Archive for category Sustainability
Slow Home: a Conversation via Irene Turner at Home & Napa Valley Life Magazine
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Home, Personal Style & Well being, Sustainability on August 17, 2010
Today I had a great time speaking with Kari Ruel, publisher of Napa Valley Life Magazine and Kellie Fuller from Kellie In The Morning at 99.3 The Vine and 1440 KVON, on their Sustainable Life segment. The subject…Slow Home! You can listen to the show (only about 10 minutes) down at the bottom of the blog…in the meantime, this post includes all the information…and more! I’d love your comments on what YOU do in your home to sustain and balance your life…Enjoy!
Sloooooowwwww Hooooommme…think about it.
Don’t you just want to stop a minute, close your eyes and breath? That’s the essence of a Slow Home.
Slow Home is about
- Simplifying
- Slowing down
- And Sustaining your life
What better place to do that then at home? As our lives continue to speed up… communication zipping around the world in a matter of seconds and an overload of information coming at us from all directions…we have lost track of a way of life that connects us to ourselves, each other, our community and our world at large. The speed at which we live is fact…it is not going away, if anything it will continue to increase.
A Slow Home (also an architecture firm in Calgary Canada who is studying housing plans to help define and design a well thought out home….they have defined this movement best to date)…it’s the opposite of our cultures fast pace mindset. It’s what we call a house that is simple to live in, light on the environment and of course…BEAUTIFUL. A Slow Home is designed to support and reflect the personal lives of all the people who live there. It is a landing pad, a place to unplug from the world at large, re-charge your batteries physically, mentally, emotionally…and surround yourself with beauty that uplifts your spirit…all in a way that’s personal to you!
This Slow Home movement is a springboard off of Slow Food, which arose as a reaction to the processed food industry. Whether it’s in food, travel, parenting or urban/residential design, slowing down is much needed to help maintain balance in our lives. Living in the Slow Food Capital of the USA, and being an interior designer, I’ve taken it on as a personal mission to find out and consolidate information on this cutting edge trend that is taking the design world by storm!
Slow Home is a reaction to the sprawl of cookie cutter housing that surrounds us, and like fast food is to fresh, organic and sustainable food…a standardized, homogenous house is to a simpler, sustainable and more intimate home.
The difference between our urban sprawl and a Slow Home is not defined by style, size, age, type or cost but by the quality and intent of the underlying design. It is not formulaic, but rather very personal. It’s about:
- The space as a whole, seamlessly supporting the daily lives of the people living in it
- How efficiently the space is organized and flows
- How effectively each individual room functions.
- The overall simplicity of beauty and design
- A sustainable and healthy environment
- Supporting community through the use of local materials and product wherever possible
The idea is to reduce, re-use, re-purpose and recycle. This isn’t a new concept; it’s just that in our new economy we’ve become more aware of this…again. People downsizing, rightsizing, and simplifying.
What can you do to begin to create a Slow Home right now, right where you are?
- Re-Purpose-donate, give away, have a garage sale for all the things you no longer use or need.
- Re-Cycle: declutter and get rid of all the old paperwork and broken objects , turning them into something productive.
- Re-Fresh: paint your home…color as paint is the least expensive way to re-fresh the look and feel of a space.
- Re-Energize: move your furniture around. Things that never move are stagnant and create stagnant energy. By simply moving things and cleaning out, energy will be able to move freely again.
- Re-Integrate: move into your space as if it was brand new. Look at it without putting traditional names to the space. Perhaps you could re-purpose a room. For example could the formal dining room you never use better serve you and your family as a library, office or craft room?
- Re-do: it is more sustainable to renovate your existing home, making it more user friendly for you and your family then to sell and buy new. Even in the current housing market there are certain trends that are emerging that will add value to your home plus beauty and emotional satisfaction to your everyday life!
What will you do to create your Slow Home?
You can listen to the show through the link below…Cheers!
SustainableLife081710IreneTurner
Slow Food Movement
Posted by Irene Turner in Sustainability, Taste on August 3, 2010
As our lives continue to speed up… communication zipping around the world in a matter of seconds and an overload of information coming at us from all directions…we have lost track of a way of life that connects us to each other and our communities. The Slow Movement is a global and cultural shift toward slowing down life’s pace at a personal and local level.
