Danish company Sort of Coal makes it possible for us to try a natural purification agent known for centuries in Japan and Korea: white charcoal.

Unlike common charcoal, white charcoal does not leave dust or residue. It is made by heating pieces of oak and bamboo over a seven-day period in an oxygen-lacking environment. The resulting product retains the original shape and unique beauty of the real wood.

White charcoal has been always used to purify air, water, and body.
Its great absorption ability makes it useful for getting rid of air pollution, unwanted smells, and moisture. When added to water, it will remove chlorine and other impurities, softening the water and improving the overall taste. Soap made with white charcoal powder cleans pores, absorbs impurities, and removes dead skin, helping to take care of acne-prone skin.
Charcoal pieces can also be placed near the computer or TV – they create natural anions, reducing harmful ionization.

White charcoal is reusable and recyclable. Its purification qualities can be reactivated through exposure to boiling water or direct sunlight for a few months up to a few years.
Once it is no longer functioning as a purifier, the charcoal can be broken into pieces and used as a soil amendment.

Some air and water purification products by Sort of Coal are available on the US market through Design Within Reach.
The Sort Of Coal website offers a full array of products: sticks for water and other liquid purification, charcoal cubes, stems and panels for air purification, white and black soaps, and Chi balancing jewelry.
My favorites are white charcoal sculptures, made from Korean oak. They refresh the air in living or commercial spaces (offices and restaurants) and help to balance Chi energy, positively influencing both our well-being and the environment.

Designed for Herman Miller by Yves Behar, creator of  such remarkable designs like the Aliph Jawbone headset or red Toshiba laptop, the Leaf personal light is setting its own standards on the lighting market.

It is the first LED fixture that can provide both cool and warm light. As such, it uses only 8-9W (40% less than a 13W compact fluorescent lamp). It allows for 60,000-100,000 hours of use, which is about 8 times more than a conventional light bulb.
The LEDs usually generate significant amount of heat, but the Leaf is cool to the touch thanks to a special heat distribution system in the body of the fixture.

You can switch between cool light (task lighting) and warm light (mood lighting) and adjust the level of light by just sliding your finger. The Leaf will even remember the last selected setting for the next use.

The unique body that has a 37% recycled content and is 95% recyclable after the end of its lifetime, can be adjusted to folded position for reading and the arm can be straightened to lit up the whole room or illuminate the wall. And there are several colors (black, white, red, nickel and polished aluminum) to choose from, to coordinate with your decor.

Recently I stumbled upon a book in my library that I bought a while ago with an intention to read immediately, but never accomplished until now.  The title says it all: “Good Green Homes: Creating Better Homes For a Healthier Planet” by Jennifer Roberts, with beautiful photography by Linda Svendsen.

This book is a great read for everyone wanting to find out what makes a home green. It explains the principles of green building in a way which I find easily understandable, and from now on I will use them to explain the concept to my design clients. I would also like to share them here on my blog.

So how do you approach the green building process in your own backyard? Here are the 7 paths to a good green home, according to the book’s author:

1. “Know where you are” – your surroundings play a very important role when trying to find a starting point for your green project.
2. “Size matters” – bigger isn’t always better when it comes to homes. The size of your living space should be dictated by your needs, not by the amount of stuff you own.
3. “You have the power” – take charge of how much and what kind of energy you use. Be smart: use natural heating and cooling, and find out where you’re wasting energy.
4. “Build for today and tomorrow” – plan for a well-built home that will accommodate to your changing needs, and will be tough enough to withstand for many generations.
5. “Clean living: protecting our air and water” – be aware of air and water pollutants, and know ways to protect your environment from them. Know how to conserve water indoors and outdoors.
6. “Build a better wall” – know the alternatives to conventional building methods and materials, and their advantages.
7. “Use the right stuff” – find out what questions to ask when selecting products to use in your home.

I encourage you to read this book, especially since it is beautifully illustrated with photographs to show the different shades of green building.

As the author says: ” The goal is not creating a perfect home, but creating a better home. Small steps and the right attitude can lead to big changes.” Couldn’t agree more!

What does energy conservation mean to you?
Is it the monthly amount you’re keeping in your pocket, instead of paying a high utility bill? Or is it a gloomy vision of global warming, polluting power plants, and acid rain?

Whatever your reason, if you choose to save energy, you are making a wise choice. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical U.S. family spends more than $2,000 a year on home utilities. Moreover, fossil fuel-generated electricity used yearly by an average-size home puts more CO2 into the air than two cars.

So how can you conserve energy in your own home?
Here are some of the most significant and cost-effective ways:

• insulate walls, floors and ceilings
• seal air leaks around windows and doors, so heated or cooled air can’t escape
• plant a tree to shade your windows which will reduce the need for air conditioning
• use multi-layered window treatments for better protection against heat transfer through the window
• install a programmable thermostat to easily control indoor temperature
• close heating vents and doors in unused rooms



photo from Stock Photos

• lower water heater temperature to 120° F
• take showers instead of full baths
• clean air filters on your air heating and cooling system for more efficient operation
• buy only energy-efficient appliances for your household; they may cost more, but the savings on your utilities will soon compensate for additional cost
• wash only full loads of clothes and dishes
• use energy-saving settings on your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer
• when not in use, turn off your computer and monitor
• plug all home theater components ( TV, DVD players, etc) into power strips; turn the power strips off when you aren’t using the equipment
• use compact fluorescent light bulbs or LED lamps
• install dimmers on your light fixtures; not only will you save energy, but also extend the life of the light bulbs
• turn off the lights when leaving a room, or install motion controlled switches

Educate yourself and others about energy efficiency. For more tips on saving energy, read the Energy Savers Booklet by the U.S. Department of Energy. And share your knowledge and ideas with your family, friends, and neighbors.

Kitchen and bathroom renovations are always giving me mixed feelings. I’m happy when my clients get a fresh, functional, and clean space. On the other hand, after every such renovation in my mind’s eye I can already see the mountains of debris where, eventually, the newly installed materials end their life after the owner decides that they can no longer serve their purpose.

The most popular hard surface material is natural stone: granite, marble, limestone, travertine, soapstone, you name it. Almost all of them are imported from remote locations. Because of this, they have increased levels of embedded energy (embedded or embodied energy is energy required to extract raw materials, manufacture the product, and supply it to the point of use), meaning that there is a significant amount of carbon dioxide emitted not only during the manufacturing process, but also while getting those products into our homes.

There are multiple alternatives to natural stone in kitchen and bath design: ceramic, glass, concrete, metal, solid surface, and many more. Recently I researched a hard surface material that I find particularly interesting, not only because the versatility of the design, but also because its content is up to 70% recycled, and the majority of the materials used are sourced within 500 miles of the manufacturing location. This recycled glass and concrete composite material is called EcoX, and it is manufactured by Meld USA in Raleigh, North Carolina.

EcoX is manufactured in slabs as well as tile. Its surface can be lightly polished to get a smooth finish or honed to reveal colorful recycled materials embedded in the concrete. The tiles are available pre-sealed with a low VOC penetrating sealer, and can be used in indoor and outdoor applications. Additionaly, EcoX can be used for table tops, wall panels, backsplashes, bathtub and shower surrounds, sinks, bathtubs, furniture, and accessories.

EcoX can qualify for LEED credits in Materials & Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality categories.
The manufacturer calls this product “an eco-sensitive concrete with personality”, and I must say that I totally agree!