Cook it raw
24-11-2011
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A dozen of international chefs searched for an answer to the question if ecology and gastronomy go well together. The chefs organized a challenge to compose a meal of local products, while using as little energy as possible. The result was an unprecedented, uncooked meal with the original taste of the products. ‘Cook it Raw’ takes the chefs from destination to destination, to cook with local products at each location. Nespresso, a partner with the same values, is closely involved with the project.
Subscription-based bread
21-11-2011
Los Panderos is a Brazilian website that offers a subscription-based bread delivery. For around 33 dollars a month, the company will deliver 3 breads per week. The bread is made without preservatives, semi-cooked and can be stored for up to two weeks.
Pop-up greenhouse Cypress Hills
18-11-2011
The Greenhouse Project is a project that’s created as a result of obesity and diabetes in the low-income neighborhood Cypress Hills (New York). This pop-up greenhouse will provide the population with healthy food and will have a capacity of 8,000 pound per 3 months. Because the area has many vacant lots, it has the ability to move multiple times per year. The organization has a presence in Manhattan with hydroponic projects at schools since 2010 and hopefully it will enter Cypress Hills soon. See the greenhouse here.
Geese croquettes
18-11-2011
Beach pavilion Beach Inn in IJmuiden now serves croquettes of geese from Schiphol. Because of the safety around the airport, geese are killed. Before, nothing was done with these dead geese so far. Rob Hagenouw, an artist from Amsterdam, came with the idea to use these geese in a variant of the traditional croquet. The American crayfish and the muskrat are the next animals in Hagenouws the crosshairs.
Paper wine bottle
17-11-2011
The UK will soon see the launch of the world’s first paper wine bottle. Greenbottle, the company behind the product, is already negotiating with a leading supermarket chain and insists it will be on the market in the beginning of 2012. The UK is about to run out of space for landfill within seven years, hence this biodegradable packaging will become a huge issue for both consumers and manufacturers. The paper bottle weighs only 55g compared with 500g for a glass bottle, meaning that transport costs will be hugely reduced. In addition, its carbon footprint is only 10% of that of a glass bottle.
Investing in pigs
17-11-2011
Buitengewone Varkens is a Dutch company that aims to attract ‘investors’ that are willing to invest money in their pigs. The pigs are bred sustainably and live naturally outdoors in the Dutch forests and fields. Besides, the farmers are paid a fair wage for their work. By investing 100 euros you will receive organic preservable pork products for the next three years, such as chorizo, dry sausage, pate, ham and two tickets to an event, with a total value of 150 euros.
Hells Kitchen Farm serves first harvest in church
9-11-2011
The Hell’s Kitchen project is situated at the roof of the Metro Baptist Church in New York and served its first harvest that consists of fresh vegetables and fresh fruit. The project is meant to provide food to the busy food pantry within the church. The roof features 1000 square foot space that was previously unused and the entire project is done by volunteers. The many pigeons in New York initially became a problem, however this was solved by placing removable cages.
Economic model based on sustainability
8-11-2011
Environmental sustainability will only work if there are financial benefits. UP, a new economic model, shows how to revaluate waste. Producer Droog sees a potential in the remaining stocks in warehouses in the Netherlands. Examples are diningtables of trays, recycled glasses or chairs of cutting boards. These are not competing products yet, but specific examples that can be used to try out the business model.
London retail space becomes world’s first farm in a shop
7-11-2011
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The London FARM: shop project in Hackney is converting an empty retail unit into the world’s first farm in a shop. Their mission is to see how much food they can grow in an urban environment, and to educate and inspire the inhabitants. FARM: shop plans to have chicken coops on the roof, fish tanks outside the shopfront, and other live animals inside the shop. By employing a combination of new technologies and traditional methods, they will also grow fruit and vegetables inside the shop. Upstairs, a meeting room will be available to hire, and downstairs a cafe will serve up dishes using all the produce grown there. The whole space will be available to hire for events and parties, and all profits will go back into their farming outreach programme which teaches people how to grow food.
LEED Platinum certificate is goal Hotel Williams
4-11-2011
The historic buildings of South Williamsburg (New York) are soon be put in shade by an ultra modern tower. Oppenheim designed the Williamsburg Hotel to achieve Leed Platinum certification, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED provides a precise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. The hotel wants to realize this by making use of insulation, rainwater collection and renewable energy among other things, by means of solar panels, wind turbines and a geothermic pump.
