Environment News

Yosemite camping site unveils series of ADA-compliant tiny cabins

Sep 20, 2019: :os Angeles-based firm, M-Rad have unveiled a Related: + M-Rad Via Dezeen M-Rad cabins, universal design, tiny cabin, tiny cabin design, cabin living, cabin architecture, movable cabin, mobile cabins, X-Suite dwelling, universal design,…

Climate change is a public health issue amounting to billions in medical costs

Sep 20, 2019: The environment shapes our society. Hence, as climate change worsens, so do healthcare costs.

Technology uses banana leaves as a biodegradable alternative to single-use plastic

Sep 20, 2019: Find out how banana leaves can be transformed into a sturdy, durable alternative to single-use plastic.

An abandoned market becomes a light-filled homeless shelter in London

Sep 20, 2019: We love it when old buildings can be put to good use, but it especially warms our hearts when communities use adaptive reuse to convert empty spaces into spaces specially designed to help those in need.

Award-winning sustainable retreat offers a stylish defense against fire

Sep 20, 2019: Australian architectural firm Steendijk’s Bellbird Retreat is proof that designing for fire safety doesn’t have to mean compromising aesthetics.

Sono Motors self-charging solar electric car will feature an air-purifying moss interior

Sep 19, 2019: German mobility startup Sono Motors recently unveiled the first interior renderings for the Sion, a fully electric vehicle with full-surface solar integration that will feature a strip of air-purifying moss inside.

New York allows students to miss class for the climate strike

Sep 19, 2019: Tomorrow, on September 20, a global climate strike is scheduled to bring awareness about the need for transformative action against the growing climate crisis.

Spectacular rammed-earth dome home is tucked deep into a Costa Rican jungle

Sep 19, 2019: Located in the idyllic area of Diamante Valley, the House Without Shoes is an incredible rammed-earth complex made up of three interconnected domes, which are joined by an open-air deck that looks out over the stunning valley and ocean views.

Algae Lamps are a work of art and natural shade in one

Sep 19, 2019: Algae is one of the newest materials to hit the market as a multi-purpose fiber. While it has been hauled out of the ocean, cultivated, dried, and processed into myriad products, it typically loses some of its allure in the process. So one designer spent years figuring out a way to use algae so that it maintains its natural essence, even when molded into a final product. Algae Lamps are a product of this effort with lamp shades that are contoured for unique outcomes in shape and style. Each...

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Sep 19, 2019: Help Inhabitat publish the most accurate, up-to-date environmental news stories.

MAD Architects unveils solar-powered Hyperloop transit system

Sep 18, 2019: The avant-garde architecture of Beijing-based MAD Architects has merged with Hyperloop’s futuristic transportation technologies with the unveiling of a new, solar-powered rapid transit system.

High levels of plastic byproducts discovered in children, study finds

Sep 18, 2019: Rather alarmingly, the study found toxic levels of plastic byproducts in 97 percent of the blood and urine samples gathered from 2,500 children tested.

Ireland plans to ban single-use plastics

Sep 18, 2019: In a move that has environmentalists cheering, Ireland recently overhauled its waste sector by announcing a ban on single-use plastics.

These works of art record and provide shelter to urban wildlife

Sep 18, 2019: The Interaction Research Studio at Goldsmiths, University of London is proving that you don’t have to leave the city to experience wildlife. Inspired by both art and nature, the studio has created a series of habitats that use hidden cameras to capture images of wildlife.

Sustainable tech powers the Corten steel-clad Cube in Denmark

Sep 18, 2019: When Danish architectural firm Christensen & Co. Architects was asked to design the new headquarters for the Helsingør Power Plant, they felt it would be fitting if the project serve as an extension of the client’s commitment to sustainable supply technologies. Clad in Corten steel as a nod to the surrounding industrial architecture, the sustainably powered Forsyning Helsingør Operations Center has been dubbed The Cube after its geometric shape. For a reduced energy footprint, the office...

Kengo Kuma unveils bold timber museum in Turkey that pays homage to the region's Ottoman heritage

Sep 17, 2019: The world-renowned architects of Kengo Kuma and Associates have just unveiled a stunning museum in Turkey. Located in Eskisehir, the Odunpazari Modern Museum features several stacked timber boxes that rise out of the ground at various angles, paying homage to the city's Ottoman heritage.

