Betacup competition urges global participants to find a sustainable alternative to the wasteful, ubiquitous coffee cup.

Even environmentalists with the best of intentions might struggle with always remembering to bring their reusable coffee cup from home.  You know how it is – you leave home in a hurry in the morning, really need that cup of coffee from your favorite local spot to jolt you out of your morning stupor, and just as you’re about to order that double espresso americano (or whatever it is that gets you through the day) you remember that your reusable coffee cup is sitting on the kitchen counter.  And then you have to make that decision: do I save my energy level for the day, or do I save the planet by using one less disposable coffee cup?

The Betacup competition hopes to generate sustainable coffee cup ideas so that you never have to make that decision ever again.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Betacup competition is attempting to reduce the waste generated by 58 billion unrecycled paper cups each year, and encourage some creative design in the process.  Participants can be active in one of two ways: either by submitting ideas for the convenient sustainable coffee cup or by rating other ideas.

The cup designs should consider: waste reduction, resources required, new or existing capabilities, and the whole coffee drinking experience.

The top coffee cup idea (to be decided by a jury) will be awarded $10,000 and an additional $10,000 will be divided by the top 5 ideas as selected by community ratings.

Have a sip-tastic idea?  Visit the Betacup’s website for more details – the competition is open until June 15th.

Read more about sustainable coffee::

The Sustainable Coffee Rush and Its Relevance to Israel

Elite Coffee Factory Uses Leftover Beans to Make Great Smelling Energy

Green Your Coffee Break

Israel-based design team creates an LED lamp packed with Lycopene and powered completely by tomatoes.  Yum.

When it comes to energy-saving and eco-friendly design, we’ve seen some pretty nutso stuff already on Green Prophet.  We’ve salivated over Hasadna’s ice cream spoon chandeliers, envied Merav Feiglin’s TrashLights, been impressed by Studio Mesila’s upcycled wood laminate lamps, and ogled KOZO’s lamps made out of reused plumbing tools.  But a lamp that’s powered exclusively by produce?  That’s… um…. new.

Exhibited at the Milan Furniture Fair, this saucy lamp designed by Cygalle Shapiro of d-VISION is powered completely by juicy, red tomatoes.

A work of art as well as a statement about our energy usage, the “Still light” lamp is operated by a chemical reaction that takes place between the tomato acids, zinc and copper.  The lamp is powered until the tomatoes become stale.

The large amount of tomatoes required to power the lamp draws the viewer’s attention to the amount of natural resources that we require for our energy consumption.  Yes, the lamp is powered by tomatoes and not fossil fuel generated energy.  But organic energy sources (such as tomatoes, apparently) require a lot of energy to produce as well and are not as “green” as they could be.

As the designer has described the “Still light” lamp, it is a “hybrid LED light system, integrating organic and metal parts within a single electrical circuit.  Similar to a simple battery, the LED lamp is powered by an electrochemical reaction of copper and zinc electrodes placed in the tomatoes.  The use of natural components gives the object an organic, finite life cycle; a reminder of life’s impermanence.”

d-VISION, a 2 year internship program for Product Development and Industrial Design, aims “to foster the next generation of outstanding industrial designers.”

:: Inhabitat

Read more about funky green design from Israel:
Junktion’s Designs are the Intersection of Waste and Whimsy
Ten Sustainable Israeli Designers Who Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
Inspire Collective Brings 150 Artists Together for ReUse 3 Exhibition in Tel Aviv

As part of their campaign to sell “green mortgages” (in other words, mortgages for homes built with environmentally friendly construction or for financing the installation of solar home energy systems), Bank Hapoalim has sponsored an exhibition of futuristic green homes along Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard.  Rothschild Boulevard is often the venue for unusual exhibitions, including an installation of trees by environmental sculptor, Dani Karavan, a few years ago.  This exhibition of 22 homes – all made by Israeli designers, artists, and architects – spans from Betzalel Yafe Street to Herzl Street.  Some houses are scientific in nature, others are whimsical, and all of them are a little bizarre.

If you can’t make it to see the promenade of designs yourself, have a mini virtual tour right here:

My Tree House by Moshe and Dafna Kastiel (pictured to the left) is a metal construction surrounding an existing tree on the boulevard.  In the artists’ own words, the design “emphasizes the necessary relationship between home and nature, even in the center of a city.”

Purchasing Group by Philip Renzer (pictured at the top of this article) is made from recycled wood and found objects.  According to the artist, the work depicts a “portable wooden house that is a modest version of a caravan-car.  The home is reminiscent of the wooden cars that we used to build as children out of found wooden parts and wheels that were removed from cars.  The house adapts itself to a modern lifestyle that necessitates constant movement, and is an alternative to wasteful, industrial construction.”

Eco-section-cut by Noam Dover and Michal Tsaderbaum (image on the right) presents not only design, but functional energy usage.  Its solar panels and wind turbines generate energy for the house, and the design also integrates greenery.

