Earthy Innovations

By Lexi Green
April 22, 2011

In case you haven't gotten the message (printed on sustainably made recycled paper, natch), we’re celebrating Earth Day today. But all year round, there are new innovations and ideas introduced to help our planet get healthier. We found it a fitting time to go back to some of the eco-friendly experts we've profiled in the past year to ask them to tell us what has been the best sustainable design idea or eco-friendly concept they have heard this year. From beekeeping to fashionable LED lights, we couldn’t be more excited to hear what has been happening in the green arena.

Earth Day

clockwise from top left: Interior Design by West Elm; Plastiki Boat; Chairloom Chairs; Article 22 Accessories; Lonny Magazine; Elva Fields Jewelry

Eco-Friendly Designer: Michelle Adams

What: Founder of Lonny Magazine and sustainable textile line Rubie Green

"It was clear from this year's New York International Gift Fair that green design is here to stay. I was floored by the amazing innovation of certain products this year. There was one lighting and furniture company, Cerno that appeared to be not just innovative, but revolutionary when it comes to green design. Due to their extensive research, the Cerno team has been able to make their LED lighting give off as warm a light as an incandescent bulb. I could not believe that these stylishly modern lamps were really using LED light and still had the same feel as incandescent lighting! LED lights have the benefit of using such a low amount of energy that they can last for many years. I was so impressed by both the style of the Cerno’s lamps and their high quality, long lasting light, that I am excited to include their products in one of our next issues!

Eco-Friendly Designer: Molly Andrews

What: Founder of the sustainable furniture and home design company Chairloom

"The most significant environmental issue that has been brought to my attention in the past year has been hydraulic fracturing or 'fracking.' Fracking is a method of extracting natural gas that can have huge negative environmental and health implications. I didn’t know what fracking was until I saw the movie 'GASLAND'. The movie was very compelling and really has caused me to pause and think about our country’s water supply and the hideous and life-threatening ramifications of drilling for natural gas. I hope more people will become educated regarding this environmental threat."

Eco-Friendly Designer: Paulo Kos

What: Design Director, West Elm

"The phasing out of many incandescent bulbs and the establishment of minimum efficiency standards for lighting has been especially exciting to watch. Legislative changes are happening on a huge scale in this area. From a designer’s eye, the chief criticism of the ban on incandescents is that they give off harsher quality light. However, I think the critical mass behind this change will lead to the creation of more energy-efficient lighting alternatives. At West Elm we already include a CFL with every portable lamp we sell and we're working on more energy efficient technologies and their aesthetic implications."

Eco-Friendly Designer: Emily Maynard

What: Founder of the sustainable jewelry line Elva Fields

"Living in a rural, agricultural area of Kentucky, my family has been members of a CSA [community supported agriculture] since we moved here four years ago. Harmony Fields Farm is just a few miles away, and we pay a flat rate for a share of their delicious and organic fruit, vegetables, and herbs. We know exactly where our food comes from, we know (and love!) the people that have worked so hard to provide it, and that we have a connection to the land around us. We also minimize our carbon footprint with a reusable bag and weekly self pick-up, and our investment sustains a local business. These are just a few of the countless benefits of being part of a CSA and one of the best concepts I have been a part of!"

Eco-Friendly Designer: Jo Royle

What: Commercial Skipper and Ocean Adcovate who led the Plastiki Voyage

"I think that the Inka Biospheric gardens are an incredible concept. It is a walled garden that combines its own energy source in the form of solar or wind power to operate a water pump, which then recycles just the right amount of water to feed the veggies it houses. Stored on funky steel frames, these gardens are a work of art as well as a giving opportunity for anyone! Versions of Inka gardens have been used in Refugee camps across Africa, as well as in people's homes across California and even at sea. We even had one growing vegetables on the Plastiki!"

Eco-Friendly Designer: Danny Seo

What: Environmental Lifestyle Expert

"Before the advent of artificial fragrances and chemicals, perfumes made in the traditional way could only be made with organic oils. This April, my beauty line, Wholearth, is partnering with Lucky magazine to create a contest that will give one woman the opportunity to custom design and manufacture her own signature scent using our USDA certified organic oils. We are bringing back the old way perfume used to be made in the finest Parisian perfume houses; before all of the cheap fillers and chemicals were created that you find in 99.9% of all scents today. It's all being done online via Lucky's Facebook page and the fact we have created a ‘virtual scent’ contest without the waste of oils, scent strips, blotters and paper is pretty remarkable to me. But the greenest concept to come out of this happens to be the oldest: the fact that we're creating USDA certified organic scents."

Eco-Friendly Designer: Liz Suda

What: Founder of the sustainable accessories company, Article 22

"Urban beekeeping in London has been one of the best green campaigns that I have seen this past year. We need those bees for pollination and food since one third of the average diet relies on honeybees! The Cooperative, the UK's largest consumer co-op, launched the Plan Bee ampaign to raise awareness about the decline in the British honeybee population. They also support amateur beekeeping in London. Social enterprise on small and large scales like this engages consumers as activists. It's a campaign that makes people think about the value chain or rather ecosystem around food."

Eco-Friendly Designer: Meredith Barnett

What: Editorial Director, The Inside Source

"My 11-month-old son is yet to make his first masterpiece, but I'm so excited for the chance to do arts & crafts with him. I'm concerned, however, about the pounds of paper and other materials we're likely to churn through. While I don't pretend to be a green expert, I've recently discovered a whole bunch of eco-friendly crafts that I just wanted to share. I love them because not only are many of them made from recycled materials, but they can also be used over and over again—a boon to the environment and a constant source of play. Among my favorites: Hip from Holland's gorgeous, sculptural toys made from recycled cardboard; a playhouse made from recycled cardboard that can be colored and decorated (it's also a constant source of imaginative play); the Toobalink construction system—a set of links that allows you to use paper towel and toilet paper tubes to create all sort of playthings; and new doodle-friendly placemats by Dwell Studio that can be washed and re-used and are a great way to provide entertainment during mealtime."

Tags: