Inhabit

Amazon’s new Aware line is exactly what eco-conscious shoppers have been waiting for from the big retailer. As a part of the company’s Climate Pledge Friendly program, Amazon Aware items are all certified as carbon neutral, and that’s just the beginning. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos The Amazon Aware line is a total shopping experience. The line includes a huge range of products that includes both men’s and women’s apparel, beauty products, household items, bed and bath stuff and various organic and recycled items. In detail, you can find everything from facial moisturizers to underwear. If you’ve been looking for […]

Nearly 50 tons of waste have been removed from the marine ecosystem in Hawaii. The final pieces of waste were collected last week when freedivers from Huawei-based nonprofit organization PapahÄ naumokuÄ kea Marine Debris Project completed their month-long mission. Among the debris that were brought onshore were 43 tons of “ghost nets” from a single coral reef.   Continue reading below Our Featured Videos The Marine Debris Project (PMDP) mission targets the collection of debris from remote uninhabited islands far off the coast of Hawaii. The 43 tons of ghost nets were recovered from KamokuokamohoaliÊ (translates to “island of the shark god”) or Maro Reef. […]

A cartoon pig being slaughtered on an assembly line. Quotes from philosophers about the suffering of critters. These aren’t your usual big-money New York billboard campaigns. But these artists aim to raise awareness of animal rights during New York Fashion Week, starting August 29, by hosting a group show displayed on billboards. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos “Taking place during one of the biggest events of the annual fashion calendar, New York Fashion Week, Animal Liberation will provide a much-needed critique of the inhumane use of animal products like fur and leather in the fashion industry,” according to a statement released […]

If you live in developed parts of the world, beware, because this article is going to talk about two things that might make you say ew: the problem of open defecation and the use of human waste as fertilizer. Many people in the world have good reason to address both of these issues. And nonprofit World Neighbors is simultaneously addressing both in rural communities in Bihar, India. The problem of open defecation Open defecation means number two happening outside a toilet. In fields, waterways, bushes, forests streets, wherever. The countries where this happens most are India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Ethiopia. […]

Polestar, the Swedish maker of sustainable cars, has created a modern tree house called KOJA. With a mid-century flare and entirely made of sustainable materials, this is one cool experiment in designing a micro-living space. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos The idea behind KOJA was to reimagine sustainable travel. KOJA was designed by Finnish designer Kristian Talvitie, who also received an honorable mention in the 2021 Polestar Design Contest. In preparation for the 2022 contest launch, Polestar decided to build the KOJA tree house. Related: Chic tiny house connects to outdoors with unique features Further, KOJA was built in the […]

Wave Swell Energy, an Australian clean energy company, developed an extraordinary wave energy harvesting platform. Named UniWave 200, the platform is capable of harvesting much more energy from sea waves than other similar technologies. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos UniWave is a floatable device that can be towed to the desired destination anywhere on the ocean. Once installed, the device can be collected to the local grid, where it delivers the electricity generated. Related: First-of-its-kind device prototype harnesses renewable energy from ocean waves Although there have been many devices developed previously to harness wave energy, UniWave 200 operates in a […]

For years, my ex-boyfriend mocked my vegan diet, calling it “beets and sawdust.” Turns out, he was onto something. NoA Biosciences has found a way to turn sawdust and wood residue into burgers. NoA stands for “no animal.” The company is based in Durham, North Carolina and was cofounded by French biotech entrepreneur Gilles Amsallem and Dutch executive Koen Wentink, who serves as CEO. Related: First 100% plant-based burger joint in the US “In a nutshell, we convert woody biomass into a substrate on which mushrooms grow,” Wentink said. “That biomass can be anything: sawdust, wood residue left over from wood […]

Jury prize winner in the “Unbuilt Hospitality” category at the A+ Awards 2022 from Architizer goes to these gorgeous autonomous summer homes designed by iraisynn attinom for Santorini in Greece. The island of Thira in the Aegean Sea is now home to these stunning sustainable residencies that mimic local architecture. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos According to the architects, the goals of the design were to include protection from northwest winds, a view of the sea and the Mediterranean volcanic landscape as well as privacy for residents. In addition, Santorini is a part of a group of islands that are […]

With housing market challenges, the tiny house is seeing a huge influx to service both the lack of affordable housing for first-time home buyers as well as people looking to downsize their lives. As a designer who embarks on the long journey of building from the ground up, I find that managing my clients’ expectations before we build anything always makes the process smoother for them. If you’re thinking of shrinking your life, here are some basic considerations to factor into your decision. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Tiny houses fall into two categories: those with wheels and the stationery […]

