Sustainable pet products calm and clean the zoo at home

The natural products Alzoo offers is a complete line of flea and tick solutions, calming products, grooming goods and more. Most of the lineup is made in the U.S. and the company is in the process of certification to earn B Corporation Certification status. In addition, the company recently switched its structure to be classified as a Benefit Corporation. 

“As a company that aims to be a force for good in the world – creating products that make a positive, direct impact on people, their pets and the community they live in, becoming a Benefit Corporation was the natural step forward for Alzoo,” said Alzoo CEO, Philippe Chelle. “Benefit Corporations must commit to high standards, purpose, accountability and transparency surrounding all its operations – standards we are proud, and have always been proud, to uphold.”

Related: WizSmart offers waterproof pet pads made from diaper waste

Shampoos

Alzoo offers a line of shampoos, each designed to address common issues. There’s a plant-based shampoo and conditioner in one and an anti-itch blend to address dry, itchy skin. A gentler puppy formula cleans and conditions and a hypoallergenic option cleans sensitive skin. All of these eight-ounce products are delivered in a sugar-cane-based tube that is recyclable. All shampoos are free of sulfates, paraben, dyes, soap, phthalate and synthetic perfumes. Alzoo shampoos are pH balanced and cruelty free.

Additionally, the company offers a dry shampoo powder. It comes in a small package to reduce shipping size and weight. Combine the shampoo with water in the endlessly reusable recycled-aluminum bottle. The bottle is also recyclable at the end of its useful life. 

Flea products

The company designed a line of products that are safe for your pet, yet effective for flea control. The flea collars offer four months of protection against fleas, ticks, and lice. The active ingredients are peppermint oil and cedarwood oil. There’s also a flea and tick spray that can be applied directly to the dog’s coat for an added layer of protection against fleas, ticks, sand flies and even mosquitos. Alzoo couples these products with a flea and tick shampoo as well as a powder. Follow the directions for introducing your pet to these products so you can monitor for an allergic reaction.

Calming aids

We all know animals can get a bit worked up if left alone or when fireworks are going off in the neighborhood. Alzoo uses a combination of anxiety-reducing ingredients like hemp extract and essential oils in its line of sprays, collars and room diffusers for both cats and dogs.

Deodorizers

Alzoo understands litter boxes could benefit from a little scent improvement, but no one wants to mask one bad scent with a chemical smell. Instead it offers lavender, ocean breeze, island paradise and sweet vanilla. It also created a deodorizer for the chicken coop. To correct bad behavior, there is also a stain and odor training spray.

Personal review of Alzoo shampoo

When the company learned we had three dogs and four cats, they sent a gift box of samples to try. We received each of the five shampoos, a calming diffuser and flea collars.

Since we recently used another flea treatment, I haven’t tried the collars but noticed they are waterproof, which is nice for our hunting dogs. Plus, the cat collars are equipped with a breakaway safety system so they don’t choke if they get hung up. Flea collars are intended for dogs and cats over four months of age. 

We used the shampoos on all three dogs on the last of the somewhat sunny days before the fall rain settled in. The bottles are easy to grip, even with wet hands. They are durable in construction and look like they could handle a few inevitable drops should they occur. 

The scents are well balanced. The fragrance lingers with a freshness that erases the typical overpowering wet dog smell. I’m very scent sensitive and didn’t find these to be overwhelming at all. They are subtle, but noticeable. Walking into the room with three freshly-bathed dogs just smelled clean. Trust me, that’s rare in my house. My daughter and I both have a sensitivity to lavender so we didn’t use the puppy formula. I’ll pay that one forward in my community. The others have some odd names, but I found the palmarosa and rice milk fragrances quite pleasant. 

We have large dogs, ranging in size from 45 to about 75 pounds. They are German Shorthaired Pointers so their fur is short. Even with little fur, it required a healthy palmful of shampoo to do the job. I felt like it was a reasonable amount. 

The shampoo applied nicely, spreading around with a standard amount of water on the pet. It’s not a frothy, sudsy shampoo. There are a small amount of suds so you can tell where you’ve washed, but don’t expect bubbles to fly. 

My favorite aspect of the shampoos is the clean rinse. The dogs weren’t crazy about being under the hose so a quick rinse is appreciated. It didn’t take long to remove all the shampoo and it didn’t leave any residue behind.

+ Alzoo 

Images via Alzoo and Dawn Hammon

Editor’s Note: This product review is not sponsored by Alzoo. All opinions on the products and company are the author’s own.

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Nike Forward drops manufacturing footprint by 75%

Nike Forward is an innovative new process for piecing together high-performance apparel with a reduced impact on the environment. A trademark name in both the athletic clothing industry and a driving force for the sustainability movement, Nike released its newest technology in the form of an iconic classic — the gray hoodie.

“We believe this platform has the potential to reset the way we think about material and apparel. This is the biggest Nike apparel innovation since Dri-Fit 30 years ago and has huge potential to transform the industry in the way that Air and Flyknit did for Nike footwear,” says Aaron Heiser, VP Global Apparel Product Merchandising, NIKE, Inc.

