Mover Over iPad and Kindle — And Welcome to the New World of the Eco-Library!

This week (April 8-14) is National Library Week in the United States which, by the way, first started in 1958 in order to promote library use and support.  Today, in a world filled with mass-produced Apple iPads and Amazon Kindles, we at Cherlton’s Green Guide are going to kick off this week-long celebration by highlighting and showcasing the most amazing eco-libraries in both the United States and around the world and their valuable contributions to promoting a healthy society and family life.

We shall first begin by tipping our hat off to Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish-born, American-made steel tycoon and philanthropist whose foresight and funds not only incentivized the building of public libraries across the United States between 1883 and 1929 and the global establishment of public libraries throughout Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Caribbean and Fiji – but also encouraged community development by providing an open institutionalized system of self-service access to stacks of books and various cultural and educational resources.  You might say that Andrew Carnegie was an entrepreneurial forerunner of Steve Jobs, an American-born designer, inventor, and co-founder of Apple Inc. whose pioneering participation in today’s digital revolution is predicated on Carnegie’s own belief that knowledge and information is communal property that should be universally accessible.

But in contrast to Carnegie’s architectural designs whose impressive libraries were imposing structures of Classical Revival, Scottish and Spanish Baronial, French Beaux-Arts and Italian Baroque and Renaissance, created as lanterns of enlightenment, today’s ECO-LIBRARIES are fundamentally illuminating in both DESIGN and FUNCTION!   And some even, are no bigger than a phone booth!

Such is the case with the Red Phone Box Library in the small Somerset village of Westbury-sub-Mendip in England which was recycled into one of the country’s smallest lending libraries.  With a population of only 800 people, and a collection of 100 books, villagers can use this ‘eco-library’ 24 hours a day to select books, CDs, and DVDs.  And in London, a double decker bus has been cleverly eco-renovated into a ‘Bicycle Library’ which features a showroom on the first level where Londoners can borrow or buy different bicycles, bike gear and accessories.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are the large famously designed eco-conscious libraries of the past ten years such as the Halmsted City Library in Sweden, a three-storied circular building made of concrete, glass, and Nordic larch flooring set within a parkland space overlooking the Nissan River and the town’s historic center.  Even its indoor air ventilation system is eco-energizing and symbolic – mimicking the surrounding trees outside its windows by noiselessly removing undesirable particles within the air.  Then there is the Picture Book Library in Iwaki City in Japan, a privately-owned special library built of glass, wood, and concrete designed to serve Japanese preschool children whilst offering outstanding views of the Pacific Ocean from anywhere in the building.  And closer to home is the Seattle Central Library in Washington state, a crystalline steel-and-glass structure featuring 400 computers, eleven levels and five “floating platforms” built to meet the Sustainable Building Policy of the City of Seattle which includes a water-efficient drip irrigation system and an exterior landscape containing 18 types of trees.   And closer still is the William J. Clinton Presidential Library complex in Little Rock, Arkansas which boasts a green roof topped with strawberries, switch grass, roses, and ferns and other greenery as well as solar panels and flooring made from recycled rubber tires and a parking lot that includes charging stations for electric cars.

But perhaps the best example of an eco-library design in the works is that of the pre-fab, do-it-yourself assembly of modular eco-libraries now being developed for communities along the Amazon River basin in Brazil which will incorporate composting, fish farming, and hydroponic gardens.   Hence, the democratization of libraries for the working poor has come full circle since the days of Andrew Carnegie – but for the fact that today’s eco-libraries now stand as a collective lamp post of enlightened environmental awareness.

Fit For A King, Even “The Sun King” Himself: Today’s Eco-Exquisite Elements of Interior Design!

When one thinks of King Louis XIV of France, one thinks of the opulent interior of the Palace of Versailles – a royal court filled with luxury and splendor. When I think of King Louis XIV, I often think of him as an overzealous client who would marvel at today’s inexpensive eco-exquisite interior design solutions and command that one of everything i.e. eco-flooring, eco-wall covering, eco-décor, and eco-furniture be fashioned into French eco-luxury goods to be shown at his place of business.

