A COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRINCIPLES INFUSES JUST ABOUT EVERY ASPECT OF CONTEMPORARY LIVING, AND LEADING THE WAY IS THE DESIGN AND DÉCOR INDUSTRY. IN THIS SPECIAL NEW “GREEN” SECTION, WE TAKE A LOOK AT SIGNIFICANT, CUTTING-EDGE AND IMAGINATIVE ECO PROJECTS AND PRODUCTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
The world is changing towards a greener future. The green materials market has grown to $116 billion this year, and it’s expected to grow to $254 billion by 2020. Many companies in the travel industry, for example, have really been motivated to cut energy expenses and create resource-saving policies.
One business that sticks out in the travel industry for being eco-friendly is the ink58 Hotel in New York City. This is an all-organic hotel that serves food and drinks that are completely organic and natural, and uses eco-friendly materials and appliances.
At home, people are also moving towards an all-organic diet. The results are in, and it does not look pretty for food riddled with pesticides and genetically modified materials. Homeowners can also do a lot for their own homes by installing low flow toilets, and they can save even more water with drip
irrigation systems.
Reduce, re-use and recycle has been a recurring theme for those joining the green movement. Businesses are looking for more ways to recycle products on a large scale. For example, the ARIA hotel in Las Vegas created a huge sorting centre that has saved 47 per cent of its trash from going into landfills. In addition the hotel gives food scraps to local pig farms.
A growing trend at home is re-purposing old or worn-out items and finding new uses for them through a process of “upcycling”. There are all sorts of things in your house that you can re-use. Businesses continue to innovate in the industry, and this is especially prominent with the green hotels in New York City. As this innovation continues, newer and more efficient products will be coming to market.
Sam Marquit is an “independent green contractor” and co-author of Fair Marquit Value: fmarquitv.tumblr.com
