to produce a carbon-neutral event. For example, all new competition venues are targeting minimum LEED Silver ratings. Check it out!

Anna

Origins Takes on Recycling!

2010-03-04T17:34:00.004-05:00

Did you know:
• Everyday consumer product packaging accounts for approximately 1/3 of all landfill waste.
• Most community recyclers only take items made from materials that are easily recognized - such as soda and water bottles.
• Cosmetic and toiletry bottles, tubes, caps and jars are among those items not easily recognized and therefore not often recycled.

Now you can bring your empty cosmetic tubes, bottles and jars, etc. - regardless of brand - to your nearest Origins retail store or department store counter nationwide. All returned packaging will be sent back to a central location where products will be recycled or used for energy recovery.

In an industry first, Origins will accept packaging from any cosmetic company regardless of the manufacturer.

Bravo! - Anna

How to Declutter on the Go

2010-02-05T11:28:00.005-05:00

Per Anna's last post, there's yet another way to discard your unwanted stuff, which may be particularly convenient for you cool kids with your iPhones. It's an app called Yoink that you can download for free from the iTunes store, and it allows you to either list your goodies or see who in your area has stuff that they want to get rid of. Be the first to click on what you want and it's yours. You're put in contact with the...not seller...downsizer?, arrange to pick up the items, et voilà! You have a new couch. Or some dude has your old toaster. You get the picture. If you don't have an iPhone (excuse me, but some of us are quite attached to our Droids), there's also a web-based version of Yoink, though that somewhat decreases its appeal, e.g., its portability.

So far it looks fairly sparse, but is getting great reviews on iTunes. Hopefully more items will be posted as increasing numbers of people download the app. Start (continue?) decluttering, people!

-Kaitlen

Too Much Stuff

2010-01-17T22:07:00.006-05:00

If you are looking to get rid of some of that stuff piling up in your apartment, you can donate, sell, or "free-cycle" it on either of these useful links: NYC Stuff Exchange or Freecycle Network They even have options for getting things for free if you somehow have extra room.

- Anna

Green Products (for Fewer Greenbacks)

2009-12-11T15:56:00.006-05:00

Not sure how she found it, but Angela discovered this green supplies site, which is currently having a 50% off sale (code: 50off) until December 31. In addition to all the usual stuff (CFLs, composting systems), they sell an assortment of Green Samplers and Green Home Starter Kits, any of which would make great (read: thoughtful/useful) gifts.

At the risk of sounding like a used-car (used-planet?) salesman, act fast while the sale's still going! At half off, you can get 96 rolls of recycled toilet paper for about $34, plus shipping. Now that's cost- and eco-conscious.

-Kaitlen

Metropolis Mention

2009-12-03T15:38:00.003-05:00

And the mentions of our 4th Bin logo win continue....

The November issue of Metropolis contains an article, written by 4th Bin competition judge Susan S. Szenasy about the worrisome issue of e-waste. It's an upsetting problem, but e-cycling initiatives like the 4th Bin and many others around the world are definite steps in the right direction.

-Kaitlen

Friedman in the Forest

2009-11-11T11:39:00.007-05:00

Take a look at today's New York Times op-ed column by Thomas Friedman. It concerns the Brazilian rainforest and is both depressing and hopeful. (Unfortunately, it's a bit more on the depressing side.) Still, it's interesting and certainly worth reading.

Great find, Michelle!

-Kaitlen & Vina

A Different Kind of Treehouse

2009-11-06T16:47:00.004-05:00

This is amazing. Architect/forester Roald Gundersen builds houses using entire trees, not pieces of lumber. The resulting structures are gorgeous, and the process is so much gentler on the environment than traditional logging (or building with steel supports). Here are some of the highlights:

"According to research by the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, run by the USDA, a whole, unmilled tree can support 50 percent more weight than the largest piece of lumber milled from the same tree. So Mr. Gundersen uses small-diameter trees as rafters and framing in his airy structures, and big trees felled by wind, disease or insects as powerful columns and curving beams.

Taking small trees from a crowded stand in the forest is much like thinning carrots in a row: the remaining plants get more light, air and nutrients. Carrots grow longer and straighter; trees get bigger and healthier.

And when the trees are left whole, they sequester carbon. “For every ton of wood, a ton and a half of carbon dioxide is locked up,” he said, whereas producing a ton of steel releases two to five tons of carbon. So the more whole wood is used in place of steel, the less carbon is pumped into the air.