Well, one doesn’t necessarily need to be French or a King to appreciate great wine and great interior design products, rather one needs a sophisticated sensibility to know what to look for in today’s eco-conscious construction of home ornamentation. Here then are some of the most popular elements and eco-innovations of Eco-Interior Designing :

1- Bamboo Products – Yes, one can find bamboo products practically everywhere – bamboo blinds, flooring, frames, furniture, cutting boards, bowls, plates, utensils, countertops, and even bamboo towels. It is this versatility that makes bamboo such a popular design option along with the fact that bamboo products are durable, light weight, flexible, and resistant to moisture. It is also a very dense wood with a hardness that rivals oak and unlike this traditional hardwood – it only takes three to five years for bamboo to mature. Indeed, bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world – and in certain species, it can grow up to three feet a day. In addition the oxygen output of bamboo is 35% greater than trees and bamboo works well to prevent soil erosion along riverbanks, steep hillsides, and in flood plains. This all makes bamboo an excellent renewable resource.
2- Cork Products – When one thinks of cork, one usually thinks of ‘cork stoppers’ to seal sparkling wines or olive oil bottles but in fact cork flooring is an easy installation product most widely used today in both the residential and commercial markets due in part to its great insulating properties, (both in respect to temperature and sound), its hypo-allergenic properties (resistant to insects, mold, and germs), its shock absorbent properties (surprisingly soft and comfortable texture), its fire resistant properties and its low maintenance properties. In addition, cork flooring comes in a variety of dramatically beautiful finishes, patterns, and colors both in tiles and planks. Mosaic cork tiles are made from recycled wine corks and large-sized cork planks are made from post-industrial cork pieces. Mosaic cork tiles, in particular, are an ideal choice for the bathroom and can also be used as a backsplash in the shower. As for cork’s green credentials, cork is 90% air and is essentially the outer bark of the Cork Oak Tree that grows in Portugal and Spain. It is harvested every 9 years and since the bark is renewable, the process can be repeated for 2 centuries or more. And since cork flooring is also 100% biodegradable, it has a very low impact on the environment when it is recycled.
3- Recycled Leather Products – Founded in 2005, EcoDomo LLC in Rockville, Maryland, is an outstanding example of an innovatively creative eco-business that develops, manufactures, and designs a vast array of sustainable interior design products that are both luxurious and beautiful which include recycled leather tiles for floors, walls, staircases, ceilings, area rugs, and furniture. These recycled leathers are made from the leftover hides from tanneries. “The recycling process uses 99.8% of the products input in the manufacturing process in a closed-loop water filtration system.” The result is a recycled leather tile that is more resilient to wear and tear and temperature differentials than regular hide leather, easy to install, use, and maintain, and naturally good at absorbing noise. Client installations of this recycled leather product have been applied to boardrooms, commercial hotels, bank lobbies, restaurants, gyms, elevators, fireplaces, and theaters.
4- Recycled Plastic Bottle Products – Yes, another great eco-innovation is the transformation of post-consumer waste – specifically ‘polyethylene terephthalate’ fibers or “PET” found in soda bottles, ketchup bottles, water bottles, and house cleaning bottles – into polyester carpet tiles! The result is a carpet rich in colors with low moisture absorption, permanent stain and static resistance, and superior strength and abrasion resistance. One can find these carpets under the labels – Resistron or Permalon.
5- Recycled Rubber Products – Founded in 1995, Rubber Flooring Direct in Laguna Hills, California is another outstanding example of a company making eco-innovative flooring products from 100% recycled rubber including gym and weight room flooring, fitness center flooring, physical therapy flooring, doggy day care flooring, equine pavers, playground mats, golf course tiles, and ice rink arena flooring. These eco-friendly sports flooring products are made from old discarded car and truck tires. The result is an array of recycled rubber tiles, rubber rolls, and interlocking rubber tiles more durable than virgin rubber and that is extremely clean, tough but cushiony, and looks great for many years to come.
6- Jute Products – Jute is a vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads to make burlap bags, wallpaper, rugs, chair coverings, curtains, and carpets. It is primarily grown in India and Bangladesh (taking only 4 to 6 months to grow) and is a popular choice in home décor as it is strong, durable, UV resistant with good sound and heat insulation properties and anti-static properties.
7- Hemp Products – Hemp plants have been harvested for over a thousand years throughout much of the temperate areas of the world. It is one of the fastest growing plants and its fibers are not only strong and durable, they are pest-resistant making it a very eco-friendly green flooring product.
8- Sisal Products – Sisal is a stiff fiber obtained from the agave plant known for its strength, durability, sound-absorbing properties, ability to stretch and resistance to deterioration in saltwater. It’s an ideal choice for beachfront carpeting and cat-scratching posts. Sisal production is the greatest in Brazil but it is also produced in Tanzania, China, and Kenya.
9- Abaca Products – Abaca is a species of banana native to the Philippines and grown there as well as in Ecuador and Costs Rica. Its fibers were originally used for making twines and ropes but it is now used in making uncommonly beautiful carpets and furniture.
10- Coir Products – Mainly grown in India and Sri Lanka, coir is a natural fiber harvested from the husks of coconuts. Its natural beauty, its resiliency against abrasions and moisture make it an ideal choice for floor mats, doormats, and mattresses.
11- Seagrass Products – Seagrasses are marine flowering plants which often grow in large meadows that resemble their terrestrial counterparts and are used by basket weavers the world over to make handicraft storage baskets, bins, boxes, doormats, and elegant floor coverings. The result is a highly spill-resistant, durable, home décor feature that retains the fresh look of the outdoors.
12- Grasscloth Products – Grasscloth today is associated with natural wallcoverings. Grasscloth wallpaper is made by weaving dried grasses together and affixing it to a paper backing. The fibers uses to make grasscloth wallpaper include a medley of sea grass, sisal, jute, bamboo, and other textured sustainable materials. The result is a versatile green design element that can act as a dramatic focal point or a warm and interesting backdrop for furnishings.

