Green Design Girl

Wow [part 2]

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:30:00 -0400

One call for Mac help and I have 25 msgs in my inbox in 10 hours. My fellow tumblrs, bloggers and...

::Question::

Thu, 08 May 2008 02:04:00 -0400

Can you Mac users recommend an image editing freeware program to tide me over ‘till I buy...

TheGreenSearch.ca is a site dedicated to all things green and is...

Wed, 07 May 2008 21:33:00 -0400

TheGreenSearch.ca is a site dedicated to all things green and is affiliated with TheGreenPages.ca. Both are excellent ideas and are growing rapidly in their search results.

I have found them quite useful at times, especially when I’m looking for articles or stats on a specific green issue. They can be rather efficient when compared to the gazillion search results that you may need to weed through on other engines, which have thrown me for a loop in the past with results like “leprechaun hats” and “absinthe” when looking for green products [though both can be fun].

The above green engines may be based in Canada, but they garner results from all over the globe. If you’re aware of any similar green search engines, I’d love to hear about them.

From The Green Search site:

Through the power of Google, thegreenpages.ca network has created a specialised search engine that searches Canadian environment-related web sites. Rather than searching the entire web, your search yields “green” results from across Canada and around the world. Use it as a research tool, or keep up to date on the latest news, events, and trends happening in our environment.

Included environment-related web sites & resources from:

All levels of government (Federal, Provincial, & Municipal)
Non-profit Organizations (ie. WWF Canada, Earth Day Canada, Evergreen, Greenpeace, ESAC)
Research Institutions (ie. Pembina Institute, UBC Fisheries Centre, David Suzuki Foundation)
Academic Institutions (ie. Environmental programs @ the University of Waterloo, York University, Trent University, Dalhousie University, University of British Columbia)
International organizations (ie. EPA, UNEP)
Popular Magazines & Journals (ie. Alternatives Journal, Ecologist, Utne, Economist, Walrus)
Major news outlets (ie. CBC, CTV, Globeandmail, The Tyee, Canada.com)
Publishers (ie. Raincoast Books, New Society Publishers, Island Press)
Blogs (ie. Changeeverything.ca, World Changing, Zerofootprint)

I’m testing the blogging waters with my new MacBook Pro....

Mon, 05 May 2008 01:50:00 -0400

I’m testing the blogging waters with my new MacBook Pro. If you missed my last post, I’m basically in the midst of transferring 6 years of files[!] while weaning myself off a lifetime of PC/Windows behaviour. I’m in self-imposed Mac bootcamp, if you will.

A huge thanx to the very kind Mac users who wrote in with hot tips and recommended resources for making the transition smoother. I’ve heard from awesome Mac-savvy tumblrs ninakix and ryansinger and quite a few GDG readers and friends who are genuinely avid Mac fans. I’ve still got a lot to learn, but with your help, I’ll happily get there sooner.

Now how about the stunning image above? Click through it to land on a brilliant blog by Frédéric Gautron, a Parisian photographer living in Tokyo, which is where this photo was taken.

During a time when we are all encouraged to add as much green [literally] to our lives as possible, and when the addition of “living walls” are a hot design trend, this image caught my eye instantly. I also love the sharp contrast between nature and the man-made concrete jungle below. It reminds me of my time in Japan, a place that has inspired me in my work and life in so many ways. I encourage you to check out Gautron’s blog for more incredible images like this one.

zokuzoku:

Made In Tokyo » Urbano-Vegetal

Wow

Fri, 02 May 2008 23:44:00 -0400

It’s a whole new world for Green Design Girl. After years of waiting to be able to use AutoCad...

Thanx to pierreism for posting this vid: Carrotmob is a...

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:21:00 -0400

Thanx to pierreism for posting this vid:

Carrotmob is a flashmob-based movement with an amazingly simple but ingenious agenda: to organise mass purchases to companies that agree to make environmentally friendly choices.

I think that the brilliant folks at Carrotmob.org are really on to something. This video is SO worth watching. A fun editing job, too [watch for the hip hop spoof midway through].

“CFL’s and bourbon together at last.” Now there’s a way to motivate peeps towards green consumerism!

If you’re in Toronto this weekend and you’re keen on...

