A recyclable home is a livable artwork hidden in trees

Speehuis House has a focus on healthy elements, for both the residents and the environment. Located in the Netherlands, the project was designed by Spee Architecten with a mission to create minimal site impact to the surrounding trees and wetlands and empower the structure to be dismantled and recycled if desired at a later date. 

The home was oriented to blend into the surrounding landscape. Material selection, such as the façade and sloping roof finished with untreated “high density” bamboo-composite slats also complement the marriage between home and nature due to natural caramelizing of the product. Large, strategically-placed windows offer copious natural light to the inner spaces and views to the outdoors. Moreover, it’s a workspace and a home that is made from bio-based and circular materials for minimal waste and optimal reuse. 

Related: Beautiful Oaxacan villa is built from reused materials

The architecture provides a spacious, airy feel that flows from one space to another with minimalist design. Passive elements provide natural shading and ventilation with verandas and awnings made from sustainable materials. 

Additionally, the shell of the house was prefabricated in less than a week, and the unique manufacturing techniques of the exterior mean the home can be recycled.

The majority of the home’s shell is made from cross-laminated timber (CLT), again, connecting the indoor and outdoor spaces while acting as a carbon sink. The preference for green design meant avoiding concrete, which is heavier and emits carbon. Wood for the home was sourced from responsibly managed forests and was chosen to create a natural and healthy indoor environment.

“150 m3 of spruce wood has been used in the Speehuis, which means that 93,388 kg of CO2 is stored within the building,” the team explained. “That is the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of 103 households a year or the emissions of 784,773 kilometers of exhaust gases from a middle-class car. European forests store this amount of CO2 in six seconds. By using a 9 m3 bamboo composite as a façade material, an additional 15,736 kg of CO2 is stored. In addition to energy-efficient construction, storing CO2 in buildings is the solution to the climate problem.”

+ Spee Architects

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These light fixtures are 3D printed and biodegradable

Walk into any lighting store and you’re likely to see a range of options, all of which are probably mass produced and sitting in inventory for purchase. This is not the scene at Gantri, a lighting company with bespoke designs, natural materials and fair pricing. 

Gantri supports a community of artisans by collaborating directly with the creators who design the light fixtures. The resulting lamps are produced on demand to avoid excess waste and resources required for inventory storage. 

Related: High quality lamps that are made from recycled product waste

The lighting options and made-to-order process aren’t the only unique aspects about Gantri. Its mission is to skip “the tradeoff between design and price, form and function, quality and sustainability,” according to their website. Instead, it works to offer it all. 

Gantri floor, table and wall lights are all 3D printed. The company firmly believes digital design is the way of the future. Not only does it allow for creativity without endless prototypes, but the precision of design programs means nearly zero waste during the production process. With the on-demand model, no lamp is produced without a home in mind. Plus, 3D printing allows for the use of natural materials rather than plastics and toxins. Gantri’s collections are printed from plant-based materials and are 100% biodegradable.

It’s a novel way to think about business. Rather than having an office full of in-house designers, setting up trade shows and moving through a cycle of production lines, Gantri lighting is unique and environmentally friendly. In addition to the process being efficient and low-waste, it’s a way to support both emerging and well-established designers.

This year, Gantri introduced this process by developing its Independent Creator Release (ICR) initiative, which debuted with an inaugural collection in July 2022. 

Gantri recently promoted its second Independent Creator Release, which is a collection of 20 new lights created by seven different international design studios. All products are available exclusively through the Gantri website. 

“Conceived as an alternative to trade shows that are inaccessible to the everyday consumer, Gantri’s ICR is a biannual showcase creating an opportunity for design-savvy consumers to discover a curated crop of designers on the rise and highlight emerging trends and new voices,” the company explained.

The ICR platform allows the company to promote each creator and provide a connection between customers and the designer. Individual portfolios for each artist share the inspiration and process behind each piece. 

The fall launches include the Baltra Collection by Kickie Chudikova, the Hula Collection by Felix Pöttinger, the Gallery Collection by Andrew Ferrier, the Noah Collection by Filippo Mambretti, the Pavone Collection by Viviana Degrandi, the Analog Collection by Chris Granneberg and the Focal Collection by PROWL Studio.

+ Gantri 

Images via Gantri 

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They created a minimalistic furniture line from wood scraps

The Offcuts is a limited series of unique furniture pieces from Kastella, built in collaboration with Raphael Dinh. By using hardwood ends from production of their other furniture collections, Kastella has repurposed waste products into one-of-a-kind stools and other wood furniture.

Kastella is a Montreal-based manufacturer and distributor of premium hardwood furniture and architectural millwork. As such, they have a large amount of extra wood to work with after producing their furniture lines. The new Offcuts Collection uses the same high-quality hardwood in limited series of five to 10 units to create several types of small furniture pieces that are created with traditional woodworking techniques.