One last thing to note here – I have this fanciful notion that if King Louis XIV of France were alive today, he would certainly make some ‘eco-interactive’ changes to his “Hall of Mirrors” at Versailles with some of these popular eco-exquisite elements of interior design. In particular, I envision him purchasing some of CORNING INC.’s “LOTUS GLASS” – an Environmentally Friendly Scratch-Resistant Glass – with Touchscreen Capabilities and a Video Display. You see, I am a chimerical descendant of King Louis IX, “The Saint King” of France and I have this unique crystal ball with heat-resistant, clairvoyant-reflecting properties that’s telling me….Oh yes, Happy Eco-Interior Designing to You!

Colorize Your Next Travel Plans! – Discover The Latest Eco-Trends at America’s Greenest Hotel Chains!

It used to be that whatever your budget, hotel chains were a standardized home away from home – with just a few extra perks – complimentary newspapers and continental breakfast, an indoor or outdoor pool, an assortment of vending machines and television channels to relax away your free time and of course, an array of miniature soaps and shampoo bottles nestled on top of your bathroom counter.

But in just the last few years, much like the old black and white television sets of the 1950’s and early 60’s, America’s largest hotel chains have now undergone a color transformation – from black and white – to GREEN!!!!  So much so that they are even encouraging their customers to participate in their sustainability programs with whole websites dedicated to their projects for viewing and exploring.  These leaders of the hospitality industry include the InterContinental Hotels Group, Wyndham Hotel Group, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels, Choice Hotels, Carlson Hotels, Best Western, Accor Hospitality Group, Global Hyatt and La Quinta Inns and Suites!

Indeed, green practices and technologies are being incorporated in everything from power-flush toilets to low-flow showerheads, from motion-detection sensors to energy efficient compact fluorescent lighting, from green heat-reflecting roofs to photovoltaic solar-electric systems, from eco-friendly shampoos and soaps in bulk dispensers to non-toxic biodegradable housekeeping cleansers, from in-room recycling bins to recycled artwork and office furniture, from organic dining to organic bedding, and yes, from wireless digital media communications to hotel invoices, brochures, and keycard sleeves made of recycled paper with soy-based inks.

Here are some of the most innovative examples:

1-‘Eco-Friendly Uniforms’ – Yes, the Hotel Front Desk Staff at Wyndham wear two-piece suits made of 25 two-liter recycled plastic bottles woven into soft fabrics which do not require professional laundering.  In another major innovation, Wyndham Hotels now offers ‘Allergy-Friendly Rooms’ known as “CleanAir Rooms” whose air purification system and specially treated bed linen eliminates anywhere from 98 to 100% of all viruses and bacteria.

2-‘Eco-Innovative Investments’ – Marriott International is actively involved in rainforest protection and water conservation through a portfolio of innovative conservation initiatives which include a two million plus commitment to preserving 1.4 million acres of rainforest in Brazil and a half million plus commitment to protecting the mountain sources of fresh water for 2 billion people in Asia.  This latter environmental initiative helps rural communities to develop sustainable businesses such as mushroom farming and honey production whilst reducing erosion and water quality contamination downstream.

3-‘Eco-Friendly Landscaping, Building Construction, and Food and Energy Supplies’ – The Hilton Hotel in Vancouver, Washington is one of the most environmentally advanced hotels in the USA.  Not only does it feature a recyclable brick construction, a unique irrigation system to water its native local plants, and fueling stations for electric cars but a restaurant menu of locally sourced meat, fish, cheese, wine and bread.

