Ok, think about it for a minute. Would school have been more fun if it was conducted in the tree tops? The kids at the Elleray Preparatory School in Lake District National Park in Windermere, UK will be the first to find out.

The new school was designed and built by Kita Design Company. Individual classrooms were created as a series of self-sufficient pods, each equipped with a set of solar panels used to power the classroom lights. Each pod is comprised of a ribbed timber frame encased with English chestnut shingles that rests on a series of Douglas-fir stilts. The deck that connects the three main classroom pods is made of recycled plastic milk bottles and wood shavings, and will double as an outdoor classroom in the summer.

Why the School is a Cool Eco-Project

The Environmental Assessment Method for Buildings Around the World, BREEAM, has given the building an “excellent” rating based on the recycled, low-impact architecture and design. The heating and cooling systems run on a ground-source heat pump, and the school also collects rainwater to reduce potable water use. Off season, this eco-conscious structure will be used as a gallery and event venue. Now that is out-of-the-box thinking — creating an eco-conscious structure with multiple uses!

Designer Rob Gaukroger waved his fees for the design of the unique school building, and the project took 3 years to complete. He did most of the work himself, along with a small team of eco-passionate helpers.

Eco-Friendly Trends for Building Remodels

Gaukroger also has a few interesting ideas about future trends for green building. He claims , ”Up-cycling is the way forward. There are many buildings from the 60s, 70s and 80s made of concrete that are not considered worth saving. However, with some careful thought, a lot of insulation and some designer flair, these building can be saved from land fill and given a new beginning. By insulating existing concrete buildings on the outside, it creates a thermal mass from the existing concrete structure and completely changes how they react and perform thermally.”

It will be interesting to see how future architects utilize new, creative ways to “update” certain structures, or create fresh designs that truly act as an asset to the environment surrounding  a building or home — whether that is in a city, the county, suburbia etc. Clearly its a unique challenge for builders and architects to remain head of the curve, and continue to meet all aspects of ever-changing consumer and environmental needs.

Katrina Pfannkuch

Buzzword Communications, LLC
About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.

Thanks to Modern Eco Homes, where this blog entry by Katie Nielsen originally came from, and they reached out to us, wanting to share their findings and learn from yours. Enjoy, and please share your eco holiday finds below in the comments

In 1621, the pilgrims at Plymouth celebrated the ending of a successful growing season with a harvest feast, an event that is generally considered the “First Thanksgiving.” They were joined by several Native Americans who had taught the pilgrims how to harvest foods and survive the harsh winter. The feast included foods locally grown and produced by the pilgrims such as duck, lobster, swan, native berries, boiled pumpkin, squash and a variety of other vegetables.

Jean Leon Gerome Ferris’s iconic painting depicts the first Thanksgiving celebration.

Today’s modern Thanksgiving celebration is a far cry from that first harvest feast where the settlers farmed, hunted, and gathered everything they consumed. Today’s traditional feast is a far more industrialized affair, comprised of pre-packaged foods that likely travel hundreds of miles before it ends up on your table.  In fact, it’s estimated that most of the foods consumed in the U.S. travel more than 1500 miles before being sold to consumers. The ability to shop a season-less global food market may be convenient but our incessant appetites and rapidly expanding food chain is taking its (hefty) toll on the environment primarily because of the immense transportation impacts. We have long forgotten what it’s like to eat as prescribed by Mother Nature, as those very first settlers did.

That’s why this year we’re challenging you to a 100-mile eco Thanksgiving! The traditional holiday for giving thanks presents the perfect opportunity to get back in touch with the original roots of the harvest celebration and make your meal local. That means everything you use to prepare your feast should originate within…you guessed it, 100 miles!

For some, preparing such a feast solely from local ingredients may sound daunting but pulling off a 100-mile Thanksgiving is far easier than you think; you just have to know where to look.

Find a Local Bird

The Turkey

Believe it or not, the traditional Thanksgiving bird is raised in most of the lower 48 states, which means most of us can find a local turkey from a farm within 100 miles. Check out Heritage Foods USA or Local Harvest’s Turkey Search.

