For the past three months we’ve been living on a Greek island, Aegina island, a marine-dependent community and  economy. In my morning walks along the sea front, I meet neighbors, dog owners, couples, and joggers, who enjoy the outdoors in a climate-changed warm winter.  

My walk passes by rocky and sandy beaches, and small docks with fishing boats. It also passes by sculptures by renowned artists Yiannis Moralis, and Christos Kapralos, the former residence of author of “Zorba the Greek”, Nikos Kazantzakis, overlooking the Saronic sea.

I also pass by the Bouzas lighthouse, exquisite chapels like Aghia Filothei and Agioi Apostoloi, studios of artists, like Christos Kapralos and Nikos Nikolaou, and the former residences of archaeologists Gabriel Welter, and Belle Mazur, who studied and published the ancient mosaic of the local synagogue dating from the 4th century CE. 

The morning walk is like a history tour. With such a legacy on the island, it is difficult to remain indifferent when encountering a plastic bag or a plastic bottle or a white piece of polystyrene foam stuck between the rocks or lying on the sand on the seashore. Especially near one of these important cultural heritage sites. 

Living in a sea-dependent community, one realizes the practical meaning of the Cradle-to Cradle cycles. The technical cycle, such as the manmade environment, where waste must be carefully disposed and reused. The biological cycle, or the natural environment, where organic waste free of chemicals is absorbed back into the natural ecosystems. Biological cycles can also be generated by human activity, like composting household organic waste at home. 

In reality, keeping the two cycles apart, seems like a Herculean feat, especially in communities  who still struggle with basic household waste management. So, the system has flaws. Leading to waste entering the biological or natural cycle, in particular the marine environment, and in particular, through plastic waste pollution. It may prove to be a ticking bomb, as polluting  marine life and habitats in the sea and seashore threatens the human food chain through the  consumption of local fish. 

This local community of 14,000, growing to 40,000 or more in the summer, is a small  percentage of the global more-than 6.4 billion people who live in coastal communities in 192  countries. Collectively, they generate 99.5 million tons of plastic waste discarded within 50 km of the ocean. Although, 8.3 billion tons of plastics were produced in the past sixty years, only  9.5% were recycled. The numbers are certainly a reason to worry. With an estimated 150  million tons of plastic already polluting the world’s oceans, 9.1 million tons are added every  year, with an estimated growth of 5% annually. Studies estimate that by 2025 plastics will be  equal to one third of fish (by weight), and in 2050, plastic waste will weigh more than fish  stock.  

Plastics in the sea, decompose and break into tiny fragments, called microplastics, that threaten sea life. Plastic waste pollutes the beaches and is often riding the waves. But, can also sink in the seafloor, affecting marine organisms in their reproduction. Plastic waste may cause  injuries and death of marine species. Studies show that plastic waste has affected at least 267 species worldwide. Further, the human food chain, and the local economy, are also affected,  as coastal tourism is directly dependent on the quality and health of fish, sea and seashore. 

As I observe plastic polystyrene pieces and fragments, plastic bottles, bottle cups, straws, lighters, ropes, hangers, wraps, bags, and wrappers, in my morning walks, I often try to  imagine ways of dealing with this worrying issue. I would prioritize the reduction of plastic  production and consumption. Some countries, like Canada, are already considering such moves, although the COVID pandemic caused a serious regression in phasing out single-use  plastics in many countries. 

Another solution would be to substitute plastics with bio-degradable materials. On the island some businesses already use bio-degradable bags. However, most businesses still opt for the cheap plastic choice. Education is key in raising awareness to prevent irresponsible disposal of  plastics. Education can also encourage people to substitute single-use plastics and plastic  products in their daily routine. 

Local and national governments could tax the use of specific plastic products, considering the  damage they cause at local marine ecosystems. I often think of the day when consumers’ IDs  will be printed on the plastic product, container or wrapper, and consumers would be subject to fines. Finally, the day may come when plastics are banned, or replaced by bio-based  alternatives. 

These actions would certainly tackle the problem. However, they would take may years to  realize and bring results. This is why many organizations choose immediate action. 

For example, the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation in collaboration with the Netherlands based design firm The New Raw, have initiated the BlueCycle initiative to collect and reuse plastic waste from shipping and fishing activities. They create raw material to produce high quality 3D printed urban furniture and other design products. [Listen to ECOWEEK Green Talks podcast with architect Panos Sakkas of The New Raw]

Prague-based NGO PETMAT focuses on the reuse of plastics, in the form of recycled PET in 3D printing of architectural projects, in creating the ‘PET(b)rick’ through recycled plastic blow molding, and through design pieces constructed of empty water bottles. [Listen to ECOWEEK Green Talks podcast with Katerina Novakova of PETMAT]

The Polish Recycling Band young musicians build and perform in instruments created in collaborative workshops, by using plastic containers that otherwise would be sent to a landfill, or pollute the sea. 

