Children help LEGO write handbook on saving planet for Cop26

In a brilliant marketing move consistent with listening to its customers, LEGO has issued a handbook to save the world. It will publish just in time for the COP26 climate summit starting in Glasgow on Sunday.

Tim Brooks, LEGO’s vice-president of environmental responsibility, said the project intends to “give children a voice” at COP26. “Children are demanding that they and future generations are front of mind when it comes to creating policy,” Brooks said, as reported by The Guardian.

Related: LEGO responds to kids’ worries about single-use plastics

To devise the plan to save Earth, LEGO involved more than 6,000 children, aged between 8 and 18, from all over the world. The children told researchers that global warming was their top concern. One in ten reported thinking about the environment every day, while about half considered environmental problems weekly.

The handbook, designed to look like a LEGO instruction booklet, boiled down the children’s input into 10 action steps: reduce pollution and waste; protect nature; change laws; stop ignoring the problem: do more; educate people; reduce emissions; leaders, change your own behavior; invest in the environment; help people and future generations. Colorful illustrations accompany the actions. The handbooks will be distributed to delegates at the climate talks, and hopefully, they will take the children’s suggestions to heart.

LEGO has already demonstrated its commitment to a greener future. The company employs more than 150 people to devise sustainability projects, has pledged to reduce carbon emissions 37% by 2032 and is investing $400 million over three years on green initiatives. LEGO recently introduced its first bricks molded from PET plastic from recycled bottles. According to Brooks, the company receives a thousand letters annually from kids, both praising and criticizing LEGO. The children’s input has influenced LEGO to eliminate single-use plastic and continue improving its recycled bricks.

Via The Guardian

Lead image via LEGO

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/2ZzdlHU
via Inhabitat

Nike playground is made of 20,000 upcycled sneakers

Legendary sports company Nike has dominated the headlines for its dedication to a zero carbon and zero waste future. One project at a time, they have drawn attention to sustainable actions and corporate responsibility when it comes to protecting the environment. The latest move, a community playground and basketball area located in New Belgrade, Serbia, showcases the company’s mission to encourage physical activity while providing education about ways to develop infrastructure in less impactful ways. 

Nike partnered with London-based creative agency Accept & Proceed, who they had previously worked with on Nike’s “Move to Zero” initiative. As a certified B Corporation studio, Accept & Proceed designed the renewal of Block 70, a historical area that saw the rise of several professional players in basketball. Community pride in this connection is seen in the “BLOK 70,” printed in original typeface, on the surface of the courtyard. Accept & Proceed came up with the plans for the court design, children’s playground, bleacher benches, chain link fence, outdoor gym, collection bins, in-store campaign presence and restoration of existing elements.

Related: Nike ACG collection gives traction to eco-friendly apparel

“With Nike Belgrade, we evolved the visual language we had developed for Nike’s ‘Move to Zero’ identity by incorporating bespoke Serbian lettering in the court markings to celebrate New Belgrade’s local community,” said Nigel Cottier, Accept & Proceed’s principal designer. “We had an interesting exercise that challenged our thinking of spaces for sport: what if we break down the essential ingredients of a basketball court and reimagine the traditional court layout? How can we create a fun and unexpected space, whilst retaining legibility and playability? It was fascinating to come up with the different elements of lettering that can inform another function, like a free throw or half court line, and even more exciting to think that the design will not only inform the players’ movements, but influence the community spirit and energy of Block 70.”

With a focus on community and activity, the park reflects the need to be environmentally conscious through the use of 20,000 recycled sneakers in the mix. In fact, the community was involved in the program all along with collection spaces for citizens to drop used shoes. At the drop sites, the community could see the steps involved in transforming the shoes into a material that could be used for the surface of the resulting basketball court and playground.  

“It’s no understatement that helping the world’s best sports brand with its sustainability initiative makes me feel immensely proud of the work we’re doing at Accept & Proceed,” said Matthew Jones, Accept & Proceed’s creative director. “Our visual identity for Nike’s ‘Move to Zero’ brand came to life within our court and playground design in New Belgrade and I feel incredibly inspired to know that design, community and responsibility towards our planet were all integral elements in this project. Moreover, to witness and be part of the meaningful connections between Nike and local communities shows a new way forward, especially for the role of designers — a sowing of the seeds for an active future and better tomorrow.”