The Slow Movement began in Italy with Carlo Petrini’s protest against the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in Piazza di Spagna, Rome that sparked the creation of Slow Food and the Slow Food organization. Over time, this developed into a subculture in other areas, such as Slow Money, Slow Travel, Slow Shopping, Slow Parenting and now Slow Home which is creating the Slow Movement. And it all began with…Slow Food.
Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment. It’s goal, to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. To do that, Slow Food brings together pleasure and responsibility, and makes them inseparable.
Technological advances have meant that the way we work and live is different from the way we used to. We often spend time isolated in our own world and are less involved with others, therefore less connected in general. Slow Food aims to address the issue of ‘time poverty’ through making connections with:
- our community
- our family
- our food
- our food source
- our selves
The video below is a great look into Slow Food from Southwest Florida
I am lucky enough to live in the Slow Food Capital of the US…San Francisco’s Bay area, thanks to Alice Waters, well know food activist, pioneer of California cuisine and owner of Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley (listed as one of the 50 best restaurants world wide)! The closest Slow Food chapter to me is Russian River …One of the best things about living here is the appreciation for, the recognition of and the abundance of fresh local produce. It is my pleasure to be able to go to our local farmers market on Sunday mornings…wander the stalls for yummy treats for our meals, run into friends and spend a leisurely morning slowing down. This Slow Movement is what keeps my life in balance, and is a nice break from my daily instant access to the world at large through my computer and the daily juggle of my to do list!
Catch a glimpse and enjoy the view of a slow Sunday spent enjoying the beautiful and delicious treats from my local community.
In what way do you slow down in your life? I’d love to know. Share it with me here by leaving a comment.
Cheers!
Yurts Can Be Beautiful!-via Santa Rosa Interior Design
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Sustainability on July 28, 2010
What is a Yurt?
A yurt is a portable, felt covered, wood lattice-framed dwelling structure used by nomads and others in the steppes and cities of Central Asia. The very word yurt is originally from the Turkic word that means “dwelling place” in the sense of “homeland”. Yurts are centuries old and they are thought to have originated in Mongolia and what is now Turkey, Northern Iran and Afghanistan, by nomadic tribes.
Yurt Info speaks of the origins of the yurt, otherwise known as the ger:
Trees were scarce, so the herders drew from their animals to create shelter. They layered sheep’s wool, sprinkled it with water and worked it into felted mats.Roof struts made from saplings were slipped into a central wooden ring, then tied to the top of circular lattice walls and covered with the felted mats. The herders tied the felt to the roof and walls with ropes and belts made from animal hair. In the winter extra mats were added for warmth; in the summer fewer layers were used. Sections could be raised or even completely removed in hot weather to allow for airflow through the shelter.
The original word for “nomad” came from a word for felt, making the nomads “felt people”. These felt people called their circular, lattice-walled shelters “home. It was a shelter that enabled them to live sustainably in the harshest of climates, to move with their herds, to live in tribal communities and raise their families century upon century in a manner that was simple yet comfortable and in balance with the world around them.
For Mongolians, the ger is more than their traveling shelter on the Asian steppes; it is their centering point in a moving universe. The internal floor plan of the ger is based on the four directions, much like the Native American Medicine Wheel or the Navajo hogan. The door always opens to the south. Opposite the door, sacred space is to the North. If the family is Buddhist, this is where the altar sits. It is also the place of the seat of honor for guests.
The circularity of the yurt is perfect for nomadic uses. The circle encompasses the greatest space possible internally for the amount of materials used. At the same time, the circular shape leaves the least amount of exterior surface exposed to the elements (thus making it more efficient to heat) and leaves fewer surfaces exposed to wind, which very naturally moves around it since there are no corners.
When North Americans use the term “yurt”, they are referring, not to the Central Asian ger, but to a version made from modern materials, including steel aircraft cable and architectural fabrics. Behind the development of this new form of shelter lies a story of visionary designers and a movement committed to principles of simplicity and sustainability. And I’ve found that many of them can be very beautiful.
One of my favorite companies is a yurt to go company. They are literally making “tent” yurts that can be set up by two people in about an hour…a great idea for:
- a private home office space
- a guest room
- a pool room
- a play room
- a meditation space
- a yoga studio
- a art studio
Check out these yurt images and tell me that you don’t think they are a Little Bit of Beauty™! Now tell me…could you see yourself in one? And how?
