After receiving her B.A. from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Tafline led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America. It soon dawned on her that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public.
So she has picked up her mighty pen to bring better exposure to environmental issues. At other times, she waxes philosophical about culture and travel on her personal blog. Tafline was born in Iran and raised in the United States, and is currently based in South Africa. She also blogs for www.greenprophet.com and her work has appeared in Africa Geographic, The Ecologist, Urban Green File, and other publications.
Tafline Laylin
Super Resilient DesertSol House by Team Las Vegas Captures the Mojave Desert’s Sun and Soul
Team Las Vegas is made up of 60 students from various disciplines and already they have shown themselves to be highly organized and poised to win with a design that is not only befitting to the
ALA Architects Win Bid to Design an Ultra Efficient, Modern New Library for Helsinki
The new Helsinki library is organized on three levels. The first is a dynamic public meeting space with a multipurpose hall, restaurant and even a cinema that can be accessed from three
Researchers Discover Key to Super-Durable Ancient Roman Concrete
Concrete is one of the world's most widely-used building materials, and it has an enormous carbon footprint - but researchers recently unearthed clues to a more environmentally-friendly concrete
NoArq Extends Roof of NP House into the Ground to Enlarge a Home for Four in Portugal
The renovation increased the home's footprint from 262.09 to 469.11 square meters with very little disruption to the beautiful site in Vila Nova de Famalicão. A covered courtyard accessed by
Fascinating Knitic Machine Prints Scarves that Match Your Brainwaves
A fascinating new digital fabrication technology called "Knitic" prints scarves that match your mood. Designed by Varvara Guljajeva and Mar Canet with input from researcher Sebastian Mealla,
Gorgeous Haus Am Moor Cabin Draws Heat from a Wood-Fired Stove and the Earth in Austria
Although the structural frame is made with concrete, the rest of the interior and exterior of the cabin was constructed with 60 trees felled sustainably nearby. This contrasting timber was used
Map Reveals Who is Eating Their Fruits and Vegetables in America
Just about every doctor on the planet will advise their patients to eat a good selection of fruits and vegetables each day in order to bolster their health, but for some Americans, it's simply
Brighton University Students Build a Prefab Pavilion With Timber Off-Cuts
A striking building designed to have the smallest environmental footprint, the 2013 Brighton University graduate pavilion has a reciprocating grid structured roof - a low-tech intervention
Wood Wrapped Beveridge Mews Apartments Provide Flexible Light-Filled Housing
A new timber-clad social housing project called Beveridge Mews was recently selected as one of the 2013 RIBA national awards for excellence in architecture. Peter Barber Architects organized the
Swallows Nest: Vincent Callebaut Unveils Glittering Zero-Carbon Mobius Strip Cultural Center for Taiwan
The Swallows Nest cultural center has a system of moats in the basement level between the floors and walls that stabilizes the building in case of earthquakes. Glass overhangs provide further
Beautiful Double Skin Shields China’s Solar-Powered Green Energy Lab from the Harsh Sun
The three story building has a perimeter of balconies that helped to reduce the building's energy consumption. In winter, heating expenses are curtailed thanks to the solar heat collected on the
Birdsong Apps are Harmful to Birds, UK Experts Warn
Image via Shutterstock A slew of new mobile phone apps allow birdwatchers to identify bird calls, but experts in the UK warn that when used improperly, these apps can have a detrimental
Peter Zumthor Releases Plans to Replace LACMA with a Circular Solar-Powered Museum
Zumthor, who is perhaps best known for designing London's 2011 Serpentine Pavilion, proposes to demolish the existing museum structure originally designed by William Pereira. At 775ft at the
Grand Cancun Eco Island Cleans Up the Ocean While Generating Renewable Energy
The entire surface of the offshore platform will be covered in solar panels that will provide energy for both Grand Cancun and the main city's national grid. Vertical wind turbines and
Flatpack Emergency Shelters Pop up in a Snap Without Any Mechanical Tools
Showcased in Brisbane’s King George Square last year and Melbourne’s Federation Square last month, the emergency shelter is a small cubic unit made up of six interlocking plywood panels.
