playing

after a not so fun day, I've decided to play tonight.  Not at anything blatantly for school, but at whatever takes my fancy, I'm just frustrated with feeling so utterly stupid (even though I'm certain I'm not).  I'm going to do something I'm good at instead. MAKING A MESS!!!   (the photo is of a previous mess, not of a current mess, but I'm not sure if my room is any better now).

My Garbage, Your Garbage

Garbage, we sure make a lot of it, and I'm not an exception AT ALL. I'm working on something relating to waste, and I think I really need to LIVE my project, so I'm going to (as of Monday), be cutting out anything that cannot be recycled or composted... I've taken an internal audit (sounds so official, for really just looking in my fridge and cupboard), and I've identified my major hurdles, and most of it is packaging, more specifically plastic film (bags, wrappings, cellophane). I don't throw out anything useful, everyone who knows me knows how much of a pack-rat I really am, and a messy one to boot (right mom???). So far the things I figure I have to cut out are mostly prepared foods (bread, cookies...) and meat (the stupid trays can't be recycled). I wonder if there is a butcher anywhere near, and I could bring my own container to bring it home. I'm going to have to do a lot of sourcing, so part of this mini garbage diary will be my sources for food, and other things. So for my to do list this weekend I've decided to make myself a lunch bag (as waterproof as I can, as my Spinach Lentil Soup always leaks), as well as a more convenient grocery bag to keep in my hand bag. I'll see what I can do in terms of creating a sub-blog, and keep everyone updated on my Garbage related ups and downs. I'm sure I'll slip up, but I'm sure going to try. (PS - the garbage in the picture isn't mine, its a picture I took while wandering home one night).

book report time!

I think the book review might become a somewhat regular feature, depending on how often I read a whole book. Anyhow this week I read 'Green is the New Black' by Tamsin Blanchard. It was a pretty good book, the tone was not so great, it read like a London tabloid magazine (basically assumed little to no intelligence from the audience, and sounded very gossipy). The information that it held was great, but only if you live in London. It might have been more aptly named - Green Fashion for the High Fashion Twits of London. Some of the wording and referencing wouldn't make sense to anyone who doesn't live in the UK, I wouldn't have had a clue 3 months ago what half the book was talking about, or who. Maybe there needs to be a follow-up that is less Londoncentric, and deals with the issue as a whole, and gives global sources. I haven't checked out Tasmin Blanchard's blog yet, maybe that's going on over there... I guess I would have to be compelled to find it first, and I'm not really all that compelled. The resource list in the back is fantastic if you live in London or are visiting. All in all I wouldn't really recommend it, unless you are looking for a book on finding environmental fashion in London.

Looking for the source

I'm really feeling this one lately...  And I was also hoping some random person (ok, I admit it, my only reader - thanks Em!) would know where this illustration came from.  I have it in my sketchbook from a long time ago (about this time last year is my best guess), and I love it, so I want to credit it properly for being so awesome (no one in England says awesome, and when I do people giggle, who knew...)

At the Tate

So I went to the Tate recently (both the Modern and British, but on different days). I was thinking about the crack... you know the one that goes down the turbine hall. I should really find out what its called, and the artist... one second... It's called Shibboleth, and its by Doris Salcedo. I was thinking about it, and I came to the conclusion that the most interesting part about the crack is how stupid people act around it, putting their face near it to get a picture, jumping from side to side. Quite funny how a crack in a floor will make people act.

I made more envelopes!

So, I decided I loved my envelope that I sent away for my soapnuts... So I decided I would make some more and see if anyone else would like them on etsy... Check them out here....

Love of Green Resources

So I've noticed that there isn't any good resource for green design... its kind of hit and miss on resources, so I think I'm going to try to put together my own little green guide... I'm not sure what or how I'm going to do this - whether it should be a wikki, or if it should be a pdf type file, or if it should be more or a webpage type thing. I've pretty much ruled out a blog... too much searching. Let me know in the comments what you would think would be the best method... I'm going to start compiling.