For more information on Yurts to vacation in or to buy, check these out:
shelter systems
Colorado Yurts
Rainier Yurts
Scottish Storytelling Yurts
Treebones Resort-Big Sur
One Of Places-Europe
3 R’s-Reduce, ReUse, ReCycle
Posted by Irene Turner in Sustainability on July 7, 2010
If you think that one person can’t have an impact, think again. A couple of weeks ago my cousin from Germany came to visit us with his family. His oldest son has only been studying english for two years and seemed to be fluent. One way he was taught English was an assignment to find something to memorize. He chose Jack Johnson’s song the 3 R’s. He not only learned all the words by heart, but he also did a whole report, in english, about the 3 R’s, with Jack Johnson’s lyrics as the bases, and started a 3R campaign in his school!
What exactly are the 3 R’s? For those of you who don’t know…here from Sheryl Eisenberg and the Natural Resources Defense Council is the simplest explanation I found…
- Reduce: Reduce means using fewer resources in the first place. This is the most effective of the three R’s and the place to begin. It is also, I think, the hardest because it requires letting go of some very American notions, including: the bigger the better, new trumps old and convenience is next to godliness…Reduce is a comparative word. It says:cut back from where you are now….
- Reuse: Before you recycle or dispose of anything, consider whether it has life left in it….Reusing keeps new resources from being used for a while longer, and old resources from entering the waste stream. It’s important as it is unglamorous. Think about how you can do more.
- Recycle: Recycling is the R that has caught on the best. Partly, this is because there are so many curbside recycling programs today…What keeps it from being a total piece of cake is the rules. Every municipality has its own, and they are not always as straightforward as they could be.…read more
For those of you who have children, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has a great kid’s page to help teach them these habits. Wouldn’t it be great if all our kids learned this at home and in school, by our example and through educational investigation?
The point of this whole matter for me is that Jack Johnson, one man who is environmentally minded created a song (see the video below)… And, established the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, to support environmental, art and music education now and into the future. As part of his 2010 world tour, the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation will offer direct and matching donations to All At Once partner non-profits. Jack Johnson will once again donate 100% of his 2010 tour profits (as he did in 2008) to charity. His influence is such that he inspired one child around the world in Munich, Germany to memorize his song, and lead his class in a 3 R campaign.
While we all may not be Jack Johnson, we, each and every one of us, can start practicing the 3 R’s today and teach our children and grandchildren to leave our world a better place then how we found it!
Nature is God made visible. Nature is God known through our senses. When we love and serve nature, we are worshiping the Supreme Being.
~ Amma
Saving our planet is truly a Little Bit of Beauty™!
A Design Dilemma…Green vs. Blue?
Posted by Irene Turner in Home, Sustainability, Work space on April 22, 2010
Here we are, 40 years after the very first Earth Day, and I have a dilemma…
As a designer I am torn on the subject of water features as a design element. With the evidence of the water crisis continuing to mount it seems irresponsible as a professional to propagate this issue. Yet…I love the sound of trickling water, the feel of water in the environment, the visual beauty of water walls, and am guilty of having designed them! However, I think there is an option.
Vertical Gardens. Yes, a green wall, instead of a blue one. We’ve seen them…mostly on the outside of buildings or on roof tops. Patrick Blanc has been touted as the inventor of the concept of a vertical garden and is famous for his many large scale installations. You can see his work in the video below. But, on a smaller scale, in the home or office? Yes, it can be done there too, and quite beautifully.
Think of these lush green walls or table tops as both practical and as living art. Plant a living picture by framing them, or…
grow your favorite cooking herbs in them (by the way, this helps your whole kitchen smell good too),
create a feature wall
hide an ugly balcony wall…
There are many creative ideas and ways to incorporate them in the inside and outside of a living space! Not only are they visually exciting, garden walls also help purify the air, and in dry climates help keep the humidity up. They are also quite easy to make with the help of planting panels. So get creative yourself…and to get inspired…take a look at some of Patrick Blanc’s beautiful work!
Are You a Change Agent?
Posted by Irene Turner in Giving Back, Sustainability on April 19, 2010
There is no doubt about it, we live in a time of change!
While the media and many people are touting all the negative issues and events that happen in our world, I personally am quite optimistic and inspired by the positive movements I see happening at a grass roots level through individuals, projects and organizations. Some I’ve already talked about such as Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, David de Rothschild’s expedition the Plastiki and the Global Let’s Colour Project by AkzoNobel . These are all agents of change and transformation.
Recently I came across another change agent, Four Years.Go who’s purpose is to change the course of history. Really.
