If you’re a maker just starting out your journey in sustainability, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to get started. From understanding the types of materials to utilize, learning what steps will help reduce waste and emissions, and finding inspiring new ways to explore creativity that don’t have a negative environmental impact. The good news is there are plenty of resources available for DIYers looking for ways to make their projects more sustainable – from simple switches you can make today, big-picture ideas for longterm change, or exciting new ways makers are helping push sustainability into the future. In these blog posts we’ll look at tips tricks and ideas specifically tailored towards diyers and makers on the road to creating projects with greater eco consciousness so that not only will you create something beautiful but also respect its impact on our planet!
Autodesk has been giving away Inventor of the Month awards. The October award was given to a group of Stanford grad students. They designed the “Bloom laptop,” which is designed to be completely field-stripped in a couple of minutes for ease of recycling, without the use of tools. One side benefit of their design is […]
A reader who saw last night’s post about human-powered cranes and lifting machines e-mailed me to point out that many of the Fairbairn hand-cranked cranes featured in that post’s title image are still around, and that there is in fact a Flickr group that collects photos from enthusiasts. At least one of the cranes has […]
Have you checked out our Green Projects Contest site yet? We’re off to a fine start with some clever, fun projects and ideas. Vote for the ones you like. Put up your own projects, grab your “tag,” and spread it across the interwebs. Get your social network to vote for your projects. Tag Your Green! […]
Do you have an innovative project that you think is “green” or one you’ve been thinking about starting? That word green gets tossed around a lot. It’s slapped onto everything these days. What constitutes “green” can be a relative thing. Do you think others would find your project “environmentally-friendly,” a worthwhile solution to today’s environmental […]
This flip book was created by ad agency DDB Canada using poster-sized frames attached to the wall of a racetrack. Neat! [Via Core77]
Check out this amazing 18′ canoe made from a single sheet of plywood. Resembling a South American “pipante” dugout canoe, Finnish boat builder Hannu Vartiala designed and built his craft, “dug”, in an attempt to correct balancing issues he had with a previous design. He’s also put up instructions on his site so you can build your own. It sure is an impressive example of maximum use of materials with minimal effort.
Volkswagen’s Fun Theory Awards aims to incentivize socially useful behaviors by making them into games. Previously, their funds have produced a bottle recycling machine played like a video game, a trashcan that behaves like a bottomless pit, and a public staircase turned into a piano keyboard (See links, below).
