Did you miss the Backyard Skills class Homemade Cleaning Products? Thanks to our friends at The Center for Living Peace, you will have another chance to clean up your clean up on Saturday, June 19th from 1-3pm at their beautiful facility in Irvine. For more details and to sign up click here.

Want a sneak peek at what The Center for Living Peace looks like? Check out these photos from our terrarium class that took place there on Grand Opening Weekend -

Hi all! I just returned from an awesome and invigorating trip to Kauai. One of my most memorable days was spent hiking the North Shore’s Okolehao Trail which, as it turns out, is the pride and joy of a successful community sustainability initiative. Read on!Hanalei was, without question, our favorite place in Kauai and, from the top of the Okolehao Trail, you can see all of it. This trail starts in the taro farming area just off the one-way bridge along 56 as you leave Princeville and head into Hanalei. Take an immediate left after crossing the bridge, the parking lot will be on your left. Bring mosquito repellant for the first 1/4 mile and sunblock for the rest!

It’s about 1250 ft to the top and it’s a steep climb – only one guide book mentioned that the trail hits a 40 degree incline within the first 1/2 mile. There are a handful of areas where you’ll need to (gently) grab on to vegetation to steady yourself and more than a handful of places where you’ll need to really pick up your feet in order to avoid tripping over roots.

The trail was named after the strong drinks that could be made from the ti plants growing along the mountain side. Translated literally, okolehao means “iron bottom”, which is a reference to falling down drunk. Along with ti plants, you’ll find lots of fern, eucalyptus, wild orchid, koa, mahogany and paperbarks.

During 1992’s devastating hurricane ‘Iniki, this trail was littered with trees and other debris. You’d never know that any damage at all had been done here. The trail is very well maintained and exploding with vegetation. In 2006, a community-led cooperative trail restoration program called Okolehao Trail ‘Ohana was created by the Hanalei Watershed Hui. With grants from the EPA, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Hawaii Tourism Authority, HWH created this co-op to improve, protect and sustainably manage the hiking trail. There’s netting for traction, still, I wouldn’t recommend trying this trail after a rain. It was pretty slick and we visited during a dry week.

Steepness and some unstable footing aside, there were a handful of folks enjoying the view from the top with us. Some call this trail “the puffer”. The view is well worth the lung burn, no?

Originally posted at grounded.

Our friends at GOOD continually keep us inspired. They recently posted a humorous post from the Build Blog on “couch cushion architecture”. Forts seem to be a universal activity of youth. Where did we loose site of the fort?

Couch Cushion Architecture; A Critical Analysis

Before we were influenced by Mies van der Rohe or Frank Lloyd Wright, before we had seen the visual delights of Ronchamp, Pompidou Center and the Bauhaus school in Weimar, we were driven by a greater force of design inspiration. More primal and immediate than any of the previously mentioned examples, it was couch cushion architecture that established the basic building blocks of our design logic. Unrepresented and ignored for too long in the architectural industry, today’s post pays respect to the wonders of couch cushion architecture. We’ve rounded up a (mostly) admirable collection of projects, taken from a randomly conducted search on the internet. Join us as we take a critical analysis of the architecture, methods and design philosophies of living room furniture re-appropriation.

[Copyright Jennifer Larson]

A clear derivative of the Miesian box, this handsome project is “informalized” with the use of colorful, freeform roof panels. Taking further direction from the Archigram movement, the project explores architecture as body wrap and propels couch cushion architecture to new and exciting territory. Grade: A

At first glance the composition appears unintentional and the construction shoddy. But further investigation reveals a clear delineation between indoor/outdoor space with a design focus on protection through the use of barrier. Planes are shifted off the orthogonal to accommodate function; as a side effect it relieves inhabitants from a harsh Euclidian geometry. Grade B

Benefiting from the life work of structural engineer Heinz Isler, this lightweight roof shell structure creates a graceful span while fully sheltering the interiors. Massive counter-weights keep the structure taught while an entire façade remains open to the exterior. Grade: B

Mayan in geometry but American barcalounger in function, this hybrid design allows for both formality and comfort. To our disappointment, the plan design could have taken better advantage of the site opportunities and, ultimately, the fact that a roof structure was not included in the programming detracts from the overall project. Grade: C+

The crisp, clean, white planes, drawing clear influences from Richard Meier, are balanced with a splash of color offered by the roof membrane. The disciplined interiors offer relief to the eyes with a subtle yet intentional blue tone. Grade B+

Good God gentlemen, you’re a mess! You need walls, you need a roof. Get to work man! Grade: F

The crisp, orthogonal structure is, in a way, camouflaged by the informality of the landscaping. While a clear bifurcation exists between site and structure, we give high marks to the close coordination of architect and landscape architect in using similar materials to exaggerate the divergent design concepts. Grade: B+

We greatly admire the use of coffee table as lateral moment-frame in this application. The solution is both formal and fun, offering the users a sequence of experiences beginning with the entry to vaulted ceiling to raised deck. Grade A-

