HAUTE*NATURE

haute nature has moved.... to hautenature.com

2010-05-20T00:55:00.000-07:00

HauteNature.com is live, please update your bookmarks to the new address HauteNature.com.

Thanks so much for all the love and support since August 2006!

new blog design for haute nature

2010-05-10T22:58:00.001-07:00

HAUTE NEWS FLASH!

While it may not appear much is happening in the way of blog posts here at HauteNature, a much more beautiful site is about to go live at HauteNature.com --in a week, there will be a treasure trove of recycled new posts awaiting your readership. This logo picture is just a sneak peek of the new green goodness that awaits.

There is a wonderful team that is updating the blog and giving it a more modern and professional aesthetic, they are masters! (I created this clunky hack mishmash that you currently see). Haute Nature will be merging to a more customized, easy to use platform--it will be an all around overhaul and face lift for this green & eco guide.

In the upcoming weeks if there are any bugs that you notice on the new site, just send me an email and I will scurry to fix them. Plus I love feedback, so tell me how you like the new one--leave comments, I hope you visit HauteNature.com for your daily eco fix.

Thank you to everyone who reads this blog, we want to let you know that the new site has capabilities of sponsorship ad space in you would like to market your business with us, we would be honored to have you. Details on the new site.

Thanks so much for all the love and support since August 2006!

I will announce when HauteNature.com finally goes live!!! and there will be grand re-opening giveaways--so stay tuned!

straw bale architecture: sustainable buildings

2010-05-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

Building with straw bales is a sustainable renewable method of building green. Straw-bale construction has some advantages over conventional building systems because of the renewable nature of straw, its cost, easy availability, and its high insulation value. Don't forget to watch the second video here.

maybe design: sitbag suitcase chair

2010-05-05T22:13:00.001-07:00

Maybe Design in Vienna and Istanbul is a mulidisciplinary art practice for product design architecture graphic design and design engineering. Bogac Simsir, Bora Akcay, Ener Eren & Erdem Akan, partners of Maybe Design, say that "Given and infinite time and budget, everyone can be theoretically creative, real creativity is to acheive the goals in limited time and within the limited budgets." Couldn't agree more.

recycled art: leo sewell sculptures

2010-05-03T23:08:00.000-07:00

In the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, I was able to see two of Leo Sewell's large scale sculptures in person. Made from bits of every this and that, the animals are meticulously assembled with each piece arranged so that it fits exactly into place. They are like a 3D version of the I-Spy books for children and one could stare at them for hours calling out each new object they spot. We applaud your patience and craftsmanship Leo!

re-collect: repurposed inner tube bags

2010-05-03T20:57:00.001-07:00

Re-Collect from Brighton UK hand sews bags with an industrial chic aesthetic. Their offerings include messengers, handbags, laptop sleeves, etc. The line has a very modern look to recycled inner tubes, bike treads and seat belts. Designer Katcha Bilek even teaches workshops to teach anyone how to turn unwanted items into eco fashion!

abteil shop: recycled soccer handbags

2010-05-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

Abteil Design's 'Ball Bag' was presented at the Council for Sustainability in Berlin. Some repurposed design works so well that the new aesthetic created by reuse seems as if it was the original intention.

neumatica: recycled inner tube bags

2010-04-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

Argentinian company Neumatica Net makes the most fabulous looking bags out of recycled rubber inner tubes. Not only are they creating a lovely looking product, the tubes take more than 500 years to decompose. Neumatica bags are made using tubes from tires of any kind of vehicle, 100,000 tons of this material is disposed every year, in Argentina alone.

All rubber inner tubes begin plain and have no texture when new, but after being used, the heat of the tires transfers the design to them, so you will find multiple textures in Neumatica products.

sander lucas ontwerpen: remade design

2010-04-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

Sander Lucas Ontwerpen, a graduate of Design Academy Eindhoven has a nice body of work focusing on recycling and upcycling objects turning them into more functional homewares.

nicholas jones: book sculptor

2010-04-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

Bibliopath Nicholas Jones is a Melborne sculptor employing books as vessels designed to hold his folded sculptural creations. By stacking, folding, cutting, tearing, sewing and remodeling each book he turns the discarded cultural artifacts into noteworthy art.The beautiful repetition of the folded pages turns them into elegant compact sculptures.
Jones, intrigued by their history explains, "these books were conceived, born, loved, stored, discarded, found anew, studied, cut, folded and reborn".

aurelie tu: felt housewares

2010-04-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

Aurelie Tu is an Industrial Designer originally from Canada. Having earned her practical ID work experience with Hauser in L.A. and Nike in Portland, she has branched out and created her own line of modular interlocking felt homewares. The Portland designer now works together with women at the YWCA in order to create these handmade felt pieces. Her line includes a pendant light and table runners made from the same interlocking materials.