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:44:00 -0400

If you’re in Toronto this weekend and you’re keen on learning more about how to green your life, the 2nd annual Green Living Show is really the place to be. Touted as “Toronto’s first consumer show dedicated to all things green”, The Green Living Show promises information, innovation and inspiration for virtually every facet of your life.

Over 400 exhibitors will cover the areas of Transportation, Food + Beverage, Energy, Health + Wellness, Green Business, Eco-Tourism + Recreation, Environmental Education, Environmental Organizations and my personal faves, Eco Fashion [complete with fashion show!] and Home + Garden [which I’ll be covering as both a member of the press and all around design fetishist].

No doubt one of the major highlights for many attendees will be the “Embracing Our Common Humanity” lecture by former U.S. President Bill Clinton [last year the keynote was given by Al Gore]. The jam-packed weekend will offer several eco-celebs as main stage presenters, including Robert Kennedy Jr., gardening guru and HGTV Canada host Mark Cullen and Actor/Activist Ed Begely Jr. of HGTV’s “Living With Ed”.

I’m impressed to hear that the producers of The Green Living Show are making great efforts to ensure that the show itself is as much of a green production as possible. They’ve even implemented a Green Screening Committee to screen exhibitors and keep a green eye on every aspect of the show — from the recycled plastic badges worn to the biodegradable signage used throughout the space.

The show pulled in over 20,000 visitors last year and it is estimated that at least 25,000 will attend this year. Not bad at all for a weekend event that’s only in its second year running. I’m predicting a big future for the little green show that could.

A big thanx to Ashley Rochefort and the P.R. team of Applause! Communications for doing a fabulous job of keeping us all in the Green Living Show loop! Stay tuned for posts on my fave eco.design finds from the show.

NY Times Magazine: The Green Issue

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:55:00 -0400

NY Times Magazine: The Green Issue: Thanx to fellow tumblr mollycaitlin for posting the above and...

Slingback Chair by Stephen Becker @ Fernwalla. I’m starting to...

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:23:00 -0400

Slingback Chair by Stephen Becker @ Fernwalla.

I’m starting to catch up on the many e.mailed tips that I’ve received over the last few weeks and I was pleased to hear from Alec Uitti of Fernwalla, a Colorado based furniture firm with a great philosophy. “The day when someone sells a product made from old-growth clearcut timber and we all scratch our heads and ask ‘why?’ will be a great day.” I couldn’t agree more.

Fernwalla’s web-site is an example of what green design retailers and manufacturers should be doing on-line: offering consumers clear information on what exactly makes their products green. I found their materials guide helpful and very easy to understand, which is vital during a time when people are starting to take a real interest in green design and are looking for quick and easy access to accurate info.

I instantly fell in love with Fernwalla’s Slingback Chair, designed by Stephen Becker. Not only is it modern and graphically bold [fitting in with GDG’s criteria nicely], but I find that it also has a bit of an Asian feel to it. Those who have seen my work on HGTV, know that I’m big fan of Asian design.

The sexy Slingback is made from FSC-certified Maple Europly and its frame is available in shades of Antique White and the pictured Ebony, using eco.friendly milk paint. The chair earns even more eco.points by having a seat cushion that’s made from organic cotton and natural latex and covered with “PVC-free degradeable urethane”. The cushion is available in shades of Cream, Saddle and Graphite.

The final green touch? The chair is capped off with a natural wax oil finish made from “sunflower, soybean and thistle oil, plus two hard, natural waxes—carnauba and candelilla.” Modern, beautiful and eco.smart.

Vigna Chair @ Fernwalla. The solid and clean-lined...

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:21:00 -0400

Vigna Chair @ Fernwalla.

The solid and clean-lined Vigna Chair can fit into a variety of design schemes and is responsibly made using one of Green Design Girl’s favourite renewable sources, bamboo. It’s also available in Caramel and Obsidian finishes [the latter is shown above].

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Vigna Table @ Fernwalla. The gorgeously crafted Vigna Table is...

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:19:00 -0400

Vigna Table @ Fernwalla.

The gorgeously crafted Vigna Table is also made from bamboo and is one of those timeless pieces that could probably last you a lifetime. This table obviously partners seamlessly with the Vigna Chair, but I could also see it working perfectly with a wide variety of chair styles.