Other green designers whose works are exhibited are Brigitte Cartier (who also designed the Visitor’s Center at Hiria) and Studio Mesila.

The exhibition is on view and open to the public until May 8th.

Read more about green housing::

Is Safdie’s Habitat ‘67 a Viable Model for Middle Eastern Urban Housing?

More Green Building on TED: Catherine Mohr

Tareq Emtairah’s Practical Eco-House in Aqaba, Jordan

H&M Israel’s CEO talks about his motive for importing H&M’s sustainable fashion line

Thousands of Israelis have flocked to the newly opened H&M stores in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa – many of them unaware that they were, in fact, on their way to buying sustainable fashion.  As we mentioned in a previous post, H&M Israel has featured the Garden Collection – H&M’s first collection made entirely of organic cotton and recyclable materials – prominently as a shop-within-a-shop and in the window displays.  Last week we talked to Andrew Horesh, H&M Israel’s CEO, to learn more about the collection as well as about H&M and sustainable clothing.  

What was your motive for bringing the Garden Collection to Israel?

Fashion is global, so is H&M! Bringing the Garden Collection to Israel was an excellent way to show that H&M wants to invest in a better environment and that fashion made with organic and recyclable materials can be exciting, fashionable and fun.

How has the Israeli public or Israeli consumer responded to the Garden Collection? Has it been as successful as the other H&M collections?

So far the reception as been terrific, above and beyond our expectations. I believe our customers appreciate the fact that we offer garments made from organic cotton within an affordable price range. It’s now H&M’s goal to increase the amount of organic cotton used by 50% a year until 2013.

Is the Garden Collection offered in all three H&M locations in Israel? Are there any stores where it is more successful?

Yes, the collection was shown in a shop in shop at all three stores in Israel. Flowers are one H&M’s major trends for spring/summer so it’s great to offer these styles in sustainable materials like recycled polyester, organic cotton, organic linen and tencel. Our customers are fashion conscious and I couldn’t say if it’s done better in any of the cities it’s launched in.

How do you feel H&M’s Garden Collection compares with other local sustainable clothing designers, such as Cotton, Bagir, and Zendegi, to name a few.

We think that the customer benefits from diversity. It’s excellent to see that other designers are thinking like H&M – that respect for the environment is important for their customers and business.

What will H&M’s next sustainable collection look like, and will there always be a sustainable clothing “shop within a shop” at H&M?

H&M has been working with organic cotton since 2004. In 2009 H&M used approximately 3,000 tons of organic cotton and the aim is to increase that amount by fifty percent per year for the next couple of years.

I cannot predict what the next collection will look like, but if the past is anything to go by it will be exciting, affordable and fashionable!

Why is the Garden Collection only geared at women, and will there be similar sustainable collections for men and children in the future?

Actually, we use organic cotton and recyclable materials in chosen men’s garments as well and I would say that a full men’s collection in environmentally adapted materials in the future is not something to rule out. There is also an organic cotton collection, Organic Cotton, in the children’s department.

Read more about H&M and other Middle Eastern sustainable fashion::

H&M Israel Brings Sustainable Fashion to the (Overwhelming) Masses

Lebanese Designer Ziad Ghanem Creates Recycled Couture

Bagir’s Recycled Plastic Bottle Suit Gives New Meaning to Euro-Trash

It’s hot on our tracks. Yet again Mother’s Day. The time to celebrate lovely mothers all over the globe. Are you tired of giving your mother the same old flowering potted plant that wilts and dies and then gets composted by mid-June? We are. That’s why Green Prophet has come up with a few more ideas for greening your gift list for Mom.

1. If you live in the Middle East region, or like the taste of the Middle East, consider heading to one of your local markets specializing in spices, Asian or Eastern markets will probably have the freshest varieties, and consider making your mom a spice rack. But not your average paprika-garlic-peppercorn variety, but spices that are unique, different and known to have great benefits for women. Not that we have anything against garlic of course! To read up on some ideas, follow Miriam’s post on the ABCs of Middle Eastern spices. And read this very special recipe on how to make a rose sandwich. We bet Mom would love that.

2. Because Green Prophet is all about the Middle East and promoting the culture, style and values from this region, how about a groovy and something-different greeting card for mom? It may say that Allah is great, but if your mom can’t read Arabic you can tell her it says Happy Mother’s Day in Arabic. Find these Islamic-inspired gift cards on Sakina Designs. Ask them. Maybe they can make to order something special.

3. Moms always love clothes. Consider one of our favorite activities: Spending the afternoon shopping at thrift stores for some neat and fabulous designs. Some stores have special vintage sections. Even more fun: buy outfits from the time Mom was your age and go out for lunch together. If you’re extra creative ask Mom to show you a few tips on the sewing machine in the spare bedroom. It might need a bit of grease, but probably waiting to zest up some old fashions in the second-hand shops or in the back of her closet.