This year's ozone hole could be the smallest it has been in 30 years

Sep 17, 2019: For decades, scientists have closely observed the ozone layer, which protects Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This year, just in time for World Ozone Day, the European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) announced the state of the ozone hole — its size is the smallest it has been in the past 30 years.

Robotic fish offer a solution to controlling invasive species

Sep 17, 2019: Invasive species have become a growing environmental challenge, causing serious harm to ecosystems. An interdisciplinary team from New York University (NYU) and the University of Western Australia are utilizing robotic fish to curb the damaging effects of invasive species by scaring the invaders enough so that they reproduce less.

Studio Gangs Solstice tower in Chicago is shaped by the sun

Sep 17, 2019: In Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood rises Solstice on the Park, a 26-story residential tower with an angular design that has been shaped by solar studies.

The 2019 Redress Design Awards showcased the very best of emerging eco-designers

Sep 17, 2019: Known for its work in reducing textile waste in the fashion industry, Redress has just hosted its 2019 Design Awards — the world's largest sustainable fashion design competition. Let's take a look at the winners!

Snhetta completes worlds northernmost energy-positive building

Sep 16, 2019: Snøhetta has once again raised the bar for sustainable architecture with its completion of Powerhouse Brattørkaia, the world’s northernmost energy-positive building.

Ace Hardware boosts efforts to phase out neonicotinoid pesticides

Sep 16, 2019: The world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative, Ace Hardware, is becoming more “bee-friendly” by phasing out inventory products associated with neonicotinoid pesticides.

Climate fears affecting meat, bottled beverage and plastic production industries

Sep 16, 2019: The growing apprehension surrounding climate change is altering consumer behavior.

Find Bliss in this natural, cruelty-free and affordable skincare

Sep 16, 2019: Bliss, a long-standing skincare and spa company, has been making natural, cruelty-free offerings for years, so we decided to test out some of its top sellers to find just how well these budget-friendly, natural skincare products work.

Innovative orange juicer 3D prints bioplastic cups out of leftover orange peels

Sep 16, 2019: Related: + Via…

Canada unveils its first chemical-free public outdoor pool and it's gorgeous

Sep 13, 2019: Related: Chemical-free community swimming pool is filled with recycled rainwater filtered through plants + gh3* Photos via gh3* Borden Park Natural Swimming Pool, gh3*, natural swimming pools, chemical-free public pools, sand and granite filters, natural swimming pool design, urban planning, public swimming pools,…

The planet is losing an area of forest cover the size of the UK each year

Sep 13, 2019: The rate of world deforestation continues to accelerate, despite governments’ promises to reverse it.

EPA repeals water protections, choosing industry over wetlands

Sep 13, 2019: The Trump administration has repealed the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, an Obama-era policy designed to protect waterways.

The environmental cost of the pumpkin spice latte

Sep 13, 2019: Before you prove your loyalty to the iconic autumnal beverage, consider the effects your morning brew might have on the environment and your health, from the ingredients to the delivery.

LEED Platinum CoLab Building brings first-ever CLT structure to Virginia

Sep 13, 2019: Earlier this summer, William McDonough + Partners and HITT Contracting officially opened Co|Lab, an innovative research space in Falls Church that has received LEED Platinum certification for its high-performance design.

Artist converts old city bus into public swimming pool

Sep 12, 2019: Related: + Via Designboom…

Taco Bell launches new menu for vegetarians

Sep 12, 2019: While in-the-know vegetarians have navigated Taco Bell’s menu for years, the fast food chain is moving plant-based food to the forefront with an official vegetarian section on its menu.

EPA promises an end to animal testing

Sep 12, 2019: On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a move to "aggressively reduce animal testing" and to stop funding mammal tests by 2035.

Psychedelic installation in NYC spotlights environmental issues with immersive art

Sep 12, 2019: The call for environmental awareness and action has been given a new voice in a visually stunning art installation that just opened its doors in New York City. Entitled Arcadia Earth, the temporary art exhibition immerses guests in a multi-sensory journey spotlighting pressing ecological issues—such as overfishing, plastic pollution, food waste, deforestation, and climate change—with vivid artworks designed with upcycled and reusable materials. The 18-room exhibition is powered by augmented and...

Canadas largest shipping container market welcomes crowds in Toronto

Sep 12, 2019: The people of Toronto are about to get the country's largest shipping container market, courtesy of local firm LGA Architectural Partners.

