Най-еколкогичните подови покрития

Дървесина:
Паркетът, независимо от каква дървесина е направен, е едно от популярните покрития за под - той може да ви служи добре дълги години, приятен е на допир и е добра изолация. А когато се повреди, може лесно да се възстанови.


Плочки:

Студио TemZaDesign

направени от керамика, стъкло или камък, но с голям процент рециклирани материали.
Снимката вляво е мой проект на кухня, в която почти всички материали са екологични: плочките на пода, мозайката от стъклени плочки на стената, плотовете от синтетичен камък (направен е от естествени материали, споени с безвредни смоли), тапетите от естествени влакна, шкафовете, направени от качествен ламинат, който има сертификат за безвредност.

Линолеум:

прави се от ленено масло, пигменти и борови смоли; изобретен преди повече от 150 години, линолеумът остава един от най-'зелените' продукти за пода, защото се изработва от възстановими природни ресурси, няма вредни токсични излъчвания, не позволява развитие на бактерии и се поддържа много лесно.

Корк:

произвежда се от кората на коркови дървета, а много често и от други коркови продукти; еластичен, шумопоглъщащ материал, подходящ за повечето помещения, включително и за бани (където инсталираните плочки се покриват с полиуретан или силикон).

Студио TemZaDesign

В кухнята вляво, която направих за едно младо семейство, също всички материали са екологични - подът е от корк, залепен направо върху старото покритие от теракотни плочки. Така подът бързо и лесно бе обновен и освен това стана малко по-мек и уютен. Плотовете и гърба на стената между шкафовете са от гранит, а шкафовете - от качествен ламинат.

A lamp as delicate as a flower

The decorative Heracleum LED lamp was inspired by the Heracleum plant and is definitely one of the most delicate lamps, created with a very interesting technique of coating conductive layers and with white leaves/lenses that ramify from one branch creating a very thin and delicate natural structure. This design is not possible with normal wires.

 Here is the story of its creation by the designer Bertjan Pot:

 "Heracleum arrived at Moooi as a fantasy. I had the wish to light many LED-lights at the same time. I experimented with bundles of electricity wires that I shaped into a branch structure. During the development of the design it just seemed that too much soldering was required. Then Marcel Wanders had the 'luminous' idea to use his ELECTROSANDWICH® to make the design possible. The structure was coated with a plastic layer for isolation and on top of that a conductive layer to supply the LEDs with power. Using this technique it was possible to create a structure more slender than I had hoped for when I started the project. The technique and design are perfect for each other." 

The new version Heracleum II also provides unique and sparkling illumination and includes a new LED that makes it much more efficient and allows endless technical possibilities. It is offered in copper or nickel and is dimmable. 
A great accent piece for any interior using one of the most eco-friendly types of lighting - LEDs!

Green plastics and a lamp that you can eat

 BITE ME Desk Lamp is an algae-based plastic, created by American designer Victor Vetterlein from vegetable glycerin and agar, a gelatin that comes from sea algae. If the lamp becomes damaged, simply wipe off any dust or fingerprint residue and submerge the Bite Me in purified water for an hour to soften up. “The consistency after soaking the lamp in water for an hour is like wet Gummy Bears,” says Vetterlein. source

The exterior shell of Patricia Urquiola’s Husk chair for B&B Italia is made from HIREK® - a plastic made from recycled industrial waste.

source

 the Broom chair by Philippe Starck for American company Emeco is made from 75% waste polypropylene and 15% reclaimed wood fibre.

Eco-Kitchen

Kitchen is one of the spaces at home where we show our attitude to the requirements for sustainable and eco-friendly way of life. From the products we use, to the way we dispose of waste food and beverage and packages. But are our kitchens designed and produced with thought about nature? Not all of them. Here is one good example - Valcucine :

In our job each day technology, product functionality and innovative solutions,
advanced design and research are alive and as important as imagination and
care
over detail, passion for natural materials and handicraft
workmanship,
attention
to safety and respect for the environment.