+ Accept & Proceed 

Photography by Rastko Šurdić

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/3nCTKiD
via Inhabitat

Wild & Stone products are all plastic-free

Plastic waste is junking up the ocean. Many companies and individuals are finding ways to help reduce the levels of waste by creating brand new products out of recycled plastic waste. Meanwhile, more and more waste is being created every day. Wild & Stone is working on a more permanent solution: replacing single-use plastic altogether.

Wild & Stone’s catalog of items contains a selection of personal care and baby items, all of which are sustainably produced, ethically sourced and CO2 neutral. The company has sold more than 100,000 products.

Related: The Refill Shoppe enforces zero-waste packaging, provides bulk refill solutions for myriad household and beauty products

There are more than 80 different products available through Wild & Stone. The company plans to introduce 30 new products to the line in the near future. Currently, the product line includes: shaving razors, metal straws in various sizes, toothbrushes, a reusable coffee cup and more. Yes, it’s all plastic-free.

To really address the plastic waste problem that’s causing such big environmental issues, the plastic has to be removed out of the equation. New products made in different materials are the best way to fill the market with alternatives to plastic that can help reduce the amount of waste created and subsequently swept into the oceans.

Plastic has become a huge part of everyday life. You’ve probably touched at least five items made of plastic this very day. It’s everywhere. Plastics are typically made from oil, which is bad enough, but the real problem is that it does not biodegrade. Little pieces of plastic will continue to litter the planet for many, many centuries into the future, even if plastic production completely grinds to a halt tomorrow.

Around 400 million tons of plastic are created every year, about 40% of which is single-use plastic that is thrown away, according to BBC. A lot of plastics can’t be recycled and a lot of this trash created by plastic ends up in oceans. By 2050, all the plastic in the ocean will weigh more than every single fish in the ocean. Animals such as turtles and seabirds get caught in plastic or attempt to eat it. Plastic kills 100,000 sea animals every year.

The cost of plastic is steep. Companies like Wild & Stone are taking steps to start evening out that debt.

“It feels incredible to know we’ve left this world a little bit better off than before, but there is so much more work to be done,” said Wild & Stone Founder Kathryn Jonas.

+ Wild & Stone

Images via Wild & Stone

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/3E21Qrx
via Inhabitat

This futuristic design uses recycled bottles, coffee and oranges

Dubai Expo’s Italian Pavilion is a futuristic, sustainable creation. The 38,000-square-feet (3,500-square-meter) masterpiece opened on Oct. 1 at Dubai Expo 2020.

Designed by Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA) and Italo Rota Building Office, the Italian Pavilion stands out for its creativity in utilizing sustainable materials. Thanks to its innovative design and materials, the building has already won Best Entrepreneurial Project of the Year at the Construction Innovation Awards.

Related: WOHA’s final design for Singapore Pavilion nears completion

These innovative materials include 2 million recycled plastic bottles that form a multimedia facade. The designers also used recycled algae, coffee grounds and orange peels as building materials. Recycling, reusing and renewing are at the core of the design.

The roof is probably the most outstanding part of the entire design. It uses three boat hulls that could set sail immediately after Dubai Expo. According to Carlo Ratti, founding partner of CRA and director of the MIT Senseable City Lab, the Pavilion addresses issues that architectural designs have failed to address for many years.

“Our design for the Italian Pavilion deals with what I believe is architecture’s most important challenge today: advancing the double convergence between the natural and the artificial. It anticipates issues and suggests strategies that will be increasingly crucial for the future of our cities as we address the consequences of the current climate crisis,” Ratti said.

The facade is fitted with LEDs that can be lit to transform the entire building into a multimedia surface. According to the designers, the bottles that make up the surface can be used again after the expo ends.

But what about the coffee grounds and orange peels used in the design? The coffee and orange peels were left to dry and turned into powder used to coat suspended pathways. The setting of the Italian Pavilion on a five-meter-high dune made out of locally sourced sand also speaks to the design’s sustainable focus.

+ CRA

Images © Michele Nastasi

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/3nbEmt9
via Inhabitat

Cleanup device removes 20,000 pounds of ocean plastic

A new device successfully hauled 20,000 pounds of trash out of the Pacific Ocean last week. This technology could potentially help clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The successful experiment has been a long time coming. Boyan Slat declared that he had a plan for ridding the oceans of plastic when he was 18. Now, the Dutch inventor is 27 and the founder of Ocean Cleanup. The nonprofit has set a formidable goal: eliminate 90% of the plastic floating in the ocean by 2040.

