Do blue hats cause global warming?

For a bit of Friday afternoon fun,


Check out Polar Bears on YouTube - a great short video on the causes of climate change with a liberal dose of humour (as in British).

Have a fantastic weekend!

Eco-Friendly and Tres Fashionable Modular Clothing

In the world of eco-friendly fashion, there is DePLOY; a sustainably and DIY-focused fashion line. We love their DIY approach to sustainable style- they have a core collection that is infinitely customizable with secondary elements and continually cool as the seasons change.

Founded by Bernice Pan, an MA graduate and PhD holder from London’s Royal College of Art, DePLOY offers a more ethical approach to reinventing one’s wardrobe. Their collection of customizable clothing is a radically new concept, and offers endless options to the consumer. For instance, you can interchange bodice and sleeve styles to let a tank top become a dress, or turn a suit jacket into a trendy bolero.

An additonal benefit of their sytem is that you can adapt your existing wardrobe rather than buying all new pieces every season - a great boon to ever increasingly conscious buyers. They are sourcing their fabrics from certified sustainable suppliers and they are also working on making the supply chain more efficient.

This approach takes a different sustainable strategy than just material greenness, promoting the idea of cutting back on consumption and adding to or subtracting bits from old garments, to make them multipurpose and fresh, depending on the context or occasion.

For more info:

DePLOY

Green Mansions - a growing trend?

It seems there is good news out there for the luxury custom home designers who are also environmentally conscious. There is a growing trend among buyers of new luxury homes to include sustainable features into the homes they are building.

I just read an article on CNNMoney.com about the emergence of luxury homes utilizing sustainable design and building practices.

The article highlights many of the beautiful ways green can be built into a home, without sacrificing any of the details, quality or style traditionally put into custom homes. We regularly use reclaimed wood, recycled glass tiles, low-energy appliances and low-water plumbing fixtures, etc. In the Valley of the Sun (as Phoenix is known), solar is a no-brainer that we haven't fully taken advantage of yet - but it is growing. Using "gray water" (recycling dirty water from showers/sinks to flush toilets and water landscaping) is also a great practice we should be doing more of here in the desert.

Our firm bases our practice on making wealthy homeowners aware of the options and opportunities to incorporate eco-friendly materials into their new homes. It is one way of reducing the impact we have on the environment, while providing our clients with the luxury and amenities they want in their homes.

Read the entire article here -
Live the good life in a green mansion
As demand grows, multi-million mansions that are both indulgent and eco-friendly emerge.

What is the cost of Green Design?

There is a new survey out that discovers eco-friendly design doesn't cost nearly as much as people commonly believe. The survey asked 1400 professionals, and found that most people thought green design costs were 300% higher than they actually were, or about 17% of the total construction cost. The reality is that most buildings only cost 5% more than standard construction, and some are less than that.

To read the survey from The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, visit http://www.wbcsd.org/DocRoot/LgTO9cOXAeq991jXcwx0/EEBSummaryReportFINAL.pdf

For more info, see the article THE COSTS OF GREEN ARCHITECTURE by Jorge at Inhabitat.com.

Greenwashing

This cartoon by Tom Fishburne was just too funny to pass up - so I had to pass it on. It really highlights the struggle we face as we try to identify which companies are truly "green" and which ones are just trying to jump on the bandwagon.

Fortunately, we have a new resource locally in Scottsdale who is working with designers to provide products which are certified eco-friendly. I look forward to using them often in the coming months - check them out at www.naturalterritory.com.

Have an inspired day!

Nine Ways to have a Healthier Home

This article was in my Inbox yesterday, and it fits so nicely with my focus on healthy environments and creating a beautiful home, I just had to share it. Enjoy- and for more tips on energy saving ideas or sustainable resources, click on the link to my web-site on the right side of the screen - Sesshu Design Associates.

Until next time, be well and happy!

p.s. I am starting a new series on eco-friendly resources for your new home or remodeling project. I will be discussing sustainable and recycled options, chemical free building materials, and many other ideas and products. Look for it here soon.

New eco-tips for Warm Weather

To coincide with Earth Day, independent certifier the Greenguard Environmental Institute, which governs the world's only guide to low-emitting products, has published a series of tips designed for a sustainable and environmentally-friendly welcome to Spring.
This article published in Interior Design magazine has several tips for spring cleaning with safe, friendly cleaners to tips on saving energy and more.
Now that warm weather is here, especially in the desert southwest, we have more need to conserve energy and lessen the strain on our utility companies as well as our pocketbook.

Enjoy the longer daylight and have an eco-friendly day!