Related: Beautiful burnt cork furniture upholds ecosystem resiliency

“Our Offcuts are born from the same beautiful boards we use in our furniture production,” said Kastella founder Jason Burhop. “Just as robust, resistant and unique. We generate a significant quantity, and it has long been our mission to use these pieces in a meaningful way.”

The collection includes three pieces: La Souche, Le Tabouret a lattes and Le Marchepied a lattes.

La Souche, designed to look like a tree trunk, is a modern take on a traditional woodworking technique with cutting board-style glue-ups and a faceted version. The cylindrical form has a round base intended to give it a sense of lightness. It’s a stool, but can also be used as an end table.

Le Marchepied a lattes is a step stool made with slatted layers that function as steps or a low seat. The piece is made of solid wood offcuts, and can be purchased in American Black Walnut and White Oak. And Le Tabouret a lattes is a practical slatted surface that works as a table or stool. It is also available in both American Black Walnut and White Oak.

The Offcuts Collection has an oil finish and was designed for residential use. The pieces are available at Boutique Kastella on Boulevard St. Laurent in Montreal. The collection ranges in price from $595 to $1,095 Canadian.

+ Kastella

Photography by Adam Stein

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Transparent Label Campaign demands better pill regulations

When it comes to nutritional supplements, there’s a lot of concern about what they do to, and/or for, the body. But what about what they do to the planet? To animals and their habitat? Terraseed, a vegan supplement company, decided to find out. 

The result is a 25-page report titled, “Animal and Environmental Impacts of the U.S. Supplement Industry.” The company concludes, “The United States dietary supplement industry kills an estimated 24 billion animals, while creating 1.8 billion plastic pill bottles of waste every year.”

Ouch. Big ouch. For wildlife, the environment and humans. 

Related: Kick your cold to the curb with these natural cold remedies

The report outlays a spectrum of statistics, including the fact that nearly 50% of supplements on the market today contain animal byproducts. It’s not like this is the first time dietary supplements have made the news. The debates rage on about effectiveness, questionable ingredients and health dangers, yet little is reported about ingredient sourcing and packaging. Supplements are primarily unregulated, allowing companies to make unverified claims about anything they want. 

Terraseed analyzed over 79,000 supplement products using the U.S. National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD).  About one quarter of the supplements reviewed contained the animal byproduct magnesium stearate. Gelatin, another animal-based product, was found in over 16,000 products. Vitamin D was commonly derived from sheep’s wool, omega-3 was typically sourced from fish oil and bee pollen and propolis harvested from honeybees were all found as well.

The report states, “Accounting for overlap in products that include both ingredients, we found that approximately 44% of all on-market supplement products contain at least one of the two most common animal ingredients (magnesium stearate and gelatin). Based on this data, the report estimates at least 50% of all supplement products contain at least one animal-derived ingredient.”

Terraseed makes the case that all products manufactured with a reliance on animal components can also be produced in a vegan way. For example, omega-3s are so tightly associated with fish, they are often referred to as fish oil. Small fish like anchovies are typically sourced.

The company summarizes, saying, “we were able to calculate a conservative estimate of 70.3 billion fish globally and 24.3 billion fish in the U.S. alone are consumed in the production of fish oil for Omega-3 supplements.”

The report further expounds to say it takes approximately 100 anchovies to make a single bottle of omega-3. However, other products also hold high quantities of omega-3s. Terraseed turns to plants instead, using the biochemically identical algae as the base for its omega-3s.

With its findings, Terraseed is taking a stand and asking every citizen to do the same. The company is petitioning the FDA to implement more transparent regulations, requiring companies to disclose if their supplements contain any animal byproducts. On the home front, Terraseed monitors its own footprint by using sustainably-sourced ingredients that are clearly supplied on the labels for transparency. 

The mission behind the company and the research is to not only identify the impact of using animal products in supplements, but also to bring attention to plastic waste.

The report states, “Based on an analysis of the size of the U.S. supplement market and the average cost of a supplement bottle, we estimate that approximately 2.3 billion supplement bottles are sold annually.”

Of those, only a very small percentage are recycled. Plus, a significant amount of that plastic finds its way into the ocean where it affects the marine environment at every level. Although traditional plastic supplement bottles are lightweight and inexpensive, Terracycle proves there are viable alternatives. Inasmuch, it has made the commitment to package all supplements in fully biodegradable pill bottles, avoiding the use of unnecessary plastic and minimizing post-consumer waste. Packaging is in the form of a corn-based shrink sleeve and pill bottle made out of virgin pulp paper that is sourced from FSC-certified forests. Although it can be composted at an industrial facility, it’s intended for repeated use within the home.

