Garbage cans belong to that group of mundane household items that have been around for so long that it seems there really isn’t much that can be done to improve on their design. Or so we thought. Industrial designer Arnold Castro recently introduced us to the Nubagg, and at first glance, we could hardly tell that it was a trash receptacle at all. With no walls or sides, Castro’s design basically consists of what he calls a “freakishly lightweight” metal frame that is used as a support for the plastic bags you bring home from the supermarket. We were very interested in the Nubagg‘s extremely minimalist design and the way it encourages reuse, so we decided to take it for a test drive to see how well it would stand up to our trash. Read on for our full review.
Inhabitat’s Green Halloween Costume Contest received hundreds of incredibly crafted costumes – and after an intense bout of online voting we’re thrilled to announce our winners! From a ghastly Two-Face covered in gore to a life-size LEGO minifig and a hilarious bucket of cheese balls, our winners wowed us with their creativity and DIY skill. Hit the jump for the grand prize winner of a Kilo Glow bike from Pure Fix Cycles, our editors’ choice Nokero Solar Light Bulb winners, and our runners-up – all of whom scored organic cotton Inhabitat t-shirts!
Hey Inhabireaders! Today is the last day to vote in our annual Green Halloween Costume Contest. We received hundreds of incredible DIY Halloween costumes from readers across the globe, but only 34 have made it into the final cut. It’s now up to YOU, dear readers, to select a grand prize winner to receive fame, fortune, and a glow-in-the-dark Kilo Glow bike (worth $399) from Pure Fix Cycles! From a Zombie LEGO minifig to an incredibly creative and crafty Photobooth Costume, a real, working camera cardboard costume and a hilarious barrel of cheese balls, there is no shortage of awesome costumes - so check out all of our finalists and vote for your favorite! The polls close TONIGHT at 11:59 PM EST — get on it!
The 2012 Presidential Election is tomorrow, and critical decisions regarding how the United States should tackle climate change and energy security will need to be made in the near future. Therefore, it is of great importance that Americans elect a leader capable of addressing these issues. After three years of President Obama in the Oval Office, Americans have seen the current administration’s environmental policy agenda enacted. But in order to cast an informed ballot in the November election, the American electorate – especially independent and undecided voters – needs to know how presidential hopeful Mitt Romney plans to meet the challenges of a changing environment. Spoiler alert: Romney’s approach to the environment is unsustainable at its core and contrasts greatly with President Obama’s.
Hurricane Sandy has come and gone - businesses are reopening, subways are re-opening and New York City is even planning to host its annual New York Marathon this weekend. But while many people are dissecting links to climate change, what went wrong and how it is going to impact the upcoming election, it is important to keep in mind that there are STILL 570,000 people stranded in Lower Manhattan without power, water, food or access to basic amenities. 570,000 people is equivalent to almost the entire population of Boston or San Francisco - it is a lot of people. Read on to learn how you can help the relief effort by donating today!
Hurricane Sandy is barreling up the East Coast towards New York, and those in the path of the storm should brace for the worst. If you live in NYC you probably know that you need to stock up on food and water and that you should evacuate if you live in a low-lying area, but you may be missing some crucial facts. Check out our list of 6 things you should know to survive Hurricane Sandy to get the whole story – including what you should and should not do during the storm.
Did you know that the average American household spends more than $2,200 annually on energy bills, and close to half of that figure can be attributed to heating and cooling? If you’re looking to chop that number down, there are a lot of things you can do, but one of the most effective is to install a programmable thermostat. You’ve probably heard about these useful gadgets before, but they can be a little intimidating for homeowners who have never used one. The truth is that they’re probably much less complicated than your Tivo or DVR system, and once you have the hang of it, they can save you about $180* a year. Read on as we break down the basics of programmable thermostats into digestable bits.
* Based on ENERGY STAR averages. The $180 savings assumes a typical, single-family home with a 10 hour daytime setback of 8° F in winter and setup of 7° F in summer, and an 8 hour nighttime setback of 8° F in winter and a setup of 4° F in summer.
This year’s record breaking summer high temperatures and general worrisome warming trend don’t necessarily mean that the coming winter will be a walk in the park. Before the cold weather strikes, get your home buttoned up and ready for it with our expert hands-on game plan, which will not only make your home more comfortable and energy efficient, but save you some money while you’re at it. From big changes that will knock hundreds of dollars off your energy bill to smaller ones that need just a bit of elbow grease and a few materials from your local hardware store, we’ll show you what you need to get the job done! So no matter if you rent or own your house, check out these 7 handy tips that we promise will make a real difference in keeping you warm and your energy bill manageable this winter.
One of our most blockbusting posts last year featured pumpkin carver extraordinaire Ray Villafane’s gory zombies bursting from a giant pumpkin, and though we didn’t think it was possible, but he went even more over the top this year creating an insane, free-standing disemboweled zombie pulling an army of other ghoulish gourds. Villafane was at the New York Botanical Garden this weekend gutting a selection of massive pumpkins and shaping them into a frightastic 3D vignette of freakish orange creatures. Trust us when we say that you cannot miss these photos of the master at work and of the finished product, but don’t blame us if you have unsettling dreams tonight.
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