studio shed: boulder colorado

2010-04-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

Studio Shed is an ingenious little product manufactured here in Colorado to enhance backyard enjoyment. These tiny little modern sheds come in an array of finish options, can be put up in only one day (the company has nationwide installers) and they can add just the finish that your yard needs. Born out of a need for a less expensive shed than those previously on the market before them, the Studio Shed-ers created their modern offering. Use it as an office, studio, playroom, storage or whatever extra space you need. Some sizes will not even require a permit. I'll take two please!

jenny hurth: billboard repurposing

2010-04-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

Jenny Hurth designes & hand sews these unique notebooks and beach bags in the San Francisco Bay Area from discarded vinyl signs and banners. The vinyl was originally printed for local trade shows, conventions, municipal or private advertising--she prevents them from going to the landfill. The practical recycled offerings are available online.

darcy miro: jewelry treasures

2010-04-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

Darcy Miro's jewelry creations are created using casting methods with sterling silver or 18-karat gold.

Her pieces emerge from wax casts made from found materials, showing jagged surfaces, erosion, decomposition and decay. Each cuff resembles fragments of a tiny terrain, ocean reefs & shells washed up on the sand.

hapuku lodge: new zealand eco tourism

2010-04-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hapuku Lodge in Kaikoura New Zealand is a luxury wilderness accommodation offering 5 contemporary treehouses. This unique rural experience includes use of the lodge lap pool, sauna & exercise room, and very nearby whale watching.

Designed by the owner's family who are architects and designers, the Hapuku has four addition spacious lodge suites and an Olive House Apartment. Situated within the landscaped grounds of a deer farm and olive grove, all rooms have views of Kaikoura's environment of mountains, fertile pastures, native bush and the Pacific Ocean. The lodge and accommodations are designed to complement the environment, featuring timbers and local stone in their construction and handcrafted furnishings in interior design. The dining room sources the freshest local ingredients, even growing some ingredients on site, with a large New Zealand wine list.

pasque flower: botanical identification

2010-04-23T09:19:00.000-07:00

I hike quite frequently, so I will start a botanicals feature today to learn more and to share with you what I find. I saw this gorgeous furry blossom a week or so ago, a Pasque Flower.

From Wikipedia, "the Pasque Flower is a deciduous perennial that is found in short clumps in meadows and prairies of North America and Eurasia. The genus Pulsatilla includes about 30 species, many of which are valued for their finely-dissected leaves, solitary bell-shaped flowers, and plumed seed heads. The anthers are bright yellow and the purple bell consists of sepals.
In its tallgrass prairie habitat, it is one of the first plants to bloom in the spring, often before the late winter snows have thawed.

This genus is sometimes included as part of genus Anemone as subgenus Pulsatilla, and is also commonly known as the prairie crocus, wind flower, Easter Flower and meadow anemone. It also grows in limestone pastures in central and northern Europe and parts of Russia. It is found rarely and locally in southern England from where the Pasque / Parsk / Pask family takes its name.
Different varieties of the Pasque flower are the floral emblems of various territories. Pulsatilla vulgaris is the county flower for both Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Pulsatilla hirsutissima is the state flower of South Dakota and the provincial flower of Manitoba.
Pasque refers to Easter (Passover) as the flower blooms around that time of year. "

trilby made: recycled leather cuffs

2010-04-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

While browsing Etsy, I happened upon Trilby Made's recycled leather reversible cuffs just now. Swoon. Their open, lattice-like design makes a dramatic eco fashion statement. Plus its two in one, you can wear the cuff two ways and they have two colors.

happy earth day!

2010-04-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day!

Make an effort to unplug today somehow--use less energy, buy locally, take a walk, ride your bike, do some gardening & clean up! But then try doing that more often all year long!

There is an endless list of ways you can help: Today you could recycle, plant a tree, give to an environmental non-profit program, spring clean and donate to a Salvation Army, start a compost pile, take the bus, change to energy efficient light bulbs, adopt a road and remove the trash, cook a vegetarian meal, make a call to a solar company to install photovoltaics on your home or buy a carbon offset if you are flying.

Become Vegetarian: meat production is responsible for around 18% of global CO2 emissions. 5,214 gallons of water are required to produce a single pound of beef, and the EPA estimates that more than 27,000 miles of US rivers have been polluted by livestock waste.

Stop using plastic from now on! Americans dispose of 10.5 million tons of plastic garbage every year, and about 8% of the world's annual oil production is used toward the creation of plastic products. A single plastic bottle can spend anywhere from 100 to 1000 years in a landfill.

But remember, earth day is everyday-this is our home.
Check out the EarthDay.org action center rallies, campaigns, arts & more!

botany factory terrariums: kate goldman macdonald

2010-04-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Botany Factory is a San Francisco based studio whose mission is to bring greenery to small, indoor spaces. Much like creating a ship in a bottle, terrarium building takes a small, dexterous hand, a collection of minute tools and a keen interest in petite plant life and clever composition.