The essence of great design is in the visual appeal, yet smart design includes consideration for the environment, too. With this in mind, commercial furnishings expert Stylex recently released an accent table constructed from natural materials and designed to last. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos The multi-purpose table, called Umo because of the U, M, and O shapes in the construction, works in both residential and commercial settings. It can be used as a side table in living rooms, lounges, workspaces and more.  As much art as furniture, the sculpted design of Umo is a welcome addition to a wide […]

Growing a garden has never been easier. Even if you have poor soil, no garden space or limited sunlight, the Lettuce Grow Farmstand allows you to grow fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits with very little time or effort.  The Farmstand is a self-contained unit that can support up to 36 plants. It requires at least six hours of direct sunlight outside and a place to plug it in so the pump can receive power. With the addition of grow lights, you can move the Farmstand indoors where it will receive 14 hours of controlled light for optimal growth. You don’t even […]

Good product design incorporates function and aesthetics. Great product design bundles in adaptability and natural materials. Köllen Loop is a coat rack that does all of the above.  Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Designed by a young professional designer from Barcelona, Paula Terra’s idea is a fresh perspective on a long-standing classic. Köllen Loop is versatile enough to be used as a freestanding coat rack or a wall-mounted unit. The adaptability of the design is purposely intended to serve a variety of purposes. It’s what makes the product useful for an assortment of different applications in commercial or residential settings. […]

The Al Dana Amphitheater is an open-air performance space built in the Sakhir Desert, Bahrain, that hosts live events under the stars. Designed by S/L Architects, the project seeks to connect with nature through its context-specific design and minimal environmental footprint. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos S/L Architects’ design of the project maximizes the site’s natural characteristics and environmental features to amplify visitors’ experiences. This includes taking into consideration the natural terrain, sun path and prevailing winds to create the architects’ desired atmosphere. Related: This breezy bamboo amphitheater pops up in just 25 days The amphitheater’s fan-shaped form is carved […]

Madrid’s Ombú, a historic office building used by the Spanish infrastructure and energy company ACCIONA, has just reopened with a sustainable new design. This retrofit project makes a beautiful brick and glass building into a space aiming to revive the local area around it. Ombú has over 100,000 square feet of new office space and combines private and public land with sustainable green space that extends to the adjoining Méndez Álvaro station. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Ombú achieves a 1.0 Ecological Footprint as its carbon emissions will be absorbed by the current capacity of Earth. As required by the […]

When it comes to meal kits, convenience is undeniable. Fresh and packaged food is delivered directly to your door, often with an included recipe and everything you need for a meal that can feed several people. An increasing number of companies are providing the service, with options now catering to different lifestyles and dietary restrictions. As is often the case, convenience can come at a cost to the environment. While fresh ingredients are a healthy choice for you and your family, transportation emissions and packaging used in delivering those meal kits can create an unintended impact.  U.S. Packaging & Wrapping, an […]

Officials at California’s Redwood National Park issued a statement prohibiting members of the public from visiting Hyperion, the world’s tallest tree. The statement issued last week details that anyone found near the tree can face a jail term of up to six months and a $5000 fine. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Hyperion has been certified by the Guinness World Records to be the tallest living tree in the world today. It was first discovered by naturalists in 2006 and has since then attracted environmentalists, thrill seekers and media personalities. Although the tree sits deep in the park in a location without […]

It only takes one uncooperative volcano to ruin all our plans to save the planet, no matter how many of us go vegan, compost our food waste and buy electric cars. Scientists are now saying that the enormous January explosion of an underwater volcano in Tonga may have really messed up Earth’s ozone layer. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Quick review: The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted on January 15 of this year, sending shock waves around the planet. It caused tsunamis and sent up an awesome ash plume that triggered 590,000 lightning strikes over three days. It was the […]

“Our starting point for this project was to illuminate what we eat and where it comes from, with the aim of cultivating a deeper understanding of the potential and maybe even surprising impacts of food choices,” said Giorgia Lupi, partner at design studio Pentagram. “Ultimately, we want to spark questions. Where does our food come from? And how do our choices affect the planet — now, and in the future?” Continue reading below Our Featured Videos This desire to inform through art is the basis for the “Around the World’s Table” installation on display at The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) […]

I’ve been writing about EVs since I drove Elon Musk’s personal first-gen Tesla Roadster for Inhabitat over 10 years ago. It wrapped my lungs around my spine on Sand Hill Road in Silicon Valley, back before Tesla had a press fleet. My, how things have changed in a decade. This year, finally, the automotive industry is rolling out the first lineup of diverse EVs in a plan to shift the entire industry electric by 2035. I drove the BMW i4 thinking it would be similar to the early 2000s BMW electric concepts that have come out over the past decade. Boy, […]

It’s June in Tamar Park, Hong Kong. As one of the most densely populated cities on the planet, greenery and other elements of nature might not come to mind. However, an art installment sits at the center of the public space and is alive with color and natural elements without actually being alive at all. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Scenic Rockery is a marriage between art and science, inspired by the mountain ranges and other landscapes in Hong Kong. Reflecting the plants found in the wild, the exhibition is composed of flowers. Further, these artificial flowers are made of […]