At ECOWEEK workshops, we guided young architects and designers to engage in circular  practices in design and reuse waste such as plastic bottles, furniture, ceramic pots, wood, and wooden decks and pallets. They used these materials to upgrade the school yard of a public  elementary school in Crete, Greece and to construct a wooden outdoor exhibition space in  an urban park in Milano, Italy. 

There is also much to do on an individual level. For example, at the island, in my morning  walks, when I see plastic waste by the sea, I stop and collect it. It has become part of my daily  routine, a sort of meditation that does good both ways. It is also a great way to socialize. One  morning, for example, I was joined by two young activists from Canada.

Cyrielle Noel and Georgina Faber are both active environmental advocates who engage in marine and coastal planning and design, research and consultation, and community engagement. 

Through Eau daCité, their social enterprise, they reconnect cities, citizens, and companies to their original source of urbanization: waterways. Eau daCité promotes waterway literacy, activate sustainable development and connect social ecological transformation. 

Inspired by this unexpected visit this Christmas, I invite readers to join me in Greece, or create your own group in your community, to remove plastics from the marine environment.  It is truly fulfilling and empowering to know that you can intervene in reducing plastic  pollution right now. To clean up natural ecosystems and reduce human exposure to plastic  pollution. We can make our world a cleaner and better place. 

—-

Elias Messinas a Yale-educated architect, urban planner and author, creator of ECOWEEK and Senior Lecturer at the Design Faculty of HIT, where he teaches sustainable design and coordinates the new SINCERE EU Horizon program, which aims to optimize the carbon footprint of cultural heritage buildings, through innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective restoration materials and practices, energy harvesting, ICT tools and socially innovative approaches. www.ecoama.com and www.ecoweek.org

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The word Ecology combines two Greek words: oikos (οίκος, meaning ‘house’ or ‘dwelling place’) and logos (λόγος, meaning ‘the study of’). It describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time.  To achieve this, we need to keep materials in cycles of reuse, and reduce the need for new extractions and the production of waste.

Architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart in their revolutionary book ‘Cradle-to-Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things’ (2002) present how to adopt a circular economy model through design and science. Their work and examples of circular practices in architecture and industry, are presented in the 2002 documentary film ‘The Next Industrial Revolution’ by directors Shelley Morhaim and Christopher Bedford.

The construction sector plays an important role in the economy. In Europe, it generates almost 10 % of GDP and provides 20 million jobs. It also requires vast amounts of resources, producing greenhouse gas emissions in material extraction, manufacturing, transportation and construction. It is estimated at 5-12% of total national greenhouse gas emissions. Here I write about the problem with deep sea mining for concrete. 

In terms of waste, construction and demolition waste amount to about 35% of total waste generation, and about 50% of all extracted materials. In Europe, construction and demolition waste recycling is about 50%, although some EU countries recycle up to 90%. Circular economy in the EU is a growing sector with around 4 million jobs.

The EU – and the rest of the world – aiming towards 50% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in order to reach the Paris commitment of keeping a global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. 

The construction sector requires bold moves by architects and designers to comply with this global goal. Not only towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions of producing new materials, but reducing waste production and illegal disposal of construction waste in nature, as well. 

Circular practices – reuse of materials, reuse of construction waste, building materials disassembly, materials passport, urban mining for materials and others – are the way to go (see Rotterdam). Design for product and materials reuse and upcycling. To reach these ambitious goals one needs to start small and grow. Like the interior restoration project for the synagogue Kahal Shalom, on the island of Kos in the Aegean sea, in Greece. A small project aligning with a global ambition.

Inspired by leading architects on circular practices in Europe, such as Superuse studio and Rau Architects, this project explores the common ground between historic research, restoration and sanctity.

Applying Jewish laws in upcycling

According to Halakhah (Laws guiding Jewish life), based on the sanctity hierarchy of the Temple of Jerusalem, sanctity of a synagogue and its liturgical objects, requires upcycling. For example, a simple closet can be turned into an Aron Hakodesh, but not the opposite. Also, a simple desk can be turned into a Bimah. In a magical way, the reuse of these objects, based on a circular economy principle, raises their sanctity. These objects become at the same time more holy and the project more ecological. In other words, sanctity meet ecology on the Greek island of Kos.

The island of Kos is located in the Dodecanese complex in the eastern Aegean, near the coast of Turkey, near the island of Rhodes. It is known as the island of Hippocrates, the ‘father’ of medicine, who was born in Kos in 460 BCE. The island was under Italian rule from 1912 until 1943 and under German occupation between 1943 and 1945. In 1948, Kos and the Dodecanese, were incorporated to the Greek State.

In early 2022, with the increase of Israeli tourism on the island, the Municipality of Kos saw the need for a functioning synagogue to serve the growing demand for services and ceremonies. Until then, the alternative would be the nearby synagogue Kahal Shalom in Rhodes. 

The synagogue Kahal Shalom in Kos, was designed in 1935 by Italian architects Armando Bernabiti and Rodolfo Petracco, and constructed by the Italian firm “De Martis-Sardelli”, in the Italian Colonial style. Kahal Shalom synagogue was erected after the previous synagogue of 1747 was destroyed in the earthquake of April 1933, which destroyed most of the island.