A plant enthusiast from the start, Katie Goldman Macdonald began her early days accompanying her banjo playing, botanist father on wildflower classification walks through the woods. Ever after, she has nurtured a growing desire to have dirt on her hands and flowers in her hair. She is the creator, designer and owner of Botany Factory. She works with Oakland based glass artist, Evan Kolker, to have her designs brought to life. All of her hand blown forms are organically shaped, playful and one of a kind.

Katie is obsessed with succulents and has turned her apartment into a living, breathing life sized terrarium. She likes nothing better than to pore over her succulent and cactus encyclopedia researching which specimens she will next seek out. Straight from her little Mission based studio to you, her creations are the perfect way to bring a little of the great outdoors inside.

bottle houses: building with recyclables

2010-04-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

Bottle Houses seem to be primarily an American phenomena, but they are catching on around the world as a very low cost building material. Here are some beautiful takes on incorporating the opaque material.
More links:
Bottle Houses around the US.
Bottle Houses on Prince Edward Island
Fractal Bottle House
Charles Stagg
Vitreosity

sanctuary: sustainable design magazine

2010-04-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

Sanctuary Design Magazine focuses solely on sustainable design unlike Dwell and Azure that cover stories about sustainability occasionally. Australia's Sanctuary uses the motto "Sustainable Living with Style". The editors Verity Campbell and Michael Day have made green their mission: it is published by the non-profit Alternative Technology Association. Reminds me a little of....HauteNature! We applaud them.

kymo: reassembled mashup rugs

2010-04-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

The Mashup rugs by Kymo modernize oriental carpets by upcycling worn ones, reassembling them in a gorgeous compilation with a modern aesthetic. The rugs designed by Eva Langhans and Thomas Follner, remix these old raw materials, in new color coordinated patchworks. They retain the delicateness of traditional oriental carpets, but update the look for a contemporary high end product. The Mashup rugs are available in five standard sizes and six different color schemes. Carpets can also be made to order in custom sizes, shapes and color schemes.

john galvin: sustainable furniture design

2010-04-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

John Galvin, a cabinetmaker and craftsman from Glasgow, designs modern sustainable furniture pieces. Galvin's designs are very recognizable, featuring color combinations with wood varieties and his signature divets. He crafts bespoke kitchens and one off commissions as well.

denver cupcake truck: mobile sugar fix

2010-04-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

Praise the sugar Lord, there is a sugar fix on wheels and its name is The Denver Cupcake Truck! With Flavors like Vanilla Party, Chocolate Overload, Pistachio, Denver Snowball, Zippy Lemon, Mile-Hi Mocha & Rockin’ Red Velvet--I'm gonna be following their Twitter and Facebook to locate the super truck! Cupcakes are $2.75 a piece or four for $10.
It is so nice to see that street food is alive and well in Denver!

dunton hotsprings: colorado

2010-04-17T20:59:00.000-07:00

Colorado has many hidden gems, and the tiny ghost town of Dunton that was transformed into a world class hotsprings spa and resort is near the top of that list. Dunton Hot Springs was lovingly restored and transformed into a dream vacation destination with the original rustic cabin architecture intact. There are 12 different cabins to choose from, each offering rustic decor plus other unique features like outdoor showers, a tee-pees or a private hot spring with a cold plunge tub. At least one even has a full kitchen. Other resort amenities include a spa, yoga and pilates classes, a bath house and chef prepared meals using local ingredients. Open year round, activities range from hiking to snowshoeing and even Heli-skiing! Wish I was packing my bags today to take a little road trip south near Telluride!

aaron moran: mixed media sculptures

2010-04-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

Just discovered the fantastic sculptural work by Aaron Moran who's work shown here was recently exhibited at the Chapel Arts in British Columbia. This summer, find more of his work at the infamous Cheaper Show (video below) in Western Canada. Aaron's work is made from found wood and other materials, looking like tiny Mt. Zermatts. See more of Aaron Moran's sculptural art on his blog, Smoke Signal Publishing.

miyoshi barosh: crochet assemblage sculpture

2010-04-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

Miyoshi Barosh is a graduate of both the Rhode Island School of Design, and the California Institute of the Arts. Her soft sculpture is an accumulation of many layers, colors and textures. Miyoshi blends embroidery, crochet and knitting using recycled sweaters and blankets as raw materials for her dimensional, cozy sculptures.
Her work can be found at the Luis De Jesus, Bergamot Station in Santa Monica California.
www.luisdejesus.com

kim lyons jewelry: recycled sterling silver

2010-04-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

Kim Lyons, an eco fabulous jeweler, incorporates recycled materials into her collections. She utilizes "green" metals like recycled yellow silver--(which has look of gold at a lower price point), recycled sterling silver and also finds use for all her process scrap metals. Her "nebula beam" ring (duo) utilizes her new process as do her stacking collections.

Recycled 'yellow' silver is made from 100% reclaimed silver and alloys are added to give it the yellow color, a look of gold without the price.

9 by design: unique hip spaces

2010-04-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

Bravo airs a new show, 9 By Design tonight April 13 at 11:00pm EST 9:00pm MST. The design show follows the Novogratz family of 9 through their trials and tribulations in building a new residence for themselves. The parents, Robert and Cortney Novogratz have a solid history of renovating properties, this will be their 12th and they have lived in five of their past projects.