Big news for coffee lovers who care about the environment: Metropolis Coffee Co. is the first coffee company in the U.S. to produce compostable co-packer pods that work in Nespresso machines. Metropolis is determined to take over the U.S. coffee capsule market while keeping debris out of the landfills. “We know we won’t be the first company to introduce capsules to the U.S. in the coming years, but we want to be the first to bring truly sustainable capsules to market so people can consistently enjoy great espresso anytime, anywhere, without growing their ecological footprint,” Tony Dreyfuss, cofounder and president of […]

The Coca-Cola Company announced last Wednesday that it will be changing the packaging for its lemon drink Sprite from a green plastic bottle to a clear one. The new look will be available in the market starting this month in a move aimed at reducing the carbon and plastic footprint of the company. The new packaging bottle increases the likelihood of recycling, according to a statement released by the company. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos “Taking colors out of bottles improves the quality of the recycled material,” Julian Ochoa, CEO of R3CYCLE, a plastic group helping Coca-Cola improve its recycling, said in […]

How often do you think about where your food is sourced from? Chances are, not all that much. However, sustainable food sourcing is becoming increasingly important. Like other products we consume, the foods we eat also have individual carbon footprints. Produce that travels great distances from the farm to the table has a higher carbon footprint because of transportation and packaging. The proximity of a food source can also impact the nutritional value of the produce. Locally-sourced foods are healthier because they are fresher and picked at optimal ripeness. Since produce starts to lose nutrients shortly after being picked, locally-sourced items […]

The Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex, one of the first net-zero energy buildings in all of Los Angeles, is complete and ready to serve the public. The modern design is a beautiful model for the future. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Built on the site of the Rancho Cienega Sports Complex, the sports wing is 40,000 square feet of space encompassing a gymnasium and pool. The design is comprised of pre-engineered metal buildings. On the other hand, the exterior is full of drought-tolerant landscaping that’s designed in five distinct ecologies in a grid-like design. For example, high desert, canyon, […]

Near the coast of the Baltic Sea in a historic health resort town, Wave One, part of the European Center for Families, has already been built and is drawing in a lot of eyes. There will be a collection of five buildings in Sopot, Poland, based on the concept of ocean waves. When complete, all five green buildings will provide state-of-the-art medical care and research, and they will stand together in a linked design. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Wave One, designed by FAAB Architektura, has space for medical labs, a research and development center and administration spaces. In addition, […]

Fort Stanwix National Monument, commonly known as the fort that never surrendered to the British during America’s War of Independence 1777, has been overrun by a swarm of honeybees. Located in the city of Rome in Oneida County in New York, the port has served as a historic site for a long time, reminding Americans of their past. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos It is also said to be the first place where the stars and stripes on the U.S. flag were flown in battle. Although it is not clear which flag was used, it was the starting point for the […]

British environmentalist James Lovelock died this week on his 103rd birthday. The brilliant scientist spent much of his century-plus on Earth furthering our knowledge of the planet, and exhorting humans to take better care of it. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Lovelock was born in London in 1919. He studied medicine, chemistry and biophysics in the U.K. and U.S. He also worked in both countries, spending the 1940s and 1950s at the National Institute for Medical Research in London, and part of the 1960s at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. There he focused on the moon and Mars, rather […]

Trikonasana, or the Triangle Pose asana in yoga, was the inspiration for Atelier Marko Brajovic’s new Trikona House, a treehouse in Brazil with a livable interior. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos “Trikona House’s inspiration appeared to me during one yoga session, and the architectural structure is based on a triangular repetition system,” the architect explained of the angular structure with covered roof deck. Related: Sustainable bamboo makes up these off-grid eco-resorts The treehouse is comprised of three floors with flexible use for a total of 120 square meters. The house was built out of eucalyptus and pine with bamboo used […]

WindsorPatania Architects has set a new bar for luxury European living with their sustainable country homes. This project is energy-positive and carbon-neutral. What’s more, the knowledge gained from this design will be available for everyone to use. And when all is said and done, the building will produce more energy than it consumes in a year. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos This is Eden House, a design based on eight key principles such as biophilic design and renewable energy. Enhancing and using nature is at the heart of the design. Further, the plot is divided into different regions for specific […]

It turns out humans aren’t the only ones checking out what their neighbors are doing when looking for ideas on how to make life easier. All species adapt and evolve in a variety of ways. In fact, convergent evolution is way more common than previously thought.  Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Simply put, convergent evolution is when unrelated, or very, very distantly related species from different families develop similar traits, mostly based on their environment. Related: Dinosaur extinction caused unexpected changes in plants and fruits For example, consider sharks and dolphins. Both have smooth skin and fins that slice through […]

