Landscape: Vertical Gardens by Patrick Blanc

"The Vertical Garden as it is known in English, is something closer to a living painting than to a garden. Actually I named it le mur vegetal, meaning vegetal wall. I’m a scientist, [and] a botanist...humans should try to develop a way of living that wastes lesser natural resources."

--Patrick Blanc, on his designs and what we can learn from plants

The Vertical Gardens are intricate designs by Patrick Blanc that are aesthetically pleasing and environmentally beneficial. With installments worldwide, they are a design for the future with their unique, innovative and environmentally friendly ideology.

This is an example of a Vertical Garden in Madrid, Spain.

http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/03/17/green-vertical-garden-wall-in-madrid/

Indoor examples:

The Siam Paragon Shopping Center in Bangkok
http://envirostyle.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/vertical-gardens/

As wallpaper in a private residence.

http://pingmag.jp/2006/12/08/vertical-garden-the-art-of-organic-architecture/

Outdoor Example:

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/5522

Upcoming Local Project: the Vertical Gardens in Santa Monica as part of The Green Blade by Jean Nouvel

http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com/

Transportation: Chevy Volt

"Charge the battery, Change the world."

A revolutionary car that uses a propulsion system that allows for zero gas and zero emission for a distance of less than 40 miles a day. The Volt uses a lithium-ion battery with a gasoline powered range-extending engine.

http://www.rpmdaily.com/images/volt-front2.jpg

Interior:

http://www.advocate.com/uploadedImages/advocate/editorial/exclusive_detail/200701/volt.jpg

http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/

Home Design Options: Flooring and Solar Roof Tiles

Eco-Friendly flooring is a growing popular interior design aspect being used more and more today. With materials such as bamboo flooring to biodegradable carpet, there are many design conscious options that are still great for the environment.

New solar roof tiles blend into the architecture and style of buildings, rather than clashing like older, larger solar panels. They have a great eco-friendly design because they are helpful for the environment yet at the same time are visually pleasing. For example, installing a 2.5kW solar panel roof tile system would have the same carbon reducing effect as planting 500 trees!

Every Day Items: BioBag

"We can change the world, without changing the earth."

-- Dave Williams, President of BioBag

The first 100% bio-degradable and 100% compostable alternative to plastic bags, the BioBag is composed of cornstarch, vegetable oil, and other natural and renewable materials. The BioBag focuses on the ideology that the environment is shared and is no one’s to destroy. In comparison to plastic, the use of BioBags can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 49%.

The bags come in numerous styles and shapes; from disposing of compost to keeping food fresh, there is a BioBag for every use.

The vitality and health of our earth can be preserved and boosted through BioBags, which should be used today, tomorrow, and forever.

Furniture: Celle Chairs by Herman Miller

"Creating a better world is at the heart of Herman Miller and the real reason why many of us come to work every day."

--from Herman Miller's Corporate Values

Herman Miller Inc. designs modern, beneficial, and ecologically responsible products all around the globe. The Celle chair is not only comfortable and functional, but also eco-friendly.

Celle is composed of 33% recycled material and is 99% recyclable .

Hopefully, Herman Miller’s standard of designing their products, processes, and buildings for the environment will be adopted throughout all industries in the future. Recently, Herman Miller has launched an initiative, “Perfect Vision”, which sets high goals to reach monumental sustainability by the year 2020 including: zero landfill, zero hazardous waste generation, zero air emissions, zero process water use, and 100% green electrical energy use.