These passive solar structures also need very little or no supplemental heat."

Now go check out the slide show. (Nice work noticing this one, Anna!)

-Kaitlen

The 4th Bin Logo Winner

2009-10-23T12:23:00.002-04:00

Remember when we mentioned that 4th Bin competition? Well, good news: we won. Yep, your trusty Two Twelve Green Team designed the winning logo, which will be used on the clever new bin, as well as supplemental materials such as advertising, communications, possibly products, etc.

The blogosphere has taken note, too. Here's a roundup of blogs that mentioned our win:

BusinessWire
Core77
Dexigner
Earth911
The Graffik
Reuters
SEGD Blog
TreeHugger

Pretty awesome, huh?

-Kaitlen

Grey is Great

2009-09-29T16:53:00.005-04:00

Now this is a stylish, sensible, space-saving solution. This toilet/sink combo by Roca reuses the greywater from the sink in the toilet, but without all sorts of clunky pipes connecting two separate fixtures.

Incidentally, if you're interested in reusing greywater but can't shell out for a brand-spanking-new toilet/sink combo, there are ways to retrofit your current setup.

Via Cribcandy.

-Kaitlen

The Blue Fence Project

2009-09-16T09:27:00.004-04:00

A new definition for recycling and innovation has been established through The Blue Fence Project by Studio Superniche. Such playful ingenuity is a breath of fresh air. Thanks Nick for this link!

Print Resource - Renourish

2009-09-11T09:31:00.000-04:00

Renourish is dedicated to helping the graphic design community grow into a more sustainable industry. The site includes case studies, a project calculator to help effectively size your print jobs to minimize waste, a paper finder, a list of green printers, and much, much more. Check out renourish

100 Things Designers Can Do to Save The Earth

2009-09-09T15:39:00.001-04:00

The School of Visual Concepts (Seattle, Washington) in cooperation with AIGA Seattle has created "100 Things Designers Can Do to Save The Earth".The article is FULL of great ideas and resources. Enjoy!

Stop Recyling. Start Repairing

2009-07-24T15:27:00.000-04:00

Recycling is a good thing, it has become such an ubiquitous act that many of us do it automatically whether at home or at work. But if we think back to the past before the concept of recycling, and when the ease of replacing an everyday used item by buying a new one existed, a culture of 'repair' was very much part of our daily lives.

There is much to be said about our personal relationships with the things we own and use everyday. The above is an image designed for the group Platform 21, a collective whose manifesto reflects on the merits and lost beauty of a time when our possessions stayed with us for many years. The group is out with workshops, lectures and an exhibition as a means to get their message across.

-Andy

The Green Awards

2009-07-10T14:20:00.000-04:00

The cover page of The L Magazine caught my eye this morning; it said, in bold letters on a vivid green background, The Green Awards. Inside was a decent little list of the greatest and greenest spots in NYC.

As an added bonus, The L Magazine website also features a really interesting article about the trend toward eco-friendly burial. It's not something most people think about, but...well, it does happen to everyone sooner or later.

So as to not end on such a morbid note, here's a picture of what has to be one of the world's cutest baby bunnies.

-Kaitlen

(Re)cognition

2009-07-08T14:43:00.000-04:00

And here's another relevant design contest. The 2009 AIGA (Re)designAwards are around the corner—the call for entries is open until July 31. Time to submit projects that feature a sustainable design or social responsibility component.

-Kaitlen

In the Dumps

2009-06-30T16:03:00.000-04:00

Good news, everyone! (Yes, you're supposed to read that in Professor Farnsworth's voice. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, go watch some Futurama immediately!) Today's New York Times contains an article about that most pressing of dilemmas—how to safely dispose of unwanted electronics.

Sounds like the time is indeed ripe for that 4th bin, huh?

-Kaitlen

Design It Greener, Design It Better!

2009-06-25T18:36:00.000-04:00

This might just turn out to be a great resource: Designitgreener. The site boasts green design tips for architects and designers, a green design gallery, a discussion forum, a news section, a green glossary, etc. Sounds pretty useful.

Thanks for pointing it out, Anna!

