LO-TEK's Airplane Fuselage Library

by Ami Kealoha

LO-TEK, the New York architecture firm that pioneered the shipping container revolution, recently proposed a new library in Mexico made of stacked discarded Boeing 727 and 737 fuselages. Usually, fuselages aren't recycled and are left to rust in deserts throughout the U.S. due to high demolition costs, which makes them cheaply available to builders. LO-TEK's design uses each tube to organize book collections, meeting rooms, and offices in two parallel inclined structures that recall the material's airborne past and create two large open areas in the center. Arranged on a North-South slant according to sun exposure, the library would optimize energy efficiency. The focus of the building is the atrium which features an LED-integrated glass facade, extending the library to the exterior with full-color, imagery, text, and movies.

A detail shot of the interior follows after the jump.

via Inhabitat.

Cheers to Earth Day

by Evan Orensten

Producers are responding to the increased demand for organic beer and spirits. Here are a few that caught our eye.

Papagayo organic rums (plain and spiced), the world's first, come from a remote region in Paraguay. A project started in 1993 helped the local farmers, now some 800+, cultivate organic sugar cane. Because their crops are now ITFA certified the farmers benefit from higher prices, are educated in all aspects of farming, and the land benefits from being planted organically. These single estate rums hold their own in the taste department.

Juniper Green is the world's first organic London Dry Gin. Made from organic grain and herbs, the gin is distilled in the heart of London in two small stills, essentially by hand. The gin claims the "Best Gin" recognition from International Wine and Spirit Challenge.

Most grain used in conventional vodka is sprayed with chemicals up to seven times. Using only organic grain that has not been sprayed, U.K. 5 organic vodka achieves a clean and pure taste that's difficult to match.

Maison Jomere imports Papagayo organic rums, Juniper Green organic gin, and U.K. 5 organic vodka.

Organic beer can be found in many countries. St. Peter's Organic Ale stands out in the U.K. Founder's makes several different organic brews in New Zealand. In the U.S. Butte Creek and Wolaver's both make a full range of quality brews.

Preserve Tableware

by Evan Orensten

The 39 billion disposable utensils and 29 billion disposable plates used each year in the U.S. create about 950,000 tons of waste—enough to fill more than 132,000 garbage trucks that bumper to bumper would reach Chicago from the east coast. Plastic is also made from petroleum products (no further comment necessary). So what can you do when it's not practical to use glassware, stoneware and metal cutlery?

Preserve tableware is made from 100% recycled polypropylene plastic. Unlike most "disposible" plastic ware that is usually made from polystyrene and can't be reused, these pieces can be washed in the dishwasher and used again and again. And when you are finished with them, they can be recycled.

Preserve also makes razors, razorblades and toothbrushes from the same recycled/recyclable plastic. All items are available at a store near you or at their online store.

New American City: Sycamore Farms

by Ami Kealoha

When artist and fourth generation farmer Matthew Moore found that farmland his family sold outside of Pheonix, Arizona was slated for a housing development, he decided to protest. Instead of picket signs, Moore took to the land, and recreated the subdivision in crops on neighboring property. He calls the earthwork "Sycamore Farms." Complete with houses represented by sorghum and Black bearded wheat-paved streets, Moore's piece continues themes related to agricultural America and urban sprawl that he's explored in previous works when he mowed large-scale blueprints into fields and lawns.

Sycamore Farms is part of New American City, an exhibit that opens 9 September 2006 at Arizona State University's Art Museum that looks at visual culture and development in and around Phoenix.

More images after the jump.

renourish: nutrients for the graphic design community

by Evan Orensten

renourish is an online resource for green design and the result of two years of research by Eric Benson, who created the site as his MFA thesis at the University of Texas at Austin.

Eric noted the many green resources available to architects and industrial designers, but noticed a lack of resources for graphic designers. The site is an evolving toolkit for the design community, providing a directory of printers, materials and vendors that are environmentally friendly, case studies, news and downloadable guides. The more the community contributes to the site, the greater the resource it will become.

We think it's an impressive start.

Earth Day

by Josh Rubin

Tomorrow is Earth Day so today we're all Green. Every day should be Earth Day, and it might be for some, but having a day set aside to call attention to living in a more environmentally sustainable way is still a good thing. To start off, here's a recap of some of our past Green posts:

Stuffbump
Jimi iPod nano Case
Laloo's Goat's Milk Ice Cream
Naturemill Automatic Kitchen Composter
Powerfilm Foldable Solar Battery Charger
The Green Bakery
Eco Smart Fire
Cannabis Candles from IIKH
Loomstate Vans

...and many more in our Green archive.