Their creed is that we are living in a time of unparalleled opportunity. And, that while there are tremendous dangers it is clear that we already possess all the technologies and practical solutions required to resolve the crises confronting us.
There are powerful transformative trends that are emerging and shaping a world ripe with new possibilities, such as:
- Communication technology that is connecting people globally, creating the beginnings of a global consciousness
- We understand and are re-establishing a deep inter-connection with all of nature
- Our sense of preservation and self interest has elevated sustainability to an everyday concern
These trends fundamentally change the playing field and open up endless options for the future. What they feel is missing is a collective sense of possibility, and the political and popular will to act collectively and globally! Their belief is that there is a limited window of opportunity, maybe just four years, to execute a turn around; four years for people to get motivated and involved; four years to apply solutions we already know; four years that can determine the quality of life on this planet for the next 1,000 years. 2014!
FOUR YEARS. GO. is a campaign to get humanity to take its future into its own hands, to wake up, and to motivate oourselves into action. And to do it now!
FOUR YEARS. GO. is a rallying call asking us all to…
- Wake Up to the profound opportunity we have now to create a future to match our deepest longing and greatest dreams
- Become change agents in redirecting humanity’s current path into one of sustainability
- And, to Do it now!
You can join this campaign and help spread the word; You can join WiserEarth, a free online community space connecting people, nonprofits and businesses to work toward a just and sustainable world; and you can follow both FourYearsGo and Wiser Earth on Face Book and Twitter.
Please help spread this movement by sharing with your friends and on Face Book and Twitter! Uplifting our World is a beautiful thing!
Are you a change agent? And what does a change agent mean in your industry?
Would You Live in an Abandoned Mental Hospital?
Posted by Irene Turner in Home, Sustainability on April 12, 2010
In February of this year I read an article in Fast Company. The headline was the one you see above…Would you live in an Abandoned Mental Hospital? Well…intriguing! First thought…a resounding NO…second thought…why not?
Kjellgren Kaminsky Architecture, an award winning architecture firm based in Göteborg, Sweden, plans to turn one of Sweden’s old, ugly mental hospitals into a sustainable apartment complex. Dubbed Parkour, it not only addresses the “green” aspects of re-use rather then tear down, but also addresses another major social issue by offering a sense of community to residents. They feel that in Sweden (like much of the rest of the “civilized” western world) people are actually dying of loneliness as they miss that sense of extended family, community or tribe.
So their plan is to redesign the hospital into a series of apartments for families and singles. With common areas (spa, lounge, pool, gym, theater) running through the building. The building will also be fitted with solar cells, solar panels and small wind turbines to harvest renewable energy sources. Local food production on the roof reduces needs for transportation and adds a safe and organic source for residents food. Rainwater is collected to be reused for the irrigation of the greenhouses and for flushing toilets.
Each apartment is designed in two parts to create flexibility. The first part is a static and compact area that includes kitchen, shower, toilet, laundry, some storage, ventilation, electrical installations, media outlet, sockets and switches. The second part is built up of super-flexible zones that grow, shrink, disappear and come back depending on daily needs and desires through the use of movable walls.
Personally I think this is a great idea on all fronts. As a designer who works with Energetics of Space™, it is clear to me that the re-use of this space is a great service. In an era of re-use, re-cycle, it’s better then tearing it down…A thoughtful and beautiful design and use of the space will uplift all who live there…and community is a key trend as we move further into the 21st century. It’s quantum physics that says while energy will never go away, it can be transformed. And this project sounds like a great way to transform what was once perceived as a “bad, ugly & negative” place into something truly inspiring. Good job!
What do you think…would you live in an abandoned Mental Hospital?
5 Eco-Friendly Bathroom Trends
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Home, Sustainability on April 1, 2010
With a growing awareness of the environment, many consumers are starting to invest in more environmentally-friendly bathroom features. Designer bathrooms, which use stylish eco-friendly products, prove that green doesn’t mean frumpy.
Universal design
Refers to making your home convenient, efficient, and safe for family members of all ages. Designing for accessibility and ergonomic efficiency supports the tenants of green building as it makes your home “people-friendly.” Includes such things as:
- no curb showers
- room for wheel chair access
- grab bars (that don’t have to look institutional anymore!)
- wheelchair access sink
Floors
- Bamboo
- Reclaimed Wood
- Re-cyled Tile
- Marmoluem—Pretty, inexpensive, and durable. This is made from some of the most sustainable materials ever offered (linseed oil, wood flour, rosin, limestone, and jute.) It now comes in a whole new line of fantastic colors. It’s warm, and feels good on the feet.
