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
GMOs and Illegal Logging Halve Mexican Monarch Butterfly Population
Photo via Shutterstock Just about anyone who grew up in the eastern United States will recall the beautiful black and brown Monarch butterflies that migrate en masse from Mexico to breed and
Amsterdam’s Lush Garden-Wrapped SportPlaza Mercator is Topped with a Green Roof
Located at the start of a historic 19th century city populated by people from 129 different countries, the municipality commissioned the SportPlaza Mercator in order to boost the community.
Claesson Koivisto Rune Debuts Gorgeous Daylit Tind Prefab Houses in Scandinavia
Working with Swedish manufacturers Fiskarhedenvillan, Claesson Koivisto Rune designed three bold new homes. There is a single story home clad in bold black panels, a double story version capped
Skinny Eel’s Nest Home and Office in LA Takes Cues from Impossibly Narrow Japanese Lots
The original home was built on this unique 780 square foot lot in 1929, and although most of it had to be demolished, some of the original basement walls are still visible. Anonymous Architects
Aquascape Sues Over Collapse of World’s Largest Sloped Green Roof Near Chicago
Parts of the world's largest sloped green roof collapsed the day before Valentine's Day in 2011 after record snowfall and two weeks of freezing temperatures finally began to subside. At the
China’s Autonomous Antarctic Polar Rover Powered by UGE’s HoYi! Wind Turbine
Beijing’s Aeronautics and Astronautics University just launched their “Polar Rover,” an autonomous research vessel that is exploring the effects of global warming on Antarctica.
Reflective Predator-Like Armor Clads the Cairns Botanical Gardens Visitor Center in Australia
The visitor center is clad in a series of flat panels that are each placed at different angles, warping the reflecting landscape in interesting ways. Likewise the building itself bends to
Minimalist Carling Residence Requires Zero Air Conditioning in Canada’s Pristine Landscape
Using a restrained material palette that includes wood, stone, concrete and white walls, TACT Architecture was able to make the outdoors a crucial element of their overall design. The northern
Coal Plants Kill Thousands of People in India Each Year, Says Greenpeace
Photo via Shutterstock A recent Greenpeace report found that Up to 120,000 premature deaths every year result from India's failure to properly control emissions from a growing number of coal
Beautiful New Sod Room Provides Communal Green Play for Chicago Kids
Frustrated with an absence of communal, eco-minded play areas in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Cynthia Valenciana and her husband commissioned design extraordinaire Jen Talbot to
Commonage’s Rain-Capturing Cowshed is Made Entirely From Reclaimed Materials
The Cowshed Collective design and build workshop was the third of three focused on creating new infrastructure for Callan, including a river walk and a seasonal bridge design led by LiD
Trade in Polar Bear Parts to Continue Unabated Following Failed US CITES Bid
Photo via Shutterstock The United States proposal to ban the sale of polar bear parts was struck down yesterday after a bitter fight at the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species
‘Pink Slime’ Maker’s Suit Against ABC News is Becoming a Landmark Defamation Case
Photo via Shutterstock After ABC News ran a series last year that gave Beef Products Inc.'s 'lean finely textured beef' the unflattering moniker 'pink slime,' the story went viral. Blogs and
400,000 Square Foot ONE Greenville Development in South Carolina Targets LEED Gold
A large array of solar panels will generate 36kWh for the entire complex on site, thereby reducing dependance on the national grid and cutting overall carbon emissions. Further carbon cutting
Spidery Shellstar Pavilion Lures Festival Goers into its Web in an Empty Hong Kong Lot
The design process is fairly complicated, but suffice to say that it only took six weeks to get from design to fabrication and to assembly - a three-step process made possible by parametric
40,000 Recycled Plastic Bottles Insulate the Gorgeous Zero Energy Tvzeb Studio in Italy
Comfort, environmental sensitivity and livability were among the main driving principles behind this stellar design, which partially explains the use of natural materials that integrate so well
Mad Max Film Crew Endangered World’s Oldest Desert in Namibia
Photo via Shutterstock A leaked report reveals that director George Miller's film crew compromised fauna and flora in the world's oldest desert while filming Mad Max: Fury Road, starring
Washington State Official Says Cyclists Emit More CO2 Than Motorists and Must be Taxed
Photo via Shutterstock In a bid to raise funds for a $10 billion transportation bill in Washington State, legislators want to impose a $25 tax on all bicycles that cost more than $500. When
North Pole Could be a Viable Shipping Route by 2050
Photo via Shutterstock Scientists from the University of California have announced that by 2050, ships will be able to travel across the north pole in summer months. Laurence C. Smith and
Birch Trees and Antiques Create a Fairytale Woodland in Japan’s Onico Beauty Salon
A fan of antiques and do-it-yourself projects, the client was responsible for a great deal of the interior furnishings. These include frames as decorative wall objects, antique chairs and
HIV-Infected Child from Mississippi is Cured, Scientists Say
Photo via Shutterstock A young girl from Mississippi who was infected with HIV has been cured of the disease, scientists reported at a conference over the weekend. After the disease was
School Propped up on Plastic Drums Floats on Nigerian Flood Waters
Lagos has long been plagued by periodic flooding that wreaks havoc on day-to-day life, so Nigerian architect Kunle Adeyemi conceived an idea that would allow local communities to live in harmony
Tiny Timber Fiscavaig House Rests on Stilts in an Ancient Scottish Landscape
In addition to its small footprint of 70 square meters, the small timber house on the western side of the Isle of Skye in Scotland makes optimum use of natural light and ventilation in order to
Researchers Call for Legalizing Rhino Horn Trade to End Poaching
Photo via Shutterstock Some researchers believe that creating a legal rhino horn trade is the only way to curb runaway poaching of the endangered mammal. At present, roughly two rhinos are
Snøhetta Wins Competition to Design €50 Million Lascaux IV Cave Painting Center in France
Tucked into the side of a hill to retain harmony with the existing topography, the Lascaux IV Cave Painting Center will provide visitors with a rich multi sensory experience that is designed to
Arctic Safe from Shell Drilling – for Now
Environmentalists threw a small victory party yesterday after Shell announced that it is abandoning its 2013 Arctic drilling plans, but the company insists that this is simply a pause. While the
Yahoo CEO Marisa Meyer Bans Telecommuting in a Devastating Blow to Environment, Working Parents
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer recently announced that all Yahoo employees must report to the office for duty starting this summer. Accustomed to telecommuting, many of these employees are angry about
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