Book Recommendation

So... as you all know I read a lot about sustainability, and I've read quite a few lately. I wanted to let you know that I highly recommend "Eternally Yours - Visions on Product Endurance" (there's a link over in the side bar). Its a book on Emotional Sustainability (in all its horrible glory), but it was a book of different essays, so there were lots of really great opinions all in one place, which was wonderful.

I made something!

I have normal envelopes, I promise (they are 100% recycled content), but I forgot them in my locker (big surprise there), and I decided I REALLY wanted to send away my order for soapnuts... So I pulled out a bit of that crafty past I have to make an envelope. I used pages of an advertising magazine I had in my recycling bin. I think it turned out pretty good. A bit of reusing, and all it took was scissors and a glue stick. Fun. The bottom picture is a detail of the corner with the paper binding, kind of like bias binding without as much trouble!

Soapnuts/Soapberries

I've been coming more and more concerned with stuff I throw down the drain... So I've been looking for alternatives. I was thinking about getting some EcoBalls, but they are so very expensive. I've found another interesting alternative... Soapnuts - more technically called Sapindus... Long lasting, and incredibly cheap. I'll see how they work and let you all know how I like them. I like that I can compost them after they are spent, yeah - more worm food! I'm ordering them from here, so if you are looking for some in the UK. Only 4 GBP for 200 grams... handy that.

Sustainability Overload

So today was a really interesting day with lots and lots of information, maybe too much for one day. First a geometric workshop on pattern development with Rachel. Then a talk about sustainability with Carole, and then some TED talks - one about biomimicry by Janine Benyus, and then one about Cradle to Cradle design by Michael McDonough... Then after I escaped that I went off to and RSA talk about Arts and Ecology (which was excellent by the way). Everything about today was so utterly fantastic, and I don't think I've even started to process it all. Luckily I've written it all down for posterity... Now that I think about it, I'm going to write down a couple of the major themes from today for reflection... I know you're bored already, too bad. Themes: Overconsumption, water-use, closed loop manufacturing systems, art as a voice in the climate debate, chemical processing in textiles (the one that freaks me out the most), recycling, and last but not least... taking inspiration from nature. The one thing (especially after a day like today) Carole said, that I think I really need to keep at the top of my list is not to be afraid of it all so that nothing is done, but to start somewhere, that there is no right or wrong answer to sustainability, that its all a way forward.

Ponoko is cool...

I'm not sure why I didn't post this when I first found it... but its totally cool! Basically Ponoko lets you design an object and choose a material, and send off your eps for it to be made somewhere near you, and then all you have to do is wait. How fantastic is that!

RCA WIP Show

Went to RCA's WIP show (whoa acronyms! In non-acronymical terms, that's Royal College of Art's  - Work in Progress show).  It was really great, the Interaction Design stuff was amazing!  Everything was so well thought out and beautifully presented.  It made me think a lot about scale, a lot of their work is very large, and its size alone made an impact.   I'll post pictures as soon as I actually load my camera into my computer... which reminds me I need to back everything up!

Nano Textiles

Right... Nano and textiles... I can handle it, I'm a smartish cookie... This is really cool, its Cornell's Textiles Nanotechnology Labratory, lets just hope I can understand it all. I think I might need a science degree too...

Standards

As with all things 'green', or as I would like to think 'turquoise' (if you haven't heard, blue is the new green, and green is the new black, and I'm pushing it even further, with turquoise is the new blue... that was a horribly long sentence, sorry.). Alright, back to why I'm actually writing this posting. As with all things 'eco' and 'organic', textiles need their own regulatory standards so we can separate the the friendly fashion from the greenwashed (I wonder if I can say turquoisewashed yet?... I think it might be too early for that). So... I've finally found these illusive standards... Skal, or Eko, its rather unclear... I had never heard of it before, and I'm paying attention. These standards need a PR agent! The standsards are interesting, but somewhat difficult to read. I'll get through it though, eventually. I might need a chemist to help me understand some parts, but I'll persevere.