ecofabulous

Before & After: Couch Confidentials

caitlin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:01:51 +0000

When ecofabulous began designing the Reclaimed Space showhouse, Zem immediately knew the perfect piece of striking furniture for the small-scale house - her grandmother’s couch from the 1940’s that she’d been coveting for over 20 years.Upholstered by the talented Emily Kroll, founder of Ekla Home, the sofa was whisked away for a complete eco-transformation. In less than one week the piece was filled with natural tapped rubber (a renewable source tapped from rubber trees) and covered in Q Collection’s biodegradable wool and viscose Heather fabric in Lodge, with a bright orange contrast piping from Valley Forge Fabrics made from 100% recycled polyester. Now that’s sitting pretty!

Elsewhere in the Ecosphere

emilie — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:00:19 +0000

Here are today’s picks for what’s wow in the world of green.

Solar energy helps to power huge ship at Port of Long Beach

Yahoo redesigns data center, ditches carbon offsets

New York inches closer to offshore wind farm

TerraCycle Teams Up With Yak Pak to Make Bags From Billboards

ZEBRA Recycled Bicycle Path Divider, Safe for Cyclists and the Environment

B.Y.O. Bubbly

caitlin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:08:37 +0000

You may not have considered yourself the D.I.Y. type - you don’t knit, sew, or collage, and you certainly haven’t ever tried to brew your own beer. But with the sodastream (a fantastic home carbonation system), you’ll be crafting your own sparkling water in no time!

From production, to bottling, to transportation (just think of the imported sparkling waters that fly hundreds of miles to reach us!), making your own carbonated beverage has huge environmental impacts. The average American consumes roughly 600 bottles of soda and sparkling water each year - just think of the bottles and cans you’d save!

The basic sodastream model starts at $90, with the sleek Penguin model priced at $200. Each comes with two carbonators that make about 60 to 130 liters (the equivalent to 180 or 330 cans of fizzy goodness), and when you run out, simply send the carbonator back to the company for a refill. Click here to watch the demo video - the entire process takes about 3 seconds and then voila! Fresh bubbly at your disposal. We’ll toast to that!

Elsewhere in the Ecosphere

emilie — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:00:11 +0000

Here are today’s picks for what’s wow in the world of green.

Can American Farms Make Bamboo the Next Big Cash Crop?

Was Michael Jackson the World’s Biggest Environmentalist?

Africa alone could feed the world

Germany’s Green Idea: Streetlights on Demand

Starbucks brews global green-building plan, renovates Seattle shop

Hot Diggity Dog

caitlin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:39:59 +0000

Striking that perfect balance of quirky and sophisticated, Stray Dog Designs papier mache products were some of the most talked-about pieces in last weekend’s Reclaimed Space showhouse. The deer with flowers was a perfect fit for the environmentalist cabin-glam look, and the round funky faux bois mirror turned the pre-fab’s small bathroom into a haute hang-out.

Filled with beautifully substantial pieces, the entire papier mache line is handcrafted by artisans in Haiti out of recycled cement bags - and any of them can be customized with a coat of low VOC paint at no extra charge! This source for “fetching” home accessories is sure to add a little fun to any room, while still taking a serious stance for sustainability.

For more ecofabulous insights, sign up for Zem’s List and be entered to win free eco goodies each month!

O for All

caitlin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:47:48 +0000

You’re all for eating organic, but sometimes the weekly trip to the farmer’s market isn’t a reality for your schedule, or your pocketbook. Thankfully, the organic food movement has come leaps and bounds in the past few years and now O Organics (found in your local Safeway, Vons, and other grocer chains) has slowly climbed to include over 300 certified organic products - at prices you can afford.

At the recent Dwell on Design Reclaimed Space Showhouse, conference attendees toured the house while sampling white cheddar popcorn and chocolate & vanilla creme sandwiches, sipping on blood orange italian soda - and were pleasantly surprised to learn that they were all organic and could be found at their local supermarket for a price that’s comparable to the conventional options! As one of the largest and most widely distributed, affordable organic food lines, O Organics has revolutionized the organic food movement, making it easy to have a diet free of synthetic pesticides, genetic modification, growth hormones or antibiotics.

There are plenty of options to choose from but current favorites include the mixed nuts, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and the award-winning 4-cheese stone-baked pizza!

For more ecofabulous insights, sign up for Zem’s List and be entered to win free eco goodies each month!

Sneak Peek at Dwell on Design… Reclaimed Space

emilie — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:14:27 +0000

The Dwell on Design show is exceeding our expectations. Eye candy everywhere! We love the Reclaimed Space house and are honored to have created the beautiful interior that echos the story of the house - reclaimed, repurposed, restyled.

The house is made from reclaimed materials, including 100 year-old wood from delapadated barns that have seen a glorious rebirth. Most of the furniture in the house are pieces that we sourced from eBay and had Ekla Home reupholster with natural tapped latex, covered in either recycled PET from Valley Forge, Mod Green Pod’s organic cotton or Q Collection’s organic wool fabric. The house has been stocked fill on O Organics food that’s been keeping the team healthily well fed! Ok, way too many details to share, but stay tuned; many photos and stories to come!

For more ecofabulous insights, sign up for Zem’s List and be entered to win free eco goodies each month!

Let’s Talk Trash

caitlin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:44:32 +0000

Educational resources are few and far between these days, but thanks to Trash for Teaching (a Los Angeles-based non-profit), students and teachers are getting truckloads of materials cast-off from the manufacturing process to use in the classroom. By advocating “education and environmentalism through creative use” the organization has diverted over 250,000 lbs. of material from local landfills, serving over 150,00 local children through T4T materials-driven programs!

If you’re in the LA area, come out to support and celebrate T4T’s work with the ecofabulous team and Alter Eco’s Darren Moore this Thursday from 6-9pm in Culver City.

Rush Street: 9546 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232

RSVP to kathy@trashforteaching.org

Get Checked Out

caitlin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:52:54 +0000

Picnic ready and designed to transition from work to play, the Organic Puff Sleeve Blouse from John Patrick Organic is a summer staple that will take you from summer bbq’s to office meetings with ease.

A longtime ecofabulous favorite, the John Patrick Organic line uses organic cotton that Patrick personally ensures is as healthy for the growers, the wearers and the earth as possible - he regularly visits and trains the cotton pickers and is continually trying to advance unique approaches to sustainable couture.

Wear the gingham blouse together with the matching skirt and a chunky belt, or work the top with your favorite pair of organic jeans (we suggest white). Either way, you’re sure to get checked out.