The Novogratz's if you have not already guessed have 7 kids including 2 sets of twins and call their company SIXX DESIGN (before they had the last baby boy). The design couple has a new book out too called 'Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home From Wreck to Ravishing'. Their design style is of particular interest here because they have a knack for pairing interesting salvage, flea market or antique objects with luxury to create comfortable environments. Check out a clip of the new show here. (Why so late I don't know, but I'm guessing this show will prove to be very popular).

the hemptress: haute handbags go green

2010-04-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Hemptress, a smart eco fashionable handbag company out of Los Angeles, launched this January with sustainability and eco mindfulness at it's forefront. Hemptress is the design team of Håkan and Arlene Nilsson, an eco & fashion forward duo. The Nilsson's helps you go green by offering bags made from hemp and recycled materials. Their company was founded on fair trade values with careful attention to where each material is sourced right down to the recycled bonded leather trim, recycled nylon & metal zippers, low impact dyes and hemp label. Hemptress also offers a vegan collection, which has a hemp/RPET lining. Their hangtags, business cards, and all collateral are printed on recycled paper with soy ink, and our shipping boxes are made from 100% post consumer waste. A portion of their profits are donated to animal rights group as well as Vote Hemp. So Haute.

climbing rope sofa: oscar andersson

2010-04-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

I love climbing, so this couch speaks to my inner ascender, by recycling used climbing rope for the woven cushion. This fantastic concept was designed by Oscar Andersson for the Beckmans College of Design and exhibited at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2010.

Andersson's two person chair entitled 'I made a Sofa But Its not for climbing mountains', was created partially out of a love of climbing and a distaste for wasting the used ropes and partially of nostalgia for talents that his grandparents showed (knitting and metalwork). He created the small sofa for lazy days in the sun but wanted a product that was self built, sustainable and easy to produce. Each chair takes on a unique look with multiple colors of braided ropes for the recline, the smart arm angles allow maximum comfort. He's a Green Genius!

upcoming eco events: front range colorado

2010-04-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Boulder Startup Weekend April 16-18th--Got an idea for a business? Bring it here.

EarthWorks Expo May 22-23 2010 @ Denver Merchandise Mart

Sustainable Living Association--Ongoing Workshops

Crafty Ballyhoo Saturday April 17th--Craft Market across from Denver Museum of Modern Art--with call for cakes for their cakewalk!

Green Route Restaurant Tours Throughout April

Colorado Renewable Energy Society--Ongoing Events

Earth Fest Boulder April 25th Downtown

Doors Open Denver April 17-18th-an annual celebration of Denver's built environment and design.

LOHAS June 23-25th Boulder

house of natalia: religious tolerance

2010-04-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

I love this necklace of religious tolerance by House of Natalia.
Available at Swedishness

gail anngan: ceramic artist

2010-04-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

This lovely dinnerware was made by Gailan Ngan, a Vancouver-based ceramist and visual artist who graduated from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in 2002. Her creations are both wheel thrown and hand altered, fired in electric and salt kilns.

future flower: widnes waterfront regeneration

2010-04-09T07:50:00.000-07:00

This is Future Flower, a regeneration project for the waterfront at Widnes near the River Mersey in England. The 14 meter-high metal blossom has giant petals of perforated galvanized steel-approx 4 ft long. The giant flower was commissioned as part of the wider Widnes Waterfront environmental uplift and public art program and designed by London architect Tonkin Liu. At night it is powered by LED lights and small wind turbines.

The project is funded by the North West Development Agency as part of a wider Waterfront Regeneration Programme to the clean up of the vacant, polluted riverfront land of Southern Widnes, Cheshire. The program encompasses the regeneration of about 200 acres of former industrial land on the banks of the River Mersey. It will create 1,100 jobs for the local economy with the development of a modern business park environment and associated leisure facilities.

The arrival of the flower signals the beginning of this transformation. It is intended to spur the repopulation of the waterfront by nature, and by people, drawing visitors from the neighbouring Catalyst Museum and Spike Island Visitor Centre eastward on to the trans Pennine Trail.
more here.

thaddeus wolfe: ceramic vases

2010-04-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous vases by Cleveland Institute of Art graduate, Thaddeus Wolfe. Wolfe is inspired by science and the crystalline structure of all matter. He says, “Underlying and unperceived, on a molecular level there is a structure to all organic matter.”
available at, funny enough: Matter

{armadiature: recycled furniture: robi renzi}

2010-04-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

Designer Robi Renzi of RenziVivian will present a series of cabinets assembled from a patchwork of salvaged wooden components in Milan later this month entitled 'Armadiature'.
via Dezeen

scout regalia: garden furniture

2010-04-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

Scout Regalia debuted two new outdoor products for 2010, their SR Outdoor Table Set & SR Patio Garden. The table is made from FSC certified redwood and enameled aluminum (choose your color). The raised garden frame is made from FSC certified redwood and powder-coated heavy gauge steel brackets.