The Nazis made the Jews abandon their holy site

The synagogue functioned until the Nazis arrested, deported and annihilated the Jewish community in July 1944. After Liberation the synagogue was abandoned. In 1984 it was endangered with demolition. The Municipality, took a bold step and purchased the synagogue to preserve it as a cultural and exhibition hall. In 2022, in collaboration with the Central Board of Jewish Communities, a decision was made to restore the interior of the synagogue to serve, in a mixed-use, as a synagogue and a cultural center. Thus, serving tourists during the tourist and holiday season, and the local community during the rest of the year.

I am an architect and expert in the architecture, history, and restoration of Greek synagogues who undertook the restoration design and have been researching and documenting Greek synagogues for over 30 years. Since 2016, with my team of local expert architects, we have successfully restored the Monastirioton central synagogue and Yad LeZikaron synagogue in Thessaloniki (with KARD Architects D. Raidis and A. Kouloukouris), the Yavanim synagogue in Trikala (with Petros Koufopoulos), and are advancing the construction of a protective roof over the mosaic of an ancient Romaniote synagogue on the island of Aegina, dating from the 4th century CE (with engineer Argyris Chatzidis).

I also consult the Ministry of Culture in Greece, towards the enrichment of the official Archaeological Registry with more than 300 new entries of Jewish monuments and sites throughout Greece.

The restoration of the synagogue was based on research on Italian synagogues – including the Patras synagogue (1917) furnishings on display at the Jewish Museum of Greece in Athens, and the synagogue Conegliano Veneto (1701) at the Museum of Italian Jewish Art in Jerusalem. The synagogue design was also based on circular practices, primarily, through the reuse of existing furniture as a way to raise their sanctity, and reduce waste in the process. In addition, the project was both more economical and faster to implement.

The design process in a nut shell: once the commission proceeded, the initial attempt of the architect was to order furniture from one of the synagogue furniture suppliers in Israel. As the furniture was produced in Ukraine, the Russian invasion made delivery schedules unpredictable. Further, the total cost was beyond the set budget. The architect then tried to find existing historic furniture to reuse from demolished synagogues in Greece, Turkey, Italy and the US. Once this option was exhausted unsuccessfully, the architect suggested using existing furniture: an office closet for the Aron Hakodesh and an old wooden office desk for the Bimah.

The furniture, originally in use and in storage at the offices of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki, was recruited for the task. For the remodeling of existing furniture, the architect also consulted with the Chief Rabbi of Thessaloniki Aaron Israel, who confirmed the remodeling as Halahically acceptable as long as the sanctity of the furniture was upward: from regular furniture to synagogue sacred furniture, and not the opposite.

Based on detailed remodeling drawings, the carpenter Manos-Tsiaousi Co. based in Serres – NE of Thessaloniki, was chosen for the implementation. A local contractor undertook some light work to enhance the interior restoration. The work was completed in less than four months, and nearly half the cost of ordering new furniture. The synagogue was ready on time for the summer tourist season for the island, and was officially re-dedicated in July 2023.

Today, this small synagogue of 124 sq. m. sanctifies the circular practice of reusing existing furniture in the most profound way. It applies the principles of sustainability in a religious building, such as a synagogue, and as a result not only sanctifies the space and furnishings, but it also protects ecology and aligns human activity to the limitations of the planet, as well. 

The synagogue Kahal Shalom is open for visits and services. NGO ‘Ippokratis’, whose offices are located in the former rabbi residence adjacent to the synagogue, can be contacted regarding upkeep and visit to the synagogue. The Greek book “Kahal Shalom: The synagogue of Kos” by Messinas was published on the occasion of the completion of the project, to fully present the history of the synagogue and the process of restoration. An English translation of the book is in preparation.

Link to Messinas, E. 2023. “Kahal Shalom: The synagogue of Kos”, Kos in Greek (links to PDF)

Author

Elias Messinas is a Yale-educated architect, urban planner and author, creator of ECOWEEK and Senior Lecturer at the Design Faculty of HIT, where he teaches sustainable design and coordinates the new SINCERE EU Horizon program, which aims to provide the tools for optimizing the carbon footprint and energy performance of cultural heritage buildings, by utilizing innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective restoration materials and practices, energy harvesting technologies, ICT tools and socially innovative approaches. . www.ecoama.com and www.ecoweek.org

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The excellent article on Green Prophet: Deep sea mining and killing the seas so you can drive an electric car was timely and extremely relevant. Deep sea mining is not only taking place for minerals and metals, but also for a very basic element found on the sea bed: sand.

One of the most common uses of beach or sea sand in general, is in construction. Sand is one of the ingredients in the production of concrete and other building materials. Concrete is made up of a mixture of water, cement, and aggregate, which is composed of crushed rock, gravel and sand. Sea sand is also used as a raw material in the glass, silicon and ceramic industries and for land restoration. 