Use Locally Grown Produce

Locally-Grown Produce

If you live in New England or Washington, delicious, juicy apples can be purchased from a local apple farm. You can find fresh potatoes if you happen to live in Idaho or leafy greens (think lettuce, arugula, cabbage, etc.) in New Mexico and citrus fruits in Arizona and Florida. Research local produce that’s available near you and incorporate it into your meal. The Natural Resources Defense Council offers an Eat Local search, where you can determine what’s fresh near you depending on the season.

Dairy Products

From milk to cheese and ice cream to top the pie, dairy products can be found at local dairy farms located in most states. Not sure what farms are within 100 miles of you? There are a handful of national dairy chains (such as Winder Farms) or you can contact your local dairy council who can refer you to farms in your area.

The Booze

Wine that perfectly complements dark turkey meat will be easy to find if you’re within 100 miles of Napa Valley. For the rest of us, getting our hands on local spirits may be a bit more challenging but certainly not impossible. DrinkLocalWine.com offers a plethora of info on regional wines throughout the country and the Brewers Association can locate microbreweries in your area. To make your Thanksgiving booze even greener, try finding local organic spirits.

Purchase Local Organic Spirits

The Stuffing

Instead of purchasing this traditional Thanksgiving side dish from the prepackaged box, try making a homemade vegetable stuffing using produce found at a local farmers market. There are more than 4800 farmers’ markets operating throughout the continental United States and chances are, there’s one near you. Local Harvest allows you to easily search for farmers’ markets in your area by zip code.

With few exceptions, everything you need to make your Thanksgiving feast (or acceptable alternatives) can be found within a 100-mile radius. Such exceptions generally include spices and coffee, which for many are fundamental to the quintessential Thanksgiving feast. The November holiday was instated to literally give thanks and celebrate blessings but its true meaning is often overshadowed by the impending and often expected feast that accompanies it. The idea behind the 100-mile Thanksgiving is to prepare and enjoy the celebratory meal while significantly reducing your carbon footprint. We encourage you to try new, scrumptious dishes entirely composed of local ingredients. Your 100-mile feast doesn’t have to be a traditional Thanksgiving – it just has to be one that you can enjoy in the company of your family and friends.

Are you planning a 100-mile Thanksgiving? We want to hear from you! Share your ideas, tips, and tasty recipes using only locally-produced foods in our comment section! We’ll post some of our favorites on our blog. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Most news we hear about cars focuses on the manufacturing or design end of things – meaning how the latest and greatest vehicle is more fuel efficient, faster, greener, more spacious, etc. However, the latest news from the Toyota Prius plant is something completely different altogether. A team of engineers recently devised a new and unique way to green up the inside of their two Toyota City, Japan manufacturing plants, by using genetically engineered flowers to absorb greenhouse gases.

The flowers are specifically engineered to absorb nitrogen oxides and remove heat from the atmosphere. According to Fast Company, “Toyota’s flowers are derivatives of cherry sage and gardenia that effectively absorb nitrogen oxides and remove heat from the atmosphere.” The absorbed gases lower surface temperatures around the factory grounds–which means less energy used on cooling the plant.

What is even more amazing is the unique way the genetically engineered plant actually cleans the air. According to Drive.com, “The sage derivative’s leaves have unique characteristics that absorb harmful gases, while the gardenia’s leaves create water vapor in the air, both which help reduce the surface temperature of the factory surroundings. This reduces the energy needed overall for cooling and produces less carbon dioxide (CO2).”

As one of the most well-known alternative fuel vehicles, the Prius is generally praised for its energy efficient design and is a popular customer favorite. However, Toyota has also received backlash about their manufacturing process being more damaging to the environment than regular vehicle production, especially when it comes to mining the materials for the batteries. Although Toyota admits the process for making the Prius is a bit more CO2 intensive, they insist that the “deficit” was evened out out after the first year of production, and denies these latest actions are an effort to improve their environmental image.

Whatever the motivations reasons behind these genetically engineered flowers, the idea is really interesting and innovative. Perhaps it shows another way other manufacturers can help to do their part in counter-acting the side effects of their production for their workers, as they continue to “green up” their manufacturing processes externally as well.

Katrina Pfannkuch
Buzzword Communications, LLC

About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.