Bus Village

Recently I've read an article about one horticultural association called Birches-6. It is settled not far from Moscow and actually its nickname is Avtobusniki!!! The owners are ex employers of the 18'th bus park. At the end of 1980's the government allocated land to every company. For the bus park employers it was hard to organize a construction of houses. So they bought written off buses. For those times they were cheap as chips. If we interpret those money to interpret modern, it will cost about 3000 roubles. The buses were cut up and people used its parts for a different purpose. There are greenhouses made from bus windows, telegas with bus wheels. Someone even has Russian bath in it! Some people continue living in their buses!In my opinion, it' amazing! I believe this idea of using old buses can be used for making some living area for homeless people st Kurskaya that we discussed at one of our sessions!

If you cannot have the best - make the best of what you have!

Two years ago at a London bookstore among thousands of dazzling book covers I came across a plain-looking, printed on recycled paper pocket-sized book "250 tips for an ECO lifestyle" by Sarah Callard.

Quickly realized this was the case " All that glitters is not gold", bought the book and left the shop feeling that this purchase was probably the reason I came to London.

I cannot call it the green Bible, but it really contains loads of useful handy recommendations. Here are some I liked, adopted and still stick to.

• Make the most of natural daylight (use less bulbs)
• Fit radiator valves (to control temperature)
• Keep bedrooms cooler
• Don't put curtain's in front of radiators
• Unblock drains naturally (instead of using a chemical products try pouring down a solution of 4 tablespoons baking soda and 50 ml vinegar in boiling water)
• Put half a lemon in the fridge and a microwave to eliminate strong smells
• Lemon, vinegar, salt and baking soda are best natural detergents!
• Use Cola for cleaning your toilet bowl.
• Choose eco-friendly clothes detergents such as Ecover, Bio-D or Sonett
• Choose powdered detergents instead of liquid ones
• Don't buy antibacterial cleaning products containing triclosan
• Avoid fabric conditioners (instead add 125ml vinegar or baking soda)
• Don't buy into dry-cleaning
• Avoid air fresheners. Make your own home scents (essential oil + filtered water)
• Prefer locally grown produce. Eat seasonally
• Avoid high-tech cartons whenever possible
• Avoid Teflon pans
• Avoid plastics alltogether
• Animal duvets are greener
• Use washable nappies 
• Don't buy 'disposables'
• Only iron what's really necessary
• Turn off while you brush
• Egg-water good for houseplants
• Once a week have a candlelit dinner to save energy and boost the romance in your life in one go!

These easy-to -implement yet far-reaching steps might help us on a local level lessen our impact on the environment at large.

Design + Environment: A Global Guide to designing Greener Goods

A very interesting and easy for riding book that provides a practical information for those designers that are interested in making sustainable design. It's like a stepped handbook for decreasing environmental impact by designing. I believe this book can awake your inters and help in writing essay.

It is available at Google books

Международный фестиваль «Зеленый проект 2011»

Уважаемые коллеги!

Союз архитекторов России совместно со своим партнером Издательским домом «АРД-центр» проводят 9-10 ноября 2011 года в ЦДХ Международный фестиваль инновационных эко-технологий в архитектуре и строительстве «Зеленый проект 2011», целью которого является поддержка и стимулирование в России новаторских идей и технологий, обеспечивающих создание комфортной среды обитания.

Конкурсы для всех сфер дизайна посмотреть здесь 

 

СКАЧАТЬ ПРИГЛАСИТЕЛЬНЫЙ БИЛЕТ

Act Right about Wood

Look at the origin of a piece of timber or paper when you buy it.

When a designer chooses the material now a days he or she has a choice to do the right thing and use approved wood. There are several groups and companies which care about the over all cycle of the production including all the stages and its parts. I am introducing several of those:

FSC - Forest Stewardtship Council
NWFA - National Wood Flooring Association
AWI - Architectural Woodwork Institute
WFCA - World Floor Covering Association
IWPA - International Wood Product Association

Written by Anastasia Osminina

Level 5 BHSAD

Thinking in systems: a primer

Коллеги,

вот книга о которой я рассказывал на занятии — называется Thinking in systems: A primer, Donella H. Meadows или Азбука системного мышления.

Ее читал на русском, на озоне есть, стоит 210 рублей, на amazone $13.57.

На сайтах есть сжатое описание, на лекции могу рассказать свомими словами.