Countertops & Tile
- Enviromode is a new surface made from pre-consumer Kohler toilets, tubs and sinks. It brings the ancient craft of Terrazzo into the 21st century by combining a choice of epoxy resin or cementitious binder with crushed, recycled porcelain chips.glass tiles made of recycled glass.
- Vetrazzo or Ice Stone for counter tops.
- re-cycled glass for bold, colorful and graphic designs!
Energy
- Insulating your water heater and lowering the thermostat to 120 degrees makes a difference in the amount of energy used to heat your water
- Energy efficient lighting
Water
- The idea that the bathroom should be a relaxing sanctuary has resulted in showers with lots of jets, huge shower heads on horizontal arms and double showers for couples to enjoy together. Although this sounds like a contradiction of the water saving ethos, all new showerheads on the market are required to have a water-efficiency rating. And of course low-flow showerhead can reduce water consumption by 30%
- A grey water converter…saves the water used from the shower or bath to a collection container and can be used for watering your garden
- If your bathroom’s toilet has been updated since 1994, when a federal mandate was issued, then you have a “low-flow toilet” that uses 1.6 gallons per flush; before that, a toilet might flush 3.5 gallons each time you hit the handle. So if you haven’t replaced your toilet in the last 15 years or so, that’s definitely job one; if you have, here are some other options that’ll save even more water.
- Eco Bath System by designer Jang Woo Seok, is a new concept that combines the functions of a sink and toilet bowl. Drawing inspiration from the natural flow of water on earth, the Eco Bath System accumulates the water used to wash your hands and reuses it to clean the toilet. This inspirational design satisfies the consumers in terms of efficiency as well as design.
Did You Know?
- 21% of household water use comes from the shower
- 26% of household water use comes from flushing the toilet
- The average American uses 80 to 100 gallons of water a day. The rest of the world, on average, uses 2.5 gallons
Bon Voyage Plastiki
Posted by Irene Turner in Sustainability on March 25, 2010
As you can see, I’m on a roll of exploring global projects that inspire, call attention to specific issues, AND create something beautiful. Here…Plastiki, a work of modern art!
The Plastiki is the name of the sailing vessel which adventurer and environmentalist David de Rothschild and a four-man/one-woman crew
will sail across the Pacific Ocean. On March 20th, after nearly 4 years of development the Plastiki (a 60-foot catamaran made from post consumer plastic water and soda bottles) finally sailed off on its big adventure!
Taking inspiration from Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947, The Plastiki will navigate over 11,000 nautical miles for an estimated 3 months, sailing from San Francisco to Australia’s world famous Sydney Harbour. They plan to visit several sites of ecological importance or which are susceptible to environmental issues along the way.
Engineered by a number of experts in the field of sustainable design, boat building, architecture, materials and innovative design technology, the Plastiki is built almost entirely from 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles that provide 68% of the boat’s buoyancy. Plus reclaimed items such as the mast (an aluminium irrigation pipe) and a uniquely recyclable and relatively unexplored material that has never been developed to make anything like a boat before. This has the potential to revolutionize the future of boat-building and beyond. It includes thin-film solar panels and wind turbines, rain catchment system, edible garden for on-boat food production. For more information about details of the boat itself, check out Michelle Kaufmann’s blog!
On a journey that will last up to 100 days the crew will battle with the elements of the Pacific, the challenges of a one of a kind boat and witness some of the most devastating waste accumulation on our planet. Its been a long time coming, and for the crew and supporting team this is a very special mission, one which will rethink waste as a resource and bring attention to global warming and the rising oceans in the Pacific.
David noted, “So many things come wrapped in plastic. We’re practically wrapping the world in plastic.” He would like to reverse the current rate at which the world consumes and throws away 80% of all plastic bottles, while recyclying only 20%. “What if we could recycle 80%?”
To see them set sail check out abc’s clip, and to hear about their inspiration and their mission, check out the clip below! And…you can follow their progress through Facebook, Twitter and their blog.
Bon Voyage Plastiki!
