TREES OF TWEETS

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has just come to an end. Its effects don’t, and they literally grow. To nurture the discussion about climate change CNN Europe created the Ecosphere, a fertile soil for people to follow. The plants in the ECOSPHERE grow from your tweets tagged with #COP17. Once you have submitted a tweet about climate change the ECOSPHERE will feed it into a plant representing that specific topic or discussion – causing it to grow a little more. The available soil is infinite, and no tree has to be killed to grow more space.
http://cnn-ecosphere.com/

 

MY BAG IS BETTER THAN YOURS

“There’s no waste in nature. Waste is a human invention”. In.gredients is one of the most progressive sustainable micro-grocer business model in the food and grocery industry, launched with the help of people and a crowd-sourcing effort through IndieGoGo. Soon next year its Austin location will be the first package-free and zero waste grocery store in the United States. If one thinks that Whole Foods – a temple of sustainability – keeps storing customers’ purchases in two (yes, two) paper bags packed one into the other, this is quite a step ahead. Everyone will bring their own bags and containers, so stay assured that nothing will be wasted. The next step for in.gredients may be to open an internal fashion design bag & container store for Austin shopping hipsters. We’ll see.

REDUCED TO THE MAX

Ian Schrager has revolutionized the hotel concept going boutique and bringing that unique home feel to places that used to (many still do) lack in personality. Now that boutique hotels all look the same he strikes back, and bring them even closer to what it feels like when you’re at home. Public Chicago, formerly the Ambassador East, brings a wind of novelty in the already windy city. No more room minibar full of those reduced-quality products that often remain unused. Instead, a 24/7 lobby minibar that goes as stylish as you could imagine. No more 24/7 in-room service that obliges to keep kitchen and chef busy at all times, even if no one really asks for them all the time. Instead, specially packaged designed gourmet, healthy meals by Jean-Georges Vongerichten to be enjoyed in the privacy of your room any time of the day or night. And you can also bring them along on your rush to the airport. The list of little revolutions behind this new and more sustainable hotel concept is long and always surprising. At the end, less means more, since with a reduced waste of offer comes with a reduced room rate. Luxury is finally Public.