Aldana Ferrer Garcia created this amazing sunroom concept.

The concept, called More Sky, is a window addition, extension, that allows a person to recline outside her window and get sun. While this window is still at the concept stage, it’s still pretty darn awesome. Watch the video to get a better idea of how it works.

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Who would have ever imagined the day when Clorox, makers of the ubiquitous chlorine bleach, would come out with a line of eco-friendly cleansers? 

But here they are, 7 Green Works natural products such as bathroom cleanser, dishwashing liquid, and glass  & surface cleaner. Fragrance comes from essential oils, there is no phosphorus or bleach, and cleaning agents are coconut based.
Green Works has been endorsed by both the The Sierra Club and the Design for the Environment Program. It will be very interesting to see over time if Clorox is merely testing the marketing waters or committed to cleaning them.

The post Clorox: Greenwashers or Converts? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Don’t miss these green reads:

When you’re picking your way through a furniture sale – what’s perfect for renovation? Here are ten good suggestions, based on years of experience!

Another ten – this time, America’s top 10 walkable cities, from The Daily Green. We’re all for rediscovering our legs – and other time-honored ways of using them, like walking buses.

So, we have this word "garbage", and we associate it with the word "useless". Problem. Take these 20 works of garbage art over at Weburbanist, for example – or this garbage mirror. We need a new word.

Urban tumbleweed, begone! Sprawling Los Angeles is the latest city to show this plastic plague the door (after 2010). And good riddance, too.

You may be enjoying American oysters over the Pond, but here in Europe the industry is in crisis. In just a few days, the entire 2009 crop of 1-year-old oysters has been wiped out – perhaps a direct or knock-on effect of rising sea temperatures. Read the full story in The Independent here (and a 2003 article from The Times, showing how dramatic this turnaround is).

Also at The Daily Green, a handy list of 6 plants that will grow anywhere – perfect for those agricultural skyscrapers!

Blaine Brownell wants to tell us about the latest in sustainable building materials – and he’s doing so in a video here. (Thanks to Sew Green for finding this one). 

We need to conserve our planet’s natural habitats, land and sea – because they’re helping keep a lid on runaway global warming. Wetlands are amongst the most important places on earth – they hold 20% of the world’s carbon, and if threatened they could act as "carbon bombs".

If we hadn’t made clear by now our dislike of manufactured antibacterial cleaners, this Scientific American article from July last year nicely covers the science side of our argument (via Green SAHM).

Lastly, a little psychology: the sneaky tricks that retailers use to make shoppers part with their money – courtesy of Robert Roy Britt for LiveScience.

Image: Javier Kohen

The post Eco Links to Green Your Week appeared first on EcoSalon.

There’s a way of redecorating your home that’s healthy, green, effortless and free – though you can only do it in the evenings.

Pity the poor darkness. A few thousand years ago, it was revered as something mystical and sacred in pagan cultures (judging from prehistoric funerary monuments). We still spend the first 9 months of our lives in pitch black and perfect comfort and safety – yet somehow modern culture still associates dark with danger, sin and all the regrettable aspects of existence as in medieval times. We’re obsessed with light, so we banish the dark. In the words of Pennsylvania architect Louis Kahn, "the electric bulb fights the sun".

Would we be so badly off if we paid a bit more heed to the natural cycles of light and dark? I think the dark has very positive connotations: restoration, quiet, safety, calm. The brain is certainly attuned to the dark, regenerating cells and nourishing your organs after it’s sent you the message to go to sleep. But I’d like to argue that living in step with nature’s rhythm in your home is healthy, too. (It’s certainly eco-friendly.) Of course we aren’t going to rise with the sun to sow oats, but small steps to connect with nature can only do us good.

It’s simple, really: separate night and day in your home. When the natural light goes, we’re encouraged to exactly replace it with the artificial. Let’s forget that rubbish. Lower the wattage of your lighting, cover it up, shine it through garbage – your imagination’s the only limit. Dim it down. Think how soft yet illuminating moonlight is, once our eyes have adjusted – aim for that. Better yet, use soy candles to gently illuminate your spaces as you get closer to sleepytime. Throw some silhouette art onto the walls (remembering how much fun these were). Transform your house – and relish the difference.

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You know those times when a really specific idea pops into your head – say, a particular pattern for a new throw pillow on that one lonely chair – and no matter how hard you look, you can’t find what you want? Whenever this happens, a little voice in my head reminds me: “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” So, when I couldn’t find curtains to complement my living room, I heeded my own advice. And, with a sewing machine and some fabric you can, too.

Before you start, make sure to measure the windows you plan to adorn. When choosing fabric, think about the sort of visual texture you want to add to your room – if you like crisp, you’ll want a cotton weave or velvet. If you want more organic and casual, consider silk, flax, bamboo, or linen. Next, think about what style you of curtains you’re interested in. If you’re shooting for formal, don’t forget to consider patterns when you’re fabric shopping. (And keep in mind: stripes are less forgiving of mistakes than floral motifs.) If simple and solid is more your style, you can’t go wrong by following these easy steps once you’ve found the perfect color fabric:

Cut your fabric accordingly, depending on the size of the window. Fold the sides over ¼ inch, wrong sides together, and iron. (This is the magic trick that will keep your curtains from looks homemade!) Fold them over another ¼ inch, pin and stitch down. Repeat this process for the bottom hem as well. At the top, make another fold that will create an opening big enough for your curtain rod, pin and stitch. And, just like that, in no time at all, you will have put the finishing touch on your now flawless décor scheme.

To make this a green project, shop for organic fabrics online. Near Sea Naturals, Organic Cotton Plus and Vreseis all have fabulous selections. You can even order swatches to make sure its texture and tones are just what you’re looking for.

Image: gwdexter

Sara’s shameless plug: Hi, it’s your editor. De-lurk, dear reader, and leave this fabulous writer a comment. (We love chatting.) You can also share this post with friends – just click your favorite social bookmark listed below. New reader? Be sure to sign up for the weekly newsletter to win free eco goodies! You can also subscribe to any RSS feed your heart desires.

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A truly modern city is one that’s overgrown.

I love cities. In Rome last month, I was fascinated by how Italians utilized every corner of their balconies and gardens (more so in the Republic of Georgia) – admittedly as much for rusting motorbike/moped parts as for greenery. That’s men for you. But it struck me how this most ancient of European cities has evolved – in some places at least – into the very synergy of nature and culture that modern designers are falling over themselves to create from scratch.

That means growing things. That’s the personal call to arms of the city dweller, the would-be guerrilla gardener, the committed gastronaut. It’s a cinch to line windowsills and balconies with pots and baskets. There are even kits to do half the work for you, like the Miniature Edible Garden Kit, or the “herb eggs” we reported on recently. Your own fresh oregano and mint makes dishes like this toe-wigglingly delicious – grow nettle and dandelion, and you’re on the way to a free, healing green tea every morning. The list heads over the horizon. Feeling more adventurous? Have a read of this blog from a balcony-growing enthusiast.

But it’s not just about saving money, it’s about ownership. The best way to live in a city is to care about it; to want it to have a positive effect on yourself and those around you. A city neglected by its occupants feels ugly and unappreciated. So let your plants run riot over the wood and concrete – beautiful and useful. Bring your city to life!

Image: bluelemur

Sara’s shameless plug: Hi, it’s your editor. De-lurk, dear reader, and leave this fabulous writer a comment. (We love chatting.) You can also share this post with friends – just click your favorite social bookmark listed below. New reader? Be sure to sign up for the weekly newsletter to win free eco goodies! You can also subscribe to any RSS feed your heart desires.

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