The environmental-friendly kitchen - the Riciclantica door is the utmost expression of a design based on dematerialisation and is made of an extremely resistant structural aluminium frame together with a sophisticated decor panel that is only 2mm thick. The use of special materials such as carbon, aluminium, steel or layered laminate, the very accurate planning of construction details – for example, the inside of the new frame appears aesthetically pure because of the total absence of screws and hole caps – and the absolute resistance of all door versions to water, steam and heat, contribute to making the Riciclantica door unique in the furniture sector. Riciclantica is a kitchen designed to have a low impact on the environment and represents the most advanced technology to express the shape of lightness. Thanks to research into and application of special innovative technologies, this door respects the four basic principles of environmental-friendliness: minimum consumption of raw materials and energy, durability, recyclability and non-toxic finishes.

"With showrooms all over the United States, Valcucine prides itself on building the most functionally stylish, energy-conscious products around.
From cabinet doors made from recycled materials to bookshelves that boast an aluminum core, a Valcucine kitchen is a green builder’s dream project. The company’s sensitivity to all things eco is apparent from its elimination of formaldehyde and synthetic finishes to its earth-friendly production. "( ecofabulous: That's One Handsome Italian )

But what I like very much is their design - elegant and well-thought.

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Recommended for 'XXI Compasso d'Oro' prize.




















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Technorati Tags:trends, design, furniture, interior design, news, home furnishings

Wally, the living wall planter

allows anyone to easily create a lush garden indoor or outdoor—on walls, rails and fences. They're perfect for growing edibles, annuals, and perennials. Wally Three - Woolly Pocket

For creating an instantly lush vertical garden you can use one or several of Wally One - Woolly Pocket - made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles, Pockets are soft-sided, breathable, modular and fun to work with! Military-grade moisture barrier ensures that your walls stay dry.

Eliminating cooking odors naturally

Odours from last night’s dinner can continue to linger in the kitchen and throughout the house for hours on end. And if you, like me, are not the person who likes to use artificial air fresheners, probably have tried to find a natural way to get rid of them. We have already talked about the useof baking soda for eliminating bad smell from the trash bin, but cooking odors, especially from cooking fish, are some of the most stable and difficult to eliminate.

source

There are several natural ways to try to solve this problem, like brewing some coffee, baking anything aromatic such as cake or leaving out a bowl of vinegar for several hours. People say also that scented candles, especially lemon scented candles work great. Or you can boil a pan of water with a few teaspoons of lemon juice, or a teaspoon of cinnamon.

An interesting way of creating a natural air freshener is to put some baking soda and water in a slow cooker and set it to LOW with the lid off in the room that needs freshening. You can add also several drops of essential oil or nice-smelling spices to the pot.

The same is the problem with garlic and onion – their strong smell is very stable. One way to eliminate it is to rub your cutting board with lemon and your hands, too. Lemon is a great natural deodorizer. I have tried that and know it works. Some people squeeze lemons into a spray bottle and add warm water and just spray this around the house.

I have heard that burning some sage as a deodorizer works pretty well. And I have read about an Odor Absorbing Splatter Screen, but have not tried it. 

For sure, a safe way to clean the air from unpleasant odors is just to use an air purifier with a good filter – in addition to catching other particles like dust and allergens it will absorb the smell, too.

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Baking soda - the precious white powder

We have all heard of the wide use of baking soda not only for cooking, but also in our household for cleaning.  Sodium bicarbonate, i.e baking soda, appears to be so universal that almost every day someone somewhere invents its new application.  Yes, baking soda cleans, softens water, scours even deodorizes. You can remove odors from the flooring - just sprinkle your soiled carpets and mats with baking soda and let it work for about 15 minutes. Then clean the carpet with a vacuum cleaner. You can clean oily stains in the same way - dab the stain with a paper towel, sprinkle with baking soda, let it work for at least an hour to absorb the stain and then clear the debris with a vacuum cleaner.Did you know that it is possible to eliminate really bad smells with the help of baking soda? Like smelly shoes or stinky drains, for example. I have even witnessed its fast effect on stuffed drains – you just pore a little baking soda and then some vinegar in it. Thanks to its cool effervescent quality baking soda rapidly unplugs the drain.