Related: Nike playground is made of 20,000 upcycled sneakers

What’s special is that Nike Forward results in a 75% reduction in the carbon footprint during manufacturing compared to Nike’s traditional knit fleece. The process allows the use of several thin layers of carefully chosen material to balance softness with warmth and performance. The simplified process results in fewer steps in the manufacturing process. Instead of continuing the traditional processes for knit and woven materials, Nike Forward looks ahead to a new way of doing things. 

“Nike Forward feels different because it is different. It is not a traditional knit or woven, but a completely new material that drastically reduces its carbon footprint,” says Carmen Zolman, VP Innovation Apparel Design, NIKE, Inc.

Further, the streamlined process of converting fiber into textiles using a needle-punch process means skipping several stages in a typical production. Each skipped step means reducing the amount of energy, water and manpower resources that are required.

Nike took the minimalist approach a step further with an ultra-simple design on the hoodie that forgoes dyes and extras like zippers and aglets. The raw cut pockets provide a distinct throwback look while saving on additional materials and energy. The finished hoodie is made up of 70% recycled content, contributing to the circular goals of the company.

Nike’s no stranger to innovation and a commitment to corporate responsibility. Nike Forward is simply the latest in a long line of efforts to continuously raise the bar of performance and dedication to doing better for the planet.

+ Nike

Images via Nike 

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How can we fuel nuclear energy for a cleaner future?

Nuclear energy is obtained by the huge amount of energy that is released by atoms in the processes of fusion or fission. Fusion is when two lightweight atoms (like hydrogen) are joined to form a larger atom. On the other hand, fission requires splitting large and heavy atoms (like uranium) into smaller ones. Both processes release large amounts of energy which can be used to efficiently power cities without directly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. One of the key challenges is fueling these processes safely and sustainably.

Nuclear energy processes

Both the fission and fusion processes have their own sets of challenges. While nuclear fission is a process that has been honed over the years, nuclear fusion is still a relatively new advancement. When the hydrogen particles bond together, it creates helium gas and free-floating neutrons that transfer their kinetic energy as heat. The heat can be used to boil water for steam, which powers turbines to produce electrical energy.

Related: Nuclear fusion is the newest advancement in clean energy

Fusion requires high amounts of energy to conduct and control. This is because particles have to be heated to immensely high temperatures. Once that occurs, they can be forced to fuse despite their extremely repulsive electrostatic forces. While the sun and other stars do this every second, it was unknown if these conditions could be replicable on Earth until very recently.

One of the downsides of fusion is that there is very little exploration in this field because of technological limitations and costs. Advances in equipment and methods to carry out fusion have only recently been made and progress is slow. However, there is an increasing interest in fusion energy because of its incredible efficiency. In fact, it is one of the most efficient renewable energy sources because, after the first fusion process, the energy obtained can be used to power more reactions down the line.

Conversely, fission is easier to carry out because larger atoms are easier to split. To do this, a neutron collides with a large atom and splits it into multiple parts, releasing energy through heat and radiation. Though fission is an easier process to carry out, it produces weapons-grade radioactive waste that is harmful to living organisms. This is because high exposures to radioactive material can alter DNA at the cellular level, which can impact overall health and reproduction.

Energy fuels for fusion

Deuterium and tritium are forms of hydrogen that can be used as fusion fuels and are prominent in nature. Deuterium can easily be distilled from seawater or freshwater and is very efficient. There is enough deuterium naturally available to sustain humans for 150 billion years! Though tritium is rarer, it can be produced synthetically. It can be extracted from lithium, which is also abundant in nature.

Using tritium in conjunction with deuterium in nuclear reactions can be extremely useful. In fact, just a few grams of each reactant can produce one terajoule (one trillion joules) of energy. That is enough to meet the energy needs of an individual in a developed country for 60 years.

Since fusion uses two hydrogen atoms that fuse into helium, a non-toxic gas, the process is quite safe. Fusion also produces very minimal radioactive material. The radioactive waste produced is also short-lived and can be recycled within 100 years or so, unlike that of fission, which can take several centuries.

Fueling fission

U-235

Heavy atoms like uranium and less commonly plutonium or thorium, are required to fuel fission. Nuclear power plants mainly use a specific isotope of uranium, known as U-235, because its atoms are easy to divide. Though uranium is a common element, U-235 is extremely rare, occurring in only 0.7% of natural uranium.

Uranium can be found in rocks and seawater and the concentrate is separated from the ore at mills or a slurry through in-situ leaching. In the past, traditional uranium mining would cause major ground disturbance and the lack of regulations posed risks to the environment and workers onsite. These hazards are now limited through the use of contemporary in-situ leaching methods.

In-situ leaching uses water injected with oxygen that circulates through boreholes to extract uranium ore. This uranium solution is then pumped to the surface and dried to become uranium oxide concentrate before it can be enriched and processed for fuel.

