Design
This home was made almost entirely out of repurposed items
Using recycled and repurposed materials to build new things is a fantastic way to take some pressure off the environment as it decreases landfill waste, reduces the need for raw materials, and saves the energy that comes with having to dismantle and re-manufacture products. But on top of that, Read More...
Cities are turning alleys into green spaces to help people reconnect with nature
From Montreal to Portland, cities across North America are starting to rethink all that cement that’s used to pave the streets. Alleys and alley sides, in particular, are being effectively imagined as people-friendly pathways, parks, and lushly planted urban habitats that stand in stark contrast Read More...
A German auto supplier has come up with airbags that inflate on the outside
You know those ugly balloons that pop out of surprising places when a car gets into a crash? What are they called again? Airbags? Well, a German auto supplier has developed airbags that, in the event of a serious collision, would inflate not on the interior of your vehicle, but on the exterior to Read More...
This elegant home was made using waste cork from the wine industry
The wine industry produces more wasted corks than you could possibly imagine. Interestingly enough, cork can actually be an effective material to build with. Just look at this beautiful building in Berlin, which has a facade and roof clad with waste cork. The rectangular-shaped panels of cork Read More...
Smart fabric can change temperature according to the world around it
Imagine having an item of clothing that cools you in summer and warms you in winter. A sweater that, based on its surrounding environment, regulates its own temperature in response to your personal comfort. Soon that could become reality as scientists at the University of Maryland have created a Read More...
A stylish French shoe brand now offers sneakers that are entirely vegan
Veja, a chic French sneaker brand, has a reputation for its newfangled use of sustainable and organic materials in the production of its shoes. Wanting to take it a step further, the company has been working on developing a truly eco-friendly vegan shoe for the last five years, one that is fully Read More...
This teenager built himself a fully functional robotic arm using Legos
To be resourceful is to be able to use the tools and resources at hand to overcome difficult problems. David Aguilar, a 19 year-old bioengineering of Barcelona, is the embodiment of a resourceful person. Born without a right forearm due to a rare genetic condition, Aguilar built himself a fully Read More...
Norwegian studio designs chair using old fish nets from local fisheries
At the Optimist Daily, we’re all about repurposing waste into something entirely new. However, while it’s awesome to make a product out of materials that would otherwise end up in the trash, that isn’t a guarantee that the product will be entirely useful or aesthetically pleasing. That’s Read More...
Bacteria is helping create unconventional, yet sustainable building materials
If we want to start building more sustainably, we have to think beyond traditional building materials such as brick, wood, glass, and concrete. At least, that's the way two European designers are thinking after creating a self-supporting column out of knitted fibers. While a knitted structure would Read More...
This nonprofit is tackling homelessness by turning school busses into homes
Oregon has one of the highest rates of homelessness amongst children, with more than 22,000 students lacking a proper home. That shocking statistic inspired a nonprofit to start converting retired school busses into fully functioning, attractive tiny houses on wheels for homeless children and their Read More...