The construction industry consumes about 4 billion tons of cement every year and 40 billion tons of sand for construction. The total use of sand worldwide is estimated at 50 billion tons annually. The dredging industry for sand is active in South China Sea, the North Sea and the East Coast of the United States, according to the University of Geneva, with China, the Netherlands, the United States and Belgium being the most active countries in this field. Interestingly enough, although deserts have plenty of sand, the desert sand is unsuitable for construction. Its rounded faces and high dust content, give concrete of very low quality, that does not comply with the industry standards.

Regulating sand mining from the seas

Sand is one of the world’s most consumed natural resource on the planet, after water. But, despite the damage it causes, it is still unregulated. According to the UN the practice is unsustainable and could irreparably affect marine life. Pascal Penducci, director of UNEP’s Global Resources Database, described the marine sand dredging as a “giant vacuum cleaner”, draining the seabed by removing all the micro-organisms that support sea life.

Consider, what the ISS reports: “state developments in Morocco require an estimated 30 million tons of sand every year. Coastal sand along the western seaboard and Mediterranean is increasingly extracted, legally and illegally, by both registered companies and traffickers. The result is a series of lunar-like landscapes along Morocco’s coastline, which damages fragile ecosystems and increases the vulnerability of infrastructure to storms and rising sea levels.”

The ECOWEEK week of lectures, films and design workshops address design and construction practices and promote sustainable design and circular practices primarily among graduate and undergraduate students of architecture and design in 17 countries.

In 2018, ECOWEEK hosted the Today Tomorrow project of EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture) in Tel Aviv. Within this collaboration the film “Sand Wars” was screened. Released in 2013 it is directed by Denis Delestrac.

The film “Sand Wars” tracks the contractors, smugglers and property developers hoarding sand from legal or illegal mining on sea shores and sea bed dredging. It presents the unsuccessful efforts by Municipalities, draining municipal budgets, to replenish seashores with sand. Only to be washed away, due to the voids created by deep sea mining. The film also presents the struggle of local communities to protect their sea shore residences from coastal erosion and damage and the loss of coastal shorelines, caused by sand extraction from the sea and shores.

If electric cars are a luxury – as compared to other modes of sustainable transportation, such as, public buses, light rail, bicycles and walking – mining sand for concrete is essential for construction. Especially, when trying to cope with destruction caused by earthquakes or floods. Building in concrete seems like an inevitable choice for relative resilience. However, the increasing use of concrete, and sand mining, makes cities more vulnerable and destroys ecosystems that support life. Read about this Israeli desert sand dunes being cleared for concrete.

Like in every story, there may be a happy end in this story too: recycled glass. Recycled glass is obtained from recycling old and waste glass. Glass can be recycled endlessly without affecting quality and purity, through crashing, melting and blending with other materials. Unlike desert sand, recycling glass is an acceptable replacement to sea sand for construction.

The recycled glass market is estimated at $1.1B USD. It is low carbon, requires lower energy consumption, lower melting temperature, and less wear and tear on the manufacturing furnace. In terms of volume it is estimated at about 40,000 tons annually.

From grassroots initiatives like the recycling program “Glass Half Full” in Louisiana, to major industries, recycled glass is widely used in the food and beverages, automotive, healthcare, aerospace and defense industries. It is also used in construction. To provide more recycled glass for construction, an increase in the practice of glass recycling, is needed. More government and municipal initiatives and regulations in waste management are needed, raising public awareness and encouraging more initiatives in that direction by local industries.

Many cities today are engaged in urban renewal. This involves extensive demolition of existing buildings. Yet, with a disappointingly low rate of recycling and reclaiming of old materials, such as glass. Regulating demolition – and increasing refurbishment and retrofit, would considerably reduce construction waste, and wisely utilize the embodied carbon from producing these products in the first place. Less demolition would also reduce the need for new construction and use of concrete and sand.

Related: Peak sand

There is no doubt that the debate is relevant and urgent today. Not only, among architects and designers. But, among municipalities as well. With recycling rates ranging from 10 to 90%, there is a long way to go to reach 50% reduction in carbon by 2030 and zero carbon by 2050. And to reduce waste, particularly construction waste, estimated at one third of total waste.

Architectural practices, such as the Dutch Superuse Studio and architect Thomas Rau, are leading the way on circular design in small and large scale projects, materials passports for buildings and reuse of waste, from wood to wind turbines at the end of their lifetime (20 years). 

It is time for other architects and designers to take the lead too. To seriously reconsider the impact of design and construction on the planet. To consider only specifying construction methods that are local, low-carbon, low-impact and circular. Even start putting a cap on construction, densifying and utilizing existing buildings and reducing the floor area of modern apartments, as alternative construction methods and materials are becoming limited and the need to reduce the carbon footprint of construction is becoming imperative. 

The debate on the impact of the construction industry is complex yet essential. It certainly must engage professionals more than just designing planters on the balconies or the roofs, or specifying recycled wood for façade facing. These are nice gestures, but view them more like a “greenwash”. And compare them to the unregulated and unprecedented destruction of life and ecosystems taking place with every single new concrete formwork.