Once uranium oxide concentrate is obtained, it must be converted into uranium hexafluoride gas, which is enriched in centrifuges to obtain U-235. This is then converted into uranium dioxide powder and compressed into fuel pellets. These uranium fuel pellets are roughly the size of a sugar cube. However, despite their tiny size, they are incredibly powerful. Each pellet contains as much energy as one metric tonne (1.1 U.S. tons) of coal!

Though there are mines across the globe, 85% of the uranium used for energy is produced in Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Niger and Russia. Uranium mines tend to have similar environment and health-related hazards to metalliferous mines, but with additional radiation-related risks. If not managed appropriately, uranium mining can pose risks such as air pollution through radioactive dust and contamination of surrounding groundwater.

Molten salt reactors

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) were first tested in the 1960s. These machines would use a combination of liquid salts for fuel. Using MSRs is potentially safer than typical nuclear reactors because they require lower pressures and have in-built safety measures for overheating.

For the fission process, radioactive thorium in the core heats the molten salt. This turns water into steam that activates a turbine to generate electricity. If at any point the core does overheat, the salt drops into a containment vessel and solidifies.

In recent years, MSRs are being developed in countries such as China, the US and Denmark. They are being explored to commercialize for ships. This way, the vessels will be able to cruise electrically by producing their own electricity supply and never have to rely on fossil fuel-based energy.

Triso fuel

In recent years, TRISO fuels have been gaining speed. These are TRi-structural ISOtropic particle fuels. Each particle is made up of an oxygen, uranium and carbon kernel which is encased in three layers of ceramic-based materials which prevent the release of radioactive material. These kernels are only about the size of a poppy seed but are very robust. In fact, they have even been deemed the most robust nuclear fuel on earth because of their resistance to high temperatures, neutron irradiation, corrosion and oxidation.

These fuel kernels are also very versatile. Once they are fabricated into billiard ball-sized pebbles, they can be used in MSR or high-temperature gas reactors. Because of TRISO fuels‘ unique properties, they can be used multiple times, making them sustainable as they require less frequent manufacturing. Presently, TRISO fuels are still being developed for maximum efficiency. They are also being explored for use in both large nuclear reactors and smaller modular reactors/micro-reactors.

In conclusion…

Depending on the type of nuclear reaction taking place, a variety of fuels can be used for power. For fusion, deuterium and tritium are particularly useful because of their abundance and ease of production, respectively. For fission, slowly moving away from uranium may be a safer and more sustainable approach. This way, newer developments of MSRs and TRISO fuels can be utilized for their optimized safety and efficiency.

Via U.S. Energy Information Administration

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This company cleans microplastics from water with whirlpools

Starting as a research project and evolving into a nonprofit research organization, Wasser 3.0 developed a technology that uses a centrifuge and a clumping agent to pull microplastics from the water and recycle the collected material. 

To understand this solution, we have to first understand the problem. Over the past five decades, plastic has become one of the most ubiquitous materials on the planet. Its production commonly relies on petroleum (although there are an increasing number of bio-based options). Some plastic can be recycled, but in the end, less than 10% globally actually is. Instead, it ends up on beaches, at the bottom of the ocean, in landfills and everywhere in between. 

Related: 9 surprising sources where microplastics can be found

The result is a massive plastic pollution problem. We’re not just talking about fishing net waste and floating single-use water bottles, although that all needs to be addressed. The unseen issue is in the microplastics created as plastic begins to break down. Microplastics are literally everywhere. They’ve been found in frozen ice on mountaintops, in baby food, soil, the human body, sandy beaches and animals. 

Scientifically, microplastics are described as those measuring less than five millimeter in length. These are tiny pieces of plastic that are released from your synthetic clothing in the wash, degrading packaging and consumer products. While they are often the result of decomposition, many everyday products include microbeads, such as toothpaste and cosmetics. Understanding the dangers to the environment and human health, the U.S. and many other countries have banned the use of microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics.

Even with an understanding of the problem and actions to minimize pollution from the source, our waterways are filled with microplastics, which are then ingested by marine animals, spread during irrigation and kept circulating throughout our water supply. Most municipal treatment plants use filters that catch some microplastics during preliminary filtration, yet still release a lot of particles.

The process 

Now we return to the work at Wasser 3.0. The process can be used in any kind of water, from freshwater and seawater to industrial and wastewater.

To visualize the process, imagine a large container of water. You can’t see the microplastics inside, but the addition of a compound known as Wasser 3.0 PE-X causes those microplastic particles to clump together as the water spins. 

The compound is a non-toxic, silicone-based gel that attaches to the microplastic surfaces and adheres them together in the whirlpool. Clumps of microplastics, unseen individually, turn into ping-pong size balls of material within minutes. The clumps of microplastics are then skimmed from the surface. 

While the primary goal is to remove the microplastics, leaving clean water behind, all the retrieved materials are then recycled into new products rather than being deposited back into the waste stream. 

