Approximately 27.4 billion disposable diapers end up in US landfills each year, and once there, they take about 500 years to decompose! If you want to stop contributing the the problem with your baby’s diapers, (and maybe even potty train early) cloth diapers are a great option, but getting started with cloth diapers can be a bit intimidating for newbies. Inhabitots editor Julie Seguss recently got a tutorial in cloth-diapering by Carolyn Sutton of Charlie Banana to learn about the basics, and we made this handy video so that you can follow along step by step, and learn how to get started with cloth-diapering. Click here to check it out!
In the weeks following the horrific Rana Plaza building collapse that killed 1,127 workers — one of the worst tragedies in the history of the garment industry — more than 30 of the world’s leading apparel companies signed an agreement vowing to protect the safety of garment workers. But two prominent American companies have refused to sign the accord. Wal-Mart announced plans to launch its own safety initiative, and Gap has refused to sign any agreement, citing liability concerns. In a recent LA Times op-ed, law professors James Brudney and Catherine Fisk call the companies’ fears over their financial and moral commitments “irrational.”
Long gone are the old-fashioned chandeliers outfitted with incandescent light bulbs and enough ornament to put a Christmas tree to shame. Group-Two Design recently brought their ultra-modern LED chandelier to this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair, and the futuristic fixture turned heads with its cutting edge design. Still paying homage to the shape of a conventional chandelier, the new form is a minimalist and energy-efficient interpretation of an old classic.
Yesterday morning, Mayor Bloomberg and New York City Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White visited Coney Island to announce the opening of all New York City beaches for the 2013 season. The kick-off was even more special than in past years because it also included beaches in places like the Rockaways, Coney Island and Cedar Grove that were badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. After the storm, there was speculation over whether these areas could be restored in time for Memorial Day weekend, but all doubts were erased this morning with the unveiling of even better, more resilient facilities at these locations.
Alyson Beaton’s adorable Lille Huset Dollhouses are miniature dollhouses that kids can create, color and customize as a simple, rewarding craft activity. Translating into “little house” in Norwegian, the Lille Huset dollhouses are simple enough for kids to assemble, and can be stacked and arranged to create entire miniature cities. Even better, the dollhouses are eco-friendly—made from 100% recycled paperboard and printed in the USA with a certified carcinogenic free printing process.
If your walls are looking a bit bland, how about lighting them up with this glamorous LED wallpaper by Mestyle? Spotted at ICFF at during New York Design Week, this innovative application of LEDs caught the eye of the Inhabitat Team with its subtle but stylish glow. The illuminated wallpapers are available as a collection of 22 unique designs, each depicting a different theme.
Google X, the tech giant’s top secret experimental branch, recently announced that it will take over Makani Power, a startup that develops wind turbines that fly through the air like a kite, rather than being mounted on massive poles cemented into the ground. The acquisition is just one of many significant investments Google has made into renewable energy technologies, and indicates that airborne wind turbines might soon be ready to move out of the experimental phase and into commercial reality.
A floor lamp, bedside lamp and reading lamp all in one, S7 is a versatile new lighting design by Structures. Founded by sailor turned designer Nicolas Pichelin, Structures developed the fascinating and flexible LED lamp to have an interchangeable head which can be rotated 360 degrees. This ultra versatile lamp is being sold by Ameico is one of our green picks from New York Design Week this year.
The Retyrement Plan is a collection of outdoor weatherproof furniture items created from old, discarded automobile tires and recycled plastics. Anu Tandon Viera creates a woven upholstery of recycled plastic wrapper waste over a ‘frame’ of tires salvaged from old scooters to discarded trucks. The “virtually indestructible” ottomans are part of a collection that includes occasional chairs, pouffes, charpais and floor cushions made from well-traveled wheels, salvaged fabrics and reclaimed wood and bamboo.
Nervous System took inspiration from the shapes and patterns of nature to create an app that lets users design their own “cellular” wooden coffee tables. Once a customer is happy with their online design, Nervous System uses a CNC router to carve it out of plywood. The Inhabitat team stopped by their booth at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) this week for a look at their first official prototype and we have to say that it’s pretty darn cool!
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