Packaging the Future: Edible Wrappers, Containers and Bags (Yum?)

by , 12/05/12

edible wrappers, sustainable packaging, biodegradable packaging, packaging the future, sustainable design, green design, sustainable food, green food packaging, sustainable food packaging, healthy food, sustainable produce, eco design, edible packaging, edible container, molecular gastronomy, wikicell

Here at Inhabitat we’ve been hoping for, and advocating, biodegradable packaging for years, but now designer entrepreneurs are thinking even bigger; how about packaging one could actually consume? Turning what was a waste product into something that could actually confer nutrition (and would degrade quickly if uneaten), could make litter a thing of the past. Several companies have been working on edible packaging over the last couple of years, and as the idea moves closer to reality, Time magazine even called it a ‘game changer’ for 2012. Read on for a look at the state of the art in edible packaging!

Read More >

Advertisement

16 Green Gifts Under $50

by , 12/05/12

eco christmas, eco friendly gifts under $50, eco friendly presents, eco friendly presents under $50, eco holiday, eco xmas, eco-friendly gifts, environmentally friendly gifts, environmentally friendly presents, gifts under $50, green christmas, green gift guide, Green Gifts Under $50, green holiday, green holiday gift guide, green presents, green xmas, presents under $50

Wallet feeling a bit thin? If you’re looking for some eco-friendly gifts that won’t render you a penniless pauper, we’ve got great selection of Gifts Under $50 for you to choose from in our Green Gift Guide. Not only can you avoid the mania at the mall by shopping our guide from home, you’ll also find gifts that are as kind to the Earth as they are on your pocketbook. Check out all of our reasonably priced gift ideas – from a handy and possibly lifesaving solar power charging panel to a cute and quirky water-powered clockhere.

GIFTS UNDER $50 >

 

18 Wag-tastic Green Gifts for Pets

by , 12/03/12

green holiday, green gift guide, green holiday gift guide, eco holiday, green xmas, green christmas, eco xmas, eco christmas, environmentally friendly gifts, eco friendly gifts, green presents, environmentally friendly presents, eco friendly presents, gifts for pets

While a pat on the head and a bowl full of food are enough to send your pet into a frenzy of happiness, you can still show them just how much you love them by gifting them a little something extra this holiday season. Whether your best friend is furry, fluffy or feathered, we’ve rounded up a bounty of green and sustainable gifts that they’ll love. From fleece hoodies for Fido to a cardboard cabin retreat for your favorite feline, check out all of our green gifts for pets ahead!

GIFTS FOR PETS >

 

Advertisement

DIY GIFT IDEA: Flavored Cooking Oils In Beautiful Bottles

by , 12/01/12

Read More >

Berkey Water Filters Provide Clean, Fresh Drinking Water At Home and In Disaster Relief

by , 11/30/12

big berkey, water filter, water purifier, berkey water filter, water filtration, water filter system, berkey, purify water, water purification, clean water, drinking water, emergency drinking water, emergency water filtration, potable water, water filtration system, royal berkey, berkey light

With bottled water and potable tap water both so readily available in developed countries, it’s easy to take clean drinking water for granted. But when natural disasters strike, one of the first things to sell out on store shelves is bottled water, and running water may be either turned off or compromised by pollutants. Domestic water purifying pitchers and faucet filters are perfectly fine for every day use, but most of them simply weren’t designed to filter untreated water like the kind you may need to drink in emergency situations. Unlike those other off-the-shelf, refrigerator-sized water filters, Big Berkey water filters were actually made to purify water from untreated sources like remote lakes, streams and stagnant ponds and are used by relief organizations such as UNICEF, the Peace Corps, and the Red Cross. They use a much more powerful filtration system that removes harmful pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, and unhealthy chemical contaminants such as chlorine to levels higher than 99.99%, a capability that would be invaluable to your family in a disaster situation where you were unable to secure clean water. Big Berkey water filters can be a lifesaver in emergencies, but they’re also a smart, elegant and beautiful green product to use in your home on an everyday basis (as a great alternative to bottled water or a refrigerator water filter) because they filter water so powerfully, and the high-tech filters last for 3-5 years as opposed to a few months.

Read More >

GIVEAWAY: Win a $200 Gift Certificate to Indigenous!

by , 11/30/12

Indigenous Designs, Indigenous, Ecouterre giveaway, 0 gift certificate, fair trade clothing, eco-fashion, organic clothing, free range alpaca, low-impact dyes

Do you wish you had more fair trade clothing in your closet? Head on over to Ecouterre and enter our latest giveaway for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate to Indigenous Designs! We’ve teamed up with the fab eco-fashion company to give one lucky reader a chance to add some beautiful, organic clothing to their wardrobe – or to use the shopping spree to spoil friends and family this holiday season! Click ahead and enter to win now!