But I am surprised to learn that we can use it for cleaning our face! Baking soda effectively removes blackheads and dead skin cells and unclogs pores. Its fine particles do this hard work. And its antiseptic action prevents inflammation and redness of the skin. What you need to do is to mix baking soda with water to make a thick paste. Apply it on your face in a circular motion for 2-3 minutes. Then rinse with warm water and finish with cold water. Finally, rub your face with a moisturizer.

Such use of baking soda is welcome for skin prone to acne. The action is rooted in the drying of the face, so it is important then to apply appropriate cream. 

However, there are a bunch of other wonderful applications that will allow you to create your personal cosmetic laboratory, including your own cheap Facial Exfoliator and also:

- no bags under the eyes! Again make a solution of baking soda and water, but this time let it be a little more diluted. Dip two cosmetic pads in the mixture and place them on your eyelids. Hold them for about 15-20 minutes. After about 2 hours you can repeat the procedure if you are not satisfied with the results;

- clean and tidy hair - for efficient washing hair add baking soda to your shampoo in a proportion of 1 to 4. Thus the "mane" will become softer, more elastic and simultaneously more susceptible to clearance. The effect comes from the fact that baking soda removes even the finest particles left from styling hair products.

And these are just small part of the possibile applcations of baking soda, but it is important to mention that it is inexpensive and environmentally friendly, even after it goes down the drain.

A smarter way to clean - Green cleaning product sold in cartridges

diluted at home with tap water:
The iQ cleaning system is a revolutionary approach to cleaning. It combines the most advanced green cleaning formulas with a brand new packaging system – one that dramatically reduces excess plastic and waste. Developed by Planet People, the iQ line of household cleaning products features small cartridges of plant-based concentrate which consumers pop in a spray bottle filled with ordinary tap water. iQ comes in four varieties: glass, bathroom, floor and all-purpose cleaner. All made with non-toxic and environmentally sustainable ingredients. Besides reducing packaging and plastic waste, the system obviously cuts down on transportation, reducing fuel consumption and vehicle emissions.
(via Springwise)

See your product here

Eco-friendly, Well-Designed and on Sale

Eco Living with Style - VivaTerra (or living earth) is the place where you can find natural home décor, organic gifts and more products that will help you live in harmony with nature - for a healthier life now and for future generations. And feel good about the possibility to help planet - by recycling and re-using or buying products that do not polute.

Boatwood Clock

Culled from dismantled Thaifishing boats, the painted woodenpanels of our clock displaymarine hues that achieve a unique pastel warmth. Time and time again, you'll note with pure pleasure that the ocean's loss is your kitchen's gain. It goes well with the Boatwood Serving Tray
which is on sale now. Was $82, now $57

More sales at Viva Terra:


Bamboo Towel Set - Ivory - The silkiness of these organic cotton and bamboo towels improves with each wash. Made by a windmill-powered factory on an island off the coast of Japan, they are produced from sustainable resources in an appealing chevron pattern, using low impact dyes. Extremely lightweight yet highly absorbent and quick-drying, these towels are both ecofriendly and elegant. Were $15-78, now $10-54 - save 30%

The bark texture of this porcelain teapot, sugar and creamer offers an exceptionally appealing, purely natural look and feel. Sip your tea, run a finger up and down the sides of the teapot and sugar bowl, and allow your mind to wander to a forest primeval. Hand-formed, the pot and its mates are matte on the outside, glazed on its interior, with a thumb-rest for pouring and twig handles on top. CREAM AND SUGAR ARE SOLD OUT
Was $69, now $17 - save 75%


Porcelain Branch Teapot
Recycled Sunrise Runner (2.5' x 8') Made from recycled plastic, easy to clean and strong enough to withstand kitchen or gardenfoot traffic, this design displays a pastel palette and a merged stripe pattern.