ECO DESIGNER WATER BOTTLES

We all know that drinking clean water and plenty of it is highly important! How better to do this than to carry around an ultra stylish water bottle.


These EARTHLUST eco friendly water bottles are made (ethically!) in China but designed and tested in California. There is no BPA, Phthalates or PVC worries with these stainless steel bottles - only super cool stylish design.

We love them all the more as they fit perfectly with the DesignerEco botanical look in our favourite yellow and green colors.

Better still they are reasonably priced - currently on sale at LovingEco.com - click the images to go through to site.

ECO LIGHTING - BEER BOTTLE CHANDELIER

Now it's not often I go out and get 'blurry' photos late at night... but I thought I would share this inspiring chandelier. Found in an 'interesting' nightspot (perhaps you can tell by the wall mural) in Pacific Beach, San Diego - at 1am I thought this was a real find!

Made out of beer bottles I thought this was a fabulous design. It's not so stylish for the living room but you know for a street bar it works!

DesignerEco are always on the look out for inventive creations like this (particularly ones alcoholic beverage related ones ) so if you know of any body that creates this type of thing or have some shots of your own you would like to share please email us hello@Designereco.com

HOTELS ARE GOING GREEN

Reporting on Hotels going green from the ASID.

More and more, the hospitality industry is finding that the cost of sustainability is a good investment.

Whilst LEED projects do cost more, and the owner has to buy into the concept, the return on investment from a savings (waste managment, energy etc) as well as from a marketing perspective should make the case. “A LEED hotel will generally cost 20 to 25 percent more,” says Connie Jackson, ASID, senior designer with Wilson Associates in Dallas.

In line with the principles behind DesignerEco the article recognises the responsibility of the designer to learn and understand all about the product, particularly if it is being produced overseas. There is a trend to source in America now which not only is  great for the economy but quality is improving also.  I hear all sorts of problems about delays, quality issues, finishes being different etc from hospitality designers when sourcing from China. 

It is the future and more and more hoteliers are embracing it. Read more.

  

ECO SONG - THE IPOD IN THE ITREE

The ITREE! Using a special technique to ensure optimum sound quality here is a super cool beautifully designed natural speaker system. The ITree is a high quality Iphone & Ipod docking station made out of a REAL hollowed out tree! 

It is compatible with any Apple IPhone, IPod, W Lan stream unit or CD player, and for those eco-friendly DJs can be fitted with a turntable!

Handmade in Southern Austria by carpenters each tree is made from either cherry, polar or spruce. The Designers KMKG believe that good design is about the people behind the project, the workers. The ITree was only made possible by the right people and in the right place.

At www.DesignerEco.comwe love the design, the natural locally sourced materials and the acknowledgement of the team behind the product. Now if only we can get the designers to work with some of our craftsmen in Southern California….  

ORGANIC FOOD - WHY WE PAY MORE?

We have written before about detoxifying life through eating healthily but I feel more needs to be said around the reasons organic food costs more.

• Organic companies often have to buy more expensive packaging if they opt for recycled paper/plastic or ones that can decompose
• Organic feed for livestock costs more
• Organic crops quite often have a shorter shelf life 
• Soil preparation, planting harvesting pest and weed control require more labor
• Natural pesticides and other forms of pest management are more expensive
• Crop rotation is used to not only fertilize the soil effectively but also to interrupt the disease, weed and insect cycles. Crop rotation is more expensive to operate

So really we should be supporting our Organic farmers who are toiling away in those fields using natural methods and products to keep our food chemical and toxin free.

Above all - you get better flavor. That is worth paying for!

ECO NEWS - ECO TILE

Green Square Certification for Tiles

The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) has announced a new sustainability standard  for tile and tile-installation products. The Green Squared Certified program includes ceramic and glass tiles, grouts, mortars, trowelable membranes, polymer additives, backer boards, underlayments, and crack isolation/waterproof membranes.

Like DesignerEco, Green Squared takes a balanced approach to the criteria it uses in it's certification. It establishes criteria across the broad range of environmental and social issues, including environmental product characteristics, environmental product manufacturing and raw material extraction, innovation, end of product life management and progressive corporate governance. 

(Courtesy of Tile Council of North America)

Products independently evaluated and certified by a third party can qualify for the Green Squared Certified mark. Manufacturers with products already certified include Crossville, Ironrock, and Porcelanite Lamosa; before Coverings begins, certification of some products should be completed for Daltile, Interceramic, LATICRETE International Inc., MAPEI, and Marazzi. Which is great news for DesignerEco who are working with Marazzi in San Diego on a project at the moment!

For your next eco project contact: hello@designereco.com.

ECO JEWELLERY - KRIS NATIONS

Its always difficult to find beautiful jewellery that suits your style.  Harder still to find jewellery that is made ethically and sustainably!  Kris Nations use recycled gold and silver to make their beautiful, stylish jewellery.

Fun and easy-to-wear, THE Blade Necklace is as stunning piece. Made in recycled sterling silver or 14k gold overlay. Pendant measures .5 x 1 inches on adjustable length chain 16-19 inches. Made in the USA. Click here to find out more.

Inspired by the mod era, the Boogaloo earrings create just the right amount of sparkle for a fun night on the town. Recycled 14k or sterling silver overlay. Earwire is made of sterling silver or 14k gold-filled. Measures approx 1.3 x 1.7 inches. Made in the USA.

 

ECO DESIGN - THE HUNGER GAMES SET LIGHTING

At the cinema last night - tense with terror and fear for Katniss - I noticed that her bedroom featured the very similar lights to ours on our www.designereco.com boutique!

I found the film very gripping, although hugely ironic that we are the same and no better than the 'Capital' people that sadistically pay to watch the hunger games and bet on who survives. Very Orwellian.

In any case - definitely worth a watch if nothing but to admire how lovely our lights look hung in series on either side of Katniss' bed!