kids konserve: waste free lunch kit

Kids Konserve offers this fun waste-free lunch kits, each with stainless steel drink bottle, two stainless food containers, a food kozy (replacing plastic bags or saran) and a cloth napkin. The recycled cotton bag has name tag. Kids Konserve is out of Australia, lets do lunch mate. Every item is BPA, lead and Phthalate-free. Available here.

architecten 2012: material reuse

2012 Atchitecten is a design firm from the Netherlands working to reduce the waste stream by incorporating reclaimed and waste materials into their construction projects and forms.
Watch this episode about the Architcture Firm's reuse projects, like their washing machine space station coffee house.
More on their website.

flip & tumble: reusable bags

Flip & Tumble was founded by Hetal Jariwala and Eva Bauer, designers who met while attending Stanford’s graduate Product Design program. Both were trying to make the switch to reusable bags, but were struggling to bring their bags with them when they shopped. “Often shopping trips were unexpected, or we simply just forgot. As we started talking to people, we learned we weren’t alone. Lots of people owned reusable bags, but those bags often weren’t getting used. It was just too easy to forget.”
“We wanted to develop the perfect one bag that you could keep with you all the time. The ideal bag had to be compact and work for grocery shopping, but we also wanted it to work for other places, such as a nice restaurant, or a day at the museum.”

With market research, they found that most bags were geared to just grocery shopping, and were cumbersome to compact. Using ripstop nylon was a no-brainer, it had the perfect combination of strength and compactability the stuffsack is made from a stretchable material so one can easily cram alarge bag back into a compact form.

Their final product, titled the 24-7 bag, sells online for $15 through their website. Over its lifetime, each 24-7 bag can easily spare the earth from over 1,000 disposable plastic bags.

Personally, I like the dual color tones of each bag!!

adaptive reuse: soest netherlands: zecc architecten

When the original use of a structure changes or is no longer required, architects have the opportunity to change the primary function of the structure, retaining some of the existing architectural details that make the building unique. Adaptive reuse, is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and reducing the amount of sprawl. For those who prescribe to the smart growth concept, it is more efficient and environmentally responsible to redevelop older buildings closer to urban cores than it is to build new construction on faraway greenfield sites.

In the United States, especially in the Northeast and Midwest, loft housing is one prominent result of adaptive reuse projects. Formerly-industrial areas such as the Meatpacking District, Manhattan, New York and Callowhill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are being transformed into residential neighborhoods through this process. This transformation is sometimes associated with gentrification.

This example of Adaptive Reuse in Soest Netherlands, an old water tower, was ingeniously converted to a nine level residence. Built in 1931, the tower renovation features smart design choices for maximum space usage and natural light.

In addition to a 3 level window that allows natural light to enter the structure near the ground level, the home features a sauna and roof deck with fantastic views. Completed in 2004, the tower residence was designed by Zecc Architecten.

via Arch Daily

best reuse.....ever! mushroom tunnel

I might be slightly bias in saying that this is the best abandoned architectural reuse I have ever seen, since I adore mushrooms...but I challenge anyone to find a better use of space. Dr. Noel Arrold is founder of Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms which houses itself in an abandoned railway tunnel originally built in 1886. Although the tunnel is still Australian state property, Dr. Arrold secured himself a five year lease and re-fashioned it into a lovely mycological growing facility. Dr. Arrold has actually been growing mushrooms in the Mittagong tunnel for more than twenty years--varieties such as Shimeji, Wood-ear, Shiitake, and Oyster thrive there. The tunnel is 650 metres long, 30 metres deep and remains at a constant 15 degrees Celsius, fluorescent lights illuminate the space for 12 hours.
more info here.

brigids bags: refurbished bowlers

Brigid meticulously restores old doctors bags and bowlers better than their original state. Each unique bag is transformed by cleaning, resewing linings and turning them into eco fashion statements. Neat! Brigid's Bags