4-   ‘Earthcare Performance and Monitoring Tracking System’ – Kimpton Hotels is in the forefront of environmental stewardship – introducing new eco-friendly products and corporate services both internally and nationally through its many partnerships and alliances with environmentally minded organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land, and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.  ‘EarthCare Educational and Training Program’ – Kimpton Hotels has established its own employee selected “EarthCare Champion Teams”’ who build and support ecologically responsible hotel standards and procedures. ‘EarthCare Building Preservation Program’ – Kimpton Hotels is well-known for restoring, revitalizing, and converting old historic landmarks for hotel usage including notable office buildings, department stores, a telephone switching station, a general post office, a fruit and vegetable canning plant, and the 10^th oldest building in the USA.

Yes, indeed, we have come a long way since the Howard Johnson’s motor lodges of the 1960’s when American hotel chains were simply an overnight stop for our road trips across the USA.   Today they are a reflection of our eco-conscious society and a colorful high quality experience not to be missed!

“Upcycling!” – The New “Up” in Today’s Upwardly Green Architecture & Furniture Design!

If it weren’t for the fact that its amazing roof is indeed made of an airplane wing, one would think it a joke that an architect has taken a “retired” airplane, (a Boeing 747), and has converted it into a hilltop dream home in Malibu, California now known as the ‘Wing House’. But that is exactly what architect, David Hertz, President and Founder of the Studio of Environmental Architecture in Santa Monica, California has done.

Then there is the ‘Monte-Silo House’, an old and abandoned grain silo in Woodland, Utah which has been converted by Gigaplex Architects in Park City, Utah into a cozy, eco-friendly bachelor pad with modern circular rooms and a deck overlooking the Provo River!

And here on the East Coast of the USA, the Philadelphian eco-minded builder and developer, OnionFlats, has ‘transformed’ a former meat packing plant into eight groovy residential units and a former trolley garage-turned-firehouse into a contemporary residential home complete with mezzanine and rental loft.

This ‘upcycling’ notion of re-using, recycling, and repurposing disused and neglected buildings into fabulous places to live in of better quality and a higher environmental value – began in earnest back in the 1980’s in the USA with the gentrification of its inner cities and city suburbs – an outgrowth of the ‘recycling movement’ of the 1960’s.   But ‘green home building’ and ‘sustainable architecture’ of today did not really take off until the 1990’s with the advent of new technologies – more energy efficient and renewable energy generation systems, waste management systems, sustainable building materials and environmentally friendly building practices.

This has had the effect of spilling over into ‘green furniture design’ and ‘green studio design’ as exemplified by East London’s “Village Underground”, a renovated community space founded by furniture designer, Auro Foxcroft, who has recycled shipping containers and upcycled discarded tube train carriages into a low-cost carbon neutral studio space to accommodate artists, writers, filmmakers, jewelry makers and musicians in central London.

A truly wonderful example of upcycled furniture design is that of the contemporary-looking oil drum furniture created by French artist Francois Royer.  In his ‘Rocking Chair’ piece, Francois has taken an old industrial oil drum of steel, painted it a vibrant orange, and cut out the mid-section thereby installing a waxen smoked bamboo seat with which to safely rock on its four adjustable rubber feet.

But my favorite examples of do-it-yourself upcycled furniture are indoor and outdoor sofas and coffee tables made out of discarded wooden warehouse pallets which can be inlaid with ceramics, tiles, and old wine boxes.  Even plastic pallets can be transformed into cozy children’s sofas by welding stainless steel plates and legs to its frame.

So next time, you happen to see a set of old school bleachers and vintage gym lockers being thrown out or a shopping cart or office basket cast aside – remember the word ‘up’ as in ‘upcycling’ – and get going on your ‘reclaimed’, ‘re-modeled’, green décor design!

The Swedes are Coming! The Swedes are Coming! — Yes, in Cozy Tailor-Made, Eco-Friendly, Energy Saving, Prefabricated Homes!

It’s not the first time, Swedes have invigorated the American landscape with their eco-innovative architecture. Back in 1638, the Swedish colony of ‘New Sweden’ was established along the banks of the Delaware River that ran alongside the contiguous states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Although the number of first settlers was small in size, the territory in their possession limited, and their political ties to Sweden soon severed by northern wars in Europe and the capture of Fort Christina at Wilmington by the Dutch – the influence of their colonial footprints in America can still be seen in their native ‘Swedish Log Cabin’ architecture – made famous two centuries later by Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaign bid in 1860 that he was born in a “log cabin” in Kentucky – a fact I can historically trace back to his New Jersey ‘Bowne’ ancestors thru their 17th century movements in south central New Jersey. For President Abraham Lincoln is in actuality, my 5th cousin.

