Plants That Clean Your Air and Provide Extra Oxygen

If you are planning on adding some plant-life into your life...these might be some excellent options to consider.  I had an aloe plant that survived nearly 9 months without water.  When I returned and gave it more water, it continued on with its life.  Not only do plants have effects on our emotions but also on our physical well-being.

Paint That Acts as Electrical Wire

What if you didn't have to bury electrical wires in the walls and ceilings?  What if they could be indiscreetly located on the surface of the wall in a safe (and even attractive) manner?  The idea isn't that far off!  Using carbon in a paint sample to make it conductive, Bare Conductive has invented a new way to transfer energy between a light and its power source.  Whenever I think technology has made us so advanced that everything that could be invented has been, I am blown away again.  Invention.  Ingenuity.  Design.

Drone: Fireworks from a Different Perspective

Technology takes us to places we never could have imagined.  Sometimes for worse, and sometimes for better, but always teaching us something new about human innovation, ambitions, and capacity.  This Independence Day in the USA, such technology in the form of a drone literally brought us to new heights.  A new perspective of a fireworks show that is already captivating from the ground, but whose beauty is surpassed from the aerial version of the same show!  Enjoy!

A Pulley for some Life-Altering Light!

I love when invention and design combine with technology to make the world a better place.

Not only can this fixture help users in Africa to have light when the sun goes down, for family time, homework, and more, but the use of this light means the reduction in the use of dangerous kerosene lamps / candles which produce gases that are hazardous to human health.  So physically healthier homes that also allow for emotionally, socially, and educationally healthier lives?  Win win win win!

Pull the pulley, get 20 minutes of light.  No second-hand hazards.  Love.

Sustainable Construction: Bamboo

Elora Hardy quit her job to build sustainable bamboo homes in Bali! Credit: Ibuku
Posted by Higher Perspective on jueves, 31 de marzo de 2016

Not only are these buildings GORGEOUS, they're also made with one of the fastest-growing renewable resources: bamboo!  Bamboo grows extremely fast and because of it's fibers and cylindrical form, it is extremely strong in both compression and tension for building members.  It's also, obviously, got the potential for curves and is naturally beautiful.

One thing that should be considered if you plan to grow your own, is if bamboo already grows naturally near you.  If not, please research first as introducing foreign species can cause damage to the existing environment, especially if the new species is more dominant and doesn't have as many local threats.  It is likely that bamboo will eventually become an item easy to find in the lumber store, but for now...there's always time for a trip the tropics!

Healthy citites: Why deterring vehicular traffic is not the end of the world!

When you design for pedestrian and bicycle traffic that keep people healthy, allow them safe and fast access to their daily activities and special events, and deter vehicular traffic from interference with them...the world does NOT explode.  Go figure.

Groningen: the World's Cycling City
For those of you who didn't know yet: Groningen - the World's Cycling City :)!Worth the watch!
Posted by University of Groningen on domingo, 20 de octubre de 2013

Perspective is key: Design for the Deaf

It's all about perspective!  Having or not having certain senses, limbs, body parts, features...everything that we have or do not have not only makes us who we are, but also has a distinct influence on how we perceive the world around us.  How can having, or not, gives us design clues on an environment for people who are deaf?

How architecture changes for the deaf
Architecture takes on a new look when desiging for the deaf. Here's how:
Posted by Vox on miércoles, 2 de marzo de 2016

Perspective is key.  

Don't just look; See the world. 

Science Fairs Change the World...again

Once again, what started out as a high school project from the mind of a young man, could one day be known as the seed that sprouted into the greatest global cleanup of human waste that the planet has ever known!

Boyan Slat, of the Netherlands created an idea about how to utilize ocean currents to the advantage of the humans who have been spoiling it and using those currents to our advantage in cleaning it.  By creating areas where currents often gather our trash, Boyan hopes to place large nets that can be anchored to the ocean, that would allow trash to stay in.   Boyan's method hopes to be able to clear in just 5 years what with current methods could take hundreds of years, oil, and energy to accomplish.  He raised over $80,000 in crowd-funding to research his theory and experiments are proving that his idea might work on the global scale.  The rollout of the first true test will be placed off the shores of Japan in the next year.

The outlook is good.  Thank you, high school teachers, for encouraging your students to think positively and to consider their ideas on a global scale.

Can this device save our oceans?
What began as a Dutch teen's high school project could make history, with Boyan Slat's low-cost, innovative Ocean Cleanup project aiming to clear the ocean of millions of tons of plastic. http://bit.ly/1QEdFqd
Posted by The Sydney Morning Herald on martes, 2 de febrero de 2016

Even MORE eco-friendly bicycle!

Esta es la bicicleta del futuro
Esta es la bicicleta del futuroLa BV6, fabricada ¡con cartón!
Posted by Norte Digital on jueves, 4 de febrero de 2016

Bicycles are already considered a great alternative to motorized vehicles that utilize fossil fuels to function, but what if a bicycle was also made out of recycled cardboard? Cool. 

