Green architecture seems to be the flavor of the day here with many green buildings taking shape and starting to go from the blueprint on the paper to the structures on ground. While we looked at the EDITT Towers in Singapore, we now move on to Grafton New Hall site in Chester, UK where Ushida Findlay Architects are all set to bring out a green wave in Park Homes. The new eco homes designed by the firm have a real flowing design with the rooftop of the five joined homes looking like an extended green wave trying to reach out to the blues!

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Colin Firth loves the green

UK designer Kate Molson has every reason to fly high in the eco air! Well, if buzz is to be believed famous actor and popular eco-store owner Colin Firth has fallen in love with her latest creations. Apparently, Molson has come up with a unique range of woven hemp material and Firth is greatly impressed with her designs and concept which makes her use only organic hemp yarn that is sustainably manufactured locally and is free of toxins. So not only will Firth be selling Molson’s first bag in his London store Eco Age but the eco-friendly celeb will also autograph a few bags at a special event to be held at the shop soon.
Molson is absolutely ecstatic with her good luck. She feels honoured by Colin’s gesture and is pleasantly surprised with lady luck smiling so soon at her young career. “I have worked only for five months on these bags,” she shares.
Kate will also be showcasing her work in September’s Huddersfield Open Studio Trail (HOST), a leading showcase events for artists in the UK.
Via batleynews

It is essential that we integrate alternate sources of energy with our daily lifestyle as it is no longer a luxury but a necessity for the planet. Green energy has made its way in to various industries and the aviation energy is one of the last sectors to open up to the energy. It is not so much that they wish to stay away from the alternate power sources but the fact that it is not at a stage where it can be integrated to power the flights completely. The zephys-6 though is an unmanned aircraft that has set the flight of solar energy flying with wings of gold.

The Zephyr-6, as it is known, stayed aloft for more than three days, running through the night on batteries it had recharged in sunlight. The flight was a demonstration for the US military, which is looking for new types of technology to support its troops on the ground. Chris Kelleher, from UK defense and research firm QinetiQ, said Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) offer advantages over traditional aircraft and even satellites.� The Zephyr flew non-stop for 82 hours, 37 minutes.

The time set by Zephyr-6 beats the current official world record for unmanned flight set by the US robot plane Global Hawk - of 30 hours, 24 minutes - and even Zephyr’s own previous best of 54 hours achieved last year. This is a remarkable and much needed boost to solar power in the aviation industry. Hopefully the Zephyr will be the blueprint for flights, that one day would take to the skies completely on clean fuel.

Via BBC

How would you like to constantly patrol a 50,000 acres large estate on bicycles all year long? That is not a job that many would be applying for and surely not many would last a few months of such work. But when the Queen tells you to man up and do the job, then you might be pretty well up to the task. Queen Elizabeth apparently has told her Royal Guards to do away with the fuel-guzzling SUVs that are used for patrolling her estate and switch to bicycles whenever possible.

Now one must remember that the Queen has been kind enough to use the word ‘whenever possible’ as otherwise both the weather conditions in the UK and the length and breadth of her backyard do not really permit the job always. The Queen is reportedly very keen on going green though and just a few months back she had a giant windmill installed for power needs. When renewable energy and eco-friendly causes get a push of such ‘Royal’ proportions then it surely is good news.

Now if only someone could tell the Queen that there are Range Extended Electric Vehicles, which would suit the job better than simple bicycles and are still a very good green alternative. Maybe we should write to the Queen, or maybe she is reading this right now… Well, we did say ‘Maybe’!

Via Ecorazzi

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Every woman wants to have some funky designs in her wardrobe. What if these funky and outrageous, bold yet sexy designs are eco-friendly as well? I would say, it can’t get better than this! Based in London, Goodone-a sustainable clothing collection is all about ethical-fashion. Its clothes ooze out style and comfort, and the collection is certainly “with an edge”. The designers at Goodone handpick rough materials for their designs. These rough materials include tones of waste fabric, dead stock, faulty garments, textile discards, shreds, scraps etc. from world-famous charities like Amnesty, WWF, Liberty, Green Peace to name a few. The creative people at Goodone believe in possibility thinking and can make use of half of the material dumped on landfills! They then recycle the fabric waste into uber-stylish, chic and hep clothes.

While you might be happily throwing away your daughter’s last summer frocks, trousers, tees etc. talented Goodone designers at their East London studio churn out lovely dresses from them. This designer wear you can then pick up from their boutiques across London, Manchester and Glasgow and also from their recently launched online store. So, from now onwards don’t throw away your hard earned money on those fakes of designer labels like Chanel, Gucci, D&G and like. Instead opt for this brilliant ethical fashion wear from Goodone which cleans up some debris from our planet for fashion’s sake!

Via: goodone

Will you be amazed if I told you that bubbles made out of fiberglass can be eco-friendly? If yes, then you might as well be interested in knowing what these bubbles are, who makes them, what’s their use and likes…isn’t it?
A UK- based company ‘Our Planet Retreats’, manufactures prefab buildings which are bubble-shaped eco-resorts which you can purchase at affordable prices! The company’s eco-sphere is actually a tree house giving you a feel of how Tarzan might have felt living on trees. What’s more Tarzan never had the modern day comforts which this eco-sphere comes laced with!
The cost of constructing one for you can be different and depends upon whether you belong to a developing country or a developed one. But, Our Planet Retreats has innovative ideas like communal financing to help buy you one for your own special ecological retreat in exotic locations like Papua New Guinea, Vanatu and Philippines.

The floating eco-sphere can be accessed by stairs that lead you to it. The bubble-shaped house is crafted so as to leave a minimum environmental impact. Carved out of hard fiberglass, it is well insulated & wired, bears large windows for the sunshine to pour in and has lights, switches and outlets inside! This portable accommodation spells out sustainability when it comes to energy options-mini solar panels & solar water heating systems. May I say, to me it resembles a cozy bird’s nest!

Our Planet Retreats offers simple steps to get involved with them. You need to buy a share or a sphere. The former will cost you $30 and the latter around $2,500. However at this price the sphere comes unfurnished! If you are among those who like to purchase fully-furnished accommodations then this spherical prefab could be yours at a higher price tag.

Any eco-resort is truly considered to be environmentally-oriented when it takes the locals under its wings. So does Our Planet Retreats! It has plans to employ locals for building its unique eco-spheres and they will be encourage to buy shares so as to strengthen the local economy by empowering native people. So, if you are truly green-minded, I’m sure this eco-sphere will delight you!
Via: ourplanet-retreats