When I display flowers, I like to show them off from stem to petal. And these cute Glass Bird vases seem like a very sweet way to show off a few blooms in nooks and crannies that need a little cheer.

Mouth-blown to form crystal clear sculptures of a chickadee and a dove, this cheerful set brings a little bit of nature inside. If you love birds as much as our editor, Sara, does (see her posts here, here and here) you ought to scoop

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The other day on the news, there was a woman walking up the side of a building using paddles modeled after gecko’s feet.

There’s a building in Zimbabwe that doesn’t require air conditioning and uses only 10% of the energy of other buildings its size. It was built using technology borrowed from termite mounds that are as well ventilated as a honeycomb even though they are underground.

There’s a company working on harvesting wave energy by studying how giant kelp absorb the constant shock of waves without breaking into pieces.

If you buy a kitchen cabinet anytime …

The “Ëœ20s-inspired cloche hat is the solution to keeping your head warm in style during the blustery winter season. A seemingly simple task, finding a quality cloche for a reasonable price is actually quite the challenge. Add an eco layer on top of that and it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. Lucky for me, I came across Boring Sidney designs on Etsy. Trained in the art of millinery during her years in the theatre industry, Belle acquired vintage hat blocks, trims, and fabrics that she’s used to make her masterpieces. Here are …

The environment is in trouble. The economy is even worse. The election has us all on the edge of our seats. If you’re feeling tense, depressed, or just plain old stressed, here are some quick tips to up the optimism. We face challenges, yes, but there’s plenty of good if you look around:

Know that you have the power to make positive changes in your life, and that your life will touch the lives of others.
Expect the best.
Remember what you’re grateful …

In 1969, the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya set out to aid the disabled people of its underprivileged communities, and what began as a rehabilitation project blossomed into Bombolulu Gardens with the purchase of a 12-acre farm in Mombasa. Since its humble beginning, their workshop has trained more than 500 artisans in skills like carving, tailoring, crafting jewelry and leather work. In addition to stable employment, free housing and medical care are given to its members and their families. While a significant percentage of sales are local, handmade items from the Bombolulu Workshop are …

For the last 7 months, we’ve been bringing you all our discoveries in sustainable furniture design, from vintage to artisan to modern and more. Eco-friendly design is diverse as it is inspiring, and if you think “green furniture” means boring or basic, think again.

Here’s a selection of some of the furniture that’s caught our eye. (Be sure you check out Part One: Gorgeous Green Designs, too.)

A vintage Gabrielle Crespi style coffee table….

Logging the miles is good for your heart, but replacing your running shoes every 300-400 miles isn’t too good for the earth. So, folks at Brooks got to work and created BioMoGo midsoles, a non-toxic, natural additive that exponentially increases the rate of biodegradation.

While traditional Ethylene Vinyl Acetate┞¢ (EVA) midsoles can last up to 1,000 years in an enclosed landfill, Brooks expects (after extensive testing) their BioMoGo will biodegrade in roughly 20 years, breaking down into its component nutrients that can be used by plants and animals.

Calculations show a potential savings of nearly 30 …

What happened to lounging on the floor? We did it as kids, coloring and playing games and snacking; I often wonder why we don’t hang out on the floor more as adults. The creative team of designers at ModLoft knows exactly how the kid in all of us feels. Their Mott coffee table seems designed to inspire intimate gatherings on the floor that will make traditional seating seem obsolete. The clean lines of this posh piece would easily blend in all kinds of decor schemes. Made from wood that’s harvested from sustainable Malaysian

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