Syntropy: How Agriculture can be Modelled after Rainforests

Life in Syntropy
Brazilian farmer Ernst Gotsch bought 1,200 acres of completely deforested land on the edge of the rainforest in 1984. Check out our video of the week to see how he worked with nature to transform the land into an incredibly biodiverse working farm capable of feeding people and reversing climate change through sequestering carbon: #RegenerativeAg #Ag Regeneration International
Posted by Millions Against Monsanto by OrganicConsumers.org on domingo, 10 de enero de 2016

Modern Cave Art-itexture

Ra Paulette: Cave Art In New Mexico
A man isolated himself in the desert for 25 years. What he reveals inside this cave is incredible!...
Posted by Omeleto on sábado, 12 de diciembre de 2015

Sustainable Futures - Design Build Education in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Incredible team of teachers, staff, and mentors, wonderful host families, excellent projects, new friends...sustainable futures for everyone involved.  This is an amazing program and I suggest looking into it or asking about it if you're considering architecture, landscape design, or urban planning and want a unique and fulfilling experience with real-world projects abroad in Costa Rica.

Coca Cola: More Lives for Plastic Bottles

While the idea of eliminating plastic altogether may be far off, there are things that we can do right now to reuse the plastic that already exists in the world, to stall the production of additional plastic and give existing plastic more life before it becomes waste where it will take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills.  Let's make a change.  Change the way we look at plastic.  Change the way we look at waste.

Coca-Cola What a great ideas!
Posted by Marvin Coronel on Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Nature-Rx

This all day...in case you have any of the symptoms mentioned in this video, you should ask your doctor about nature.  If your doctor disagrees and tries to give you pills...you should consider finding another doctor.

The Best Drug Ever: Nature
CAUTION: Nature may cause you to slow down, quit your job, or seriously consider what the f*ck you’re doing with your life./\/\(cc: Nature Rx)
Posted by The Inertia Mountain on Friday, August 28, 2015

Floating City of Mériens

Designed by French architect, Jacques Rougerie, the floating city, shaped like a manta ray, will travel the oceans filled with 7,000 marine researchers, be sustained by wind and water power, and produce zero waste.  Awesome!

Space-Saving Furniture Designs

Muebles para ahorrar espacio

Posted by Raul Brindis on Miércoles, 8 de julio de 2015

Egg. Science. Life.

If an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends.

If an egg is broken by an inside force, then life begins.

Great things happen from the inside.

Design to Create

DIY Favor Bags

So you need some cute favor bags for a party, wedding, or other event and you want to "do it yourself"?  Fast, easy, inexpensive and painless?  Cool!  Here's what you do:

Head to your nearest craft store and get these items:

-Plastic bags (I found that at Michael's or Jo-Ann's I could get plastic treat bags in the baking section at around 2-4 dollars for a bag of 50 or 100 that included twist ties.

-A stamp that you like (to match your theme or event) - make sure your stamp will fit on the goody bags you bought

-Stamp Ink: choose your color and make sure the stamp will fit on the ink pad for full coverage

-If you, like me, don't know much about stamps or ink...you can either ask an employee about the "permanent ink" options at their store OR you can do what I did (ex-post-facto because I didn't realize that most inks will not dry on plastic bags); you can buy Workable Fixatif.  This stuff is brilliant and should cost you less than $10 for a can.

That's all you need!

For those of you using the Workable Fixatif to make your stamps stick to plastic:

Once you know where you're going to set up your workspace find some backing like cardboard or newspaper (I suggest cardboard just because newspaper has a tendency to rub off and you don't want the print on your plastic goody-bags).  Lay out your plastic bags at a reachable distance (and a few inches away from the edges of the backing).

The process:

If you aren't covering the entire bag in stamps, you can just fan the bags out for a speedier process.

Stamp each bag:  Start at the bags furthest from where you are sitting/standing and pay attention to where you usually place your hands when you stamp.  Example: I'm right-handed so I tend to start stamping from right to left because I stamp with my right hand and stabilize the bags with my left.  By starting on the right, my left hand and arm won't be in a position to smudge previous stamps.


Let ink dry:  If you bought the permanent ink, it still needs a little time to dry.  Most products tout a 2-5 minute drying time.  If you DON'T have permanent ink OR you just want to bang these favor bags out even faster...you're going to want the Workable Fixatif.

Workable Fixatif for the win:  Leave your inked bags in place and grab the Fixatif.  If your ink isn't made for plastic it will never dry or stick so don't bother touching the stamp to see if it dried...just grab the fixatif.  Give it a good shake and hold it about 8-10 inches from your bags but be careful around the edges of your backing as you don't want this stuff all over your furniture or counters.  Be aware that this is intense stuff so have some good ventilation/open window while you spray.  Also note that it creates air movement so try to stabilize your bags.  The more direct from above you spray, the less likely your bags are to move around.  The ink doesn't need too much coverage.  You can see that a light coat will create a little shimmer on the surface over the stamp (see picture to the right).  It's transparent so it's only noticeable if you're looking for it!  Fixatif dries within a minute and your bags are good to go!  It's got a little stickiness to it but it won't peel off  so if you stack your bags you don't have to worry about separating them.  If you leave the fixatif to dry for an extra minute or two, it will lose a little bit of that stickiness.

That's it! DIY favor bags, complete!  Way to go!

Fill 'em up!

I did over 200 bags and spent less than $30 

(Bags: $6, Stamp: $4, Ink $10, Fixatif $8.50)

and now I already have a stamp, ink and Fixatif for the next project!

Once I had the materials, the bags were complete within a 1/2 hour.

Buying treat bags online was going to cost me more than what I spent to do it myself for only a quarter of the number that I needed and would have taken days to arrive by mail.  Stamped favor bags allowed me to personalize the bags to be what I wanted and could be done quickly and easily.

Best of luck with your project!  
Feel free to share your DIY bags in the comments!

Life is Art