California Governor Gavin Newsom revived plans to construct the controversial Delta tunnel water project. On Wednesday, the state unveiled a downsized version of the original proposal. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos The new plan now comes after three years of little public activity. In the released blueprint termed Delta Conveyance, a 45-mile tunnel will be dug. It will divert water from the Sacramento River through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to farms and cities across the state. The blueprint outlines the expected environmental impact. This Environmental Impact Assessment Report is key in securing approvals for the project. Related: California rejects desalination […]

A fabulous 170-carat pink diamond discovered in Angola, Africa has been dubbed the “Lulo Rose.” It’s the largest pink diamond found in 300 years. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos “Only one in 10,000 diamonds is colored pink. So you’re certainly looking at a very rare article when you find a very large pink diamond,” Stephen Wetherall, CEO of the Lucapa Diamond Company, told The Associated Press. Related: Pandora announces switch to lab-grown diamonds The diamond got its name because it was found in the Lulo mine, owned by Lucapa. Lulo is an alluvial mine, meaning miners find stones in the […]

The Amaala Triple Bay Yacht Club is a newly designed sustainable yacht club by HKS for Saudi Arabia‘s northwestern coast in the desert. The design is part of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the local economy by encouraging growth in tourism. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos First, Amaala Triple Bay’s design aims for at least a LEED Gold standard certification. This high standard for sustainable architecture will be met by selecting certain materials and reducing waste through efficient engineering and design. Then, the use of a light steel frame minimizes concrete and promotes efficient energy use in operation. Related: […]

When the first Barbie doll emerged on the world stage in 1959, the most common careers for educated women were nurse, teacher or secretary. But Barbie never let anything – even an unrealistic hourglass figure – hold her back. She became an astronaut in 1965, four years before Americans landed on the moon. Now, the pinkish doll is going green. Her 2022 incarnation boasts four new career choices: chief sustainability officer, conservation scientist, renewable energy engineer and environmental advocate. And, coinciding with World Chimpanzee Day on July 14, the new doll honors conservation hero Dr. Jane Goodall. Jane Goodall and Barbie […]

Austria’s bike maker VELLO introduced the world’s lightest folding bike with electrical assist, called the VELLO bike. It’s under 22 pounds, the first of its kind, and made a splash at Pro-Days in Paris in early July. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos To make the world’s lightest folding e-bike, VELLO patented its lightweight 1.9 kilograms (around four pounds) titanium frame and an eight-seconds folding mechanism. Related: 14 e-bikes you’ve heard of, and some you likely haven’t “We have managed to push the boundaries for lightweight folding electric bikes. It weighs 9.9 kg, while using off-the-shelf standard component parts,” said Industrial […]

Since ancient times, schools and centers of learning have been places where the greatest minds can meet and collaborate. Seattle Central College brings this spirit with their EcoDistrict. It is a big step toward solving some serious problems to building a better future. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos Seattle Central College will become the new home for an EcoDistrict. System strategies will generate 160-degree heating for the water supply. This is achieved through pumps and this system works without the need to remove any existing hot water coils or HVAC systems. Related: Oregon State mass timber buildings sequester over 2,000 […]

Top U.S. cattle feeders sent 1000 pounds of cattle carcasses to landfills following massive deaths caused by the June heatwave, according to documents reported by Reuters. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos The deaths led to a scramble in carcass disposal, forcing the dumping of carcasses in landfills. This is contrary to the regular disposal methods of converting carcasses into pet food and fertilizer. Kansas is still experiencing high temperatures and experts predict more cattle deaths this summer. Related: Cow manure will power a renewable energy plant in Japan In preparation for the carcasses, landfill workers flattened them using loading equipment […]

Train spotters and other fans of the U.K.’s new high-speed rail network rejoiced this week when the first tunnel on the London to Birmingham route was completed. This is the first of 64 miles of intricate tunnels on this route alone. Continue reading below Our Featured Videos The new high-speed train system, known as HS2, combines aboveground and underground travel. In some places, tunnels are favored to protect the ecosystems the train will pass beneath.  For example, the mile-long Long Itchington Wood Tunnel will preserve ancient woodland. The 10-mile-long Chiltern Tunnel will be the deepest, at up to 90 meters in […]

The future of the beauty industry is green, and sustainability is no longer just a box to check off, it’s expected. Consumers are scrutinizing and demanding transparency on ethical labor, ingredients sourcing and giving back to the environment and communities. As a result, more brands are proudly vegan, natural and regenerative. The beauty industry is vast and expansive in its selections. With so many choices, deciding which brand or product to buy can be overwhelming. It’s also especially easy to get lost in the big giants of the industry. However, just take a look at these smaller businesses doing right by […]