Plumen Hive shade is 3D-printed and biodegradable

Sep 11, 2019: Light bulbs and lamp shades go together like peanut butter and jelly so when Plumen had an idea for a natural looking shade, they turned to designer Luke Deering with very specific goals in mind: make it elegant and make it sustainable. The Hive shade is the result of a vision to use biomorphic design to make a shade look like a natural honeycomb. Shadowing the design after well-sculpted art of the hive not only brings natural elements inside the living space, but also gives a nod to some...

Can an artificial leaf make the pharmaceutical industry greener?

Sep 11, 2019: Scientists in the Netherlands have developed a solar concentrator that looks and acts like a leaf. By putting chemicals in the artificial leaf’s microchannels, which resemble the veins on a real leaf, and exposing it to sunlight, solar reactions create medicine. “Depending on the choice of chemicals, almost any kind of medicine can be created in a fast and sustainable way,” promises a video on the Eindhoven University of Technology’s website. “Maybe we could be making malaria medication...

Tribute in Light endangers migrating birds

Sep 11, 2019: New York City’s annual September 11 Tribute in Light seeks to console a still-damaged city and commemorate those lost in the 2001 Twin Tower attacks. Unfortunately, the stunning beams of light also mesmerize birds, sometimes luring them to their deaths.

Apartment complex will be infused with vegetation to create a vibrant 'garden city'

Sep 11, 2019: Malmö-based archictect Jonas Lindvall has been chosen by the Swedish coastal city of Ystad to construct a plant-filled apartment complex.

Architecture students build temporary music festival venue using 160 repurposed apple bins

Sep 11, 2019: On Friday, August 2, the Pickathon Music Festival in Happy Valley, Oregon featured a temporary performance venue designed by the Portland State University School of Architecture. The project is another in a line of “diversion design-build” concept stages, known fondly as the “Treeline Stage,” built by the school for the festival since 2014. The very first Treeline Stage was made using wooden shipping pallets, but in the years since have also featured cardboard tubes, dimensional lumber and...

This rechargeable camping headlamp is made out of sustainable wood and recycled aluminum

Sep 10, 2019: Recently launched on Kickstarter, the Origin Headlamp is not only a sustainable lamp, but it also boasts a powerful 300 lumen LED light that offers at least 10 hours of light and is guaranteed to lead you straight through your epic adventures.

American trophy hunter may get permit to bring slain rhino home

Sep 10, 2019: It seems counterintuitive. An American trophy hunter donates $400,000 to an anti-poaching organization in Namibia in exchange for the privilege of killing an endangered rhinoceros. President Trump may issue the permit for Chris Peyerk to bring his kill home with him, despite the Endangered Species Act specifying that it’s illegal to import endangered animals – whole or in part—unless it will enhance the species’ survival. Peyerk, owner of the Michigan business Dan’s Excavating, Inc.,...

Supermarket happy hour reduces food waste

Sep 10, 2019: A Finnish supermarket chain is fighting food waste by offering steep discounts during a “happy hour.”…

Student designs an ecotourism hot-spot for the Iranian desert

Sep 10, 2019: A student finalist in this year’s Radical Innovation competition has found a possible solution for conserving Iran’s deserts while also promoting ecotourism in the region.

This prefab tower was built using net-zero design principles

Sep 10, 2019: Located 100 kilometers from Beijing, the Lakeside Plugin Tower was developed as a model prototype for a city concept using sustainable, net-zero design principles.

A cluster of coast forest cabins brings a nature-loving family closer together

Sep 9, 2019: With their grown children living in different parts of North America, Indiana-based couple John and Pat Troth sought a retreat where they could bring their nature-loving family together in one place. To that end, the couple asked Seattle-based architectural firm Wittman Estes to transform a midcentury cabin in Washington’s Hood Canal into a getaway that would immerse their family into the coastal forest. Using repurposed materials, a simple and modern aesthetic, as well as an indoor/ outdoor living...

'The Blob' returns: marine heatwave settles over Pacific

Sep 9, 2019: The Blob is back … and no, it’s not a new Hollywood movie. Data scientists report this Blob – the last was in 2015 – refers to a marine heatwave or unusually warm waters. As for 2019’s blob, it’s the second largest to occur in the Pacific in the last 40 years. It encompasses 4 million square miles from Alaska to Canada and to Hawaii. Additionally, there is a larger area affected that us more than 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and hotter than normal for September. “It’s...