world news

MVRDV goes to pot with its Green Villa

The Dutch architects cover a modest building with green plants of all kinds in pots of all sizes.




world news

What I learned about induction stoves in French cooking school

It changed my life but I can also recommend some changes




world news

Artist's massive mural of moon cycles features 15,000 origami birds

This is Paris' largest mural, made with hand-folded origami paper birds and a bit of spraypaint.




world news

Eating off the floor: Modern Paris apartment's floor becomes the dining table

It gives another meaning to 'eating off the floor.'




world news

Startup to grow fresh 'super-local' food out of recycled shipping containers in Paris

Founded by two sons of farmers, this company wants to grow farm-fresh food -- out of shipping containers.




world news

French startup will put 'flying' electric water taxis to work in Paris

It's like Uber for 'flying' water cars, with an über-cute name: SeaBubbles.




world news

Dear World, we're actually not giving up on Paris

125 US cities, 9 states, 902 businesses, and 183 schools so far have all signed a declaration promising to honor the Paris Climate Agreement.




world news

Mobile solar 'sail' powers Shigeru Ban's spherical auditorium in Paris (Video)

Looking like a "great ship," this solar-powered music venue is a new gateway into the city.




world news

30% of the new bikes in Paris' Vélib’ Métropole bike-share system will be electric

The second generation of Paris' bike-sharing fleet will see 20,000 bikes hit the streets next year, and 30% of those will feature an electric drivetrain.




world news

Jewel-like micro-apartment gets multifunctional makeover in Paris

This small 118-square-foot apartment holds a few pleasant, space-saving surprises.




world news

Tiny 290 sq. ft. duplex renovation is an "urban cocoon"

This small space spread over two levels in Paris gets a minimalist and functional makeover.




world news

Can lessons be learned from vandalism of dockless bike sharing bicycles?

...or does this augur the final breakdown of civilization?




world news

Derelict garage studio transformed into bright open loft in Paris

A small, rundown garage and artist's studio becomes a new home to a family of three.




world news

Just ending pollution from car exhaust could add three weeks to your life

Switching from fossil fuel powered cars could save 45,000 lives per year and on its own almost solve climate change




world news

Paris garage converted into small home for family of four

Using some inventive interventions, an old parking garage is transformed into a two-bedroom apartment in Paris.




world news

538 sq. ft. attic apartment renovated with industrial materials & cinematic flair

This revamp of an 1830s apartment mixes modern materials to create a modern space.




world news

New public pissoirs in Paris are problematic

Parisians are complaining, but the fact is that people need a place to pee; it's a human right.




world news

Multifunctional 172 sq. ft. live-work space uses nano-tech materials (Video)

This small and versatile apartment in the heart of Paris uses innovative modern materials for its furniture and cabinetry.




world news

Notre Dame is a metaphor for the planet

Everyone says we should do something, but nobody ever wants to pay the price.




world news

Personal electric mobility is taking over Paris

Instead of banning these technologies, we have to figure out how to manage them. Because they are inevitable.




world news

Be Ready for Anything with Take Out Furniture, it's Perfect For Preppers

Clever idea from Finnish designer combines portable storage with fixed dresser unit




world news

8 Stylish Lights for Your Home at London Design Festival

Light up your life and your living room with gorgeous lights from the London Design Festival.




world news

Helsinki Converts Historic Slaughterhouse into Culinary Hotspot

Helsinki's old abattoir has become the heart of the city's culinary revival, a movement blending innovation and tradition that integrates local foods, pop-up eateries, and urban gardens.




world news

Famous designers celebrate the classic Artek stool's 80th birthday

This classic design is 80 years young and some famous designers pay hommage.




world news

Add googly eyes to Mother Nature for a laugh

These paper plate eyes bring a chuckle when added to trees and rocks.




world news

Oil silo converted into glowing interactive civic space in Finland (Video)

Using a combination of LED lights, sunlight and environmental data, a disused oil silo has been transformed into Helsinki's newest art installation and urban destination.




world news

Super axe uses leverage to make woodcutting a piece of cake (Video)

This specially designed Finnish axe requires less force to split wood as it acts both as a wedge and as a lever.




world news

Finland to cut CO2 emissions 80% by 2050, legally binding

There's finally momentum on the international stage. And this is one of the most ambitious announcements yet.




world news

Finland's plan to make cars in cities 'pointless'

OK, maybe the Finns know something we don't - they are trying to pair smart phones, Big Data, and public and shared tranport to break free of private car-dependent cities.




