Design 127: Environmental Consciousness

BioBag  

http://www.biobagusa.com/ 

BioBag is the world’s largest brand of certified biodegradable bags and all the products are certified to meet the ASTM D6400-99 standard for compostable plastics.  BioBag products are made from Mater-Bi, the main component of which is corn starch and use no polyethylene in the production process and contain no additive to stimulate decomposition. The BioBag bags biodegrade between 90-180 days, depending on the composting method  

Chico Bag Reusable Shopping Bags     

 http://greenfeet.com/

Use the ChicoBag Reusable Nylon Shopping Bag for everything – trips to the grocery store, farmers market or out shopping. The Chico Bag reusable shopping bag’s made from strong, durable nylon. It’s ultra-lightweight and tuck itself into a little bag making it perfect to fit into your purse, pocket or glove box. They’re easy to pack, durable and hold a lot. Machine washable. 1 year manufacturers warranty against defects in material and workmanship. 

Kill A Watt       

http://www.worldcentric.org/store 

The Kill-a-watt: Do you know how much energy you use?

Find out which appliances are sucking energy and money right out of your pocket. Simply plug your appliance into the Kill A Watt™ and a large LCD display counts consumption by the Kilowatt-hour just like your utility company. Use the kill a watt to monitor the quality of your power.

Stonescape

http://www.american-biltrite.com/Flooring/estrie/stonescape/home/stonescape-Home.htm

Stonescape is an environmental-friendly alternative to traditional sheet vinyl flooring or VCT. It is PVC free and does not emit VOC’s into the environment. Stonescape has been used in healthcare, educational, and office applications. 5-year warranty. 

 BioShield 

 http://www.bioshieldpaint.com/index.php?main_page=index 

Bioshield is a paint company who sells “healthy living paints” that contain natural and easily-renewable resources without harmful chemicals, toxins and additives. The company offers a variety of vibrant colors.

http://www.spartech.com/eco_initiative/packaging.html

This company offers high performance rigid plastic packaging; Packalloy TPX in food packaging is a polypropylene alloy that replaces thicker alternative materials and is 100% recyclable. They also provide plates that goes from the freezer to microwave used as one-serve dinner ware, and also baby food container.

http://www.naturapackaging.com/
This company provides biodegradable packing for fruits and vegetables, and also waste bags and shopping bags.

http://terrapackaging.com/
A company dedicated to research, development and manufacturing of earth friendly products for both commercial and consumer use.  They provide biodegradable plastic containers, and various other earth friendly products. 

http://www.biospherecorp.com/index.htm
Biosphere Industries is presents a new rigid packaging alternative to paper and plastics.  This new materials are bio-based and can be used in food service items as well as general packaging, this product biodegrades in 40 days or less. 

http://www.greenlightproducts.co.uk/index.html

This company provides various environmentally sustainable loosefill, air cushion void fill, polyurethane foam, foam block cushioning for packaging, and various other biodegradable products.   

GREEN CLEANING KIT

The Green Product I found on the web is a green based house cleaner.  The reason that I liked it and wanted to write about it was because people use toxic chemical cleaners to clean their houses everyday.  With the incorporation of chemically free cleaners to our household, our environment could potentially be in much better shape than it is now.  For this specific product, not only does it include an all purpose cleaner, but it contains a tub and tile cleaner, mildew cleaner, floor cleaner and stain eraser.  This kit comes with all of the essential cleaning solutions to keep ones house fresh and clean without the harsh chemical component. 

http://www.greenhome.com/products/housekeeping/all_purpose_cleaners/113268/

Kristiana Baumsteiger

Eco Timber

http://ecotimber.com/

Eco Timber is a company that provides recycled wood for flooring in residential and commercial use. Eco Timber has been around since 1992 and has been the leading supplier of high quality wood products from environmentally sound sources. They offer wood that is FCS-certified, which means that the wood is grown in well-managed forests that are farmed specifically for the use of flooring so that no forests are harmed. The company also provides bamboo flooring and reclaimed flooring. Bamboo flooring is great because it is fast growing and is extremely strong and durable. Finally reclaimed flooring is wonderful because it provides the same benefits of old-growth wood that many people look for. The main problem with old-growth wood is that the only trees that have old-growth wood are the trees that are in ancient forests, so in steps reclaimed wood. It gives the same look, feel, and texture as old-growth and the nail holes, bolt holes and other fasteners marks make it have an antique appeal.