The potential

Wasser 3.0 technology is already in use at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Landau-Mörlheim, Germany, and at a paper-processing factory. The company wants to expand the technology to sewage treatment plants and industrial manufacturing plants worldwide. 

“During a 12-month trial at the Landau site, around 600 pounds of microplastics were removed,” according to Dr. Katrin Schuhen, founder and CEO of Wasser 3.0. She says the technology is affordable and scalable because of the basic nature of the process.

There are other methods of microplastic removal in use. After all, the dangers of microplastics is not a new topic. Neither is the idea of filtering the particles out of water. It’s commonly implemented at water treatment plants, but the effectiveness varies widely. A 2021 report evaluating 10 years of data and published by Science Direct states, “This review showed highly variable efficiency of the water treatment technologies with primary treatment of wastewater treatment plants reported to remove 16.5 to 98.4% microplastics.”

In addition to the inconsistent results, filtration results in sludge, which is a waste product that isn’t reliably recycled. The microplastics can also clog up the filtration systems. 

Wasser 3.0 is squarely focused on contributing towards reaching the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Outlined in 2015, the SDGs are a 15-year plan to aggressively obtain certain human and environmental goals by 2030. The SDGs are a commitment to end poverty, improve education, address water shortages, eliminate inequalities and focus on the climate, as some of the 17 designated targets.

+ Wasser 3.0

Images via Wasser 3.0 and Pexels

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Take a sip from the Kreis Cup made out of coffee grounds

A Kickstarter for a product called the Kreis Cup has more than doubled its $10,000 goal to create coffee cups out of, well, coffee. Using plant-based materials and coffee grounds, the new company Coffee Kreis has already started manufacturing these coffee cups, which even smell like the wonderful beverage.

What’s unique about these cups is that they’re reusable and recyclable, break-resistant and have thermal insulation. And yet they’re made out of what you’re probably putting into these cups: coffee. The Kreis Cup is even dishwasher safe.

Related: Your next watch could be made of and smell like coffee

By using used coffee grounds collected from coffee shops, restaurants and hotels, the designers of the Kreis Cup say they aim to recycle millions of tons of coffee waste that otherwise would end up in landfills. Acidic leachate runoff from coffee in landfills can cause a particular problem beyond greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the acid from coffee can damage the soil around landfills.

This unique cup also removes plastic and paper waste from landfills by offering a great reusable alternative. So far, the company has kept 120 pounds of coffee waste from ending up in landfills. They’re just getting started. The company also says this amount of waste prevention has stopped 750 cubic meters of methane from being released into the atmosphere. This company is just beginning operations but has already kept 70,000 single-use cups out of landfills.

So why can you put this in the dishwasher? The reason is that the Kreis Cup is made of a bio-based, biodegradable plastic. Meanwhile, up to 30% of the cup is made of coffee grounds. This gives the cup stability but allows it to decompose quickly, in a matter of months as opposed to the 11 generations it takes most petroleum-based plastics to break down in the landfill.

Best of all, Coffee Kreis is committed to collecting cups at the end of their life to recycle them into new cups, so this product never needs to touch the landfill. Rather, it pulls material out of the landfill and puts it back into use. You can pre-order Kreis cups in a travel cup form with a lid, or as a latte cup and saucer. Pretty cool.

+ Coffee Kreis

Images via Coffee Kreis

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How to lower your digital carbon footprint

When we think about our carbon footprint, hot topics include plastic waste, air pollution and high energy consumption. But we don’t give as much attention to the impact of our digital life. 

With the corporate and social changes of the past few years, more and more people are working and schooling from home. That shift comes with some benefits to the environment, like less commuters on the road and virtually no paper correspondence. However, it also comes with a massive energy footprint. 

Related: Understanding NFTs and energy consumption

According to a 2021 study, when pandemic lockdowns occurred in the first quarter of 2020, internet usage jumped by 40%. That means we’re sucking up a lot more energy than we used to. Most electricity is still produced from fossil fuels, primarily oil, coal and natural gas. While we work towards an increased reliance on renewable energy instead, one action we can take is to curb our digital footprint. 

This energy discussion doesn’t even start to touch on other environmental aspects of our digital lives, such as mining and manufacturing involved in making our tablets, laptops, desktops, cell phones and other electronic devices. With technological innovation spinning out at the speed of light, e-waste is a huge issue too. So what can we do to reduce our impact?

Clean out your digital storage

With everything stored in the digital realm, we often lose track of the thousands of pictures and documents we’ve sent into the cloud. But digital storage contributes to a massive footprint with huge data centers working on the storage task. Reducing your personal storage by consistently cleaning out pictures, videos, documents and other digital products, means less servers, equipment and energy is needed to maintain the temperature-controlled data centers. 

Skip the upgrades

Sometimes your work requires the right tool for the job. Obviously if you need to upgrade a sluggish computer or glitchy phone, do what you’ve got to do. Otherwise, resist the urge to upgrade simply because you can. Wait for your device to come to the end of its usable life before replacing it. 

If you do make an upgrade, sell or donate your older model so others can benefit from it before it reaches the end of its days. 