ENTER TO WIN HERE >

 

LAST DAY: WIN A $150 Gift Voucher Toward Holiday Cards & Photo Books At ModernGreetings.com!

by , 11/29/12

Modern Greetings, Inhabitots, Modern Greetings giveaway, Inhabitots giveaway, gift voucher to Modern Greetings, Moderngreetings.com, holiday photo cards, holiday photo books, customized photo cards, customized photo books, family photo cards, family photo books, green gifts, customized gifts

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO WIN $150 to spend at ModernGreetings.com!

The holiday season is nigh, and it’s time to start thinking about gifts and greeting cards. Get a head start on all of the hoopla by creating your own customized family holiday cards and personalized photo books with the help of Modern Greetings. We’re giving away a $150 gift voucher to be redeemed at the savvy site, where you may fashion your holiday cards and photo book gifts via easy to use online templates that are available in an array of designs to suit every sensibility. After you enter to win, head to ModernGreetings.com to redeem 20 FREE greeting cards!

READ MORE >

 

TEST DRIVE: 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid is the Perfect Green Family Car

by , 11/26/12

Read More >

DIY Gift Idea: 10 Recipes You Can Gift in Jars

by , 11/25/12

Read More >

21 of China's Quirkiest, Craziest and Most Fantastical Buildings

by , 11/25/12

Read More >

Six Delicious Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

by , 11/24/12

Read More >

Black Friday: The World Tells You to Shop, We Ask You to Stop

by , 11/23/12
filed under: DIY, Features

"buy nothing", "black friday", Christmas, shopping, consumerism

Have you already started to become a bit stressed about all the Christmas shopping you have to do? Do you feel pressured to shop with money you don’t have, rather saving it or using it for something more substantial? While we enjoy giving and receiving gifts with some sensibility and social-responsibility, with so many people (yours truly included) wishing for a job this Christmas the concept of Black Friday seems frighteningly distasteful. But here’s an organization going against the grain and asking you to do the same. Buy Nothing Christmas is a non-profit organization initiated by Canadian Mennonites several years ago, inspiring people all over the world to say no to excess consumerism. With a website offering plenty of ideas, big and small, you’ll get the low down on how you can give gifts freely without money being an issue.

Read More >

What Hurricane Sandy Taught Us About America's Crumbling Infrastructure

by , 11/21/12

infrastructure, politics, roads, power plants, Hurricane Sandy, recovery, energy security, government spending,  Iwan BaanPhoto of a blacked out Lower Manhattan by Iwan Baan

When Hurricane Sandy reached the eastern United States in late October, it wasn’t a surprise visit – meteorologists had issued warnings about the storm’s approach for almost a week. Although residents and businesses did their best to be ready, the superstorm caught many cities off guard as it attacked the American northeast with heavy flooding and powerful winds that destroyed homes and left millions without power. New York City and parts of New Jersey got the worst of it. Still, the Big Apple is one of the largest cities in the world – a metropolis of a similar size and sophistication as London, Tokyo and Paris. So why, weeks later, is New York City still a muddy mess? Why are there still scores of Americans without electricity, heat, and the ability to return to their homes? Many say that it’s a crumbling infrastructure brought on by years of under-funding and neglect that has been the biggest barrier to post-Sandy recovery. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

Read More >

DIY Gift Idea: How to Make Vintage Teacup Candles

by , 11/19/12

Read More >

DIY: How To Make Your Own Lip Balms

by , 11/17/12

Read More >

DIY: How to Make an Enchanting Terrarium Necklace to Keep or Give as a Gift!

DIY: How to Make an Enchanting Terrarium Necklace to Keep or Give as a…

If you're looking for a beguiling homemade gift that will enchant your favorite plantophiles, look no further than this darling DIY terrarium necklace! You'll be surprised at how easy…

Read More >

DIY: How to Make Touchscreen Compatible Texting Gloves for iPhone or Droid

DIY: How to Make Touchscreen Compatible Texting Gloves for iPhone or…

When the weather outside is frightful, the last thing you want to do is pry your fingers from the warmth of your gloves just so you can text or check some emails. Luckily, with our easy…

Read More >

The Best Sustainable Building Products from Greenbuild 2012 in San Francisco

The Best Sustainable Building Products from Greenbuild 2012 in San…

A surprisingly political lineup of speakers (including Jerry Brown, Cory Booker, George Pataki, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski) bookended the 2012 Greenbuild conference in San…

Read More >

Welcome to Inhabitat, your online guide to the best green design ideas, innovations and inspiration to build a cleaner, brighter, and better future.

get the free Inhabitat newsletter

Submit this form
popular today
all time
most commented
more popular stories >
more popular stories >
more popular stories >
What are you looking for? (Solar, HVAC, etc.)
Where are you located?