But that was then. Today the Swedes are making their presence known with ‘prefabricated homes’ – easy-to-ship-and-assemble residential building parts manufactured off-site – that once again draw upon their creative skill for using environmentally sustainable materials in making practical eco-functioning homes with a touch of Scandinavian serenity. Classic examples include: 1) Willa Nordic’s “Eco House”, constructed of raw wood, built-in pergolas, and herbaceous plant growth; 2) Kjellgren Kaminsky Architecture’s “Villa Nyberg”, a timbered circular home, tightly insulated with a half circle second floor, central atrium, and a solar hot water heater on the roof; 3) Pinc House’s “Sport Home”, a modern version of a classic sports cabin or wooded bungalow complete with outside deck and grill area, panoramic windows and a spacious open interior; 4) Arkitekthus’s “Plus House”, a modern-day takeoff of a traditional Swedish barn constructed with native woods, glazed gables, windows, and walls, designed by the popular Swedish architects, Claesson, Koivisto, Rune, the inventors behind the stylish prefab folded roof house on Musko Island ; and 5) Rorvikshus’s gallery of pre-designed theme homes reflective of the historical provinces of Sweden itself – i.e. Gotland, Dalarna and Smaland. My personal favorite is that of the SASA Collection by Thomas Sandell, one of Sweden’s greats – a world famous architect, landscape designer, and furniture designer who interprets the celebrated “Swedish holiday cottage” in a more contemporary way by infusing his modern small prefab homes with the site’s topography thereby minimizing land footprints.

But perhaps the most interesting development is the entrée of IKEA, (a Swedish-based international retailer and adopted American icon of ready-to-assemble furniture and Scandinavian housewares) – into the housing market. Created in the mid-1990s, ‘BoKlok’ (Swedish for ‘Live Smart’), is now being launched for the first time in Germany later this summer – – updated eco-friendly modernist prefab developments that have grown globally from its initial debut in Sweden – then Norway, Finland, Denmark, and the UK. This rapid growth is due in part to technological advances like ‘SIP Panels’, (Structural Insulation Panels) that are precut and can be locked together. But there is more to all this than meets the eye – more than just making a profit – more than just conserving energy or pampering the planet.

The Swedes, I would argue, are a country of people imbued with a strong sense of moral conscience who have taken our American sense of ‘right to liberties and freedom’ to a higher level – the right that everyone should have adequate housing for their health and well-being. You can even see their sense of fairness in their handmade chocolate balls and Swedish coffee bread. Yes that’s right – according to Sweden’s leading chocolate expert, Jan Hedh, a beloved baker and confectioner, and world renown author of two beautiful cookbooks, “Artisan Bread” and “Swedish Breads and Pastries” – – “Freshly baked bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ought to be a basic human right!” And for most Swedes, prefabricated homes is indeed a ‘way of life’ – comprising 70% of the single-family housing market in Sweden – a fact greatly shaped by their short summer construction season and severe winters which in turn has induced economies of scale for mass production of highly energy-efficient housing.

And so here I am, quietly waiting and pining in the USA for my very own Swedish prefabricated home – an organic structure combined with a more eco-luxurious touch – a masterpiece of ‘ecological and poetic architecture’ – an upgrade of the ‘Swedish Log Cabin’ if you will – more along the lines of Gert Wingardh’s “Mill House”, another Swedish eco-architectural gem – only it’s a small spa retreat complete with ritual bathing and sauna features and an adjacent pool. A girl can dream, can’t she?

Habitat For Humanity’s Environmental Progress

It is amazing to me to experience the changes in construction policies over the last ten years! Although the houses built by our affiliate, Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts, have always been well insulated and conforming to local codes, current practices now include installing gas hot water furnaces no larger than a big suitcase, and so efficient that the exhaust is simply through the nearest wall! Couple that with zoning for every room, the distribution boards look like a master work of art with many tubes radiating from the supply main. The savings are a substantial boon to the homeowner. With help from a special grant, a recent home was equipped with solar roof panels and automatic backfeed to the local utility. Foundation walls were also insulated. Combined with the use of engineered beams that permit column free basements, homeowners of today are offered a much wider choice for future development of living space in a comfortable environment.

Carleton Finch is a retired high school mathematics teacher and coordinator for the Leominster, Massachusetts School Department whose avocations include woodworking and gardening. Descended from the First Families of Boston, Massachusetts and Stamford, Connecticut, and influenced by both his father and uncle, Carleton’s abiding love of the environment and his fellow neighbors has made him a New England fixture and Founding Member of Habitat for Humanity in North Central Massachusetts.