Everyone loves a classic gingerbread house, but lately architects and designers around the world have cooked up some amazing modern iterations that make our hearts skip a beat. Just in time for the holidays we've rounded up 10 of our favorite contemporary gingerbread homes, all of which pay homage to the modernist spirit. From an abode inspired by Bucky Fuller's geodesic dome, to a "cake study" house featuring cookie countertops, to a delectable recreation of Corbu's famed Villa Savoye complete with candy cane pilotis, hit the jump for the sweetest, most scrumptious modern gingerbread houses around!

 

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At Inhabitat, we often talk about how design can be both environmentally sustainable and economically profitable – and the same principles can be applied to eco-conscious investing. The current market is ripe with opportunities to invest in companies that employ sustainability-focused initiatives or even base their whole business model on green technologies such as renewable energy that are becoming more and more crucial with rising oil costs. If you’re looking to invest long-term and increase the value of your portfolio, companies with green ethics also tend to be more stable and have great potential for growth. Read on to learn some smart eco-investing strategies and pick up some tips on how to get your green portfolio started!

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Calling all writers and editors!

Are you a green transportation expert who obsessively follows the latest developments in high-speed rail, alternative fuels, and green vehicles? We’re looking for a transportation writer who is experienced, quick on the pickup, and interested in joining our daily news desk to cover exciting new vehicles and eco transportation developments as they break. We’re offering you a platform to share your knowledge and influence millions of readers around the world, the opportunity to travel and report on breaking news from high-profile events like the Los Angeles and Detroit Auto Shows, competitive blogging pay, and a shot at our monthly traffic contests. If you think you have what it takes then send your resume along with a cover letter, 3 published clips, and 3 photo samples (or a link to your Flickr) to editor [at] inhabitat dot com with the subject Transportation Writer!

 

 

When the internationally renowned designer Janice Ashby left the corporate world to found EcoAfrica Social Ventures - a unique paper-making venture that empowers Zimbabwean women - she never looked back. Several years down a rocky road that has involved two recessions, a cholera outbreak, and a significant move, she still boasts one of the most socially-responsible product lines on the planet. We first met Janice in New York in 2008 when EcoAfrica was just getting off the ground, and since then we've seen her and the women she has trained turn weeds and t-shirt clippings into gorgeous paper crafts. Today we caught up with her again in Cape Town, South Africa to find out how EcoAfrica has evolved.

 

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If you want to give the people on your holiday list a gift they can really hold onto, why not make them all personalized photo pillows with our easy DIY tutorial? This customized gift may look like it took a lot of time and effort but believe it or not, you can actually do it at the last minute using mostly recycled materials. Your loved ones will be blown away when they open their gift to see their own faces (or rapper/architect Ice Cube's, if you prefer to go the same route we did) emblazoned on a cozy pillow.

 

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If you’ve got a tech geek on your list this holiday season, but are having trouble figuring out what the latest and greatest gadgets are these days, then look no further because we’ve go you’ve covered! We’ve rounded up 10 awesome green gadget gifts for the eco-conscious tech enthusiast — all sure to impress with their cutting edge features and stylin’ good looks. From a sweet Liquid Wood lamp that combines form and function in one clever little package, to this super cool MegaPhone that turns an iPhone into a spectacular sound system, hit the jump for our favorite green gadget gifts!

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Atlanta’s Botanical Garden is getting a modern twist on holiday lights this year and it involves glowing rows of LEDs! A collaboration with the Lighting Science Group and CD + M Lighting and Design Group, their exhibition “Garden Lights, Holiday Nights” will feature a line of orb-like LED lights in vibrant colors. Almost one million lights glitter around the botanical garden’s grounds, creating an LED winter wonderland!

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Some people live for the big gifts, but we’re especially fond of the smaller gems that fill our stockings every year. For a sustainable holiday full of cheer, stuff those stockings with green gifts from our Green Stocking Stuffer Guide. From a recycled bike chain bottle opener for your favorite cyclist, to some blossoming tea to heat up those cold winter nights, to lasting felt mistletoe that promises a kiss year after year, check out our favorite eco-friendly stocking stuffers ahead!

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Whether you make a gift yourself or purchase someone else’s handiwork, handcrafted items always make for more meaningful presents than something that rolled off an assembly line. From coasters cleverly crafted from Scrabble tiles to a super soft knit cowl, our Handcrafted Holiday Gift Guide offers some of the best artisanally-made items we could find. Whether you’re shopping for your eco-chic best friend or rockstar brother, we have a handmade gift for everyone on your list.

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Have someone on your holiday gift list that’s gaga for gadgets? If so, we’ve got a whole lineup of eco electronics that will satisfy their techy cravings while helping them tread a little lighter on the Earth. From a super convenient solar phone charging case to handy rechargeable batteries and a sweet solar-powered robot, check out all of our high-tech green gadget gifts here!

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This holiday season treat your little princess to the perfect present that not only delights her but also teaches her the value of sustainability. From awesome girl superhero pals to a dreamy eco dollhouse to one of our favorite childhood reads, Charlotte’s Web, check out all of the amazing green gifts for girls in our handy guide.

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It takes about 10 years for a Christmas tree to reach maturity, and it’s a shame to kill a tree just so it can prop up ornaments and lights for a couple of weeks. Even though many cities do an admirable job of recycling trees (or ‘treecycling’) after the holidays are over, it’s always a bit depressing to see hundreds of dried-up, tinsel-covered trees out on the curb in early January. So instead of heading out to a tree farm, you might consider bringing a live, potted tree into your home this winter. After the holidays are over, you can plant the tree in the ground again (or you can get someone else to plant it), so it can get back to sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere.

 

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No, this is not a rendering, do not adjust your screen. This crazy building is a real live structure and it's also Australia's very first carbon neutral building. Recently completed, the Pixel Building is an office building located on the former CUB Brewery site in Melbourne. Scoring a perfect 105 points on the Australia's Green Star rating system, the office building designed by Studio505 is an amazing example of what is possible in terms of energy efficiency, renewable energy, water collection, waste reduction and green roofs. Capable of collecting all of its own water and generating all of its own energy, the funky, colorful pixelated building is totally self-sustaining.

 

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