Elias Messinas is a Yale-educated architect and urban planner, creator of ECOWEEK and Senior Lecturer at HIT. He completed this year the interior restoration of an historic synagogue in Greece, based on circular practices. Although small in scale, it reduced waste, new raw materials and the budget by nearly 50%.

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Leading fashion brands know that the good old days of fast fashion are changing. They can no longer produce low cost gear without considering a good wage, ecologically sourced raw materials, eco shipping and handling and a vision for the products end of life. Companies like Shein may still have a lead in the market but consumers, even young ones, are catching on that upcycled or recycled clothes are where at its at.

Heralding this mission and driving big brands forward is Redress, a Hong Kong-headquartered environmental NGO accelerating the change to a circular fashion industry. They work with big brands and young designers to envision and change the fashion industry in every part of its cycle from cradle to cradle. Their focus is on Asia where most fast fashion is produced by people in deplorable conditions.

They recently announced the winners of the Redress Design Award 2023.

Winning first prize Nils Hauser from Germany got a chance to work on a sustainable design collaboration out of VF Corporation’s Tokyo Design Collective with the Timberland design team for the brand’s Spring 2025 apparel collection.

Hauser out-designed eight other emerging designers from Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, and the USA, following a nine-month educational competition that attracted applications from 46 countries and regions.

“Collaborating with a world-leading brand like Timberland and bringing my sustainable fashion ideas into the mainstream and large-scale fashion market whilst working with Timberland’s expert team is a designer’s dream,” said Hauser. “Designers have solutions, and we know that by working together we can make change,” he said.

Change is much needed. Fashion, we know, is one of the world’s most polluting industries. Approximately 100 billion apparel items are sold per year, representing a 50% increase since 2006, with the majority of clothing being landfilled or burned within one year of production. Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned.

Meanwhile, 80 percent of a product’s environmental impact is determined at the design stage.

“Design decisions made at the drawing board can change the world,” said Redress Founder, Christina Dean. “Fashion needs to reinvent itself to become more circular. Floods and fires are continuing. Our Redress Design Award Finalists are fashion’s fire-fighters. Making sustainability and circularity an industry norm feels like a far-off dream, but it’s worth fighting for if we want to reduce fashion’s negative environmental impacts.”

The finalists designed waste out of fashion with the circular design techniques of zero-waste, upcycling, and reconstruction. They explored textile waste streams for their design materials, from manufacturing waste and consumer castoffs to the more imaginative reuse of turbans, tents, and bedsheets.

Their bold designs and sourcing methods represent creative and innovative solutions to increase current circularity achievements, which presently see less than one percent of clothing being recycled back into clothing.

“Our collaboration with Redress gives us the unique opportunity to directly connect with emerging fashion designers who have a passion for sustainability, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to usher in a new era of sustainability in fashion,” said Jeannie Renne-Malone, VP of Global Sustainability at VF Corporation. “VF remains committed to fostering a lower carbon future through implementing sustainable design principles, such as circular design, that minimise the industry’s environmental impact.”

Hauser now takes the previous winners’ baton from Redress Design Award 2022 winner, Federico Badini Confalonieri from Italy, 2021 winner Jessica Chang from Taiwan, and 2020 menswear winner Lê Ngọc Hà Thu from Vietnam, who each contributed towards sustainable capsules in collaboration with Timberland.

The 2023 Redress winner and ones to watch: 

• • First Prize winner: Nils Hauser, Germany
  • Runner-Up Prize winner: Ruwanthi Gajadeera, Sri Lanka
  • Hong Kong Best Prize winner: Mandy Fong, Hong Kong
  • People’s Choice winner: Pavneet Kaur, India

The 2023 Redress prize?

The Redress Design Award first prize winner will join VF’s Timberland team to collaborate on a design project. They will also have the opportunity to work closely with the VF Corporation Sustainability & Responsibility team to ensure that materials and design strategies maximise sustainability, and will gain exciting insights from across the supply chain from sourcing to product development, while deepening their skills and understanding around sustainable production and marketing.

The first prize winner will also receive…

• $6,400 USD to propel their sustainable fashion career

• A high-performance lockstitch machine and an overlock sewing machine from JUKI

• One year individual access to all areas of Bloomsbury Fashion Central, including the Fairchild Books Library and the Fashion Photography Archive

Want to fast-track your career at a sustainable fashion business school or qualify for a future Redress internship? Try the Redress online course.

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When it comes to being sustainably minded, it’s really a better practice to rescue or upcycle a product in your home than to buy a sustainable product made from protected forests and eco glue. There are instances when any material you bring into your home should be safe to use and smell – especially if it’s something you sleep beside or eat and wash with. But otherwise there are some handy non-eco products out there that can be your best friend if you are trying to extend the life of products and furniture around the home. My favorites are epoxy, duct tape, a hammer and nails, and a glue gun. 

How epoxy can upcycle your life

Epoxy can be used for plastic, metal, ceramic, glass and even wood. There is some element of mixing involved so learn how to use epoxy correctly. You can almost fix anything that might seem at first like a throwaway – you’d be surprised. In my sculpting studio I’ve made carving and pottery tools with epoxy. I found some old street washing metal brush and connected it using epoxy to a branch of rosewood and voila, a new tool that only cost pennies for the materials. 

