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Showing posts with label Sustainable. Show all posts

Sustainable Flooring by Eco Timber

Photo Courtesy: Teragrin

The
walls are up and the time is NOW to start choosing our final selections
for the interior finishes on the current project near Butterfly Beach in Montecito. We will be choosing FSC Certified Flooring to keep in line with our Platinum LEED Certification. Ecotimber floors FSC Certified and are made from the highest quality woods that are harvested in a sustainable way. Instead of simply clear cutting a forest in order to get all of its hardwood, Ecotimber is obtained through selective cutting where only the highest quality trees are used. Responsible companies ensure that they do not deplete the forest, but instead plant trees and engage in other sustainable practices.

Two of their most popular finishes are in the EcoBamboo line.

EcoBamboo in Amber

EcoBamboo in Honey

EcoBamboo-Dyed Woven Bamboo-Black Tie

Green Doesn’t Mean Boring. EcoTimber hardwood flooring is
available in some of the richest and most luxurious wood. Brazilian
Cherry, Rose Teak, Royal Walnut, White Tigerwood, Santos Mahogany,
Angico are some of the most popular exotic woods available.

One of my favorites for a 'beach-y look" is in the EcoVintage line.

Walnut Pre-finished in Summer Calm.

A couple other favorites in the EcoVintage line :

EcoVintage Standwoven Poplar- Afternoon Tea

EcoVintage-Woven Engineered-Pinstripe

Look for the certifying stamp to distinguish between "greenwashed" and genuine ecological forest products.
Today, a growing number of timber producers and traders are making
environmental claims. Some are accurate, but others are misleading or
exaggerated.

To make sure that you are getting your unfinished hardwood floors from a
true Ecotimber source, check to see if the company has been
independently certified by an organization such as the Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC).

Eco Timber is currently donating Proceeds to benefit "Voice of the Wetlands" a charity for Gulf Oil Cleanup.

Bio Glass by ECOverings

In searching for new exciting materials for our current project on Hill Road in Montecito, I came across some extraordinary and beautiful 100%-recycled glass tiles. The colors are amazing when playing off natural light and even more so when back-lit. Distributed by Coverings Etc., this exciting company was founded in 1998 to source innovative natural stone and mosaics. They expanded in the new millennium to cater to a growing popular demand for eco-friendly and engineered-stone surface materials. They are a a member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and use of their products contributes to LEED points that are essential when going for LEED Certification--especially the Platinum level we are striving for.

Amazing. Right?

The six shades will make it hard to choose your palette. Emerald Forest (below)

Fossil Amber

Oriental Jade

Aquamarine

Malachite

White Diamond

ECOVERINGS has many other products that are equally as elegant and environmentally friendly.

ECO-GRES is highly sustainable, easy to install and maintain. High impact and slip resistant, it is also scratch, stain and fade resistant. And, there's no need to ever seal or wax.

BIO-LUMINUM™ is a Future Friendly material made from 100% post-consumer recycled aluminum from reclaimed aircraft parts. 100% unique, it's also 100% recyclable.

The ECOVERINGS® line of products are naturally occurring, recycled, and/or manufactured with concern for the conservation of natural resources.

They are also a RedDot Design Award winner of 2010.

Art at 360 SEE- A Show in Sustainability in Chicago

'Shade L' By grassland (2010)

Natural Grass Object.

Real grass on fabric lamp shade proportioned to be used as a hanging swag lamp.

Another Chicago Art Event, 360 SEE is showing "On the wall & On the floor," an annual design exhibition. Each artist and designer participating has created a free-standing or tabletop piece and a piece for the wall. All of the results on display in some way embrace the sustainably-minded media-choice philosophy of the gallery and are works constructed with reclaimed, re-purposed, responsibly-sourced and even living materials.

'Eleanor' By Jesse Hooker (2009)

Salvaged antique yellow pine and original rear seat from a 1969 Ford Mustang fastback

48"L x 24"D x 24"H, sits 18"H

featured with steel Pastorals 11/06/09 - 12/15/09

Furniture maker and artist Jesse Hooker creates functional works out of reclaimed wood and has started to incorporate metal into his pieces. Hooker is exhibiting a mirror and console pair made of reclaimed English Sycamore and salvaged iron. The pieces, titled 'Scholes' and 'Bogart,' were named after the intersecting streets where the iron for the pieces was sourced.

'Tired Lounge' By Leo Kempf (2010)

FSC Birch, recycled tires

25"W x 31"H x 50"L

On the floor & On the wall 2 9/2/10 - 10/16/10

Designer Leo Kempf, an "On the wall & On the floor" veteran, has traded in his cardboard furniture designs for newly-designed pieces made of FSC certified Birch and repurposed tires . Kempf created a rocking recliner upholstered with tension-woven reclaimed tire strips and a wall mantle inlaid with tire treads.