While foundation as roof structure may not create the most efficient tectonic solution, we applaud the geometric inversion and fresh perspective on the “form follows function” relationship. As a side note it’s always disturbing to see the finish details carried out with such haste in the presence of true structural achievement. Grade: B-

A brilliant synergy between the weighted foundation and the light tensile structure, this project impressed us with its attenuation of structure and bright interior spaces. The courtyard and formal entry are also well thought-out and provide a clear means of way-finding. Grade A+

There’s great progress being made in the redesign of our businesses and products, integrating sustainability into the equation. Reuters Environment Forum blog compiled their 10 Trends in Sustainability:

“Sustainability is taking the business world by storm. It seems that every day a new company is getting on board in an incredible range of different ways. While some are still only approaching it on a very superficial level, plenty of others are really taking sustainability seriously, exploring what it does and can mean to their business, their suppliers, their employees, their customers and the role that they can plan in strengthening society and the environment while also running an increasingly successful business.”

Here are ten interesting trends happening right now around the world in sustainable business.

1. A deeper understanding of what sustainability means.

The days of sustainability strategies being principally about putting recycling bins in the office and printing on both sides of the printer paper are (hopefully) increasingly behind us. Although this is still an important part of most strategies, sustainability in a business is about so much more regardless of the size of your business, and we are quickly moving away from a ‘sustainability is all about saving the world but not about business’ mentality into the ‘using sustainability to strengthen my business while also having a positive impact on society’ one. Companies such as General Electric are leading the way.

2. Your employees are your secret weapon.

A sustainability strategy doesn’t count for much if you get someone to write it up, print it off and put it behind a glass window. Your employees are your strength; give them a strategy and goals to get excited about, and ways to be part of implementing it. Employees know their jobs, their products better than anyone else so are best placed to see opportunities to make them more sustainable. Give them the tools and motivation to be able to be part of moving forward in the chosen direction. (For example eBay’s green team and 3M’s Pollution Prevention Pays Program.)

3. Speaking with rather than to your customers.

For years now businesses have communicated their sustainability commitments or activities to their stakeholders and customers through their websites, through annual reports and presentations. They trusted that a glossy, 90-page brochure available to download as a PDF would give people the information that they wanted. Today companies are exploring ways to create a two-way conversation between the company and its stakeholders in this area and are involving customers in their sustainability strategies.

4. Your impact goes well beyond what happens in your office.

Every product, every service has a story. Whereas before, most people had no interest in what that story was and were only concerned with the price tag, today companies such as Patagonia are either voluntarily choosing to, or are being forced to, not only know but really understand the life story of what they sell. It is no longer just about the price and performance of the radio, it is about how the radio is designed, what materials are being used and where are they coming from, how the radio is being produced, how it is being sold, how it is being used by consumers and what consumers do with it once they are finished with it and then increasingly how that radio becomes another radio or another product altogether and becomes part of the story of a new product.

5. Really get to know your suppliers.

Increasingly businesses such as Pepsico are realizing that in order to make their businesses more sustainable they need to take some time to really get to know their suppliers in ways they often haven’t in the past. Are your suppliers helping or hindering your sustainability efforts? What about the suppliers of your suppliers. Are there ways that you can help them help you?

6. The gap is getting bigger, which is both good and bad.

The difference between the leaders in sustainability and the laggards is getting noticeably bigger. Those who started early and/or really took the time and energy to take a serious look at how sustainability can and is affecting their business are pushing ahead in leaps and bounds (i.e. Walmart). For those companies who are behind or early in the process this means some catching up and some innovative thinking. However, it equally means that there are many lessons to learn from those who have tried all this before including increasingly robust information about business cases. As standards in this area both voluntary and regulatory are becoming more stringent, laggards are going to be forced to get their acts together soon, and fast.

7. A more open environment to explore sustainability.

Companies are increasingly working together; with competitors, across industries, with NGOs and with government, to get it right when it comes to sustainability. Combine this with a trend towards increased transparency in reporting (for example Global Reporting Initiative and the Carbon Disclosure Project) means they are disclosing increasing amounts of information about the impacts that they have on the planet, both positive and negative. As awareness levels about sustainability go up, companies are being encouraged to be honest about the challenges they face, and to work together on finding the solutions.

8. The ‘business case’ is wider than most realize.

Sustainability isn’t a switch that you turn on and off within a company, where the benefit can be quantified in such a straightforward way. Companies such as Unilever are seeing that pursuing different sustainability strategies have an effect on many parts of the business, from employee and customer retention to better relationships with suppliers ensuring higher quality goods.

9. Your new recruits will take you there.

We are seeing new employees coming into the workforce that not only have strong business knowledge, but an interest and knowledge of sustainability and how and where the two intersect. MBA programs around the world such as the Schulich School of Business and Haas School of Business are starting finally to actively look at how to bring this knowledge to their students to ensure that the next generation of business leaders see it as just the way you do business. We aren’t there yet, but the wheels are starting to move.