Grandparents Build a Fairytale Treehouse for Lucky Grandchildren
A couple of lucky boys in Dallas have their very own fairytale treehouse that was built for them by their grandparents. Steve and Jeri Wakefield hired James Curvan to design the multi-level
Volcanic Rock Tops Kengo Kuma’s Curved Block D Condos on Jeju Island in South Korea
Very little information has been released about the design of Kengo Kuma's Block D condos, but this is what we do know. The curved units come in two different sizes - 210 and 245 square meters -
China is Building Thousands of Homes on Toxic Wasteland
Photo via Shutterstock Thousands of homes are being built on contaminated plots of land throughout China - and hardly anybody knows about it. Gao Shengke and Wang Kai wrote an investigative
Siemens to Harvest Energy from Speeding Trains With America’s First Regenerative Energy Storage Unit
Image via Shutterstock Siemens just announced plans to harvest energy from speeding trains by installing America's first regenerative braking energy storage system on the new TriMet
Relax Shacks Makes Tranquil Tiny Homes Out of Scrap and Salvage
Deek has found a niche for himself by recycling scraps of metal, wood, and siding, as well as shipping pallets, flower boxes and a host of other materials he sometimes sources from the curbside,
Foldable Off-Grid Geodesic DOM(E) Home Pops Up in Any Environment
The DOM(E) is an appropriate off-grid home for locations as far afield as the Namibian desert and Siberia since the unique construction and insulation provides a comfortable interior climate
Solar Impulse Launches ‘Revolutionary’ Inflatable Hangar to Provide Shelter from Stormy Weather in St. Louis
A revolutionary inflatable hangar has replaced a tornado-torn building in St. Louis, Missouri that was set aside for the Solar Impulse plane during its groundbreaking solar-powered flight across
World’s First Thought-Controlled Helicopter Passes Obstacle Course with Flying Colors
We have seen thought-controlled bionic legs and an object 3D-printed using brain waves, but now researchers have developed the world's first remote-controlled helicopter that is powered entirely
SOM’s Timber Towers Could Cut the Carbon Footprint of Tall Buildings by 75 Percent
The internationally renowned design firm Skidmore, Owings and Merril (SOM) just published the findings of their "Timber Tower Research Project," which proposes constructing skyscrapers with
Tetris-Like Micro House Can be Stacked to Form Expanded Housing Suites
Constructed with glass fiber reinforced plastic, a strong but lightweight material, the Micro House is easily moved around by anyone, and it was deliberately sized to fit into a shipping
Longest Recycled Bridge in the United States Pops Up in Ohio
The Onion Ditch Bridge in Logan County, Ohio is officially the longest recycled plastic bridge in the United States. The sturdy 24.6-foot-long bridge was constructed with AXION's proprietary
The Nest: A Minimalist Steel “Green Box” Home that Puts Nature First in Vietnam
With a tiny footprint of just 40 square meters, The Nest is framed with 90 x 90 steel columns and 30 x 30 steel beams and clad with corrugated metal sheets an attractive white mesh grid that
Floating Mangrove Forest Springs Up in a Wrecked Coal Ship
Artists, designers, filmmakers, and writers often imagine what a post-apocalyptic world will look like - and we think this wrecked ship offers a hopeful clue. Originally built in 1911, the SS
Restored 1954 Flying Cloud Airstream in Mint Condition Travels Off-Road!
We love to see an old beat up bus or van restored to its former glory, but we especially swoon over renovated Airstream trailers - and this one is awesome. Originally used as an old hunting and
Minimalist Tred Avon River House Floats Above a Changing Maryland Landscape
Comprised of three volumes, the Tred River residence has a 36 foot central volume, a 10 foot entry door and side lights, and a contrasting 12 foot volume that plays host to the garage and other
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