The benefits of epoxy is that it is low-cost, easy to find, and is really tough and strong when put in place. The drawbacks: you need a certain type of epoxy for metal and wood and plastics. It can be corrosive to your fingers and a petroleum by-product – it off gasses. Lastly, it’s not transparent like a glue gun or crazy glue and it needs some time to stiffen. 

Duct tape your problems together

Duct tape: I could build hiking boots and shelter using duct tape, don’t get me started. I believe almost anything can be fixed with this kind of tape but don’t go overboard like the ramen noodle guy. 

But duct tape is really wonderful for repairing bags, wallets, for taping poles together, for fixing bits falling off your car door and handles. It can hold broken tiles together and can stick bits of wood on tight if rolled right. The drawback is that it’s an external repair so it’s not quite like stitching bits together. If you like the look you can make it your flair and buy silver, red or gold duct tape to show off your style. Or if you are ambitious, try sculpting with tape. 

Glue guns instead of a sewing machine

Glue guns: if you are a lazy mom like me, glue guns are my saviour around Halloween time. You can take all sorts of random things you have around the house and cut them up and swiftly make your kid a costume or into an upcycled kite. In the past women used to know how to sew costumes and dresses to make it work but if you don’t have time and want to avoid buying a bought costume, whip out your glue gun and start “sewing” the easy way. 

Drawback: it’s not pretty and as finished looking as sewing. Threads of glue can stick out from the seams and it won’t last nearly as long as sewing. But if you need a temporary fix try the glue gun. 

The basic hammer and nail

A hammer and nails. This simple household tool can get you far. With a variety of nail sizes from teeny tiny to larger 2 inch nails… you can hang pictures, fix bumpy wood and even install a shelf. For load bearing items – things that will need to carry substantial weight, better to use screws. But you can always try at first with a simple hammer and nail. You can make a clothes hook, a way to hang a small found mirror in your bathroom. A hammer can straighten out of line wood beams. 

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The fashion sector is one of the most polluting industries on the planet; only airplanes are worse. Like the concept of an ‘eco-friendly jet,’ slow fashion may sound like a contradiction in terms. ‘Fashion’ is synonymous with ‘change,’ which strongly implies ‘wastefulness.’ So you’re right to wonder what it means, and if it’s just another gimmick to sell you something. But sustainable fashion is real. So long as you shop mindfully and check the credentials of the company you’re dealing with, eco-friendly apparel is more than just the latest hot trend. Slow fashion is the way of the future.

1. More Time & Space

Most of us are suffering from a shortage of time and space, both in our home and in our mind. Investing in sustainable fashion is good for the planet, and it makes sense for the individual too. Classic, quality pieces free up valuable real estate in your closet and your brain. Having less to wade through to figure out what to wear saves you time and brain space, making it a win all the way around. Shop designers who create sustainable, timeless designs that will wear well for years to come, like Eileen Fisher and Vivienne Westwood.

For versatile and eco-conscious additions to your wardrobe, explore options like long sleeve sun shirts for women that combine function with style. These pieces are ideal for layering, offer sun protection, and hold up well through repeated wear and washes.

2. Less Landfill

Once upon a time, sustainability was the fashion. Wealthy individuals aside, most people had a set of clothes for work and something special to wear for worship and holidays, and that was it. Ditto for jewelry. Items were passed down from one generation to the next and nothing went to waste. What happened? The fashion sector decided consumers needed to buy more. Rather than 2 seasons just 20 years ago, there are now up to 24 fashion cycles per year. Clothes are also designed to fall apart so you must buy more. The result has been a $1.5 trillion industry which is great for sales, but not so much for the planet. Clothing production has more than doubled over the last 2 decades. The more clothes we have, the less we wear them, and the faster they wind up in the trash. Textiles waste in landfills increased by 40% in the US in just the 10 years between 1999-2009. Currently, only about 15% of textile waste goes to recycling. We must do better. Buy sustainably, wear what you own, and try consignment, both as a buyer and seller.

3. Reduced Carbon Emissions

The way textiles are produced really matters, and the type of textile matters too. Apparel manufacture creates about 10% of total global carbon dioxide emissions. Polyester is found in about 60% of all garments and producing it releases 2-3 times more carbon than cotton. If you’re thinking a natural fiber like cotton is the way to go, the answer is yes, but it’s not that straightforward because the way standard cotton is produced is less than ideal and requires the use of large amounts of pesticides. By contrast, growing cotton organically requires significantly fewer chemicals, resulting in healthier soil, as well as healthier workers who must handle them. Look for labels like Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Oeko-Tex, Better Cotton Initiative, and Bluesign.

4. Cleaner Water

The fashion industry is responsible for an estimated 20% of water waste around the world. To produce a single cotton tee shirt requires the use of approximately 700 gallons of water. That’s about 2 1/2 years of drinking water for one person. Synthetics are responsible for some 500,000 tons of microfibers that end up in the ocean every year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. Add to that the 8,000 different synthetic chemicals used in the dyeing process, most of which are toxic to humans, animals, and the environment, and it’s clear things need to change. In China, it is estimated that about 90% of the local groundwater is polluted. The best way to clean up our water is by buying less and seeking out clothes made using sustainable practices.

