Striving for Ethics & Sustainability in Art, Design & Lifestyle
Saint Darwin's Spirituals by Vincent Chong
The £150 million plan centres around a 300 metre high chimney and 'eco-dome' which will house retail and office space as well as residential on the chimney itself! Frankly, we're unsure who would want to live on a chimney but you can't fault the developers for innovation! The 'eco-dome' will draw air up and out through the chimney enabling natural ventilation which will, according to the press release, reduce energy demand by 67%. It's a shame that the chimney looks so ugly and will dwarf the original chimneys which, in Ecomonkey's humble opinion, ought to retain a level of dominance!
The other main plan is to bring back the energy supply function of Battersea Power Station but this time to use renewable energy -'biofuels, waste and other renewable energy sources' using two of the current chimneys. The site will include further residential, retail, commercial and hotel as well as public space - a square, riverside walk and 6 acre park. There are also plans to extend the underground to the site.
It's one thing to say the site will be 'Zero Carbon' and that the 'eco-dome' will not need air-con but surely all the houses, offices, hotel etc on the site will still consume energy and expel emissions. Will all of these buildings be powered by the site's power plant? There will undoubtedly be carbon emissions in the construction (which includes demolition and rebuilding of the existing chimneys) - have these been accounted for in the 'Zero Carbon' calculation? Will there be affordable housing or just expensive apartments to fund the development? A truly sustainable development needs to at least cater for all budgets if not focus on those at the lower end of the wage scale.
If the plans are fulfilled and the site does in fact become 'totally independent from reliance on public utilities', source all drinking water from an on-site borehole, harvest rainwater for grey-water recycling, collect, store and treat storm water for reuse, make good use of river transport etc. as it claims, we will be very impressed and ecstatically happy!
As part of the London Festival of Architecture which started at the weekend and runs until 20 July, the What If team present Grow Bag.
"Hoopla! is a week long creative workshop and exhibition that takes the traditional craft of embroidery into the realm of contemporary art...
Restitch is a small UK company run by Mary Jo Hill which recycles unwanted adult clothes into a delightful range of children's clothing. The company is committed to producing locally made goods and helping to reduce landfill by rescuing good quality cotton and corduroy clothing that would otherwise end up there.Environmental artist Bright Ugochukwu Eke, is one such creative striving to expose the negative impacts of our short-sightedness. During his month long residency with the Djerassi Resident Artists Program in the US, Eke created a permanent sculpture for the project's outdoor collection, of carved, wooden fish hanging from an oak tree. Underneath these forty fish, which have been stained black, hang small bags of oil. The piece is a clear symbol of the harrowing effects of pollution on our rivers and land. It demonstrates in no uncertain terms how we recklessly incapacitate our environments ability to support the wildlife which relies on its natural cycles for survival.
"Born in 1976 in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria, Bright Ugochukwu Eke attended the University of Nsukka and received a BA in Fine Arts. Eke focuses on the total disregard for the environment not only by the authorities but also by individuals who litter their communities indiscriminately.
In the installation Acid Rain, he creates water (rain) droplets containing a blackish industrial chemical similar to acid rain. Shield consists of raincoats and umbrellas made of water sachets to protect from the toxic effects of acid rain. His personal experience of acid rain occurred whilst working in the rain in a polluted area. The result was skin irritation caused by the toxicity of the rain. In these two works the artist highlights how industrialization especially in developing countries and specifically in the oil producing areas of Nigeria has caused the decimation of the natural environment..."
Every detail was copied from his tarpaulin shelter and tea-making area to the messages of support and hand-painted placards.
..."Brian Haw is a remarkable man who has waged a tireless campaign against the folly and hubris of our government's foreign policy," Wallinger said.
The jury commended Wallinger, 48, for its "immediacy, visceral intensity and historic importance". They said: "The work combines a bold political statement with art's ability to articulate fundamental human truths."..."
Read the full story here
These brilliant designs from Linzie Hunter turn all those horrible spam email messages many of us receive on a daily basis into works of art. We're all for turning rubbish into art so here's to Linzie and her wonderful spam prints!
...what a great night! We had a great crowd turn up to support and peruse the art work and several sales were made both before and during the evening.
"Bae Young Whan, CDC, flyingCity, JNP Production, Kim Gisoo, Sang-Don Kim, Ko Hyun Joo, Minouk Lim, mixrice, Hein-kuhn Oh and Park Chan-kyong with exhibition design by Choi Jeong-hwa.