Repair instead of replace

We live in a time of disposable products. Manufacturers don’t offer much in the way of inspiration when it comes to repairing electronic devices. In fact, many make it downright difficult. Have you tried to get into a laptop recently? This “planned obsolescence” is purposeful in order to sell more products. However, you can often find a way around the difficulties in making these repairs. Look to local service people. Check iFixit for manuals and guides. Hit up YouTube for repair tutorials. 

Recycle responsibly

The EPA reports barely more than 12% of e-waste is properly recycled. That’s a massive amount of chemicals and hardware left to leach into the soil and mound up for generations. 

If it’s time to recycle your device, look for an e-waste recycler to do the job properly. Most municipal waste management companies offer the service. Many large retailers do too. You can even recycle electronic batteries, cords, remotes and cables.

Kill the power

Phantom energy flows from your devices, even when you’re not using them. There’s no reason to power computers, televisions and other devices during the off hours. Instead, shut down computers, turn off the television if you’re not in the room and unplug all devices when not in use or charging. This simple task can significantly improve the lifespan of your device, keeping it out of the waste stream longer. 

You can make cutting power easier by plugging primary devices into power strips that can be turned off with the flip of a switch. If you have outlets powered by a light switch, it makes it even easier. 

Work devices more efficiently

There are many settings on your devices that allow for more energy-efficient operation without affecting your service. For example, you can lower the brightness on your screen to consume up to 20% less energy. 

Find your device settings and schedule your screen to sleep after the lowest time available, often 30 seconds. This not only saves energy, but improves the longevity of your device. 

Also, take a look at your streaming devices. Instead of automatically playing the next episode, turn off the auto features so you’re not sucking up data while sleeping or when you leave the room. 

Unsubscribe

You may find it easy to ignore the junk that automatically funnels into your junk file or the sight of your overfilled inbox may give you hives. Either way, each of those emails leaves a digital footprint. Take the time to unsubscribe from unwanted emails, not only for the sake of your sanity, but for the unnecessary energy consumption required to receive those unwanted mailings. 

Re-source your energy

Perhaps the best way to rebalance your digital consumption is to source the energy you do use from renewable resources. Install solar panels, or tap into wind, geothermal or hydro options in your area. 

Via EcoWatch

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Find green in the menu and the walls of this healthy eatery

Green is probably the first thing that you will think of when you see the interior of Green&Protein Podgorica Food and Drinks in Podgorica, Montenegro. Designed by Malden Group, the space is definitely focused on being green. That goes for the color of the space as well as the commitment to building a better future.

The interior is meant to provide a healthy environment. The design was inspired by recycled cardboard tubes, which were used to help create the overall design. It was also inspired by the color green itself, which you’ll see everywhere inside this space.

Related: This new book documents a permaculture hotspot in Berlin

Additionally, real plants decorate the interior, adding real green to the overall design. Trees grow in large pots near the green walls and hang from the ceiling above. Little touches of pretty pastel accents appear throughout the design to offset the multiple shades of green.

Overall, the effect is inviting, comfortable and easy to be in. Being stress-free is another way to be healthy. This space is designed to improve your overall well-being in multiple ways. And since they’re serving up healthy stuff for you to enjoy, you can just sit here and feel better.

Moreover, the floor creates an industrial look that plays against the warmth of the rest of the space. The tables and stools are topped with wood that adds a beautiful natural element to the space. Natural elements and industrial design touches come together in a visual reminder that humans and nature must learn how to live in harmony in a healthy way.

Health has become more important than ever before in human history. It is talked about more, it is studied more and it is more a part of daily culture and knowledge than it probably has ever been. But it’s not just the health of people that’s trending. The health of the planet is also at the top of most people’s conversation topics. This space showcases that in a striking way that sets the tone for what design needs to be going forward.

+ Maden Group

Photography by Leonit Ibrahimi

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Humanscale wows with 26 net-positive certified products

Humanscale takes office furniture to a new environmental level with a variety of options that are certified climate, energy and water positive by The International Living Future Institute, in alignment with its stringent Living Product Challenge.

“We are proud to be the first company ever to offer any product — let alone 26 — that is certified net-positive. We work hard to ensure that our environmental philosophy extends to every part of our business — whether it’s in our product materials, factories, or communities. Humanscale’s 360 approach to sustainability reflects our mission to minimize our impact on the planet and give back in measurable ways to ultimately leave the world better off,” says Jane Abernethy, Chief Sustainability Officer at Humanscale.

Related: Metal furniture by Division Twelve is now carbon neutral

It’s a notable accomplishment since Humanscale is the only manufacturer to achieve this comprehensive certification. Meeting these sustainability requirements means using ethically-sourced materials in the products. It also means ensuring the conservation of water and the use of renewable resources throughout the manufacturing process. In fact, there is a long checklist of certification requirements. 