Related: The Ocean Cleanup launches sunglasses made from ocean plastic

In 2018, Slat and his nonprofit launched its first device to catch plastic. Unfortunately, it broke on the job. The 2019 model was a little better, but still not up to the task. Then last summer, Ocean Cleanup set out a huge, U-shaped floating barrier that directs trash into a long floating net. The team nicknamed the device Jenny. Every few weeks, the net fills with plastic, a crew hauls it out and empties it into a garbage vessel, then reattaches it to collect more junk. The plastic gets taken ashore, where it’s recycled.

One “Jenny” can hold more than 10,000 kilograms of plastic. Slat thinks that 10 Jennys could eliminate half of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch within five years.

But not everybody is convinced. Especially when they factor in the cost of fueling boats to remove the plastic. “Once plastic has gotten into the open ocean, it becomes very expensive and fossil-fuel intensive to get it back out again,” said Miriam Goldstein, director of ocean policy at the think tank Center for American Progress, as reported by Reuters.

Slat’s been at it almost 10 years and hasn’t lost heart. On Saturday, he tweeted, “Lots of things still to iron out. But one thing we now know: deploy a small fleet of these systems, and one *can* clean it up.”

Via Business Insider

Images via The Ocean Cleanup

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/2ZbE6T6
via Inhabitat

Enjoy these delicious hot vegan Starbucks drinks this fall

Autumn is the season for cozy sweaters, boots and a warm beverage. As furnaces kick on and wood stoves begin to crackle while warming the fall air, a stop at Starbucks can warm you from the inside out. In addition to the standard coffee fare, the company has a variety of vegan options to bring to the mix. While plain coffee itself is a vegan option, those trademark blends often include dairy, so delve into plant-based options instead and enjoy a host of new flavors as a bonus.

Take it straight

Coffee is naturally plant-based and vegan. It’s gluten-free too. The easiest way to enjoy your shot of caffeine without the fillers is to take it straight. There’s regular black coffee (who even knows how to order that?), or an Americano with a shot of espresso that gives it a frothy top without additional calories or dairy. For a real morning jolt, you can go with straight espresso too. 

Related: Starbucks unveils store built from 29 recycled shipping containers in Taiwan

Make it creamy or flavored

Of course, there are vegan milks to bring in the creamy flavor without relying on animals. Add some almond, coconut, soy or oat milk to turn the basic black coffee into a smooth treat. 

Starbucks also offers an array of flavors, but not all of them are vegan. Some are seasonal, such as gingerbread and pumpkin. Others are staples on the menu in most locations. Look for almond, hazelnut, macadamia, mocha, vanilla, Irish cream, and peach. If caramel is your favorite flavor, skip the drizzle, which is not vegan, and request a shot of the syrup instead. Watch for the thicker options like white mocha, pistachio and pumpkin spice that are not vegan.

Flat White

The mixologists at Starbucks know the addition of cream to coffee is popular, so they’ve put the blend on the menu as a Flat White, which is a combination of espresso and steamed milk. Make your order vegan by swapping in almond, coconut or soy milk.

They even have a vegan-ready option in the Almond Milk Honey Flat White, which is made from ristretto shots of blonde espresso and steamed almond milk and finished with a hint of honey.

Enjoy tea time

For tea, you can select from a range of traditional flavors such as black, green, chai and herbal with notable blends like Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Honey Citrus Mint, Jade Citrus Mint, Mint Majesty and Peach Tranquility.

Have your pumpkin spice latte and drink it too

The traditional pumpkin spice latte (PSL) is a fall treat that instills cravings at the drop of the first leaf. However, a standard PSL is made using whole or 2% milk and milk foam. Then it’s adorned with pumpkin spice topping and whipped cream. Basically, it would never fit into the definition of vegan. 

But don’t give up on catering to that fall craving for a PSL so quickly. The pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove in the pumpkin spice are the central component of the flavor, and it’s plant-based with no animal products. That’s good news because you can mix it in a way that suits the vegan profile by simply ordering a plain or vanilla latte with pumpkin spice topping. Skip the pumpkin spice sauce since it also contains milk.

Honey Oat Milk Latte

This already-veganized latte option is available to order in many locations. It’s a combination of oat milk and espresso, with a hint of honey and a toasted honey topping that brings a flavor they describe as “a savory tribute to all things sweet and salty.”