Designing the Sanford Wine Tasting Room
Posted by Irene Turner in Projects, Sustainability, Taste, Work space on March 3, 2010
Every now and then I have to tell you about a really fun project.Sanford Wine Tasting room was just that. The wine tasting room is located at Rancho La Rinconada 40 minutes north of Santa Barbara. With the success of the movie Sideways, millions of filmgoers discovered Sanford, which was the first stop on the characters’ Santa Barbara wine county tour. While I am an avid lover of Pinot Noir living in Pinot country, Sideways introduced Pinot Noir to a host of international wine drinkers not yet familiar with this great varietal. Thanks in large part to the Terlato Wine Group and Sanfords’ winemaker Steve Fennell , Sanford is considered one of the top 5 vineyards for Pinot in the United States!
The tasting room is a two-story California Mission style structure, and was built using green construction techniques. The wood is recycled salvaged lumber from an old barn purchased in Washington State and transported to and milled on site. The facade consists of native California stone at its base and more than 15,000 handmade adobe bricks, also made on site, for the exterior walls. Wine & Spirits magazine cited Sanford as one of the top examples of winery architectural design in the U.S. in 2006.
The owners, the Terlato Wine Group, wanted to remain true to the feeling of the architecture, history of the area and location off 101 which was part of the California Mission Trail. So my instructions were to give it an old world feel, and a look of the old mission trading posts found along the original El Camino Real. The basic display pieces were made by authentic Mexican craftsmen from DeMejico. And, the wine tasting bar was made out of the left over salvaged lumber. Art work includes Terlato family photos and original paintings by local plein air artist, BJ Stapen. The textile wall hangings were also woven especially for the tasting room by Alicia Blackwell, a local weaver, to help with sound issues. All the original art is for sale! It will take some time, and a continued collection of accessories and unique product to turn it into a complete “trading post “, so keep coming back to see all the changes.
Sanford is located midway between Buellton and Lompoc in Santa Barbara County, just off Hwy. 101, at 5010 Santa Rosa Road. Stop by and enjoy a great glass of wine in an amazing setting…say Irene sent you…just for fun!
In the meantime…enjoy a virtual tour!
2010 Year of the Tiger
Posted by Irene Turner in Holidays, Sustainability on February 16, 2010
According to tales and legends, the beginnings of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nien. Nien would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after the Nien ate the food they prepared, it wouldn’t attack any more people. Also, people noted that the Nien was scared of the color red. Therefore, every time when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns, red spring scrolls on windows and paint their doors red. People also used firecrackers to scare away the Nien. The Nien was eventually captured by an ancient Taoist monk and became his mount.
All this and more make up how Chinese New Year is celebrated today. Starting with a thorough house cleaning (like our spring cleaning) symbolizing the sweeping away any of ill-fortune and making way for good luck; To painting front doors red, hanging red lanterns, gifting money in red envelopes; And feasting the night of the New Year, ending the celebration with a firework display, are all part of the lore and festivities welcoming in the New Year.
On February 14, 2010, the Chinese lunar calendar rolled into the Year of the Tiger. Unfortunately, the plight of wild tigers doesn’t call for much celebration. Three subspecies have been driven to extinction in the past century alone and experts estimate there are as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild. The good news is that you can help secure a future for these magnificent animals by joining World Wildlife Fund and help to double the number of wild tigers by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger. The year of the Tiger is a great way to increase awareness of these beautiful animals!
OneHope Wine: A Business Model That Gives Back
Posted by Irene Turner in Giving Back, Sustainability, Taste on February 4, 2010
Our California Wine country is all about wine and food, and good wine and food at that! So it takes a lot to get me excited about another new wine. ONEHOPE did though!
It is a good everyday wine that has designed a GREAT business model, one that is all about giving back. ONEHOPE isn’t a charity, but a for-profit enterprise that donates 50% of it’s profits to partner charities through the creation of cause specific varietals of wine. The wines are all priced under $20 and can be purchased in 10 states and ordered on line in 26 more.
Based in Newport, CA a band of eight altruistic 20-something’s headed by the company’s 25 year old founder, Jake Kloberdanz and partnering with winemaker David Elliot of the Sonoma Wine Company, they conceived a “caused-based” business plan that donates from each of its labels to an apt cause such as the environment, autism, our troops, breast cancer and aids.
Grapes are harvested and the wines made and bottled by David Elliot right here in Graton, (literally one mile from my house). And, in addition to this already inspiring story, the Sonoma Wine Company is committed to reducing its footprint on the environment and local community through resource conservation, solid waste management and state-of-the-art waste water treatment technology. Sonoma Wine Company is a member of the Sonoma County Green Business program and the Wine Institute’s Sustainable Winegrowing Program!