world news

From table to tank: Neste will turn Finland's Christmas ham waste fat into renewable diesel

Just think what the waste fat from 46 million Thanksgiving turkeys could fuel.




world news

Sweating in a sauna may delay dementia

Perhaps we should have included one in our perfect bathroom.




world news

Lightweight prefab wood framing system goes together without nails

Forget about 3D printing houses; digital fabrication using sustainable materials is a much bigger deal.




world news

The McVegan burger is now for sale, but only in Finland

Veganism must be making serious inroads into society if McDonald's, king of industrial meat, is jumping into soy patties.




world news

Park a house in a parking spot instead of a car

Or, for that matter, park both a house and a car like Bill Dunster's ZEDpod.




world news

Finnish Safety Agency recommends helmets and lights for old people using walkers

It is about time that people acknowledged that it's not just cyclists that hit their heads. Helmets for everybody!




world news

150,000 McVegan burgers sold in January

It's obvious people want more plant-based foods, even when they are at a fast food joint.




world news

Nolla cabin offers a low-impact, urban camping experience

Urban dwellers can get a taste of camping out in nature with this temporary island cabin just outside of Helsinki.




world news

Here’s a riveting new e-bike design from Avial

This Finnish design doesn’t look quite finished but it is ingenious.




world news

Finnish supermarkets use 'happy hour' to fight food waste

After 9 p.m., shoppers snatch up heavily discounted foods that are close to expiry.




world news

5 Ways Geothermal Power is Heating Up Around the World

Last week when the US Geothermal Energy Association released it's biannual report which stated that geothermal power had grown by 20% so far this year , it cemented what TreeHugger said over a year ago: Geothermal power is the poor




world news

Ecotourism in the Philippines

The Philippine Department of Tourism's hat has been thrown into ecotourism game for awhile now. They've made it part of their plan for economic development. The country's ecotourism program strives to install processes and




world news

Luxury and "Eco" Try to Co-Exist at Cacao Pearl's Philippine Resort

Every developer worth his or her weight in white beach sand is vying to be able to proclaim his or her resort the first or best or truest eco-resort.




world news

"Extinct" Bird Eaten by Mistake: Not an April Fools Joke

A Worcester’s Buttonquail was caught on camera for the first time by a French documentary team who were filming native bird trappers at work in the Philippines. No one realized how rare the bird was until it was identified as a Worcester’s Buttonquail




world news

Philippine Fiber Secret to Naturally Water-Repellent Rainwear

In this tog-eat-tog world, the future of fashion—let alone that of green fashion—lies entirely in the industry's chameleon-like ability to reinvent itself. Take Italian outerwear company Allegri, for example. Although better known




world news

Dhaka, Manila & Jakarta Worst Climate-Affected Asian Mega-Cities - Hits Closer to Home Than You Might Think

Want to know which cities in Asia are going to get really whacked by climate change, and which ones have the greatest ability to adapt to it? Well, WWF has just released a new report that ranks 11 of them




world news

Mayon Volcano Ready to Erupt, May Cause a Little Climate Cooling

Mayon is the largest of the Philippines' 22 active volcanoes, at 8,070 feet. The plumes of smoke and flows of lava make it seem like it is already erupting, yet scientists say the big fireworks could be still to come, and more than 40,000 people have




world news

Tiny Philippine Island is Center of a Crazy-But-True Natural Wonder (Slideshow)

This tiny verdant island, called Vulcan Point or sometimes Vulcan Island, lies at the center of a strange-but-entirely-true natural wonder. It's known for being the world's largest volcanic island that's on a lake, on a




world news

See Ecocide Writ Large: NASA Photo Shows Humungous Philippine Coal Mine From Space

photo: NASA (click to see large) Polly Higgins has been getting more press pushing for 'Ecocide' to be enshrined as an international crime, and now a new photo from NASA really shows what Higgins is talking about: The wholesale destruction of Semirara




world news

India, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea All Soon Clobbering the US on Renewable Energy

Furthering a trend: As the United States continues virtually deadlocked on enacting any legislation pricing carbon or significantly promoting renewable energy, more Asian countries than China are likely to




world news

Undulating Squid Worm Discovered in Vulnerable Depths

There is something mesmerizing about this clip of a squid worm, also named teuthidodrilus samae by researchers after it was 'discovered' recently in the depths of the Celebes Sea between Indonesian and the Philippines.