In recent years, environmental issues have become the focus of world debate, mobilizing everyone to play their part.
Entrepreneurs, architects and designers, who with their work are trying to redesign projects in a more sustainable way, are also part of this race for salvation.
The experimentation and use of new materials, as well as the fundamental role played by waste and recycling, are just some of the ways chosen to overcome this challenge.
The aim is to create a circular economy, where raw materials are not consumed more than necessary and the waste produced is reduced to a minimum.
A great effort, which touches everyone without disenchantment, but also a mission that involves every human being. That we at Amarzo fully embrace with our production of 100% recycled glass design objects.
A call that has already received countless answers and that produces every day news, among these we have selected those that have intrigued us the most. In this article you will find 5 ideas of sustainable design, original projects to help our planet.
1. Cardboard furniture: environmentally friendly, beautiful and durable
Contrary to what you might think the cardboard furniture is very durable, as well as being environmentally friendly and also very pleasant to see.
A perfect material for furniture, economical, customizable and not harmful, unlike other materials.
The cardboard furniture is made using a visible interlocking technique, where you can see the individual details, also avoiding the use of harmful adhesives.
Another feature that makes cardboard a sustainable material is the ease with which it can be transported. It is lightweight and can be disassembled into shapes to be assembled, does not require packaging volumes and takes up little space.
Two types of corrugated board can be used to make cardboard furniture:
wavy shape
honeycomb
Or you can use spiral cardboard tubes, fireproof and made with recycled fiber.
So with cardboard you can give a real boost of novelty to your home and change furniture as and how you like it.
Carton board does not cost an eye, because it is a recycling material. Quality cartons are durable and also hold heavy weights. In addition, the can be combined with other materials to create truly unique furniture, for example work shelves for kitchens or room dividers, or objects that adorn with taste.
2. Biopiscine: natural pools without chlorine
Biopiscines, or biolaghi, are artificial water basins, but using entirely natural water filtration and purification systems, without chlorine or chemical solvents.
It is a natural wastewater purification process, which uses aquatic plants as biological filters. They reduce the pollutants present in the water body, in synergy with nitrifying bacteria.
There are actually many methods used to purify water. You can pass it through enamelled titanium, copper and zinc ions chambers. Or enrich it with ozone, which reduces the need for chlorine up to 90%. The White House pool uses this system.
But one of the most effective and ecological methods is the use of small aquatic ecosystems that filter water from bacteria and purify it "naturally". Ensuring clear and clean water all the time.
Biopsy technology is also low cost. The installation and maintenance of the biopiscin requires lower figures than traditional tanks.
They have a low environmental impact and do not use any chemical treatment.
They also allow for cost savings in chemicals. For this reason they are obviously more environmentally friendly and allow the recycling of water with a consequent water saving.
3. Recover water from moisture with bamboo
Thanks to a bamboo structure, two Italian engineers were able to create a system for the recovery of water present in the humidity.
There are areas of the world where water is still a rare and precious commodity, so much so that every day children and mothers of the family are forced to travel long distances to grab the daily amount.
Recovering drinking water is a primary problem for many populations because often the available water is not drinkable, thus causing diseases and infections, especially in cases where the source is shared with livestock.
One of these places is Ethiopia, where the water emergency is particularly marked and where Arturo Vittori and Andrea Vogler of the Architecture and Vision studio have brought their creation.
The project, called Warka Water, was realized using only bamboo, iron wire and polyethylene.
The two architects built a structure capable of ensuring at least 100 litres of water per day.
4. Green building: sustainable and economical architecture
Green building is oriented towards greater respect for the environment, but at the same time increasingly geared to the needs of the inhabitants.
The absolute respect that underlies this new mode of construction brings with it a more cautious approach towards the exploitation of resources in their entirety. This is without neglecting savings prospects: buildings generated by a virtuous cycle are in fact less expensive by their nature, because they involve a reduction in waste, an optimization of activities and an increasingly marked recycling of elements and materials.
5. Living furniture made of food-producing algae
The designers Jacob Douenias and Ethan Frier are the protagonists of a new project called Living Thinghs, a furniture line that exploits the natural photosynthesis of spirulina algae.
The designers' idea is to exploit the energy produced by these microorganisms by assimilating light, heat and carbon dioxide inside a home.
By integrating these algae with furniture, you can create 'living' furniture (hence the name of the line), which changes color continuously following the growth rate of plants.
By drying spirulina you will have a natural supplement with multiple properties, so much so that the product is commonly sold in herbal medicine in the form of tablets.
A prototype of the project was exhibited at the Pittsburgh Art Museum, the Mattress Factory. An installation has been recreated that simulates what it would be like to live in a living room surrounded by cultures of microorganisms.
Was this article helpful to you? Let us know. We at Amarzo are also actively involved in the creation of a sustainable economy, come and discover our products made of 100% recycled glass on our website.
Article edited by Renato Sarlo