Apple Crisp Macchiato

Pumpkin spice garners a lot of attention in the fall months, but remember it’s also apple season. The signature recipe at Starbucks to celebrate the flavor is the Apple Crisp Macchiato, which the company describes saying, “Layered flavors of apple and brown sugar meld like the filling of a gooey apple pie in harmony with espresso, steamed milk and a caramelized-spiced apple drizzle—a nostalgic autumn pick-me-up.” Obviously not vegan approved. However, with a quick swap to a plant-based milk, it will be.

Steamed Apple Juice

Sticking with the crisp fall apple theme, an easy order with no substitutions is the Steamed Apple Juice. It’s exactly what the name implies — a steamy cup of warm apple juice with a single ingredient straight from the fruity source.

Go with the hot cocoa

Starbucks knows hot cocoa is a ubiquitous fall tradition, and the restaurant responded with a flavor vegans can enjoy. Swap out the standard dairy milk with your favorite nut milk option, hold the whipped cream and warm up with the mocha-based delight.

Grab a snack

Starbucks has also expanded its food menu to offer vegan options. Try out the plain, cinnamon raisin and sprouted bagels with an avocado spread instead of cream cheese, or dive into a healthy blueberry oatmeal for breakfast. Later in the day, get a Chickpea Bites & Avocado Protein Box, which is completely plant-based and packed with calories, protein and fiber to keep you going.

Via Green Matters and Oops Vegan

Images via Pixabay 

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/3DWONb2
via Inhabitat

Volvo teams up with Phillip Lim on sustainable weekender bag

In a collaboration between iconic Volvo and well-established sustainable luxury brand 3.1 Phillip Lim, they have developed a limited-edition weekender bag made from the same bio-based material being used in Volvo’s electric cars. 

The announcement is no surprise, considering the focus of both businesses. Volvo released a statement in September 2021 vowing to take an ethical stance in the name of animals by committing to leather-free materials in its current and future electric cars. The company plans to move to a line of fully electric vehicle production by 2030.

Related: Adidas 100% recycled jacket is solving plastic pollution

Phillip Lim has an equally defined commitment to sustainable production, with a history of products such as algae dresses and eco-sleepwear. Since the start of his business, his core focus has been on the environment. 

The 3.1 Phillip Lim weekend bag is made from the same bio-based and recycled materials found in Volvo’s leather-free car interiors, known as Nordico. Nordico was developed by Volvo and is a mixture of textiles made from recycled material like PET bottles, recycled corks from the wine industry and materials from sustainable forests in Sweden and Finland.

The bag was developed with the modern, eco-traveler in mind. The color’s name is Dawn, but a black color option from the same material will be released for the Volvo interiors. It showcases a Scandinavian design with inside storage and both hand and shoulder straps. Although the bag won’t be available at a retail level, the limited number produced will be showcased through competitions, charity auctions and giveaways.

“Our brand mantra is to make less, mean more,” said Phillip Lim, Co-Founder and Creative Director of 3.1 Phillip Lim. “Connecting with Volvo on this sustainability project was an instant alignment of values. I strongly feel that in our collective current state of mind, we have the freedom to find sustainable solutions with new materials, while still being able to achieve high design, which is the ultimate luxury.”

“We have a vision of where we need to go in the future, with the first step to ensure we harness sustainable, natural and recycled materials,” said Robin Page, head of design at Volvo Cars. “The collaboration with 3.1 Phillip Lim, to create a bag inspired by tomorrow’s materials, solidifies both our ambitions to challenge the wider design industry to reconsider the materials we use. From creating runway collections to the interiors of cars, we have a shared responsibility to find sustainable material alternatives.”

+ Volvo Cars and Phillip Lim 

Images via Volvo Cars and Phillip Lim

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/3DPp9EU
via Inhabitat

5 standout brands from Vegan Fashion Week 2021

As more consumers prioritize sustainability, the days of fast fashion are numbered. This year’s Vegan Fashion Week in Los Angeles highlighted brands that are stepping up to meet the demand for ethical products by offering fashionable creations free of animal products. 

In 2021, vegan fashion has moved beyond the simple aesthetics from its days as a niche market. Now, you can find clothes you have an affinity for in a variety of styles. Curious about what the vegan fashion world has to offer? Check out these five standout brands from Vegan Fashion Week 2021.