5. Healthier Planet

Fashion brands are well aware of the hard facts about the waste they’re promoting, but businesses exist to make money. In some cases, this has created the problem of ‘greenwashing,’ or the unscrupulous practice of making a product sound more eco-friendly than it actually is. But there are plenty of brands, both big and boutique, that are legitimately taking steps to combat the pollution problem. For example, Adidas is developing sneakers from ocean plastic. Levi’s is working toward 100% sustainably-sourced cotton and renewable energy by 2025. Cuyana offers single-origin, traceable cashmere right now, and is committed to using 100% sustainable materials as early as 2022. Veja is a certified B Corporation, meaning it meets certain standards of social and environmental sustainability. Stella McCartney was one of the earliest adopters of sustainable fashion and, besides using recyclable and renewable materials for her apparel, also employs renewable energy in the company’s stores and offices. These are just a few examples, and there are many more who are serious about their commitment to a healthy planet. 

As consumers, we have the power to vote with our wallet. Be smart: do your research, think before you buy, and wear what you have. Small steps really do add up.

The post 5 Reasons Why Slow Fashion Is a Smart Idea appeared first on Green Prophet.

In a recycler’s reinvention of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, a Malaysian manufacturer is crafting eco-friendly fashion from melted and discarded plastic bottles.

The post Eco-friendly headscarves (and more!) made from plastic bottles appeared first on Green Prophet.

You’ve got open eyes. You’ve read the reports, like this one from the WWF on how polluting we’ve become. Yet we can’t get enough of consuming stuff on planet earth. Pick up the New York Times and see an editorial running on watch ads. Fancy, crazy expensive watches for elite people, not this planet in peril.

Enter Hunter Green. This is a new watch line that’s made with practically everything that will make an eco-lover tick. The watches are biodegradable eventually, and are made to be lead free, and mercury free with zero toxins.

The watches have been made with biodegradable and organic corn resin so that modest earth lovers like you and me can express ourselves. Isn’t that what green fashion is all about?

See this eco-friendly watch come to life through Kickstarter

Into the Hunter Green watches you’ve also got an organic cotton and cork (a very sustainable renewable resource) strap.

Designer Hunter Mayers, now looking for a $30,000 launch fund on Kickstarter (and which is about 1/4 of the way there!) was inspired to start this new line of watches after meeting film director David Lynch.

He tells Green Prophet: “I have a background in the Film/TV industry as a Designer and Graphic Producer. I was at David Lynch’s house for a charity event, (sounds more glamorous than my real life actually is. ha!)…

But…

“His house is very modern, as was his outfit that day. Dark colors, nothing flashy. I noticed David was wearing a bright neon yellow, cheap plastic, wristwatch. He was expressing himself,” Mayers says. “After my visit I wanted to purchase a watch like his, to express myself. I found many watch designs I liked but none that were good for the environment. I was shocked to see the lack of eco-friendly choices.

“I have a design background, so I started designing… Hunter Green was born.”

Putting a watch to task

Mayers grew up surfing in Maryland and put time into thinking about saving our planet from pollution after seeing so much trash out at sea. To raise awareness, he’ll be giving 5 percent of every sale of his watches to the Plastic Pollution Coalition (of which Green Prophet is a member). The watches which will be available to ship in about half a year and will cost about $125.

Getting to the point of a Kickstarter that could deliver on time wasn’t trivial, says Mayers: “I had many issues trying to locate a watch manufacture…as the materials I wanted to use weren’t widely used in the watch industry.

“This struggle, although frustrating, made me what to see this through even more. I felt like I was onto something special,” Mayers concludes.

Think so too? While it may seem trivial that a watch could actually save this planet, we love the project for the awareness it brings to the watch industry and the way timepieces are made. And it makes me think of my dad’s old collection of pocket watches from one hundred years ago. Watches that none of us will probably ever wear again, begging the question: Do watches in the 21st century really need to withstand the test of time? I’d rather mine melt into the earth when I am done with it.

Fund Hunter Green watches here on Kickstarter

The post Hunter Green: a biodegradable watch for a planet living on borrowed time appeared first on Green Prophet.

Here are some green book gift giving ideas for Christmas: Whether you are buying for a business executive who needs to make the company more sustainable (hint, hint), a young environmental activist who wants to change the world, or an MBA student eager to be in the loop, here are some important book ideas.  

Some are available in hard copy, others as very green e-books.

1. American Earth is a book every green-inclined person needs on their book shelf. Best read in hard copy, it’s a collection of essays by some of the strongest environmental leaders America has known.

Edited by Bill McKibben, it starts with the ecological musings of Henry David Thoreau — read his essays on Walden Pond and you’ll think you’re talking with the Moneyless Man — and it goes on to transect major eras in the environment movement in America, including recent essays by characters like Julia Butterfly Hill on what it was like living in that tree.