loll designs: modern recycled plastic furniture

2010-04-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

Loll DESIGNS is a modern outdoor furniture manufacturer offering durable, all-weather, outdoor garden furniture made with 100% recycled plastic. Loll contemporary outdoor furniture began in 2006 with the simple adirondak chair, but their designs keep getting more fantastic. Their child's line is a collaboration with designers Carter McGuyer and the notNeutral team.

bloglovin'

2010-04-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Follow my blog with bloglovin

shannon rankin: paper art

2010-04-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

Shannon Rankin slices maps, manipulates and folds them into spirals, circles and three dimensional surfaces. Rankin's new terrains have texture and form, a new geography. Her style borders on origami, but her approach is reductionist, cutting away to the bare gorgeous minimum.

ashley watson: recycled handbag perfection

2010-04-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

Ashley Watson has been a Haute Nature favorite since her inception. And for all eco & handbag lovers everywhere, she never fails to please with her new designs.

brian jungen: assemblage sculpture

2010-04-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

Brian Jungen is a Canadian artist who reworks objects, taking them out of context and giving them new meaning. His sculptures seem to articulate a paradoxical relationship between a consumerist artifact and an authentic native artifact. These sculptures shown are made with rubbish bins, plastic white chairs as whale skeleton and rearranged nike football gear as native american relic.

brian dettmer: book autopsies

2010-04-05T11:53:00.000-07:00

Brian Dettmer is a master at altering media. WIth his book series, he removes sections and pages of books, excavating their content and revealing intricate tiny worlds within. Dettmer works with dictionaries, text books, science books, medical guides and other large format, thick books. Some of his previous work with melted cassette tapes can be found here.

happy spring!

2010-04-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

chanticleer garden: wayne pennsylvania

2010-04-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of going to Chanticleer Garden today in Wayne Pennsylvania. Magnolia trees are bursting with vibrant rose colored flowers, daffodils are in full swing and tiny fern fronds and tree leaves are poking forth. It was a lovely walk around the 47 acre property with sun shining.

Some history about the garden:
'Chanticleer was the estate of Christine and Adolph Rosengarten, Sr. Mr. Rosengarten was head of the pharmaceutical company Rosengarten and Sons. Their son Adolph, Jr., left the property to be enjoyed as a public garden. The garden opened to visitors in 1993.

Originally, the estate was known for its majestic trees and verdant lawns. Today, the trees and lawns remain, but the focus is on plant combinations, containers, textures, and colors, often relying on foliage more than flowers.

Tens of thousands of bulbs clothe the ground in spring, followed by orchards of flowering trees with native wildflowers blooming in the woods. A vegetable garden complements a cut-flower garden. Courtyards are a framework for unusual combinations of hardy and tropical plants. Vines grow in nooks and crannies, trailing and twining. A serpentine of cedars, boulders, and agronomic crops undulates through a mown hillside.

A woodland garden carpeted with Asian groundcovers and full of rarities leads to a water garden surrounded by exuberant perennials. A ruin plays with indoor/outdoor relationships and contrasts the light and dark sides of gardens. Sculptural, homemade seats, benches, wrought iron fences, and bridges highlight the uniqueness and personal nature of the garden.'

frederik roije: breed retreat: henhouse

2010-04-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

Frederik Roije's new 'Breed Retreat' architectural wooden hen house, Netherlands. This makes me want backyard urban chickens!

rodrigo alonso: recycled plastic benches

2010-04-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

Rodrigo Alonso's recycled plastic furniture is made from 100% waste obtained from random electronic devices, toys, drink trays, stadium seats and other plastic waste—The line uses a technique that shreds and then remolds the plastic by slightly melting it down into super durable material.

top 100 interior design blogs

2010-04-01T07:58:00.000-07:00

So excited to make the Top 100 Interior Design Blogs! Look for the major blog redesign soon, lots of new things in store--soon Haute Nature will be better than ever!!

csb basics: reclaimed furniture

2010-03-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

North Carolina's CSB Basics offers sustainable, eco friendly furnishings.

aqua pod: floating fish farm

2010-03-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ocean Farm Tech
The Aquapod® farmed fish cage is an unmoored, maneuverable container with its own built-in thrusters. Designed by a team led by Cliff Goudey, the director of the MIT Sea Grant's Offshore Aquaculture Engineering Center, a prototype was constructed for a technical feasibility test this summer in the waters off of Puerto Rico. This method is both healthier and less polluting.

The project is funded by NOAA’s Marine Aquaculture Program, aimed at demonstrating the technology needed to raise fish in the vast portions of the U.S. that are too deep for conventional anchored fish cages. There are many locations both in U.S. waters and around the world where oceanic currents and gyres offer useful frameworks for such mobile operations. Though futuristic compared to today’s near-shore fish farming practices, the concept avoids the user conflicts and compromised water quality of coastal waters.