As a result, every single component of its packaging is plastic-free and biodegradable, including the ink and the label. Mailers are made from recycled paper. The refill pouches are made from cellulose and paper. Moisture-absorbing desiccants are made from natural materials too. It’s comprised of bentonite clay and packaged in FSC-certified Kraft paper so they will naturally degrade. 

Terraseed’s Transparent Label Campaign aims to put restrictions on companies who claim their products are plant based or all-natural by requiring they back up those claims with reliable data. Otherwise, customers are often misled by imprecise, inaccurate or even false information. 

Terraseed is pushing for these changes to make it easier for consumers to access accurate ingredients lists to make a more informed decision. It needs help in the campaign to make this happen and is asking for signatures on the petition. You can find more information here. 

+ Terraseed

Images via Transparent Label Campaign

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This waste recycling station is made of recycled waste

There’s a good reason that humans damage the environment: they make trash. Everywhere people go, they leave waste behind. In areas with a lot of tourism and a lot of people, human waste is a huge problem. Such is the case along the Mexican coastline, where tourists frequently flock. And now, you know the backstory of Tetra Pak in Tulum, Mexico.

It is a lovely spot with a simple and not unattractive building. It’s also a waste recycling station used for storing and sorting various waste materials. It’s one of many such stations that are going to be placed in tourist areas where waste is becoming a problem. And as environmentalists will tell you, waste is pretty much a problem everywhere.

Related: This mobile beach hut sells eyeglasses made from sea waste, milk bottle tops, and discarded land mines

Additionally, the design is made to be shipped in pieces and assembled on-site. The main structure is made of metal and covered with sheets made from recycled materials. Lattice panels made with the same recycled material are integrated into the design. The roof is palm thatch assembled by local artists.

Furthermore, there are two models for this easy-assemble recycling station. One is more cylindrical and has eight different compartments. There is also a linear version with six material compartments. Each one has an access door to enable the collection of recyclable materials deposited into the waste station.

It is a simple structure and an elegant solution to a common problem. And because the structure itself is made with recycled materials, it’s also a reminder of why waste disposal matters and how responsible waste disposal can help change the world for the better. Good disposal and reuse of waste is all captured in the simple, highly effective design.

Human waste is a problem, but every problem has a solution. This easy-to-assemble design is a great solution to the problems facing Mexico. It may just be a solution that places all around the world can follow.

+ NOS

Images via NOS

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Try making a mini greenhouse with these easy tips

The primary element of a greenhouse is a plastic or glass material that draws in sunlight and traps it inside the shelter. However, that shelter can take a variety of shapes, from the very pot the plant is in to a display case or shelving unit of plant options. 

While an expansive greenhouse might be your goal for gardening heaven, even a small greenhouse for a couple of plants can elevate your plant health and gardening successes. The best part is, simple DIY greenhouses require few supplies and only require a bit of your time. You can even recycle materials you already have around the house. So what are you waiting for? 

Related: Amazing greenhouse set near garden influenced by Silk Road

Clear plastic cups

If you’ve got them, you might as well use them. While we don’t promote buying plastic cups, if you have friends, coworkers or roommates with a Starbucks addiction, you’ll see these types of cups everywhere. To insulate small plants, simply place the cup over the plant, pressing it firmly into the soil to create a protective seal from the cold. 

Clear plastic totes

The same concept holds true for clear plastic totes. While plastic isn’t our favorite thing, upside down totes are large enough to cover several plants and do a great job of both keeping them warm and creating a moist environment through condensation.

Plastic bags

Yes, it’s plastic again. But if you receive an item packaged in a large, clear plastic bag, you might as well put it to use. Drape the bag over a potted plant, securing the open end of the bag tightly around the pot. If this creates too much pressure on your plants, place a tomato cage over the plant to provide protection for the plant and support for the bag. 

A simple frame

For a larger greenhouse you can set inside your raised bed, make a frame out of scrap lumber. There are countless design possibilities. For example, you can use one-by-one boards to create a rectangular frame. Decide on a length, width and height. Cut two long sides for both the top and bottom. Then cut the two matching short sides for both the top and the bottom. Next, cut the four vertical corner sections that will connect the top frame with the bottom frame. Nail, staple or screw the frame together. Place the frame in your desired location. Then cover it with plastic sheeting, a clear tablecloth or used shower liner. Tack the plastic in place if needed. 

Quick pallet greenhouse

Pallets are a great source of free wood. They are easy to find at businesses in most towns. While you can cut apart pallets to use the planks, you can also keep them intact for some jobs like an easy DIY greenhouse. Simply lean the tops of the pallets together in the shape of a triangular roofline. You can attach them together if you’re worried about them collapsing. Then drape thin, clear plastic over the frame. 