ONEHOPE has also created a Charity Affiliate Program, or CHAP for short, to create a cause specific varietal for your favorite charities or fundraising group. To participate, you would simply submit a logo and the vital information about your fundraiser or charity. After reviewing and processing your request, they will then create a custom microsite connected to their existing ONEHOPE Wine site.
It is clear that the idea behind ONEHOPE Wine is larger than just wine; it’s really a brand that stands for hope and unity of purpose. It is in every sense a culture, a lifestyle, and an umbrella under which many causes can be served and millions of lives made better. Wouldn’t it be great if we saw more businesses designing their business model this way? It’s “a little bit of beauty”. So, raise your glass to good taste, giving back and sustainability with a little bit of Red Red Wine ..!
SALUTE
A Glimpse Into Future Housing-The Lumenhaus
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Sustainability on January 26, 2010
I recently read about LUMENHAUS and fell in love with the design, the technology and a glimpse into what housing can be like for our children! Designed by a collaboration of Virginia Tech Students from different academic departments, the 800 square foot LUMENHAUS was their 2009 entry to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competition.
LUMEN means “the power of light.” HAUS is a reference to the BauHaus movement, and architect Mies Van Der Rohe, whose Farnsworth House inspired LUMENHAUS. LUMENHAUS does more than literally deliver a brighter day, however. LUMENHAUS epitomizes a “whole building design” construction approach, in which all the home’s components and systems have been designed to work together to maximize user comfort with environmental protection.
LUMENHAUS uses technology optimally to make the owner’s life simpler, more energy efficient and less expensive. On the cutting edge of responsive architecture, LUMENHAUS can operate completely self sufficiently, responding to environmental changes automatically to balance energy efficiency with user comfort.
LUMENHAUS is a zero-energy home that is completely powered by the sun. Other sustainable features include the use of passive energy systems, radiant heating and building materials that are from renewable and/or recyclable sources. The house is set up to produce more energy than it needs which means it is giving back to the environment even on lazy days.
Because I am so blown away, tickled actually, with this house I am including two videos that show this fabulous design in technological and physical detail. I simply had to include the second video on the kitchen as this is always the biggest challenge in small housing, and they dealt with it efficiently and beautifully! They are well worth the view. Let me know if you are as blown away as I am, I’d love to hear.
Green Pre Fab Home
Posted by Irene Turner in Architecture, Home, Nature, Sustainability on December 7, 2009
Pre Fab Homes can stand for Pretty Fabulous! Marin based Michelle Kaufmann first came out with her eco friendly, pre fabricated glidehouse in 2004 and it’s is still a beautiful and viable answer to modern home construction in our world today.
The Glidehouse was designed “to collaborate with nature.” Built with eco-materials and made for solar, wind, or geothermal power, the “glide” in the prefab house’s name refers to both the wall of sliding glass on one side of the building and the bank of storage opposite. Sliding wood panels give you the option to use the shelves either as display or as a hidden clutter-catcher. Naturally, the glass wall helps out with lighting and heating, meaning the electricity bill will be lower even if you do connect the Glide to the grid.
Some eco features of the Glidehouse include:
- using healthy finishes such as non-toxic paints and formaldehyde-free cabinetry.
- meets the Energy Star® program standards for energy efficient homes and meets the performance standards of the American Lung Association Health House program.
- insulated with an air-barrier, open cell foam insulation, and all wood-to-wood framing joints are caulked, which makes the home airtight, energy efficient, and less likely to produce mold.
- uses water-saving plumbing fixtures, on-demand water heaters, and a mechanical ventilation system that is 30% more efficient than typical forced-air systems.
- energy efficient, dual-pane glass windows and doors are placed throughout the home maximizes cross-ventilation and natural lighting, minimizing the need for artificial lighting and climate control.
Since 2004, Michelle and other architects and designers have come out with other models that have expanded on, and hopefully are changing, the notion of what a pre fab or modular home can be.
While Michelle has recently closed her company she has joined forces with BluHomes, a privately owned business that uses quality design, sustainable materials and leading technology to build pretty fabulous pre fab homes.
There are many design elements that still need to be improved to be totally energy efficient. However, I am encouraged by the strides that Michelle and other designers have made to design beauty wholistically. A design and construction model that is sustainable and more affordable then our traditional construction practices. I believe that this is another way that our world is changing for the better as we move forward in the 21st Century. Take a tour and hear Michelles philosophy below.
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