The concentrated nature of aquaculture often leads to higher than normal levels of fish waste in the water. Fish waste is organic and composed of nutrients necessary in all components of aquatic food webs. In some instances such as nearshore, high-intensity operations, increased waste can adversely affect the environment by decreasing dissolved oxygen levels in the water column. Not only is the quality of the water affected but that of the food as well. Many hatcheries can be found near urban areas and sometimes get exposed to stormwater and industrial runoffs.

Off-shore aquaculture, as envisioned by Goudey and others, would resolve these problems, as this approach would 1) take the operation away from the foul waters of the coasts and 2) utilize strong ocean currents to flush away fish wastes. Should the cages enter a less than pristine area, it would simply move again. And if the currents aren't moving fast enough, the propellers would create the necessary turbulence.

fabulous cabin: new prefab models

2010-03-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

Fabulous Cabin (FabCab) had a new prefabricated home on display at the Seattle Home Show last month with an open kitchen, living space, bedroom and bathroom for a price of about $85,000.

The home has been built using sustainably harvested Douglas fir and uses low-VOC pains and finishes, bamboo flooring, energy-efficient lighting and water efficient fixtures. The startup is offering small FabCabs from about 300-450 square feet, medium FabCabs up to 600 square feet and large prefabs that measure more than 600 square feet.

form & fauna: eco shoes

2010-03-30T07:32:00.000-07:00

Form & Fauna shoes use non-toxic biodegradable Italian synthetics, bamboo, organic hemp, recycled fiber insoles and water based glues in the production of their show line. Form and Fauna is a fair trade, cruelty free, hand made in the USA company. Bay Bertea, the designer of the line also incorporates recycled yoga mats into the of the shoes, giving props to her past as a yoga instructor.

recycled plastic handbags: radical recycks

2010-03-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

Radical Recycks

new recycled tire sculptures

2010-03-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

jenni tieaho: environmental artist

2010-03-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

Jenni Tieaho

silk scrap jewelry

2010-03-27T00:15:00.000-07:00

VivaTerra

ekla home: reclaimed furniture

2010-03-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Ekla Home

original women: woven zulu bracelets

2010-03-25T00:42:00.000-07:00

The Fair Trade company Original Women offers women in Zulu communities a money making outlet for their expert basket weaving skills. Thes emarginalized and vulnerable women are turning their innovation, ingenuity and tenacity to weaving colored telephone wire into an art form that has gained global recognition.

The women making these beautiful bracelets are dedicated to helping themselves by gaining the skills and knowledge they need to support themselves and their families. Generating income to be able to receive basic education, health education, and HIV/Aids support is a key part of their innovative program.

denver urban homesteading: year round farmers market

2010-03-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

I only recently became aware that Denver has a year round indoor farmers market. They sell only organic or other high-quality foods from local farmers and food producers. Some of the wares that you will find at the Denver Urban Homesteading Market are: goat cheese and milk, raw honey, dried apples, applesauce, jams, high-quality beef, granola, energy bars, lamb & goat meat, goat milk, sauerkraut, pickles, juices and ciders, organic chicken feed & additives, free-range heritage turkeys, chickens, natural botanical skin care products, farmed tilapia and trout, knife & tool sharpening, vegetables, all natural milk, all natural ice cream & gelato, goat soaps, wool for knitting, eggs, cheese, raw cow milk, pies with local fruit fillings, eggs, grass-fed buffalo meat, bread, glutin-free sweetbreads, organic spices, home made pasta and ravioli, organic pancake & biscuit mixes, organic baby food, dried soups, dips and mixes and biodynamic wine!!! Click on the link and get yourself down there!

antoni gaudi: mosaics

2010-03-23T00:51:00.000-07:00

Parque Güellmosaic benches by Antoni Gaudi.

modern sustainable rattan furniture

2010-03-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

Eve Yun Organic Contemporary

recycled tires: catch all baskets

2010-03-21T00:04:00.000-07:00

Available from the French, Fair Trade company Tade.

tofino botanical garden: sculpture art

2010-03-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

RonGrn

sam chinnery: solid wood furniture

2010-03-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Sam Chinnery craftsmand from UK.

loot: recycled glass cluster necklaces

2010-03-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

Beautiful recycled glass pendant cluster by Loot. Can be ordered in many colors!

beach plastic prints: judith & richard lang

2010-03-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

These prints of arrangements of Beach Plastic were collected from Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore.

In 1999 Judith & Richard Lang began collecting plastic debris—carrying it away by the bagful— all from Kehoe Beach, a remote stretch of the Point Reyes National Seashore, in Northern California. Certain colorful items would catch their interest: milk jug lids, combs, toy soldiers, disposable lighters, cheese spreaders from lunch snack packs. They collected alot of multiples so that they could show what is happening in the oceans around the world.

