Sustainable Matters
Roberto Burle Marx: an end to the deforestation of the Amazonian rainforest
In conversation with Irish and Italian professors Gareth Doherty and Barbara Boifava, respectively, on Roberto Burle Marx’s landscapes and urban ideologies
Décor vs Design: can you understand the distinction? A balance to try if your taste is a matter of elegance
Current good taste has eroded an orthodoxy that began to crumble in the Seventies: design is today emptied of its original political militancy – worse still, it can be the...
Faith organizations: the fourth economic power on Earth
UNEP director Iyad Abumoghli and activist and cartographer Molly Burhans speak of how engaging with faith institutions is not just necessary but can be immediately beneficial
Talking to Quantis: no more greenwashing, we need to fix precise targets and clear numbers
In the next ten years, the fashion industry will be under close scrutiny to maintain a commitment that has to fix a defined goal. In conversation with Simone Pedrazzini, director...
Genre-less upcycled fashion: old farming clothing, workwear or parachutes
«Every piece is constructed from old clothing or garments that have an aged quality that is then cut into patches which are sewn to new patterns», designer Fumika Oshima
Smog Free Tower – Air pollution, a global disaster: to be solved with solar-powered air cleaners
«We should start to see the world; not as a utopia, but as a protopia». In conversation with Daan Roosegaarde, on his 7-meter smog eating tower
The dark side of the cut-flower industry and the demand for not-in-season flowers
«The event industry requires large quantities of the identical flowers, that only the Dutch market (which serves as a collector of crops from Colombia, South Africa, and Ecuador) can satisfy»
Migratory birds – mitigating climate change is necessary to protect all animals
Birds could respond to the consequences of the world’s changing climate by shifting distributions, altering their bodies and experiencing microevolutionary changes
The Romanian diaspora at Venice Biennale: how the mobility of large masses will impact architects
Mapping and investigating migrations to understand the way society will look like in the near future. A first step is Fading Borders, telling the story of the Romanian diaspora at...
Tuna farming: the billion-dollar-business – talking to Seaspiracy movie directors
Conversations with Lucy and Ali Tabrizi, directors of Seaspiracy, show how local traditions can be used to justify continuation of business-as-usual drastically damaging marine ecosystems
Cities will be forests: making buildings as tree houses is not just a matter of imaginary
A strategy for greener cities is to build greener architectures through the integration of trees, shrubs, and plants in the design of our houses
Can lab-grown leather be a competitor to cow leather? A new raw material by Modern Meadow and VitroLabs Inc.
Scientists at Modern Meadow and VitroLabs Inc. have patented a technology that allows to manufacture only needing material using yeast and collagen cells
Bellini Nautica preserving the world’s most precious boats – the Riva Aquarama
Romano Bellini’s vintage Riva collection and the yard where he restores these ‘Ferraris of the sea’ «you can be as rich as you want, but if you close the door...
Volcán de Mi Tierra, Mexico: revalue agave plantations – with higher hydro-efficiency
The Mexican drink par excellence, tequila, finds its origins in the use of a particular refined material of the region of Jalisco: the case of Volcán De Mi Tierra
Belvedere – Biochar/ Biomass: the real solution: global climate change, soil infertility and pollution
The use of biochar amendments on soil could address the issues of soil fertility, water holding capacity, and climate change mitigation via carbon sequestration
«In, on and with the Ocean»: Ocean Space and TBA21 Academy fighting for our seas
«The micro-sale is the same as the macro-scale when we talk about climate». Studying local issues to find that seas are «our best allies in mitigating the effect of global...
Desalination will us combat the water crisis: the Watly case – when technology is on the way
Solutions to the water crisis exist—desalination plants, solar panels, and thermodynamic computers—they just need to be implemented on a global scale
Teltower turnip – Rediscovering traditional crops is mandatory to preserve food biodiversity
The Teltower turnip: many traditional crops are disappearing, as they are considered unprofitable. Discovering them can keep local traditions alive and preserve biodiversity
Producing with scraps: having certifications doesn’t grant for real ethical practices
«If I can create a luxury brand that has a strong message and gets on the catwalk, it can inspire the industry to become more conscious». In conversation with Bav...
Cotton versus polyester: If you use waste material which is already there, you keep it in the loop
Following the Ioncell process, a team of researchers have found a way to dissolve cotton from polyester blends and transform them into new fibers
Slak Campus in Kenya was built on the model of termites’ mounds
Local materials and labor, little resources can improve efficiency and creativity: the campus is solar powered and passively ventilated
Pesticides used for hazelnut growing are not good for Italy
Is the Ferrero Hazelnut Charter beneficial, or just an act of greenwashing to avoid corporate social responsibility?
High atop Mt. Everest and Tupangato. Glaciers serve as water towers: we need high-altitude data
The world’s highest weather stations have been installed on Mt. Everest and in the Chilean Andes to assess how climate change will impact the water supply of more than one-fifth...