10. Having fun with it.

In many ways, sustainability is all about innovation. As individuals and companies become more experienced with what sustainability means and how to approach it, we are seeing companies having fun with it, being very innovative, creative, and experimental. Just look at the creative packaging of Puma’s Clever little bag and Amazon’s Frustration-Free packaging.

– Giselle Weybrect is author of The Sustainable MBA: The Manager’s Guide to Green Business. Any views expressed  are her own. –

Like the planet? Like to mingle? Well then, there’s nowhere else to be on Thursday, May 20th from 6:30pm-8:30pm than The Ecology Center courtyard as we host OC Green Drinks. Here’s what you need to know:

WHAT IS OC GREEN DRINKS?

OC Green Drinks events are casual and agenda-free; they’re a great forum in which Orange County’s growing demographic of eco-conscious professionals can have a drink, spark up a ‘green’ conversation and not be met with a blank look. OC Green Drinks are organized by Linsi Brownson and Evan Little, you can learn more about them here.

HOW DID GREEN DRINKS START?
In 1989, at a pub called the Slug and Lettuce in Northern London, Edwin Datschefski was sitting with his green design colleagues Yorick Benjamin and Paul Scott when he noticed an enviro-minded acquaintance at a nearby table. As it turned out, the friend was sitting with a few of his own eco-conscious mates, so they pulled some tables together. And so a movement was born.

The concept evolved into Green Drinks and now it’s global. In 2001, Datschefski created an official Web site, and it has since spread across the world with 600 communities across the globe participating. See www.greendrinks.org for the latest city count and a list of countries. Each city has an organizer who arranges meetings in bars and restaurants (often with organic or vegetarian food), relays information via email, and facilitates discussions.

The spirit of Green Drinks is that anyone can come, and this makes for interesting interactions.

There are lots of benefits to green drinks; they are hard to quantify, but when you have seen people come and make new links and learn and argue and set up new schemes and get new jobs etc, it is a good feeling.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ATTEND?
Typically, OC Green Drinks are free, but we consistently ask for donations to help support local non-profits and charity organizations. We’re usually able to obtain food and beverage donations so the charitable donation/admission fee is all a guest is expected to pay. Admission fees are encouraged and only enforced under special circumstances. The suggested donation for The Ecology Center event is $5-10 dollars.

ONE LAST (BUT IMPORTANT) NOTE!!!
To reduce our impact on landfills & save money on rentals for OC Green Drinks events not held at restaurants or bars, we’re asking guests to bring their own glasses and mugs. Trust us, beer tastes just as good out of a mug and they make for great conversation starters!

Putting the spotlight on Jacque Magner!

A nine-question interview that lets you sneak a peek into the hearts and minds of our amazing members and volunteers.

How did you discover The Ecology Center?

Read about you on another Internet site…I think.

What is your greatest personal ecological concern?

Pollution of our oceans and the new movement to start building and using more Nuclear Power Plants.

Working on any new sustainability projects or practices in your household? Tell us about it.

I am continuing to lead our middle school in its efforts to recycle bottles, cans and paper.

The three words that best describe you.

Honest, fun-loving and adventurous

Favorite book, movie and band?

Favorite book at the moment, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, One of my favorites…Crash, and Santana.

Best meal you ever had was…?

Pasta in the Sierra Madres on day 3 of a 6 day-50 mile backpacking trip.

You’ve just been given a round-trip ticket to the destination of your choosing. Where are you headed?

Tibet

Please complete the following:  I am a member of The Ecology Center because… I love the idea and mission of the center. I hope to become personally involved in some activities offered this year.  Thanks for including me. I feel welcomed!

A nine-question interview that offers a sneak peek into the hearts and minds of our amazing members and volunteers.

Today the spotlight is on: Andrea Drexelius, Owner of French Basketeer

How did you discover The Ecology Center?

Through Max Isles; his passion is contagious!

Share your best memory of The Ecology Center from 2009.

We had a GREAT time at the Earth Day event at The Ecology Center and hope to be back this year.

What is your greatest personal ecological concern?

Stylish alternatives to plastic bags; it affects so many parts of our world and our life.

Working on any new sustainability projects or practices in your household? Tell us about it.

We use very little plastic and buy all organic veggies at the farmers markets; would love to go solar but it is $$$ and I have to buy merchandise, not solar at this time!

The three words that best describe you?

Overcommitted, passionate, enthusiastic.

Favorite book, move and band? Yes, all three please.

Goodness, hard to name; Joseph Campbell, Art of Living; Casablanca; band depends on the day; whatever is on my iPod.

Best meal you ever had was…?

Home-cooked food in Beaune, a meal cooked with love for friends.

You’ve just been given a round-trip ticket to the destination of your choosing. Where are you headed?

Hong Kong to see my friend Sue and her family.

Please complete the following sentence:

I am a member of The Ecology Center because…I support the mission of the Center and I think Evan is a super charismatic leader of the Center, aided by Max; the passion of the key individuals makes a difference in the organization and its members.