As a starting point, around 85% of materials used in Humanscale products are recycled and/or recyclable. This isn’t a new policy for the company, which has been designing and manufacturing with recycled materials for the past two decades. For example, in 2018 the company became the first furniture manufacturer to incorporate reclaimed fishing nets into its products. There’s a line of office chairs dedicated to the goal of recycling ocean plastic.

Throughout the manufacturing process, teams use recycled aluminum whenever possible, which is preferred over plastic or synthetic options. Along the way, it’s also been working to eliminate any ingredients on the red list. At the other end of the production line, the company also uses packaging that consistently contains around 40% recycled content. Additionally, transparency is important to the company. The company reports, “Almost a third of Declare labels in the entire furniture industry were published by Humanscale, even though we make up less than 4% of the industry by sales volume.”

Outside of the day-to-day product decisions, the company sponsors the World Wildlife Fund. In fact, it’s a passion project for Humanscale founder and CEO Robert King, who has served on WWF’s National Council since 1999.

+Humanscale

Images via Humanscale 

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Recyclable felt office chairs are now comfier than ever

Keilhauer has been on a mission to create sustainable work furniture that is fully recyclable. Now, they are launching a their Epix Collection that is made of felt. The 100% recyclable PET felt model of the Epix chair is now configurable with a seat pad for long-lasting comfort and utility.

Keilhauer’s Epix line is a modern streamlined set of office furniture or home designed for sustainable offices. A collection of tables, seating and storage solutions can be configured for solo offices or collaboration spaces.

Related: Let these sustainable chairs put Verve in your space

The line has won a Red Dot Award in 2022, the Good Design Award from Chicago Athenaeum and more. A set of open tables and shelves can be hooked together in a variety of configurations to create conference tables, library or office furniture or home storage. The chairs that match with the collections are on rollers with a low profile and rounded form. Now, they come with more padding for extra comfort.

Furthermore, what’s cool about Keilhauer is that third party certifications ensure their commitment to both sustainability and worker wellness. Their products are certified SCS Indoor Advantage Gold and BIFMA Level 2, which are certifications for indoor air quality and furniture sustainability.

For example, the Epix 76270 chair breaks down those certifications and additionally lists the recycled and recyclable content of the product. It is made up of 36.24% recycled materials, and 68.72% of the product can be recycled at the end of its lifecycle. The manufacturer even has a guide on how to break down the chairs for recycling to ensure that happens. The recycled materials were sourced with LEED BPDO Sourcing of Raw Materials Certification.

That’s all a lot to keep track of, but it tells you the level of attention the designers are paying to making sure their full line of products are sustainable and comfortable to use. The felt line of chairs run about $980 apiece and complement most office décor.

+ Keilhauer

Images via Keilhauer

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5 reasons why building green is the best way forward

Each year, the construction industry accounts for 6.9 billion U.S. tons of greenhouse gas emissions. This quantity is only surpassed by the transport and energy industries. To minimize our construction footprint, green building is becoming increasingly popular. Because of their optimized construction, these buildings also have positive social, economic and environmental benefits. We’ll review their top five advantages below.

1) Green buildings enhance well-being and productivity

One of the key considerations of designing green buildings is selecting materials that are eco-friendly and do not release harmful substances into the air. Unfortunately, indoor air pollution is one of five environmental risks to public health. Building materials can release harmful substances like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, airborne microbes, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PM10 (particulate matter the size of 10 microns or less). These fumes and particulate matter can spur health problems like respiratory diseases, allergies, and in extreme cases, cancer. Increasing the surface area of green roofs and walls by 20% could help absorb these emissions from the air and even save up to $190,000 in pollution removal!

Related: Can we live in buildings made from living materials?

Plants can also help hospital patients recover faster. Studies have shown that green infrastructure, such as green walls, balcony plants and even views of greenery have healing benefits. They can speed up recovery by 15%, reduce hospital stays, limit the spread of secondary infections and even lower the need of pain medication by up to 22%. This is beneficial for patients and also boosts the health and well-being of hospital staff.

Furthermore, plants can help increase workplace productivity. This is because they maintain healthy interiors and are aesthetically pleasing, which improve physical and mental well-being and consequently workplace productivity.

However, incorporating green infrastructure into interiors does not have to be as elaborate as putting up a green wall. Even houseplants can help limit spores and microbes and increase indoor humidity to boost inhabitant well-being.

2) Green roofs regulate thermal comfort

Green infrastructure can also be optimized as a form of insulation to create comfortable interior environments. This also lessens energy requirements for thermal comfort. For example, green roofs can reduce energy by 5% for heating in the winter and up to 33% for cooling in the summer.

Since plants are great at keeping spaces cool, they can also be used to mitigate the urban heat island effect. The heat island effect is caused by infrastructure in urban areas which absorbs and re-emits heat from the sun. Because of modern construction materials, this reemission of heat is much stronger in urban areas compared to rural areas with natural elements like waterbodies and forests. In fact, simulations show that if 7% of rooftops in urban areas were green roofs, urban summer temperatures could be reduced by up to two degrees Celsius.