Glass box

Glass is a classic and environmentally-friendly choice for greenhouses. While you can create frames for loose glass pieces, the easiest way to build a glass enclosed space is to use framed glass you already have. Think of a picture frame or framed art. Base your design on the size of these framed pieces of glass. For example, use four wood picture frames for the sides of the box, attaching them together on the corners. Then attach a hinge to a larger wood frame on the top. This will allow the top glass lid to raise and lower so you can water and care for plants inside the mini greenhouse. Keep your smaller plants inside until they’re ready to transplant. 

Greenhouse closet

With a bit of protection, a metal or plastic shelving unit can easily be converted into a greenhouse. Use a portable closet to achieve the task. Either retrofit the closet material over another unit or convert your temporary storage closet into a shelving unit. Add shelves by attaching them to the vertical supports or hang shelves from the top hanging bar. Just make sure the outer covering is clear enough to allow natural light through. 

Use plexiglass

Clear polycarbonate sheets or acrylic plexiglass can both be used to create a greenhouse too. You can use the materials inside a frame, replicating the glass designs mentioned above. Similarly, you can prop plexiglass sheets above plants. Put them at an angle over the plant, supporting it on one side or find natural materials like rocks or bales to surround your plants. Then simply lay the plexiglass over the top of the “walls” to shelter plants and offer warmth to the area below. 

Recycled produce bins

It’s great to eat a lot of produce, and even better when you source it from a local farmer’s market or produce stand. Sometimes though, we find ourselves grabbing a large plastic container of mixed greens or spinach. Rather than live with the guilt of throwing it out after a single use, recycle the plastic bin as a greenhouse dome on your small plants. It can cover several at the same and will offer warmth and moisture too. 

Via Gardening Etc.  

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Clothes made out of waste materials with loud messages

“99% of clothes are never recycled. At Tiny Rescue, we welcome you to the 1%. We are proud to say our clothing is made out of waste materials!” stated Preeta Sinha, founder of Tiny Rescue.

There’s not a lot of good news coming out of the fashion industry. In fact, it’s one of the highest-polluting industries on the planet. From material selection to manufacturing waste, energy and water consumption to post-consumer disposal, clothing is hard on the planet. Enter Tiny Rescue, a mission-based company dedicated to responsibly producing 100% plastic-free clothing from recycled materials. 

Related: Shop these versatile work-to-play clothes at Tove Wear

Tiny Rescue is more than a clothing brand, it’s a mission to increase awareness about dangers to the environment. It’s a movement to take action. The sweatshirts and long and short-sleeve tees set an example of how to make clothing that’s eco friendly — maybe even eco positive. The items are net-carbon neutral, a certification earned through attention to each step in the supply and production chain.

Let’s start with the fabrics, which are made from recycled or natural materials. Tiny Rescue employs a full-circle, closed loop system on materials by encouraging customers to return shirts at the end of their useful life. A QR code on the neck tag allows the customer to scan it to simply receive a shipping label they can use to return the clothing. Tiny Rescue then repurposes the shirt into new clothing.

“At Tiny Rescue, our customers are also our suppliers. For circular fashion to work, companies must commit to remake, and customers must pledge to return,” said Preeta. 

The process reduces post-consumer waste and the need for virgin materials, lowering the environmental impact all the way around. It also empowers consumers to reduce their own footprint and take part in educating others about issues related to climate change. Plus, for each returned item, the company sends a discount code for use on the next order. 

“Pollution is rewarded in today’s fashion industry, which profits from destroying our environment,” stated the company. “But habits and companies can be redesigned and reimagined by collectively participating and committing to a zero-waste circular economy. At Tiny Rescue, our products are designed to be returned and remade over and over again — making it a synergistic relationship between the environment and the economy.”

Furthermore, materials are converted into wearable items in fair trade factories that rely on renewable energy from wind and solar power. All shirts are printed after the order is placed, ensuring minimal waste from overproduction. This also eliminates the need for storage space and conserves resources. The clothing is printed using water-based inks to skip the toxic chemicals and related water pollution introduced by many clothing brands. Shipping materials are made from plant-based packaging to further reduce the carbon footprint. 

“We created Tiny Rescue to fight against, as well as, bring light to the incredible waste and pollution that is caused by the fashion industry today,” said the company.

Wear Your Cause with Tiny Rescue’s Climate Change Collection, which features seven design options with powerful messaging that includes: 

• – Solution Not Pollution

• – There’s Only One Green Planet

• – Make Some Noise

• – Wake Up And Smell The Climate Change

• – Earthlings For Life

• – Planet B >>> Not Found

• – Stop F*cking with The Planet

The climate change initiative is a launching point for Tiny Rescue, but the company plans to continue its mission with other public awareness campaigns. However, Tiny Rescue is not the first endeavor by Founder Preeta Sinha. She cut her teeth in the sustainability realm with her first company called One Green Planet, an informative website dedicated to all things related to conscious living.