The plastic is all washed up from the ocean, not left by beach goes. In their studio, they use the found detrius to make artwork including large sculptures, installations, photo tableaus and jewelry.

feminism: art+sex+politics: mca denver programs

2010-03-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

An upcoming program at the MCA Denver for April is Feminism & Co., exploring issues relating to women and gender. $15/person 6:30-8PM

Thursday April 8: Motor Maids: Women & Motorcycling--Suzanne Ferriss and K. Alex Ilyasova

Thursday April 15: Women & Social Enterprise--Judith Nafziger manager of Ten Thousand Villages and Tamra Ryan CEO of Women's Bean Project

Thursday April 22: Witches--Melinda Barlow on witches in film and M.E. Warlick on witchcraft imagery in art

Thursday April 29: End of Man--Performance artist and modern dancer Michelle Ellsworth contemplates the imminent demise of the Y chromosome

weidesign netherlands: felt bags

2010-03-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

WeiDesign is a new label launched during Dutch Design Week offers modern wool felt and vegetable-tanned leather bags. Top bag can house magazines.

neon museum: vegas sign boneyard

2010-03-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

The Neon Museum is where neon signs in Vegas go to... rest.
photos via PS

frida kahlo: haute art

2010-03-15T07:25:00.000-07:00

These paintings from Frida Kahlo (career of 1926 until her death in 1954) show vivid colors, realistic details and her signature complex symbolism relating to specific incidents in her life. My favorite being her personified shot down deer, a brilliant representation of her emotional state.

new york digital library

2010-03-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

nypl

al wadzinski: surrealist sculpture

2010-03-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Al Wadzinski creates sculptural art from found objects. His amazing sculptures utilize a large amalgam of miscellaneous items. The first sculpture in this set, my favorite, is very mystical and raw. Wadzinski from Oshkosh Wisconsin, did not set out to make recycled and salvaged eco art, but with his exciting menagerie of creations I am thankful he did. More on the artist here.

wonder cabinet: nature's oddities: deep ocean creatures

2010-03-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

Both beautiful and bizarre these unusual critters are part of our planetary network of life.

stek furniture for children

2010-03-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

Stek
STEK is a beautiful new line of solid wood children's furniture created by architectural designers Patricia Hessing & Ifke Brunings with the help of some talented industrial designers and crafts people.

eugenia kim: millinery

2010-03-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

Recessionista alert: Tar-jay (Target) with be partnering with very talented milliner, Eugenia Kim to offer some more affordably priced hats. I'll be in line! Eugenia Kim's Target collection will be available April 18th- June/July 2010, this is her second team up with a large retailer, her first was Urban Outfitters. I must add that these hats are from her regularly priced line, we'll have to wait and see what she brings to Target.

sikkema jenkins: haute oil paintings

2010-03-10T12:11:00.001-08:00

Sikkema Jenkins

kirkland museum: denver colorado

2010-03-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Kirkland Museum of Denver has a nationally important display of 20th-century decorative arts, with more than 3,300 works on view of Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Glasgow Style, Wiener Werkstätte, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Art Deco, Modern and Pop Art.

A major survey of Colorado art history is documented, with over 170 artists represented by more than 700 works. Most importantly the museum shows a retrospective of Colorado's distinguished painter, Vance Kirkland (1904-1981). The museum was Mr. Kirklands original home and studio. Do not miss a visit to it if you are in the Denver area.

assemblage art: new belgium brewing company

2010-03-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest things about the New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins Colorado besides the beer, is the fantastic melange of assemblage art and vintage signs. Much of the collection and artistic credit goes to Christina Kash. Her flare, signage and descriptive art can be seen along the world famous VIP tour of the facility. Factory information is mounted on suitcases, painted on old car hoods and woven throughout dioramas.

spring time gardening: colorado

2010-03-08T16:26:00.000-08:00

The days are getting warmer and warmer here, its so exciting to see all of the flower buds bursting from the earth. It is almost daffodil season! It is also just about time for me to get out into the garden again, in treasured moment I anticipate all winter long. Under the hoop house and insulated fabric in my garden, arugula, onions, thyme, mint, sorrel and chard are already re-emerging.

For March in our Zone 5a it is now alright to plant seeds of: Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chard, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Parsnips, Peas, Radishes, Rutabaga, Spinach, Turnips. It is also time to plant root clumps and tubers of: Asparagus roots, Onion sets, Potatoes, Rhubarb burls, Shallots & strawberry plants.

the garden gallery: morro bay

2010-03-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

The Garden Gallery is a wonderful store located in Morro Bay California. The proprietor, studied as an ornamental horitculturalist before opening this family run gem 30 years ago.

paul schwieder: art glass

2010-03-07T05:07:00.000-08:00

Pismo Glass

mercer museum: doylestown pennsylvania

2010-03-06T11:51:00.000-08:00

These pictures from my visit to the Mercer Museum in Bucks County Pennsylvania are two years old, but worth sharing. The Museum founded by archaeologist Henry Mercer is a very large collection of hand crafted items that were commonly used by people in America before the machine age and widespread industrial revolution. These pictures include gorgeous butter molds and combs and hair accessories made from actual tortoise shell. One of my favorite sections of the museum is the very top floor, housing an enormous collection of ornate cast iron stoves.