Related: Get your vegan jewelry fix with KEVA’s cactus leather line

Vegan Tiger

Vegan Tiger kicked off Vegan Fashion Week’s Friday fashion show. As Korea’s first vegan fashion brand, Vegan Tiger wants to “end fur animal suffering and give consumers wider choices,” according to their mission statement. To this end, Vegan Tiger creates cruelty-free clothing, including faux fur outerwear and GRS-certified recycled polyester jackets. While these high-fashion items come with high prices, the brand puts some of its proceeds toward donations for animals and the environment.

Lunar Method

Cactus leather has been having its moment in the fashion industry, and Lunar Method puts it to use in luxurious, functional bags. Accentuated with colorful fabrics sourced from Mexican artisans, these bags are made of durable, PETA-certified cactus leather. A relatively new brand, Lunar Method began researching animal leather alternatives in December 2020 and launched a Kickstarter in July 2021. One of the brand’s collections is already sold out, showing the high demand for sustainable, vegan leather products.

Fleur & Bee

Looking for a more affordable vegan brand? All of Fleur & Bee’s clean skincare products are under $30. From facial cleanser and toner, to vitamin C serum and eye cream, Fleur & Bee has everything you need for a natural, vegan beauty regimen. Its products are also free of sulfates, parabens and artificial fragrances.

Solios

For a timeless accessory, check out these solar-powered watches from Solios. Started by university friends Samuel Leroux and Alexandre Desabrais, Solios creates sustainable watches powered by clean, renewable energy. The brand does not use any single-use plastic in its supply chain, favoring instead for recycled and recyclable paper packaging. Solios also donates to the Rainforest Trust and has committed to protecting one acre of rainforest for each watch sold.

Shoes 53045

Complete your outfit with stylish shoes from Shoes 53045. While working to become more sustainable, this vegan brand strives to source renewable and recycled materials. Currently, Shoes 53045 uses Better Cotton Initiative certified canvas and GRS-certified recycled cotton for some of its shoes. It’s also sourcing a corn-based leather alternative, finding ways to minimize shipping emissions and planting one tree for each pair of shoes sold. So far, the company has planted 22,550 trees as part of its program.

While the vegan fashion world still has room to grow in terms of prioritizing eco-friendly materials and making products accessible to a wider range of consumers, these brands show the potential in cruelty-free clothing.

Photography by Delaney Tran and Grae Gleason / Inhabitat

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/3j8Ohyx
via Inhabitat

Artist 3D-prints biodegradable agar floral lamps

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, although most people would agree there is beauty in nature. Artist and textile designer Yi Hsuan Sung has taken that common view of natural beauty and used it to create a varied line of products for the home.

In addition to reflecting nature in her designs, her mission is to honor it through the use of sustainable and natural materials. Sung believes that the desire to bring elements of nature inside the home often comes with a host of unwanted and unnecessary petrochemicals. 

Related: Netherlands’ massive vault of sustainability and art

To create a cleaner home environment, she began experimenting with agar, which is an extract from red algae. She then combined it with glycerin and water to make a material for 3D printing that is natural, biodegradable and renewable. Once she was able to solidify the process, she began, and continues, experimenting with different products made from the same medium. Her wall art and faux flowers have a variety of finishes, including shimmery, metallic and foamy. The bioplastic also takes a variety of shapes, from wavy to curvy, and can be formed into sheets, filaments or cast units. 

In the example of her floral pendant lamps made with agar, she makes the shade base by knitting agar yarn and decorating them with agar flowers cast from 3D-printed molds she designed. Her Agar Garden designs are an artistic endeavor into working with bio materials, while developing useful and pleasing interior design products. She’s also developed lamps and other products from silk and wool fabric samples, sequin scraps and lurex selvage yarns and mats made from a combination of agar, onion skins, spoiled milk and recycled saris.

With an emphasis on protecting the environment in her material choices, Sung pays special attention to coloring through the use of fiber waste (wool), food waste and mica powder. 

“As a textile maker who consciously integrates science and technology into art and design and a material creative who dedicates to healthy and sustainable solutions, I earnestly explore the relationship between digital, bio and recycling fabrication,” Sung said. “Through my work, I want to transform textile making into a system that is harm-free, slow and mindful.”

+ Yi Hsuan Sung 

Images via Yi Hsuan Sung 

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/2YSrLmO
via Inhabitat