Image from my luscious backyard Fancy exotic bouquets are losing their bloom. Flying in flowers from around the world is expensive in terms of money and the environmental impact. Some florists this summer are starting to use local flowers for their bouquets: as in picked from neighbourhood gardens. Now florists are turning gardens into mini-flower farms for their small businesses; renting or trading space in neighbouring gardens for flower beds. Part of the success comes from a change in...Read the full story on TreeHugger

At TreeHugger we like cork, that warm material that can be harvested without chopping down trees, is fully renewable and biodegradable and can be shaped into many funky objects apart from stoppers to keep the wine in the bottles. The designers at studio Marina68 in Barcelona have worked with this local material and created a series of furniture, that embrace craftsmanship and eco-friendly materials. Have a look below for some of our favourites....Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Earlier this month, we told you about UncommonGoods' open design contest, looking for the next great eco-friendly invention. This week, the judges of the YouGoods contest, including TreeHugger founder Graham Hill, chose three finalists, based on the criteria that they be "unique, economical, and eco-friendly." Still in the running are: a reusable grocery bag with a built-in dry-erase shopping list, a double-wall t...Read the full story on TreeHugger

photo: Agustín Ruiz via flickr Following up on my recent post on more eco-friendly was of measuring progress than GDP, I came across a recent post by renowned ecological economist Herman Daly over at the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy's blog. Daly talks about framing the classic economic concept of opportunity cost in a modern environmental context. This...Read the full story on TreeHugger