Claire Hodge

Dec 31

The Starbucks container store we posted about while under construction a few weeks ago finally opened on December 13 in a suburb south of Seattle. The new drive-thru location was built to LEED standards and is awaiting certification.

Its built with three containers and implements rainwater harvesting, xeriscaping and reduced signage. If only it weren’t a drive-thru.

[via Dear Coffee, I Love You]

Dec 19

unconsumption:

Long-neglected diving pool will be repurposed as an amphitheater

For nearly 30 years, the dive pool at Astoria Park in Queens, New York has sat empty and unused. Once used as a training ground for aspiring Olympians, it is now an eyesore, while the adjacent swimming pool, the oldest and largest in New York City, is as popular as ever. [But now] … the diving pool is set to be transformed into a one of a kind outdoor theater.

The result will be an outdoor performance space reminiscent of Ancient Greek theaters, but against a uniquely New York backdrop. Astoria Park sits on the East River, between the Triborough and Hell Gate Bridges, with a view of the Manhattan skyline.

(via TreeHugger)

Nov 21

unconsumption:

The potential: Today, consumers don’t know what they’re spending on energy until they see the monthly utility bill. The Nucleus energy manager would give them a real-time dashboard. Dave McCalpin, general manager, home energy management, GE Appliances & Lighting put it this way: “GE’s Nucleus energy manager was developed to provide near real-time information for more control over household energy costs and consumption. It serves as the command center for energy and cost conscious homeowners to make smarter, more informed decisions.”

More: GE’s Killer Idea: A Real-Time Energy Dashboard For Your House - Derek Thompson - Business - The Atlantic

Nov 17

unconsumption:

A cool thought here — making new bottles from plastic specifically gathered from trash that washes up on the beach. Not sure how many readers we have in Oahu, but even if few of can participate, I’m guessing many will be interested to hear about this:

Method Unveils a breakthrough bottle made of recovered plastic washed up from the ocean. Help Method turn this project, into the first commerically available Ocean Plastic bottle!

‘We’ve created a usable bottle from ocean plastic and upcycled it into something useful that can be recycled again and again,’ said Adam Lowry, Method co-founder and chief greenskeeper. ‘Our ultimate goal is to raise awareness that the real solution to plastic pollution lies in reusing and recycling the plastic that’s already on the planet.’

(via Method Ocean Plastic Initiative - TheDieline.com - Package Design Blog)