Tea-off. Kettle competition.
It’s a tea kettle design competition. Cash awards. Winners to receive expense-paid trip to Chicago for the International Home and Houseware Show in March 2009. Competition details.
Index 2008.
Index is home to a dazzling display of interior design, quality and style.
Featuring 1000’s of international brands, exclusive launches and an exciting mix of new ideas, if you’re fitting out an office, hotel, residential or public project or simply looking for eye-catching design, Index has everything you need, inside and out!
icograda. design week
Registrations are still opened and reductions for groups are available! The international event Multiverso – Icograda Design Week will take place in Turin (Italy) from October 13th to 19th 2008 and is enterely dedicated to the new scenarios in the fields of communication design. The programme of this leading Italian and European event in terms of size and quality includes a 3-days international conference, exhibitions, forums and 4 workshops for students and young professionals. Speakers as Andrew Blauvelt (Walker Art Center), Pierre di Sciullo, Daniel Eatock, Paul Elliman, LUST, Sophie Thomas (Thomas.Matthews), Monika Parrinder, Saki Mafundikwa, Carlo Ratti (MIT), Bruce Sterling, Ruedi Baur, Luna Maurer, Robyn McDonald (Inkahoots), Mateus Santos (Lobo) among others have already confirmed their presence.
via icogradaand SocialDesignZine
The First Chicago International Poster Biennial.
poster power. it’s real.
And there doesn’t seem to be enough of them when you see really good ones. Really good ones are on display for a month in Chicago’s Daly Bicentenniial Park.
The medalists:
The poster exhibit runs until October 29 in Daley Bicentennial Park. See the 31 winners at Design Observer and Chicago International Poster Biennial official site.
See additonal posters featuring animals.
Plastic bag association applauds bag ban.
ARLINGTON, Va., Sept 25, 2008 — Plastic Bag Manu – facturers Commend Spirit of Wal-Mart Initiative.
Today the Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council, a trade association representing the nation’s leading plastic bag manufacturers, recyclers and resin producers, applauded Wal-Mart for its efforts to develop a responsible plastic bag policy. Under this plan, which promotes the more efficient use of plastic bags in Wal-Mart stores, the company will strengthen its existing efforts to recycle — an action that is expected bolster Wal-Mart’s position as a world leader in the recycling of plastic bags and wraps.
“It is clear that strong, lightweight plastics are playing a key role in helping Wal-Mart to reach its sustainability goals. Everyday, lighter more efficient plastic products and packages mean a reduction in energy use, costs and emissions for the world’s largest retailer,” said Shari Jackson, director of the Progressive Bag Affiliates.
“Wal-Mart clearly understands that plastic bags are a better environmental choice than alternatives but is taking steps to reduce waste and increase recycling. Bans are not the answer,” said Jackson. “In fact, Wal-Mart’s steps toward implementing this goal are very consistent with our own efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic bags. Plastic bags are too valuable to waste. They should be reused and recycled.”
“The plastic bag industry is a leader in innovation and recycling, and we welcome opportunities to work with companies and policymakers to develop responsible plastic bag practices,” said Jackson. “We hope to work with Wal-Mart and other companies to increase the use of recycled content in plastic carryout bags.”
Importantly, the overwhelming trend nationally has been to implement plastic bag recycling programs. In 2007, California mandated in-store recycling programs, and similar measures passed this year in New York State, Rhode Island, Chicago, New York City and several New York counties. By contrast, San Francisco remains the only large jurisdiction in the United States to ban plastic bags.
On 1/08 this was big news: China’s Plastic Bag Ban Will Save 37 Million Barrels of Oil – China Leapfrogs Other Nations with Simple Message: Bring Your Own Bag
for more information
Discovery. Project Earth
8 crazy experiments bold enough to change the world. Beginning August 22. Fridays, 9PM EP. (-0500)
They rounded up every scientist, inventor, engineer, and designer with the best sot at pulling off some of the biggest, boldest ideas about cooling the planet, gave them whatever they needed and turned ’em loose. They told the naysayers to kiss off.
Sunpower beam. Raining trees. Reflective clouds. Orbiting shade. Air scrubber. Glacier blanket. Ocean nutrition. Floating turbines.
More info:
Project Earth
Hardcore Finnish design.
It’s summer in our hemisphere. Long days. Warm weather. Spending more time outdoors. Here is a innovative product that you make yourself at the beach or on a picnic — the cutlery! What fun!
The cutlery (Do!) and an extension cord (Thrush-In) that stores nicely in its own felt container is designed by Arihiro Miyake. The utensils are fashioned by hand and you also make that fashion statement. The designer labels the cutlery disposable but we propose the environmental statement. Throw them in the dishwasher!.
These are just some of the items found in New York mid-May. The main draw was the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Javits Center, but there were many off-site events to go to. One was the Hardcore Finnish Design exhibit featuring 20-plus Finnish designers. (more…)
Sexy green car show. 2008
The world’s first eco car show opened at the Eden Project in the UK last week. Let’s discover which type of green motor we’re most likely to be driving in the future.
Love them or hate them, cars are not going away. But road transport accounts for a fifth of our carbon dioxide emissions in the UK, so it’s time to transform the way we buy and use them.
The good news is that in the UK the government’s King Review of transport tells us we can reduce road transport CO2 emissions by a massive 80% by 2050 if we start buying the right vehicles now and take our old bangers off the roads. Now, the technology is out there and our Sexy Green Car Show brings it to you.
Traditionally, environmental organizations have not had much to say about cars, except to try and persuade people not to use them. But at Eden, based in rural Cornwall, people are acutely aware of a dependence on cars. For many it’s just not practical or affordable to travel another way. (more…)
Gravity free. 2008
“The brain is a category buster.”
-Elizabeth Phelps, American Cognitive Scientist,
2007
GRAVITY FREE is a truly unique multidiscipline design conference. Each year we pick a theme. Then we select 22 of the most passionate designers, design thinkers and innovators on the planet from 20 different design disciplines to help us explore the theme. The result: an experience like none other—a remarkable cross-fertilization of ideas and inspiration that only happens when such a remarkable variety of design influences interact.
GRAVITY FREE covers the waterfront of creative disciplines. Speakers come from architecture, retail display, storytelling, experiential environments, urban planning, customer experience, product design, information architecture, exhibit design, aerospace, interior design, theme environments, production design, illusion, molecular gastronomy, automotive design, technology and media, museum design, brand management… in fact, ANY area that offers something new and important. No break out sessions. Everyone has the same experience. (more…)
Earth Hour 2008. Plus 24×7.
It’s been a week since Earth Hour 2008. So we looked around to see what happened then, and if
anything since…
A student told us Google went black! Good for them. This is how we envisioned a black Google.
The normal Chicago skyline at bottom.
This taken from the Chicagoist…
Earth Hour officials indicate last year there were 2.2 million who participated in a one-hour effort to bring awareness to energy conservation. Yesterday, they estimated that number was around 10 million. In Chicago, the Sears Tower, the John Hancock, the Wrigley Building, and the Tribune Tower dimmed decorative lights, while 500 McDonald’s throughout Chicagoland turned off their golden arches. In the theatre district, marquees went dark, and Elphaba, the witch from “Wicked” turned out the lights with a dramatic “spell”. Navy Pier’s iconic ferris wheel went dark and nearly every store on the Magnificent Mile turned out their lights. (more…)