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Donato Bed @ Fernwalla. I just realized that this is my first...

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:18:00 -0400

Donato Bed @ Fernwalla.

I just realized that this is my first bed entry on GDG. Why? Well, I just haven’t come across that many green bedroom designs that A] are truly modern in design, and B] have a serious WOW factor.

Fernwalla’s Donato Bed fulfills my criteria on both accounts. Let’s not forget to add, of course, that the bed is exquisitely crafted using one of the most renewable resources on the planet, our good old friend bamboo. You can choose to go with an Espresso or Caramel finish with the Donato, but I’d personally stick wtih the Espresso [pictured above]. I love that boutique hotel drama.

:intro post:

Donato 6 Drawer Dresser @ Fernwalla. The Donato 6 Drawer...

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:17:00 -0400

Donato 6 Drawer Dresser @ Fernwalla.

The Donato 6 Drawer Dresser is the perfect companion to Fernwalla’s bold Donato Bed and is also available in Espresso and Caramel. I love the natural patterns and texture of bamboo, which really seem to show in the pictured Caramel finish.

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Separating the green from the not so green...

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:50:00 -0400

I’m still working on the set of a TV show and missing the world of tumblr! I’m hoping to...

Comedienne Chelsea Handler Goes Green. “I wanna be more like a...

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:35:00 -0400

Comedienne Chelsea Handler Goes Green.

“I wanna be more like a celebrity who’s associated with environmentalism-ish. You know, like Leo, Bono… and Akon. So I sold my Hummer and I got a smaller Hummer.”

I posted this video back in the early days of Green Design Girl, but since it will be new to many of you, I’m digging it out again. I recently saw Chelsea on Jay Leno and it reminded me of what a great job she did with this spoof on celebs going green. Who knew that listening to the Spin Doctors again could be considered recycling?! The expressions on the consultants’ faces are priceless.

Twig Bench by Russell + John Pinch @ Pinch Design [Left:...

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:47:00 -0400

Twig Bench by Russell + John Pinch @ Pinch Design

[Left: Russell Pinch seated at the 100% Design show in London.]

The eco.chic Twig Collection by Pinch Design is handmade from FSC-certified coppiced Hazel trees from the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

British Furniture Designer Russell Pinch had longed to work with Hazel wood [it grows quickly, making it a sustainable choice], but had been stumped for a source. His luck changed when he came across a man in Dorset, England, who grew Hazel trees for river dams. Russell and his father, John Pinch, got permission to enter the man’s forest and came back with a massive stack of branches, which were then dried and cleverly put together with metal pins to create the Twig Bench and the Twig Cube [see next photo].

These pieces are about as rustic as you can get, but their sleek silhouettes are clean-lined and ideal for contrasting them in a highly contemporary space – be it commercial or residential. I’d love to test drive one of these to see how they feel. They are apparently quite sturdy and more comfortable than they appear.

They’ve also been around for a few years, but with the current popularity of nature décor themes and trendy catch phrases like “modern organic” floating around, we are bound to see a lot more of them.

Twig Bench + Twig Cube by Russell + John Pinch @ Pinch Design....

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:45:00 -0400

Twig Bench + Twig Cube by Russell + John Pinch @ Pinch Design.

Here we see both versions of Pinch’s modern organic seating collection, handmade using the twigs of sustainable Hazel trees.

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Twig Bench by Russell + John Pinch @ Pinch Design. The Twig...

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:44:00 -0400

Twig Bench by Russell + John Pinch @ Pinch Design.

The Twig Bench is currently being used in the reception area of a New York City office space. Notice how much richer the colour of the twigs appear when propped against a darker cement floor. Lighting and surrounding finishes make all the difference when dealing with natural materials.

:intro post:

Twig Wall Panel @ Pinch Design. The smart new addition...

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:43:00 -0400

Twig Wall Panel @ Pinch Design.

The smart new addition to Pinch’s enviro-friendly Twig Collection, these versatile modern wall panels are made from FSC-certified Ash forest thinnings attached to a black plywood backboard.

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Green Design Girl's Muxtape

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:56:00 -0400

Green Design Girl's Muxtape: I’ve been enjoying my fellow tumblrs’ Muxtapes, and hey,...