Tiny Rescue product review

The company offered to a send a tee of my choice for review and I requested the grey Stop F*cking with the Planet casual fit t-shirt. It arrived from the U.K. in a simple paper envelope and zero additional packaging waste. Just a shirt in a sustainable package. It really is that easy. 

My sizing typically lands between a medium and a large. I ordered a medium based on the size chart and was not disappointed. With the casual fit cut it’s the perfect size and very comfortable to wear. I’m also pleased with the length of the tee. I’m not long-waisted, yet I often have issues with shirts showing my mid-section when I lift my arms. This shirt isn’t that. In fact, I wore it to the gym and it didn’t creep up while working the weight machines. That’s a win in my book. 

The shirt is pleasantly thicker than I expected. It’s difficult to get a feel for a product through mail order until you can actually feel the product. So I was happy to discover this is a weighty shirt. There’s no thin material here. 

I haven’t washed the shirt yet, so I can’t speak to shrinkage, but I can attest to the durability of the design. In addition to the thickness, which will not wear through anytime soon, the stitching is tight all around the edges. 

The message though is winning! I love wearing it in public and watching reactions as I pass by. People can’t help but read the eye-catching print and it’s obvious when they figure it out. Whether they want to face it or not, there’s no denying the message was received. 

+ Tiny Rescue 

Images via Tiny Rescue 

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

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London company LaBante makes purses from vegan leather

Have you looked at vegan purses and been disappointed that vegan leather just means plastic? A new, more sustainable brand aims to change that. LaBante London, a PETA-approved British brand built on the core values of sustainability and cruelty-free fashion, has created a line of purses and sneakers that are made of plant-based vegan materials while displacing plastic waste and helping to plant trees. Bonus: the line looks fantastic.

LaBante makes shoes from biodegradable apple skin vegan leather with a partner in Italy, using plant-based natural rubber soles to assemble them in Portugal. The shoelaces are made from recycled plastic bottles, and the shoes even have a special insole that minimizes odor. Apple Skin is made from the waste of juicing apples using a proprietary technology that sets it apart from any other type of vegan leather we’ve seen so far.

Related: Vegan handbags’ new line was inspired by photography and women

This minority and female-owned company wants to reframe how consumers think about shopping sustainably. All bags from LaBante are 100% cruelty free, sustainable and ethically produced. So far, the company has planted 154,530 trees, removed 51,803,649 kilograms of CO2 from the air, recycled 10,244,848 plastic bottles and created 48,409 jobs with their sustainability programs.

Lastly, LaBante sneaker line averages about $200 per pair, and the purses come in a range from $100 to $350. The company also makes wallets, laptop bags and backpacks and even necklaces made with man-made sustainable Moissanite diamonds.

+ LaBante London

Images via LaBante London

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TerraCycle takes recycling to a whole new level

“The good news is that most trash is technically recyclable.” This is the philosophy behind TerraCycle’s recycling program — an organized system for recycling, and upcycling, many items that are not recyclable at a local level. 

The problem with municipal recycling is that only a few materials are profitable enough to recycle. All other materials take too much time, energy, machinery and manpower to be worthwhile. With this in mind, TerraCycle takes a full-cycle view of ways to keep waste out of landfills, roping businesses and other stakeholders into the process. 

Related: New solar-powered robots will clean up Argentina’s waterways

The TerraCycle recycling program mirrors most similar operations. Shipments of waste arrive at one of the company’s 35 Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), which are located in the same country in which the waste originates. The waste is then sorted by material makeup, using a variety of innovative machinery and manpower. Once sorted, materials are sent to third party partners who process it into usable forms. This might be plastic pellets or metal sheeting, for example. 

Recycled materials are then given new life in a wide variety of products. Manufacturing companies use the newly-raw materials from TerraCycle to produce outdoor furniture and decking, watering cans, flooring tiles, playground surface covers, athletic fields, planters, compost bins and much more. TerraCycle even sells a small selection of upcycled products directly from its website.

TerraCycle is a global program, yet also a community-based one. Presently operating in 21 countries, materials are collected worldwide. However, the power of collection happens at a community level where businesses and individuals can set up collection centers. The setup is easy and anyone can do it, although a fee is charged up front so businesses are often the best option for sponsoring boxes. Simply apply for the program and request boxes. When the boxes are filled, send them back using a prepaid shipping label at no cost. 