'Current Lamp' By Kara Bartelt (2010)

Tillandsia kolbii air plants on a white glass orb with CFL grow bulb

12" in diameter

On the floor & On the wall 2 9/2/10 - 10/16/10

Architect and designer Kara Bartelt creates design objects incorporating living air plants into her pieces. Bartelt is exhibiting both a functional lamp and decorative wall piece with living air plant elements.

'Untitled: Chevrolet' By Joel Hester (2010)

Salvaged Chevrolet truck metal collage on steel

55.5"L x 26"H x 2"D

On the floor & On the wall 2 9/2/10 - 10/16/10

Designer Joel Hester continues to show his modern furniture pieces made of reformed vintage car metal and steel at 360SEE. Hester is exhibiting a coffee table made from the hood of a mid-century Chevy truck and a wall covering collage of Chevy truck metal pieces.

Poor Little Fish teaches Water Conservation

Can you stop washing your hands before the fish runs out of water? Yan Lu has designed a savvy sink with a fishbowl to remind us how precious this resource is. He hopes to promote awareness and to help us minimize water usage by making consumption tangible.

Here's how it works. While using the sink, the water level in the bowl gradually falls (but does not actually drain out---whew! Little Fish!); once the water stops running it will go back up to the same level. The pipeline does not connect to the bowl, however, so the water remains pure. Pretty clever, this fun sink has a message for kids and adults alike.

Wine Lovers Sustainable Flooring Solutions- Recycled Wine Barrels & Corks

There are some really interesting new materials being used for flooring these days. If you liked the post on Sustainable Wineries you will probably also be interested in the Vintage Wine Barrel Flooring by Fontenay Wood. Whether you're a wine enthusiast, or just like clever design ideas...this recycled flooring idea is really fun. I personally like the random and casual effect that retooling oak wine barrels has when they are installed as flooring.

The "Cooperage" displays authentic stamps and markings from barrel heads.

"Wine Infusion" is a rich colored material that is naturally stained by the wine inside the barrel.

"Stave" material is from the outer sides incorporating the distinct markings from the hoops around the barrel. If you love wine, but prefer something other than wood, maybe Recycled Wine Cork by Jelinek Corkis is more your thing..

Tiles are made in a similar way to traditional tile. The corks are layed on paper sheets and glued, grouted and sealed. The resulting product is durable, fire and dust resistant, softer to the step and much more sustainable. Once installed it is not obviously cork at first glance.

Drink Responsibly- Sustainable Water Vessels

In an effort to create a bottled water brand that would be kinder to the environment and give back a bit, Kevin Hockin found water shouldn't be bottled at all. Instead, it should be boxed. Part sustainable water company, part art project, part philanthropic project, and completely curious, Boxed Water Is Better is a boxed water company.

While most plastic bottles are recyclable, they are made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) manufacturing processes which creates more waste than paper and emits 3 times more carbon dioxide into our universe. Boxed Water is Better is wrapped in fcs-certified packaging. While better than plastic, we agree, it's still not as environmentally friendly as filling your own water container from home. One we really like is the Kor One--a simple sleek design with careful attention to both function and environment.

Kor One gives back to the planet through water- based charities with their Thirst for Giving program as well as being a 1% for the Planet member.

Kor Stones, printed on Fiberstone, can be changed out to other inspirations, such as "Laugh Often", "Pass it Forward", "Find Balance" or "Be the Change". A set of four is included with water bottles and additional sets are available.

Its special features include: a hinged cap for easy open and close, no cap to hold while drinking, a spout that easily takes ice cubes and a comfortable carry handle and soft bottom.

Sustainable Vineyards And Wine Tours in Santa Barbara County

Anyone traveling to, or living near Santa Barbara should definitely put Sustainable Vine Tours on their "to do" list. This tour highlights the region's rich history and covers farming the grapes, walking through the vineyards and, of course, wine tasting. Door to door service from Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez, tours of 3 vineyards and a gourmet organic picnic lunch are included. You're in the capable hands of a guide who knows the winemakers personally and has a deep knowledge not only of the area but also the wine making and farming processes.

More and more wineries are using organic and bio dynamic farming methods. This makes for a healthier wine and ultimately a healthier planet because grapes are among the most pesticide- laden produce.

Organic wines range from being 70% to 100% "organic." 100% organic wines contain only naturally- occurring sulfites whereas wines labelled "Made with Organic Grapes" may have artificial sulfites and cannot qualify for the organic USDA seal. In bio dynamic practices, the wine is not only 100% organic but the farmer goes above and beyond-- making their own compost, using knowledge of the stars and planets to time what they do, and bringing the farming process more closely in tune with nature.

The Santa Ynez wineries featured in the tour all produce remarkable wines, maintain a high level of personal service and practice sustainable agriculture. If you can't take the tour, visit the wineries directly or at least treat yourself to some organic bio dynamic wine delivered to your door.