Modern building codes and zoning regulations, while helping to set safety standards that can save lives, can also serve as big barriers to building small, sensible, and affordable dwellings with alternative materials and techniques.

Lightweight shelters might be an affordable and quick option for emergency housing, but they are also susceptible to damage from high winds. This prototype could be a better solution.

The Big World Homes project aims to be a new model of affordable housing, and its modular mobile design could make it a good fit for 'pop-up' communities on unused land.

There are signs that the industry is cooling down, but we still all have so much stuff.

From cocktail shakers to terrariums, is there anything the mighty mason jar can't do? Rethink this humble vessel with new uses for an old standby.

This step-by-step how-to guide shows you the way to make a wooden record that is as visually beautiful as it is aurally beautiful.

In his project "I Used to be a Washing Machine" designer Tony Grigorian uses the old appliance to create one, or several, new pieces of furniture.

Explore the unique beauty of Autumn trees by crafting a creation from their gifts.

It might be pretty, but it's just another toxic microplastic.

The London Olympics are only beginning, but the next ones are already underway with Rio's ambitious urbanization plan. Its latest inauguration: the city's third largest green area.

The project is one of the winners of a Performance Architecture contest to celebrate Guimarães as European Capital of Culture.

In a decade-long case by a group of plaintiffs, a court sentenced a farmer and an aviator to prison for spraying agrochemicals, linking them to environmental pollution and health hazards. Only they can skip doing any time.

Joao Filgueiras Lima, known as Lele, has a remarkable portfolio which has begun to raise attention. We take a look at his pedestrianization work in Salvador and his approach to futuristic health centers.

In an attempt to re-think the original function of the folding screen, Argentine designer Leonardo Fortunato created the Diecut Screen multi-purpose piece.

Spanish collective Basurama built a movable cinema mounted on a bike and used it to expose empty spots which could be turned into public spaces temporarily.

The latest urban intervention to celebrate the city's status as European Capital of Culture is an unusual film venue for pedestrians.

Finally, the inside of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is done. The church, set out to build 125 years ago and expected to be finished in 2026, attracts millions of visitors every year. This is no surprise due to the

For his renovation of a 200 year old farmhouse, Alex Wilson tries out the greenest insulations on the market

Elevated above a flood-prone salt marsh on the Essex coast, this small beach house looks like a bird perched among the grasses.

So you think you're doing everything you can to improve your home's energy efficiency. And if you haven't done everything you can do personally, both TreeHugger and Planet Green have plenty of tips on how you can get up to

The major brands, Avent, Disney First Years, Gerber, Dr. Brown, Playtex and Evenflow have all have agreed to stop selling baby bottles manufactured from the monomer Bisphenol-A (BPA). This

A quick one to keep an eye on and get your best booing voice reader for: New York Times is highlighting a bill passing through Connecticut's legislature that would slash in half the state's current renewable energy goal of

Can government be like a smartphone? An open platform, waiting for citizens to plug in their "apps" to its operating system? The rise of the millennial generation, along with the spread of the open source software movement, has opened up a whole new

DNA testing of cougar crap left along a 1,055-mile trail has established that a young male Puma walked all the way from South Dakota to New England in search of a mate. The poor cat's

Mountains of discarded materials sourced from refugees' boats and lifejackets will be transformed into bags -- by asylum seekers themselves, for a decent wage.

These lovely packs are made from upycled waste materials, biodegradable natural fabrics, recycled polyester, and more.

A hilarious remix of a classic image demonstrates that the new high-tech alternatives are not solving every problem.

Welcome to New York.

Patagonia's Worn Wear events, held in collaboration with sharing start up Yerdle, offer a different, more sustainable vision of Black Friday.

It talks a lot about cycling, but notes that we don't do nearly enough about walking.

Studies prove these myths aren't true but nobody is listening.

The public wants to see activists practicing what they preach.

Taking the category and best in show prizes will help Efficient City Farming get the funding to grow!

Filipino activists had been charged with trespassing in December 2009 to document toxic coal ash.

The green activist group's stunt seeks to draw attention to the devastation wrought by coal.

New report shows shocking amounts of coal pollution in U.S. waterways.

A roundup of our Blankenship coverage over the years, and what led up to this tragedy and this indictment.

But this is probably not the last we will hear from him.

The bamboo palettes and compacts have minor flaws that, in a way, make them even more special.

Between 1999 and 2004, there was one death a year due to the falling of trees or branches in Colombia's capital city, Bogota.

Between 1999 and 2004, there was one death a year due to the falling of trees or branches in Colombia's capital city, Bogota. Though general wisdom says trees are good, this city proves that with poor planning, wrong species in the wrong places, and bad

Whenever we talk about the production of cocaine fueling rainforest destruction, or the electricity consumption of indoor marijuana growing, many commenters decry that it is prohibition that causes these negative impacts, not the drug itself. There is,

This startup offers tailored volunteering experiences where participants can continue working remotely while abroad, in addition to volunteering their skills in local communities.

This simple, foldable bee box attracts roaming bee swarms with a pheromone lure, and helps beekeepers safely relocate bees.

Once a niche profession or eccentric hobby, beekeeping is trending amongst DIYers and trendy urbanites.

Every little flower helps. Especially when there's a lot of us planting them.

Discover the miniature, magical world of tide pools -- and beat the heat -- by heading to North America's coastlines.

No more excuses! Book that time off and feel guiltless while doing so, since you'll be a better partner, parent, and employee as a result.

More and more people are working remotely. Now, alternative travel companies are offering what they are calling "co-workations" -- a combination of a creative business trip and inspirational adventure holiday for location-independent professionals.

There's an "epidemic" of unused vacation days in the United States. This startup wants participating companies' employees to trade them in for plan contributions, or booking flights and hotel accommodations.