TerraCycle partners with an array of businesses who sponsor different recycling efforts. For example, Subaru (the car maker) offers drop-off locations at many of their dealerships where customers can drop disposable cups, lids, straws, candy and snack wrappers and coffee and creamer capsules. Several other recycling programs accept pet food bags and pouches, including Wellness, Holistic, A Pup Above and Halo. Similarly, there are programs for many lotions, face cream and other beauty products. Gatorade allows you to recycle Gatorade, Propel, EVOLVE and Muscle Milk sports nutrition pods and bar packaging.

Other packaging waste includes toddler squeeze tubes, drink pouches, cigarette waste, clothing, cooking supplies, ink pens, and aerosol cans. Notable brands include Arm and Hammer, OxyClean, Barilla, Babybel, Burt’s Bees, Colgate, Febreze, Gillette, Hasbro, Lundberg, Popsockets, Rubbermaid, Swiffer, Taco Bell, Ziploc and many, many more. 

Since shipping items is an essential part of the process, TerraCycle works to minimize its carbon footprint with zero-carbon shipping on the initial box delivery and boxes made from certified responsibly-sourced forest products. Upon return, the plastic liner and the cardboard box are recycled. 

The company has also developed the Zero Waste Case, which is used to ship the Zero Waste Boxes. The case is made from 100% recycled PET (or polyethylene terephthalate, represented by resin code #1 on plastic containers) and TerraCycle encourages customers to reuse the case. If you no longer want the case, you can send it back to the company for use on future Zero Waste Box orders. 

TerraCycle is constantly investing in the research and development of new recycling processes with the goal of converting waste into usable products at the highest level. The company reports nearly all of the products returned are reused and that only a very small percentage is incinerated — basically only those items that shouldn’t be in the bin or those that are legally required to be incinerated, such as medical waste. 

In addition to recycling plastic and other waste, the TerraCycle Global Foundation arm of the company is working to clean up waterways with the goal of collecting waste in rivers before it reaches the ocean where it impacts the marine animals and ecosystem. The foundation achieves this mission by working with local communities who are highly impacted by water pollution. River traps help in the collection of waste from the waterways.

The collected materials are then sent to a sorting center where they are weighed, sorted and baled. The system creates local jobs and workers are supported by the TerraCycle foundation. The company explained, “The Foundation works with local waste pickers to improve collection rates by providing fair wages, tools, supplies, financial literacy, education, care for children, and health and safety training.”

The foundation’s project is funded through the sale of bracelets, frisbees and other products, which are made out of the waste materials collected from the water. 

+ TerraCycle

Images via TerraCycle 

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Hemp production is expanding in the construction market

Hempitecture, a nonwoven materials manufacturer, announced its new manufacturing plant location and the 33,000-square-feet facility is an example of both sustainable building techniques and eco-minded business practices.

Hemp plants have been part of the material supply chain for generations. They’re commonly used in rope, bags, purses, clothing, beauty products, food, household products and more. Now, Hempitecture is formally introducing it to the construction market.

Related: Hemp building material is the perfect sustainable insulation

Hempitecture has already made a name for itself with bio-based, carbon-capturing construction products like Hempcrete and HempWool, an traditional insulation alternative that offers soundproofing, a range of R-values and no toxins. Now the company is doubling down on its dedication to the environment with the first nonwoven manufacturing facility of its kind in the U.S.   

The new energy-efficient facility will sit along the easy-to-access Interstate 84, a main artery that connects the east and west in the Rocky Mountains. This situates the Jerome, Idaho facility in a location where it can provide quick service to the growing eco-interests of businesses and residents of the Rocky Mountain Region, the Pacific Northwest and customers nationwide. 

“Since the onset of the pandemic, we’ve seen more people turn their attention toward healthy homes and environments,” said Hempitecture CEO and Founder Mattie Mead. “This new facility will allow for a fully U.S.-made product which aids in growing Hempitecture’s reach across residential, commercial and multi-family markets, making healthy products and home building more tangible.”

Hempitecture’s manufacturing plant is designed for expansion as the company grows, yet the entire facility is powered by renewable energy sourced from hydroelectric, solar and wind power through Idaho Power’s Green Power Program. It will produce a range of bio-based nonwoven products, mainly composed of hemp fiber. These natural fibers provide the basis for sustainable liners for cold freight delivery to industries such as food delivery services and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the trademark HempWool Thermal Insulation, among other products.

Each product is meant to lower the amount of carbon produced in both the production and use of the products. The company has shown its dedication to responsible production up and down the supply chain. For example, products will be stored and shipped on recycled pallets and loads will be wrapped in compostable film to reduce the use of plastics. Hemp for Hempitecture’s products is also sourced in the U.S. from a grower in nearby Montana.  

