Cities “going green” in a unique way.

• You can see it at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Clifton and at the Zimmer Auditorium on the University of Cinncinati’s campus. You may come across it on the top of some NY buildings and skyscrapers as well as the Apple store in Chicago. Many cities are “going green” and they are doing it with some of the only open plots they have left; the roof of the building.
• All of these buildings have green roofs, hardy vegetation planted in shallow engineered soil over a root-repelant, waterproof drainage system on a flat very low pitched roof. This can cut heating and cooling costs by providing natural earthen insulation, and reduce air and noise pollution because the plants create a filter.
• The plants soil also retains rainwater reducing what goes into storm-water and sewer drainage systems. Like many cities, Cincinnati is under legal pressure from the US EPA to reduce the amount of polluted water flowing into our rivers and what steams from city sewers and storm water systems.
• The goal to getting the river cleaner can only be achieved by reducing the amount of runoff, slow it down, and improve the quality of the water.

www.greenroofs.com

Young Phil Bridge, a soon-to-be-graduating student at England’s Sheffield Hallam University, was concerned about the frequent theft of bikes in the U.K. So he decided to make himself some two-wheeled transportation out of recycled and easily recyclable materials. A cardboard bike!

• But the bike is made (mostly) of an easily renewable resource, and supposedly cost only $30. The tires, wheels, chain and gears are made from standard metal parts. Oh, and the seat, too. I’m hoping there wasn’t even a test-prototype with a cardboard seat. Ouch.
• Regular box cardboard isn’t strong enough, so Bridge used something called hexacomb cardboard, which has the additional utility of being waterproof. I’m not sure I’d want to be the one to test this claim by taking this thing for a ride in the rain.
• The bike will hold anyone who weighs less than 168 lbs, and Bridge, who made the bike as part of his degree program in Product Design, is looking for investors to try and sell the bike commercially. I can see and hear the ads now, to the tune of the Beatles “Paper Back Writer” — “Paper Bike Rider.”

Imagine carrying 5 gallons of water several times a day, everyday. Imagine doing this not for exercise but to survive.

• Approximately 10,000 communities throughout Southern Africa (15 million people) are currently without adequate access to water. Traditional methods of collecting water include the use of 20-liter (5-gallon) buckets, which are laboriously carried on the head. Extensive suffering occurs in the process. This method is very time and energy consuming and is also the cause of many serious health problems.

• The innovative design allows water to be placed inside the “wheel” rather than carried above the wheel. Extensive field tests over many years and various awards have proven the effectiveness of the Hippo Water Roller. Approximately five times the normal amount of water can now be collected in less time with far less effort.

_ Bruce Mau MASSIVE CHANGE

http://projecthdesign.com/2008/02/17/h-is-for-hippo/

Picture it running on McD’s french fry grease and burger run-off.

• The average suburban commuter would save $6500 a year on gas by taking the bus to work. In fact all 388 vehicles in Cincinnati’s public transportation system run on biodiesel-blended fuel, making Metro one of the biggest consumers of biodiesel in the country. Next Spring, six hybrid electric buses hit the roads, the Transit Authority of Norther Kentucky (TANK) has already begun integrating hybrids into its fleet, with four starting this year. I think it is time to park the car, and hop on the bus.

Six Threats to our environmental health, and some modest proposals to fight them.

• Downtown Recycling Woes - Support local wide-scale recycling programs. Support local manufactures like Alcoa and Smurfit which uses locally recycled materials, and encourage business to incorporate those materials.
  
• Urban Sprawl - Invest in public transportation that can reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, try not to support government subsidies for new subdivisions and bigger high ways - it only feeds the oil addiction.
  
• Water Pollution - Cincinnati’s Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) is working on a $2-3 billion dollar plan to reduce the amount of untreated sewage. Around the house don’t fertilize your own lawn before rainfall, and avoid dumping grease and oil and household solvents in your sink.
  
• Air Pollution - Make an effort to drive less, conserve electricity and oppose any measures to weaken the “Clean Air Act”
  
• Expanding Landfills - If you are a homeowner that is not recycling, call (513) 242 - 4401 and get yourself a recycling bin.
  
• Automobile Dependency - The answer surely is not more highways, which will not only increase taxes but also automobile dependency. But until then, use our METRO and TANK bus system and find alternatives to driving. Biking and support for community infrastructure plans that dont involve automobiles.

Loop de Loop

• The well know people mover in Detroit (de troi) is an honest take on a light rail system in the Metro Detroit Are. The problem, it is limited to its destinations as the city starts to expand (collapse) during this recent economic strain. Detroit has been suffering for a while, and still seems that people prefer to pay and park than to use the gracious People Mover.
• Getting any kind of mass transportation up and running is an uphill battle in Detroit. The Detroit People Mover is a start. It was supposed to be the center of a citywide light rail system. Instead, it has remained isolated since it was built in the 1970s as a downtown elevated loop. For 50 cents, it’s a great way to tour downtown, and it works well as a quick way to skip around the downtown area for business people, shoppers and sports fans. The 13 stops are convenient to many popular destinations, such as Greektown, the Renaissance Center and Joe Louis Arena, but some places, like the temporary casinos, are literally out of the loop. It proves to be most useful in the winter time, however

The Cincinnati Subway is a set of unused tunnels and stations for a rapid transit system beneath the streets of Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the site of the largest abandoned subway tunnel in the United States.

• Rapid Transit was seen as the solution for downtown congestion during the first quarter of the twentieth century. Six million dollars were allocated for the project, but construction was delayed due to World War I. Unexpected post-war inflation doubled the cost of construction, so the project could not be finished at the original estimated price. Despite various attempts to use the subway tunnels for mass transit, thus far all attempts have been unsuccessful. Political squabbling, The Great Depression, World War II, and the rise in popularity of the automobile have all contributed to the current failure of the subway.

The NAU clothing line is a LEED certified company, that focuses on a green urban and active ware.

The design team makes use of their long-term relationships with fabric manufacturers by pushing them to the limits of technology, fabrication and skill to create and increase demand for new kinds of sustainable materials. They ensure that Nau products are made in factories that agree to social and environmental audits by a third party, package them in sustainable and renewable materials, and are even recyclable and biodegradable after their usable life is over.

|link|www.nau.com|

Addressing the needs of society today without compromising the quality of life for future generations. It is undeniable that this trend has taken root in out culture, with an unprecedented level of public awareness. Sustainability is not truly in the mass market dialogue with ever increasing exposure.

• Currents
• Sustainability reflected mainstream products
  Design for Dis assembly
  Reduce/reuse/recycle evolves to simplify and share
  energy awareness and concern
  Design:e2, Lime
  Rise of Ethical Consumer and Influence of Gen x and y
  Corporate social responsibility
  Networking
• Driving Forces
  Technology
  Eco-militancy
  Cultural Diversity
  Quality of Life
• Core Values
  Authenticity
  Signaling
  Responsible
  Proactive
  Conscientious
  Good Design!!! (stress that)