“By 1897 handmade objects were being discarded in favor of new machine-made goods. Historian and archaeologist Henry Mercer (1856-1930) recognized the need to collect and preserve the outmoded material of daily life in America before it was swept away by the Industrial Revolution. Mercer gathered almost 30,000 items ranging from hand tools to horse-drawn vehicles and assembled this encyclopedic collection in a system of his own devising. To enhance the collection’s educational value, and to share it with the public, Mercer decided to design and build a museum to display the artifacts.”

paul octavious: books sculptures

2010-03-06T10:21:00.001-08:00

Fantastic book sculptures by Paul Octavious via SwissMiss

oliver jeffers: children's books

2010-03-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

I love Oliver Jeffer's children's book style!

greg simkins: pop surrealist art

2010-03-05T15:56:00.000-08:00

Greg Simkins weaves pop culture, still life style of the old masters, kitsch and mystical beasts in his stunning surrealist paintings. His works are featured in the January edition of one of my favorite magazines High Fructose

my cats need a new cave

2010-03-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

My cats need a 'Katzenhoehle', or cat cave. Each is handmade of felted wool by German artist Dornroeschen Filzunikate. They are wonderful and even washable!
via Oh My Cat

karen lise krabbe: art glass

2010-03-02T16:32:00.001-08:00

Karen Lise Krabbe uses only recycled glass to create her marvelous functional sculpture. Her nobel undertaking transmutes old materials to spectacular showpieces.

amy findeiss: portraiture + collage

2010-03-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

I ate at City o CIty in Denver a bit ago and stumbled upon the art of Amy Findeiss. Her set of portraits there, show each character with expressions of expectations and personal circumstance. Each portrait allowed the identity and psyche of the person to jump off the canvas, Findeiss further illuminates the individual in this series by embellishing the canvases with a collage that describes each personality. Also check out her etsy store in addition to her website above: Amy Findeiss shop.

If you would like to try CIty o City while in Denver, check out My Google Maps for all my favorite places in Dtown.

lazerian studio: radiolarian sofa

2010-03-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

Lazerian Studio has released their new corrugated cardboard furniture inspired by wasps' nests and sea organisms.
The Honeycomb range of furniture emerged as part of a collaborative project between furniture designer Liam Hopkins and artist Richard Sweeney at Lazerian studio, Manchester. The designers constrained themselves to the use of corrugated cardboard sourced locally from John Hargreaves' factory in Stalybridge, which produces paper from recycled pulp using machinery originally installed in 1910.

The design process involved experimentation with columnar forms, which were inspired by structural forms in nature, including a wasp nest and the crystalline bone structure of microscopic sea organisms known as Radiolaria. Computer design techniques were used to generate the form of the furniture using triangular columns, which were oriented to utilise the structural properties of the cardboard.

The individual components were extracted from the virtual model to create flat layouts, which were printed to create templates for transfer onto the cardboard- over two thousand components were hand cut and glued together to create the Honeycomb Sofa.
via Lazerian Studio

supposed design studio

2010-03-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

I have a huge design crush on the Japanese architecture firm, Supposed Design

villa carton: life size coloring

2010-02-28T22:14:00.000-08:00

Kids love Villa Carton, a company from the Netherlands that creates open ended play with costumes, furniture and castle structures from cardboard and paper. Their products can be decorated like giant coloring books!

earthquake damage in chile

2010-02-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

More photos at Platforma Architectura here and here.

floating gardens: studio noach + holtrop

2010-02-27T22:18:00.000-08:00

From the exhibition “Architecture of Consequence” in the Netherlands, Studio Noach and Anne Holtrop have developed a floating spa that seems to be a “construction of a landscape”, an extension of the land into the water to create a serene environment. Using recycled polystyrene and Patrick Blanc’s “living wall” ideas, the architecture of the spa makes the walls and ceilings the outer for hills and valleys while the interior follows the counter form of the landscape.

The composite GreenRexwall, developed in collaboration with the German constructor Aquahouse GmbH, is a strong and constructive material such that cement, steel and bricks are no longer needed. The plantable walls and roof become a breeding ground for birds, butterflies and insects plus the innovative technical installations provide big energy savings. The surrounding water acts as a heat exchanger and cooling source, making the spa up to 70% more efficient than using conventional energy systems.via Architecture Daily

cast glass sculptures: haute art

2010-02-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

Cast Glass Forms

lunch skin: reusable bags

2010-02-26T21:36:00.000-08:00

What a great way to reduce waste by packing snacks and sandwiches in Lunch Skins.

typographical letter press prints

2010-02-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

Athenaeum Press

gary slavinsky: wood fired ceramics

2010-02-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

Gary Slavinsky

felted slippers: bure bure

2010-02-23T22:00:00.000-08:00

It is so cold, all I can think about is felted slippers! Bure Bure

spring creek studios: molly tanner

2010-02-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

Spring Creek Studios