Spending time with mom is extra green. Better than a gift offer her your help around the house, cooking a meal together, or going for a walk in the park. Chances are Mom would rather in a million years spend time with her kids than expect expensive gifts any way.

Happy Day!

Sakina Design’s logo is green not only because the company creates Islamic design and green is an important color for Islam.  Their logo is green because they are an environmentally conscious business… for partially religious reasons. The husband and wife design company that produces contemporary Islamic wall art and greeting cards feels that “as Muslims, we understand that Allah has entrusted us with taking care of the earth, and this trust entails utilizing resources wisely and minimizing waste and pollution.”

Jontie and Pik, the brains behind Sakina Design, started their company with the goals of bringing a contemporary feeling to Islamic home decor and staying true to their values.  Jontie, whose family is originally from Syria, said that “once the decision was made to start the business, we really felt the responsibility that came with it… We were forced to think about how our decisions affected our customers, the environment and [our] communities.”

And so they decided to make their products and shipping practices as sustainable as possible.

Their wall art frames (pictured at the very top and to the right) are made out of recycled wood, which Sakina Design claims is even stronger than virgin wood.

The company that actually produces the frames also uses an environmentally friendly manufacturing plant, which includes furnaces that burn the leftover sawdust.  The heat from burning the sawdust is then used to produce energy for the manufacturing process.

Their greeting cards, one of which can be seen directly above, are printed with soy-based inks on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.  Their papers are not bleached, either.

As for their shipping practices, their boxes are made out of recycled cardboard.  All local suppliers and producers are used as well, to minimize long distance import carbon emissions.

::elan

A design label that produces men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, accessories and housewares, PopLove describes its mission as “creating fabulous products with minimal harm to the surrounding world.”

Its founders, Andrea Hughes and Shai Wallach, both observed the wastefulness of the fashion industry firsthand when they were working in retail and decided something had to be done.

“The modern fashion market has become an extremely wasteful industry, with hundreds of millions of garments tossed away each season,” PopLove says.

So what did they do?  They constructed a fashion line based on the use of recycled materials.  Have no fear of boring earth tones and extreme new-agey designs, though.

PopLove is based on the “idea that style shouldn’t be sacrificed to sustainability.”

PopLove Designs is based in Tel Aviv, and all of the materials used are locally sourced and produced (which helps minimize the carbon emissions associated with transportation).

Recycled materials were originally sourced from a charity organization, thereby helping both the environment and the needy.

These hand selected materials then provided the perfect foundation for the duo’s designs.  Existing materials are recycled and transformed into one of a kind unique designs with a handmade touch – usually in the form of screen-printing, dying, painting, and decorative finishings (such as with studs, crystals and more).

Are the images above and to the right of this season’s collection making you curious?  Wondering where can you get your hands on some PopLove clothing?  If you live in the Tel Aviv area, check PopLove’s website for the list of shops that markets their designs.  And if you live anywhere else in the world, check out PopLove’s Etsy store.

Read more about sustainable fashion:
H&M Israel Brings Sustainable Fashion to the (Overwhelming) Masses
Lebanese Designer Ziad Ghanem Creates Recycled Couture
Bagir’s Reycled Plastic Bottle Suit Gives New Meaning to Euro-Trash

It happened to me just the other night, when I was standing at the counter of the ice cream shop, trying to decide between espresso cardamum and dark chocolate (or both).  I felt guilty about my deliberation, and the consequent waste of those small plastic spoons that are used to dish out the samples.  How many of those spoons are wasted annually by indecisive ice creams eaters like myself?

But at Iceberg Ice Cream in Tel Aviv, where I was making my decision (and eventually opted for both flavors), none of the plastic spoons go to waste.  They are all carefully collected, washed, and handed over to Hasadna… where they are subsequently transformed into fun, beautiful chandeliers.

But that’s not all they make at Hasadna.

Tal Dayan and Naomi Levin, the founders of Hasadna (which means “workshop” in Hebrew) have a full line of surprising, whimsical upcycled products.  These product line, which they refer to as “You Call This Garbage?”, is in accordance with the designers’ overall philosophy:

Life is short and it is happening now.  We deserve to wake up in the morning and get excited about a new day, do what we love, rest when we’re tired, be thankful for what we have… and smile.

Other great upcycled products from Hasadna include the fruit bowl, above, which is made out of an old phone book.  The yellow pages complement the green apples nicely.

The wine cork noticeboard, to the right, is another one of the workshop’s products.  No two noticeboards are alike because different wine corks are used, and the frames are all different since they’re selected from flea markets.

Can’t get enough of Hasadna?  Their t-shirt designs featuring positive messages will be participating in the annual T Market in Tel Aviv today, tomorrow and on Monday.

Can’t get enough upcycled design?  Keep reading::

Ten Sustainable Israeli Designers Who Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

Lebanese Designer Ziad Ghanem Creates Recycled Couture

“Waste Lb” Design Company Encourages Lebanese to Waste Fewer Plastic Bags