3) Green architecture optimizes energy use

As mentioned in the previous section, green infrastructure is a great insulator. It limits the energy required for heating and cooling, which accounts for 43% of energy use in the United States. This in turn contributes to air pollution, as these thermal regulation systems expel greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Green buildings also incorporate energy-efficient systems that require less energy and limit emissions where possible. Overall, studies show that green architecture consumes approximately 25% less energy and releases 34% less CO2 than regular buildings.

Alongside efficient energy systems, green buildings often adopt renewable resources for power. These include solar, wind and hydroelectric systems, to name a few. This prevents the burning of non-renewable resources, such as gas, oil and coal, which are extremely pollutant, toxic and costly in the long term, compared to their renewable counterparts. Moreover, processes to extract these non-renewable resources damage local habitats and threaten the biodiversity of endemic flora and fauna.

4) Green construction is cost-effective

Though eco-friendly construction often has high upfront costs, it is more cost-effective in the long run. Green properties have lower maintenance costs and increased asset value compared to traditional buildings. Since green architectural design maximizes system efficiency and durability, energy consumption and resource usage are all optimized. As a result of this optimization, day-to-day costs are minimized. Consequently, typical commercial buildings report 20% higher maintenance costs than green buildings.

Because green buildings are less expensive to maintain and have so many benefits, their value improves over time. In fact, reports show that green building owners around the world have seen asset value increases of 10% or more on their properties.

5) Green buildings are key to protecting the planet

Noticeably, green buildings have several environmental features. While many have been covered above, there are further advantages of green architecture. Besides limiting carbon emissions and energy usage, green buildings use an average of 11% less water than typical buildings and prevent over 80 million tons of waste from ending up in landfills.

Several green buildings incorporate resilient design strategies. Alongside renewable energy generation and efficiency, the architecture is designed to respond to context-specific factors. This includes passive design strategies that mitigate climatic conditions, as well as rainwater-catchment systems for optimal water use.

Material choice is also a key feature of green building design. By implementing sustainably sourced and/or recycled or upcycled materials where possible, there is less strain on natural resources. Typically, sustainable materials are those which are locally sourced and easily regenerated. These also tend to require less maintenance and upkeep than other materials. Though they vary by region, sustainable materials include clay, cork, cross-laminated timber and bamboo. Additionally, by relying on eco-friendly materials, there is limited extraction of raw materials for concrete and metal. These extraction processes are extremely harmful to local ecosystems and destroy habitats for living organisms.

Yes, to building green

By incorporating green infrastructure in buildings, we can create opportunities to sequester carbon and enhance biodiversity within cities. By supporting plants, animals and microorganisms to thrive, we can create healthy urban ecosystems. These healthy ecosystems assist our bustling cities by regulating climate, purifying the air and preventing excess damage from natural phenomena like floods.

Overall, opting for green buildings is a sustainable choice for new construction. Its multiple benefits encompass aspects of social, economic and environmental sustainability. By designing and building more eco-friendly, we can positively impact our well-being, cut down costs and even improve biodiversity and climate resilience within our cities.

via World Economic Forum, US Green Building Council, NewSchool of Architecture & Design

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The first recyclable restaurant in Sweden has kelp chairs

Enjoy Bazaar is a new Japanese restaurant in Stockholm that was recently opened by two Michelin-star chefs, Daniel Höglander and Niclas Jönsson. The vision for this restaurant was to launch Sweden’s first recyclable restaurant. This concept includes aspects of the design ranging from cutlery to furniture.

One of Enjoy Bazaar’s key circular features is its custom-designed furniture. The Kelp Collection, designed by Interesting Times Gang, features pieces made from a bio-composite material of recycled fishing nets and wood fiber. To create the furniture, the raw material is 3D-printed into undulating, ribbon-like forms. These make the restaurant’s interiors resemble an underwater kelp forest. At the end of its life, a unit can be shredded or ground down. By using these granules for raw material, new forms can be extruded, such as for chairs or wall panels. Through its vivid green color and organic forms, the collection pays homage to kelp forests. These are one of the planet’s most endangered types of marine ecosystems.

Related: 3D-printed kelp chair is made of recycled fishing nets

The collection features a chair, a barstool and a low stool called the Kelpie. Initially, the chefs only required one chair design for the restaurant. However, as production progressed, they were very pleased with the furniture and wanted to maximize their use to further enhance the dreamy atmosphere inside the restaurant. Hence, the designers created the barstool, which incorporates even bolder curves in its form.

Meanwhile, the Kelpie was envisioned by the designers to complete the collection. This is because it felt insubstantial to have a collection with only two items. Therefore, this new low stool finalizes the set and features the same dark green, undulating aesthetic as the other pieces.

To tie together the restaurant’s interior spaces, Interesting Times Gang also used additive manufacturing to produce the railing on the mezzanine level of the restaurant. It incorporates the same design language as the furniture, which unites the interior design of the restaurant.

The Kelp Collection was first exhibited to the public at Stockholm Design week alongside Aibio, another project by Interesting Times Gang that is an AI-generated sofa table. It has also been on display at design festivals in the United Kingdom, such as the London Design Festival and Grand Designs Live in Birmingham.