-Kaitlen

Meat Free Monday

2009-06-22T17:54:00.000-04:00

If going meatless every weekday is too much of a commitment (or not practical, for whatever reason), why don't you participate in Meat Free Monday instead? It's a campaign led by Paul McCartney (and his famously vegetarian daughter, designer Stella). Or, if Mondays are bad for you (they're not great for those of us who have weekly Monday marketing meetings!), go for Tofu Tuesday. Or Healthy Humpday. You get the picture. (And yeah, I'm making these up as I go.)

Sure, cutting meat out of your diet only one day a week won't have the same impact as abstaining every weekday, but it's a start. And it does add up.

Thanks for the suggestion, Angela!

-Kaitlen

Challenge: Meat-Free Weekdays

2009-06-17T18:11:00.000-04:00

How's this for a challenge? Per TreeHugger's suggestion, try eliminating meat from your weekday diet. If enough of us went weekday-vegetarian, we could reduce climate change mitigation costs by up to 70 percent. That's worth saving meat for the weekends, isn't it? Also, in this economy, think of all the money you'd save by not buying meat most days!

-Kaitlen

Sixteen and Super-Green

2009-06-15T18:22:00.000-04:00

So here's some good news: Daniel Burd, a 16-year-old high schooler in Canada, figured out a way to make a plastic bag decompose in only three months. Yeah, as opposed to thousands of years. He isolated the bacteria that breaks down plastic. Burd (quite deservedly) won the top prize at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Ottawa, and snagged a $10,000 prize, a $20,000 scholarship, and a slew of other awards.

And I thought I was an overachiever in high school. Psht.

-Kaitlen

Suggested Viewing: Food, Inc.

2009-06-12T16:59:00.000-04:00

If you have time this weekend, you might consider taking in a showing of the film Food, Inc. It's an examination (one might say exposé) of "America's industrialized food system and its effect on our environment, health, economy and workers' rights," according to the official website. It's been getting fantastic reviews (see David Edelstein's unqualified endorsement in New York Magazine) and sounds quite informative, if potentially frightening.

-Kaitlen

Kitting Out the Kitchen—Responsibly

2009-06-09T15:09:00.000-04:00

Perfect timing! I need some new pots and pans, and Slate just published an article about how to choose the greenest cookware. (I already knew I wanted a cast-iron skillet, but the rest is pretty helpful.)

-Kaitlen

Droolworthy Indeed

2009-06-08T18:07:00.000-04:00

Check out TreeHugger's slideshow of 10 Droolworthy Eco Structures. Most are just concepts, but they're quite interesting. They range from totally gorgeous to a little, well, fugly. And #6, the Helix Hotel, makes me hungry for a tall stack of pancakes.

-Kaitlen

Make It Green

2009-06-04T18:03:00.000-04:00

Yahoo and the Everyday Edisons TV show are sponsoring Make It Green, a contest where the goal is to submit an idea for an eco-friendly product that both improves consumers' lives and helps the planet. If your product is chosen for production, you win $2,500 and a percentage of the sales. Not too shabby. (Well, I guess that depends on just what percentage of the sales you get....)

-Kaitlen

Green and Clean

2009-06-03T15:45:00.000-04:00

So it's a little late for spring cleaning, but whatever. Here's a super-helpful roundup of editors' and readers' picks for green cleaning products and tactics. I can personally recommend Method's Le Scrub (which smells so fabulous I actually enjoy cleaning the tub!), newspaper on sink handles and other metal, and plain ol' vinegar and water on glass and mirrors. (Via Re-Nest.)

-Kaitlen

Vacation Nation

2009-06-02T15:51:00.000-04:00

We all love our vacation days, but fabulous trips to far-off lands aren't always in the cards. The economy is tanking...and let's face it—travel (especially by plane) is often an environmentally unfriendly option.

However, check out organizations like Ecovolunteer. It's essentially a travel agency for volunteers interested in conservation; you can choose by locale you'd like to visit or species you'd like to work with. It sounds like a fair mix of work and play, plus the chance for some up-close interaction with rare and/or endangered animals. (I vote for hanging with the river otters in Brazil!)

-Kaitlen

Let the Greening Begin!

2009-06-02T15:42:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Greenspace, the blog about all things green. While this is targeted, of course, toward Two Twelve employees, all are welcome. Have suggestions/links/useful info? Contact one of the Green Team members and we'll whip up a post. Here's to keeping the planet a vibrant, viable home for ourselves and future generations!

-Kaitlen