+ Hempitecture 

Images via Hempitecture 

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A foundation upcycles ocean plastic waste into new products

Ocean Legacy Foundation has just announced that they have produced the first commercially available plastic pellet in North America, called Legacy Plastic, which turns ocean plastic waste into a viable building material for new products. This pellet is made from 100% recycled post-consumer ocean plastics from ocean, shoreline and marine cleanup.

“This is a huge milestone for Ocean Legacy Foundation as creating opportunities that bolster the use of materials collected during cleanup into new products will continue to advance the success of the plastic circular economy,” said Chloé Dubois, cofounder of the Ocean Legacy Foundation.

Related: Unique sailboat concept made from ocean plastic waste

Legacy Plastic is made from recovered marine gear including buoys, fishing ropes, oyster trays and other marine products. These materials are recovered from the Pacific Coast through Ocean Legacy depots, ocean recovery expeditions out at sea and cleanup expeditions as well as partner organizations helping clean up plastics from the Pacific Northwest coastline.

Furthermore, Ocean Legacy is creating a program that makes plastic recycling viable and profitable, which is intended to create an economically sustainable revenue stream. This helps companies achieve their climate sustainability goals and manufacture their products using local, high quality post-consumer recycled content resins that have a relatively lower carbon footprint compared to virgin plastics.

Additionally, Legacy Plastic is made in Western Canada entirely from recovered plastic. The foundation partners with Full Circle Plastics from Nobelford, Alberta, to create Full Circle Plastics’ line of plastic lumber used in commercial, industrial and residential construction. These products can replace many traditional lumber applications, such as planter boxes, fence posts, decking and outdoor furniture.

As companies harvest plastics from the ocean and pump them back into a more sustainable circular economy, we are looking forward to the progress our society can make cleaning up pollution, keeping the oceans and water supply cleaner, while also creating more sustainable consumer products. All of this aligns naturally with goals for a prosperous future.

+ Ocean Legacy Foundation

Images via Ocean Legacy Foundation

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What is 3D-printed wood and will it cut down waste?

As we barrel into the future, what used to happen only in nature is taking place in labs. In the new world of cellular agriculture, scientists are making meat without killing animals. And now it’s the trees’ turn to live, as scientists have figured out how to 3D print wood. Instead of being felled and turned into chairs, newspapers, wallpaper, egg cartons, bags, boxes and toilet paper, soon trees may be able to continue growing.

We need trees and wood

As the global human population has surged to eight billion, with many of those people wanting lots of stuff, we keep cutting down trees to provide myriad products. Since the beginning of human civilization, we’ve wiped out 54% of Earth’s tree population, according to one global forest survey. And while we worry about protecting elephants and rhinos from ivory-seeking poachers, the most trafficked wild product is actually rosewood. From Thailand to Madagascar, where there’s rosewood there are people trying to chop down the endangered tree and sell it to the Chinese furniture market. Tangling with rosewood poachers is so dangerous that the tree has earned the nickname “bloodwood.”

Related: 3D-printed tiny homes are made from recycled plastic

But a tree doesn’t have to have wood suitable for making furniture fit for imperial dynasties to be valuable. Trees provide shade to cool our neighborhoods, remove carbon from the atmosphere, filter water, clean our air and slow storm surges. So the ability to 3D print wood is good news for humans as well as for trees.

MIT geniuses revolutionize wood

Scientists affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory published their breakthrough in the journal Materials Today last year. They embarked on their work in order to reduce waste and environmental disruption while increasing yields and production rates.

They started with cells from the Zinnia elegans, otherwise known as zinnias.

“In principle, the effort to produce plant materials in the absence of the supporting plant is not entirely unlike tissue engineering in animal cell systems,” the study authors wrote. “In both fields, cells in a structured, nutrient-rich growth environment can be directed to grow and transform into tissue-like products.”

Plant cells require different metabolic pathways than animal cells, but the scientists were able to build upon the more-developed mammalian field. So far, most tissue engineering efforts have focused on animal cell culture. The study authors point out that theirs is the first work to use the cellular agriculture approach to generate plant material. You can read all the juicy details of the study here.

A 3D wood printing startup

The MIT scientists might be the first to make wood from zinnia cells. But they’re not the first to experiment with alternative ways of making wood. A startup called Forust has been 3D printing wood for a few years now, beginning with the wood waste products of sawdust and lignin. The latter ingredient is an organic polymer that is one of the chief constituents of wood.

“We realized really quickly that wood waste is a material that could be transformed for 3D printing,” said Virginia San Fratello, chair of the design department at San Jose State University and one of the Forust founders, told Fast Company in 2021. Their process involves layers of sawdust and nontoxic binders to recreate wood grain.