By maximizing circular design in the restaurant through this marine-inspired collection, the restaurant sheds light on environmentalism and the preservation of biodiversity in ecosystems. It provokes discussion about sustainable choices and how they can be integrated in interior design without sacrificing aesthetics.

+ Interesting Times Gang

Images via Interesting Times Gang

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An organic Italian winery is updated with sustainable style

A sustainable organic winery called Cascina Elena has updated an Alta Langa landscape in Rocchetta Belbo, Italy, without disruption. Limiting excavation and displacements helped BRH+ architects create an environmentally and economically updated facility while respecting the soul and history of the land.

To create a new building for the winery, the architects built it horizontally along the contour of the hill to create a sort of natural terracing. The building reinterprets vernacular architecture that avoids decoration by focusing on simple geometric shapes. The designers say this was to give shape and expression to the identity of the wine produced and the care dedicated to the agricultural practices used to obtain it.

Related: A historic farm is thoughtfully repurposed into an organic winery

Cascina Elena cares about craftsmanship in wine production. Therefore, the architects tried to allude to this in the care put into architectural detail. Earth and wine inspired a color palette of browns.

To use sustainable materials, the architects selected locally sourced and sustainable products that also reduced the need for maintenance of the building. Many materials can also be recycled if the building is demolished in the future — an attention to detail many sustainable buildings are now including.

Additionally, a prefab steel frame can be dismantled and recycled. This also reduces construction time to eight months. A clay cladding with high density creates thermal lag while the ground around the cellar reduces air conditioning needs. Solar radiation heat is then dissipated through a ventilated wall system on the facade and roof.

The facade, which has horizontal terracotta tiling, mimics the natural environment’s sedimentary rock layers in texture to make sure the building is not only sustainable but suits its natural placement. The insulation is all made of natural materials, including cork panels, hemp and wood fiber.

Energy is produced by renewable sources from photovoltaic panels on the roof. Rainwater is also recycled. Attention was paid to workers as well, who use a space that is ventilated and naturally lit to stay comfortable. The space reduces energy use, too.

Designers BRH+ create contemporary conceptual buildings for clients. With this green project, the designers continue to update the definition of Italian-born architecture and traditional winery style.

+ BRH+

Images via Aldo Amoretti

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Liben Docks by QARTA Architektura reclaim marina brownfield

Five apartment buildings front the water in the Czech Republic where a marina brownfield used to stand. The designers, QARTA Architektura, say these sustainable buildings are created to evoke the atmosphere of a local “Liben-style Amsterdam.” The location of the site is unique as it’s a narrow peninsula flanked by green banks leading up to the waterfront.

So what are brownfield areas? Well, they are coastal regions that are redeveloped from polluted or previously inhabited industrial operations. Instead of displacing coastal environments and biodiversity, these areas are cleaned up and rehabilitated for more sustainable use without damaging green areas.

Related: Sluishuis is a striking 442-apartment building on the water

Therefore, the transformation of this marina brownfield has turned the spot into a new contemporary residential area with green space. The apartments also face a river flowing through Prague. To help shield the apartments from the nearby tram and street noises, the designers utilized both the green space and administration buildings as a buffer. The development was located here to connect it to bike paths, parks and the river.

By being so close to the water, residents can paddleboard, fish or sail here. In addition, the river is relatively calm and becomes a location for ice skating in the winter. The surrounding neighborhood has full public facility infrastructure already in place, including a theater and art studios and several parks.

The design for the Liben Docks reflects the regeneration of this former dock area. Unlike previous housing that QARTA focused on green living, this complex is designed to focus more on an urban lifestyle. Meanwhile, the buildings follow the island’s shape in two rows to naturally form a street between them. The design mimics one commonly seen in the Netherlands, with the street formed by spaces in front of apartment building entrances and front gardens that have abundant green plantings.

The Liben Docks are four stories with a glass-walled penthouse on the top floor of each building. There is a total of 150 apartments divided by 12 separate entrances for a more pleasant lifestyle experience. Each floor has a maximum of three apartments.

Parking is located underground, which required underground waterproofing. The designers say this was a challenge, but placing the buildings on the water surface required a complex technical solution anyway. The Liben Docks has a number of flood prevention systems built into the design. The lower apartments are protected by retaining walls with a mobile flood prevention system. Each house also has mooring rings for stabilizing boats in the marina.

Further, balconies and terraces complement the front gardens, linking the indoors to the outdoors and encouraging time outside. Flowing waves inspired the balcony design and reflected the water theme here. Recycled metal panels and textured plaster also reflect the marina history of this location.

Pearl varnishes in brass and silver with gray plaster finish the marina-inspired look of the buildings. Metal panels made of self-supporting double shells are designed with “bubble perforation” to refer to the water’s surface. These apartments bring healthy life back into the area and honor the environment.

+ QARTA Architektura

Images via BoysPlayNice

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