The reason that I like this product is because they create new ways to make you residence or work space look great without hurting the environment. My house in Marin uses Eco Timber. We have bamboo flooring and it really has helped our house and has given it a face lift. I really enjoy the natural markings that the bamboo has and it helps give the floor a natural look. I also really like Eco Timber because they have been around since 1992, which to me says that they have seen the problem of global warming and are taking action to help make a change.

www.afmsafecoat.com/FreqQuest.html

Safecoat is a manufacturer of interior and exterior paint and primer. It recognize that the people has different for paint, Safecoat offer a variety of paints that offer benefits in different areas. Compare to other companies, Safecoat contain no formulae Hyde, ammonia, crystalline, silica, or ethyleneglucol. What I like about this product is that compare to other companies, they have introduced “no odor”, but none of them have been formulated to consider human health and reduce the toxicity, Safecoat produces some of the highest-quality paints and finishes for the safest.

Enamore is a fashion line featuring stylish and vintage clothing made from sustainable fabrics and dyes. What distinguished Enamore from other companies selling sustainable clothing is their youthful and trendy style. Their accessories, clothing, and lingerie all cater towards the more fashion forward citizens. This type of marketing will help promote sustainability as more hip and thus be more successful increasing peoples sensitivity to environmental issues.

http://hempys.com/index.php

Hempy’s is an American company based in
San Diego. Hempy’s is a self-proclaimed ‘Eco-Technology Clothing Brand.’ They use entirely sustainable textiles including organic cotton and hemp. Hemp is a material that has been largely neglected in
America because of its association with cannabis as an illicit drug. However, hemp is an eco-friendly textile material. It requires little to no chemical inputs which can add to both air and water pollution. Additionally, hemp is not as corrosive to soil. Hempy’s also uses many recycled materials in their clothing. Furthermore, Hempy’s is an American company. By manufacturing their clothing in the
United States, Hempy’s has much more control over their company’s objectives, and there is less impact on the environment from the distribution process.

I like Hempy’s because unlike a lot of sustainable design companies, Hempy’s designs are practical and successful. Hempy’s clothing and accessories are attractive and good for the environment.

This is a great environmentally friendly website for all types of products. My favorites were the rubber dog toys. I have a rambunctious border collie who will eat anything in site. So many times have we given her rubber soccer balls to find ten minutes later torn into shreds. I am often afraid that she swallows bits of the rubber, or that pieces of the toy are flying all which ways getting buried in our garden. However with the rubber pet toys on this website no pet owner needs to worry. They toys are recyclable and are non-toxic, plus some of them give parts of the proceeds to great causes such as prostate cancer. Over all this is a great website with great things for people and pets.
P.S. the dog toys come is many varieties such as footballs, earth balls, soccer balls etc….

http://www.methodhome.com/products/

Method cleaning products integrate environmental issues with design aesthetics. Cleaning products such as all purpose cleaners, hand and body soap, laundry detergent, and airfreshers are made from only biodegradable ingredients and are not animal tested. Recycled materials are used for packaging. The overall presentation and shape of these containers are simple with subtle curvature which cater to one’s aesthetics–method products are meant to be seen rather than tucked away underneath kitchen cabinets. 

 *i highly recommned the all purpose cleaner because it works fast, especially on grease, oil, and calcium build up.

http://www.resourcerevival.com/servlet/ProductView?command=cp&supplierID=434&commodityID=891&searchIndex=2

This website sells gifts and home furnishing made from recycled bicycle parts. I find this cafe table very interesting because it is made entirely out of used bicycle parts, except for the glass top. I like this website a lot because I always see abandoned bikes around campus and it makes me think of what we can do with them. The design is unique and at the same time functional and environmentally friendly.