“A tree is made of lignin and cellulose,” said Ric Fulop, CEO of Desktop Metal, a larger 3D printing company that includes Forust, as reported by Fast Company. “When you make things out of trees, whether it’s furniture or paper, you’re essentially dematerializing the tree… what we’re trying to do is put that back together.” It may sound a little like particle board. But the grain in the 3D printed wood goes all the way through the material, so you can sand and finish it just like wood.

And there’s plenty of surplus sawdust and lignin. Forust diverts these materials from landfills.

“Hundreds of millions of metric tons of waste is generated every year just in the U.S. alone,” said Fulop.

Cutting down on waste

One of the cool things about both these processes is that objects can be 3D printed in their final forms. Companies can 3D print a chair or table — with no waste. They can also print complex shapes. Perhaps best of all, 3D printing could lead to a circular process for wood manufacturing. When your old headboard wears out or breaks, you could send it back to the manufacturer, where it could be ground up and 3D-printed into a bookcase or chair or whatever else the market demands. Furniture could be made in a whole new way, free of waste.

Of course, 3D wood printing technology is still in the early stages. But the MIT scientists are hopeful. Their study looks forward to a future where materials could be produced locally, anywhere in the world, without requiring sunlight or land.

Via Interesting Engineering, New York Times, Fast Company

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Meet the fabulous and unique 2023 Hyundai IONIQ 6 EV

The Hyundai IONI 6 EV is one of many fabulous new electric cars being released into the wild with long range, great power and plenty of fun tech features wrapped into a daily driver. The IONIQ 6 has a range of 340 miles, super fast charging capability of 10% to 80% in 18 minutes, and it’s made of sustainable materials to limit emissions and waste.

The IONIQ was inspired by Hyundai’s Prophecy EV concept, and made its North American debut at AutoMobility in Los Angeles in late 2022. It’s a four-door super aerodynamic sedan that is the second Hyundai model to sit on Hyundai’s new Electric-Global Modular Platform. Additionally, it allows for dual motors, more interior space and optimized performance. IONIQ is part of Hyundai’s planned rollout of 17 BEV models it plans to sell more than 1.8 million of worldwide by 2030. This model goes on sale in the spring of 2023, with pricing still to be announced.

Related: Hyundai’s first fully-electric SUV boasts a range of 292 miles

“We want our cars to always connect with customers on an emotional level,” said SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Design Center. “Depending on the owner’s lifestyle, the way of using a vehicle will be different, resulting in a different look — much like chess pieces on a board, each one with a distinct look and functionality, but part of the same family. Hyundai designs with diverse lifestyles in mind rather than with a one-style-fits-all approach.” 

What does tie Hyundai EV models together is the commitment to living space, “parametric pixels” and sustainability. The IONIQ has massive room compared to older more cramped EVs, the Parametric Pixel, which is a high number of pixels found in the headlamps, sensors, trim details and more, and the sustainable materials used to build the car. The IONIQ has a modular touchscreen dashboard, a center console full of storage space, a 64-color ambient lighting system and pixel lights on the steering wheel that light up when the voice recognition system is activated, which also indicates charging status.

Furthermore, eco-friendly materials were used, including interior trim made of sustainable leather, recycled polyethylene terephthalate fabric, bio thermoplastic polyolefin skin on the dash, bio PET fabric on the headliner, bio paint from vegetable oils used on the doors and a recycled fishing net made into the carpet. The exterior uses recycled pigment paint from end-of-life tires on side cladding and bamboo charcoal pigment paint on the body.

The motors can also be configured either with a rear motor only or with both front and rear motors. The dual motor setup allows for all-wheel drive and a power output of 320 horsepower with 446 pounds-feet of torque. That’s about what you’d get from a smaller BMW sedan, for comparison, which is to say plenty. This gives you a zero to 60 time of under five seconds, which isn’t great acceleration, but more than adequate for most drivers. The rear motor only layout creates 225 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque. We’re not sure we would like the acceleration numbers on that model.

The longer range, however, comes from the single motor setup, at 340 miles. The dual-motor AWD setup still gets you 310 miles of range, both more than adequate for commuting or short trips. Charging can come through multiple options, including a fast-charging setup that allows for a 65-mile range boost using a 350 kilowatt fast charger in just five minutes, which we love. The standard on-board charger can complete a full charge in seven hours and 10 minutes using Level 2 charging.

What’s extra cool here is that Hyundai is offering two years of free 30-minute charging sessions to IONIQ 6 owners through Electrify America that supports Kona Electric, IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 owners. Electrify America has a growing network of charging stations with 800 DC fast chargers and 3,500 individual chargers across the U.S. with plans to expand to 1,800 stations comprised of 10,000 individual chargers in the U.S. and Canada by 2026. The IONIQ 6 also allows you to charge electric bikes, scooters or camping equipment, acting as a mobile charger.

+ Hyundai

Images via Hyundai

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