"Designers are always trying to find projects that help the greater good, but often when they take on a cause, they find themselves working in isolation and cramming in the pro bono work alongside their other clients. Cause/affect is a new design competition held by AIGA San Francisco that provides both a community and exposure for socially responsible work. Submissions will be accepted until Nov. 9, 2007. Selected entries will be showcased online and at an event to be held at AIGA SF's office Dec. 4. In addition, work will be entered in a People's Choice Award competition, where online voting will determine an additional winner, also to be announced at the awards ceremony."
More here
From: Inhabitat, 16Aug07
The Canary Project (Sayler and Morris) have produced a series of awesome photographs depicting the effects of climate change and global warming on our planet. Some of these moving photos have been displayed in 12 foot advertisements on the side of buses in Denver as well as in an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver.
The idea is to help bring home the fact that climate change is not just a problem for future generations but is happening now. Hopefully it will inspire us all to take some responsibility for positive change. Further exhibitions, billboards and a book are planned. More info here.
Painting by Racheblue - Photography by Tom Woods Copyright 2007
Medium:
Acrylic paint, plastic bottles, plastic bottle caps, beer bottle caps & mixed media on salvaged wood block (from an in-organic collection)
‘Greenwash’ is a commentary on polluting companies who have altered their image and advertising to focus on so-called ‘green’ credentials whilst continuing to take advantage of our planet’s resources
The plastic and metal components represent factories of polluting industries covered in the greenwash of hyperbole or superficial efforts to appear sustainable
This piece further reflects some of the advertising used by such companies - certain oil and car manufacturers - which is designed to appear bright, colourful and playful - a pretty child like fantasy with little substance
Designed and made by Racheblue - Photography by Tom Woods Copyright 2007
Medium:
Pre-loved garments (recycled denim skirt and viscose skirt lining), salvaged curtain fabric swatches, various threads and ribbon
This bag is NOT:
Generic / Disposable / Made by a machine / Made in a sweatshop by an unnamed worker / Supporting an unfair trade system / Made of plastic / Adding to your carbon footprint
This bag is:
Unique / Designed to be used again and again / Designed and carefully hand-stitched / Lovingly crafted by Racheblue for bluAngeldesigns / Made locally from local resources / From a sustainable source / A step in the right direction
Turning plastic bottle bottoms into functional art pieces for your home Michelle Brand creates beauty from unwanted trash. Lightshades and window drapes become fashionable jems with these designs.
I have designed an aesthetic and decorative fabric from which most people in the western world would perceive to be waste/rubbish.
From: Practical Action
An easy way to turn a room into a divine rainbow filled oasis is to hang CDs on your wall. You can get creative and form sculptural objects like GW Hart's (see below) or simply attach with blu-tac or make a mobile by sticking CDs back to back (shiny sides up of course!) and hanging from string or ribbon either individually or in groups. Be sure to hang them in an area that gets good sunlight and the resulting rainbow bathed light is almost guaranteed to brighten your day!RecyclingCDs in the UK will take your unwanted discs and turn them into fabulous clocks which you can buy to close the recycling loop. Have a look at the vast range of designs available here.
Jim Watters has created an awesome lamp from a fluorescent bulb some plywood and around 60 CDs. It looks great and there are full instructions on how to make your own here. Use sustainable (FSC sourced) or recycled 'scrap' wood for the base to ensure extra eco credibility.
GW Hart is a mathematically minded artist who makes fantastically cool sculptures from an assortment of house-hold objects including several great designs from CDs.
More interesting, bizarre and useful tips can be found here, here, here and here...
Check out Emmeline 4 Re for gorgeous recycled fashion designs and an equally gorgeous website to boot! Talented designer Emmeline uses fabric off cuts, donated habedashery, vintage fabrics and unwanted charity items to make her fabulously stylish collection. Unique tie-neck blouses, box pleat skirts, original jackets and cute cami tops are the result. Some of Emmeline's delectable designs are also available through The Natural Store here.
In an interview with Kucha magazine Emmeline says:
"At Snood we believe in reducing waste by re-using existing resources – makes sense doesn’t it? We like to rescue neglected and rejected garments and bring them back to life with a sprinkle of imagination and our treasure trove of scrumptious bits, giving you a high quality one-off style without the designer price. All Snood garments are British sourced, designed and made. They are produced ethically and with consideration for the environment so with our unique garments your conscience will look as super-dooper as you do!"
"In refugee camps and areas effected by natural disaster, a common policy exists that most structures or improvements must be temporary, even though they may be used for decades. As a result, infrastructure systems are designed to last only a few months, resulting in substandard living conditions. Today, this condition adversely effects over 170 million people worldwide.