Finisterre: a brand born from a lack in the surf market and the creation of a neoprene-free type
Wetsuits traditionally made from petroleum-based material - UK located brand Finisterre invented an eco-friendly version made from Yulex: revealing its business model
Basil and strawberries growing underwater: future farming and the case of Nemo’s Garden
Filled with 2000 liters of air each, tied to the seabed via ropes and weight screws, six biospheres contain 90 seedbeds and float between 15 and 36 feet below the...
Ashish Gupta: the backbone of the Indian social system is craftsmen
Delhi, India. The setting of local artisans and the combined zeitgeist of east and west by the Indian designer distinguishes his creations by encompassing the additional element of social commitment
Will CBD replace steroid creams? Dermatological studies and support thesis
Doctor Adam Friedman, Professor of Dermatology at George Washington University on using nanotechnology for delivering cannabinoids to treat skin inflammation
C40: megacities emit 60% of the global GHG emissions, but change seems to be afoot
Between 2009 and 2020, there was an increase of more than 750 percent in the number of C40 member cities restricting the circulation of high-polluting vehicles
AHEC and Wallpaper* at the Design Museum: talking about reforestation and natural materials
Slow reforestation is key; so far, our planting history is bad: we should be correcting this tendency to protect biodiversity long-term
The relationship between public health and greenery – a decrease of diabetes and anxiety
Architects and engineers focus on designing efficient buildings in terms of energy consumption. But the influence of greenery on domestic comfort must also be considered
Biochar: to better understand one of our stronger chances when we ‘kiss the ground’
Farmers, activist and scientists are reclaiming our shared soil as the site of regenerative possibilities, from multicultural agricultural fields, potential applications of biochar and hydrochar
Palm oil alternatives: C16 Biosciences – microbiology to save the tropical rainforest
C16 Biosciences is using fermentation to produce a palm oil alternative that avoids pollution, deforestation and habitat destruction. Talk with Shara Ticku, the co-founder
Welcome to the Dollhouse – identity crossdressing and coming out in Italy
Armando Borno recounts the Seventies «They would take you to the police station to redact a minute where they would describe how you were dressed and what kind of make-up...
Lampoon 24 / The Honesty Issue – Diverso: to be different means to be honest
Respect for those who work to protect us, respect for those who give us work despite not having enough themselves, respect for those who work for us and believe in...
Blockchain, is it real or just utopia? Timothy Iwata Durie, Lorenzo Bertelli, Toni Belloni in the loop
Fashion is realizing it cannot work in a vacuum anymore. With blockchain, material tracing technology and NFT’s, here is the future of the industry
Livia Firth, Andrew Morgan – Fashionscapes, the state of fashion production
Originating from contacts with the entire supply chain around the world the documentary recounts disasters and solutions to the waste fashion production model
Shared energy? 5G networks arrive in Italy. Industry and artisan production
Milan is the first city, with new prospects for companies and private citizens, while start-ups create platforms which monitor consumption and protect personal data
Humans and wild animals live in the same cities. Is it alliance or rivalry?
Green corridors to protect animals and protected cavities in places where migratory birds can nest. On sustainable urban ecosystem complications, from the foxes of Rome, the crows of Tokyo, the...
Shoes in AR – No-stock approach and 3D configurator: game changers in the fashion manufacturing industry?
The overproduction of clothing is often an overlooked element when it comes to pollution caused by the fashion industry. A conversation with Francesco Carpineti.
Grasslands: pampas, prairies – the world’s most common vegetation types is under threat
The high-elevation Andean grasslands' flow regulation capacity, soil water storage, and water yield have been reduced by afforestation and changes in land use
The wine industry to be updated: regenerative agriculture, biochar, biodynamic approaches
From Franciacorta to Champagne, cases of experimentation through regenerative agriculture, return to traditional methods and biodynamic farming
Carbon concrete: The Cube will be the world’s first building opening in 2022
The whole lifecycle of buildings must be considered: by making projects that are lasting architects can invest more on the quality of materials and reduce the environmental impact.
Pre-COP26, Milan: the British Ambassador to Italy, Jill Morris, speaks out
«We not only have to stop climate change and save the planet for the future, but we also must acknowledge that climate change is already happening and damaging humanity» British...
Michael Petryk — reforesting in the wake of wildfires, hurricanes, and pests
Forests fall prey to natural disasters, but can they be maintained and restored so they’re at lower risk? In conversation with arborist Michael Petryk
Daimen Hardie – Trees store carbon, but as soon as they are cut or burned, that carbon returns to the atmosphere
Chronicles from Canada – forest lands are making climate change worse. Talking with Daimen Hardie, executive director of Community Forests International
The never-ending story of recycling wool, according to Manteco
While the fashion industry struggles to find solutions to lower its footprint, an Italian wool recycling enterprise has developed a way to reach a zero-waste system