2. Silent Spring is a classic. Written by Rachel Carson, the book was a clarion call to the world, on why we need to wake up to the industrial pollution we are putting into our earth, and bodies. Ironically Carson died quite young in her 50s from breast cancer. Cancer was one of the things she spoke about as a result of environmental pollution.

3. Barefoot Bloggers is edited by me, and includes a collection of short chapters from some of the best green bloggers in the world, like Chris Tackett and Jennifer Hattam at TreeHugger, and Mike Kanellos from Greentech Media.

The book is an important read for anyone who is interested in using the written word to fight for the environment. Chapters on writing for clean tech, and NGOs are helpful, and the guide includes tips on making money, and writing for various religious audiences, as well as good SEO practices.

4. Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth by Buckminster Fuller. He’s inspired generations of thinkers, futurists designers, architects, and environmentalists. It’s an extremely hopeful and inspirational book, giving tools and food for thought for steering Spaceship Earth into a sustainable future.

5. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. This book by William McDonough and Michael Braungart published in 2002 is so critical to understanding sustainability in America that you’ll be lost if you don’t know what this book is about.

Yes, you already know about recycling, but what about upcycling, or designing things to last?Cradle to Cradle takes on a whole new philosophy that mankind needs to embrace.

Buy these books for an aspiring ecologist and environmentalist and you will make someone beyond the planet very happy.

The post 5 Great Ever “Green” Book Ideas and Gifts for Christmas appeared first on Green Prophet.

One of the most respected environmental activists in the Middle East, no sustainability conference is complete without H.H. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi’s stamp of approval. So it is an enormous compliment that the “Green Sheikh” attended an event co-hosted by Abu Dhabi’s leading property developer and an international carpet manufacturer. Designed to generate environmental awareness among United Arab Emirate businesses, the Cradle to Cradle event attracted over 100 leading architects, designers, and government and New York University representatives.

The conference was co-hosted by Aldar, which owns over 50 million square meters of land in strategic locations throughout the Emirate and Desso – a major European carpet manufacturer with a significant presence across the Middle East, supplying to hospitals, educational facilities, offices and government buildings.

The Netherlands-based company was the first carpet manufacturer in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region to adopt Cradle to Cradle – which Time Magazine has called “a unified philosophy that – in demonstrable and practical ways – is changing the design of the world.”

Delegates heard presentations from Dr Michael Braungart, one of the founders of Cradle to Cradle, and from Stef Kranendijk, chief executive of Desso, on how Cradle to Cradle principles are being applied in one of the world’s leading carpet manufacturers.

Michael Braungart, along with the American architect William McDonough, heralded the philosophy with their book ‘Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.’ Desso’s central premise is that at the end of a carpet’s useful life, its components should be disassembled and reused without being down-cycled or, worse, simply thrown away.

The Cradle to Cradle philosophy promotes the notion that all product components can be used and reused without losing their value – an entirely new approach to consumerism.

Underlining the importance of the event, it was held at the HQ of Mubadla, established by the government of Abu Dhabi to diversify and transform the economy and develop the next generation of business leaders.

Also represented was government-owned Masdar, a pioneer in renewable energy, which is seeking to position Abu Dhabi as an international hub for renewable energy, new energy and sustainable technologies.

The development of the GCC region, and its increasing urbanization, has inevitably brought problems of waste management and concerns about pollution. The 2008 WWF Living Planet Report found that the UAE has the highest per capita carbon footprint internationally.

However, Abu Dhabi has set a target to generate 7% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020, and has embarked on the ground-breaking Masdar project, due for completion in 2025, to build the world’s first zero emission, zero waste, city. Other initiatives, alongside new green building codes, are smaller-scale, but also significant: for example, to phase out plastic carrier bags across the country by 2012.

In parallel, the UAE has also established the world’s most valuable environmental award, worth US $1 million, the brainchild of H.H. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in recognition of former President, H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who saw the importance of protecting the environment for future generations.

Issues of sustainability and environmental responsibility have grown in importance over recent years leading to, for example, the creation of Estidama, which means sustainability in English, an initiative launched in May 2008 by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, the agency responsible for the future of Abu Dhabi’s urban environment.

Estidama seeks to achieve the highest levels of sustainable designs and practices from the very start of the design process. The initiative supports the principle of sustainable living and wise use of resources by working closely with communities, organizations, businesses and policy makers to promote responsible decision making. The Pearl rating system associated with Estidama is now a regulatory requirement.

“This was an event that captured imaginations,” said Andre Dulka, Desso’s regional manager, “with Abu Dhabi’s key development organizations represented, as well as a broad spectrum of delegates from the private sector.”

More on Cradle to Cradle Design in the Middle East:

Eco-Design Basics On Cradle to Grave vs. Cradle to Cradle

Beauty Increases Sustainability, According to Designer Gadi Amit

Sustainable Reading: Offset Your Reading With Eco-Libris

The post The Green Sheikh Rubber Stamps Cradle To Cradle Event appeared first on Green Prophet.