You might have seen the BOGO Light before—it's a durable solar flashlight with a twist. You buy one for yourself, and one gets sent to someone who needs one: a child in the developing world, a school in the US, or families living in disaster areas. BOGO is produced by SunNight Solar, and their latest initiative is a partnership with the Light Haiti Project, in which they're donating the BOGOs directly to those who are without basic needs after the recent earthquake. You can buy your BOGO here for $59.95, and donate one to Haiti.

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Philippe Starck, the iconic designer known for high-design, has gone green to launch a sleek deisgn for a residential-use turbine. The two high-tech turbines will be produced by Italian company, Pramac, and will be available for Milan homes soon. One model is a clear quadrangular model (400W WT), capable of generating 400 watts of power. The second, a helicoidal model (1KW WT) will generate 1 KW of power. The two will run from $3500 to $5000 USD. Starck was quoted explaining the new turbine technology, saying, "Energy should not be a punishment, we should create a desire (among people to produce it)." I'm hoping th...Read More

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More news from the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland as reported on The Huffington Post. Environmental experts at Yale and Columbia released their Environmental Performance Index, which ranks 163 nations according to their performance on 25 indicators that fall into ten policy categories: environmental burden of disease, air pollution (effects on humans), air pollution (effects on ecosystem), water (effects on humans), water (effects on ecosystem), biodiversity and habitat, forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and climate change.

Iceland came in first; the U.S. a mediocr...Read More

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“If you ask a designer to name the most important issues facing design today, one is bound to be sustainability, which is design-speak for helping the rest of us to live responsibly, ethically and environmentally. That’s the easy bit,” according to a recent article in The New York Times. “While most designers would agree that sustainability is important, they’re very likely to disagree about everything else to do with it. What exactly is sustainable design?”

A distinguished panel debated the issue at the World ...Read More

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While this gorgeous little treehouse isn't available just yet, it's a great example of flat-pack design that exemplifies clever construction for environmental sustainability. Dubbed "Zelfbouwboomhut," which translates from Dutch as "DIY Treehouse," the structure was designed by Rogier Martens and Sam van Veluw. In the usual Dutch fashion, it's simple yet genius, fastening together with ratchet straps that get cranked tight to hold the flat pieces together and to the tree. The treehouse is the first product in a new line called AANDEBOOM- we can't wait to see what else they produce!!

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Ryan McElhinney turns trash to treasure with a playful spin on reusing found materials. His "upcycling" approach turns old toys into lamps and mirrors using a high-glass metallic lacquer. Each piece is handcrafted in his London studio. Check out his whole collection here, and keep in mind that orders have a 6 week lead time.

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The green product world has its major players – the companies we all recognize as leaders – but it is also populated by others that are innovating in multiple ways to make our buildings greener.

Beaulieu Commercial, a Georgia based carpet company and TacFast Systems, a manufacturer of hook and loop backing systems, recently announced a strategic partnership aimed at providing a total adhesive-free, free-floating carpet tile installation system.

Beaulieu redesigned the underside of its carpet tiles with a loop that will attach to the hook on TacFast’s LocPlate substrate to create a mechanical bon...Read More

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Project Vortex is an start-up non-profit collective of artists who salvage and reuse debris rescued from the ocean, turning it into beautiful art. While the result is aesthetic, the goal is to both implement a system to reallocate reclaimed material AND raise awareness about how much non-biodegradable waste ends up in our oceans.  They are currently building a global database of participants and partnering with clean up efforts worldwide. Check out their website here.

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Kids don’t worry about their health and safety when they play; that’s left to parents, teachers and others who have them in their care. Greenplay, a modular furniture system especially designed for healthcare, schools, libraries and retail facilities, worries as well about the little people who use its product.

No manufacturer can prevent scraped knees or bruises, but Greenplay does its best to make sure no harm comes from the furniture itself. It has made every effort to eliminate hazardous substances from its products by using vegetable-based stains and urea formaldehyde-free composite wood. All Greenplay forest products comply with California Air R...Read More

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A few years ago, the Dutch design company Kidsonroof debuted a simple cardboard kids' playhouse that could be drawn in, decorated, sequined, and more by your tots (and proceeds from the sales went to UNICEF). Their latest product laucnh is the Bo Buro desk and stool set, which is built for two children, and is made from recycled cardboard. Instead of a blank slate, this time the designers have printed the furniture with adorable animal silhouettes. The stools can hold up to 88 pounds, and the set goes for just 49 Euros. More info on their website.

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Anyone who has ever set foot in a woodshop knows just how much sawdust is both produced and wated. But Israeli designer Yoav Avinoam has found a way to turn sawdust into raw material, which he casts into unique furniture pieces. The sawdust is mixed with a specific resin to bind sawdust from a variety of wood sources. His Shavings Table is a beautiful example of the work with its cast slab top and delicate branch-like legs. Learn more about Avinoam's process and his other work via his website.

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