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Making buildings more efficient: It helps to understand human behavior »

Opower gets mentioned, and an image of a mysterious, alternate-universe version of our product is shown.

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karenh:

2010 Calendar designed by Studio8
(discovered via Creative Review)

Really like this conceptually.

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I sorta wish beer cans were still this simple. (via FFFFound)

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Really love the color scheme. (via FFFFound)

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typographie:

Wearable typography.

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Robolamps (via Apartment Therapy)

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(via Re-Nest)

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I Love Local Commercials (via Change The Thought)

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smartercities:

refuserefuse:

What do we really need paper towels for?

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monochromez:

ninedaysoff:

Evolution of storage

via infoneernet: mary1in

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The Season of Stuff

minimalmac:

In a few days, the Season of Stuff will officially begin. During this season, we are actively encouraged to get more stuff, buy more stuff, give stuff to those we “love”, and be thankful for the stuff we have.

This Friday, for instance, sellers of stuff will drop prices to all time lows in order to make it easier for you to give and receive this stuff. Of course, this is in the hopes that the money saved on this stuff will encourage you to buy other non-discounted stuff. You know this, of course, right? You cherry pick the cheap stuff and leave the other stuff for the suckers, right? Of course you do…

All of this stuff will generate a bunch of stuff to be thrown away or recycled. Wrapping, packaging, spent gift cards – they all have to end up somewhere. Not to mention all of the stuff we had to build and machines we run in order to make the stuff we give and receive.Then once the season is over, in fact the very next day, comes the inevitable stuff we have to return (for cash to buy stuff if you have the receipt, exchange for different stuff if not).

Just try to remember that there are plenty of ways to deal with this stuff. You can pledge to get rid of an amount of stuff equal to the amount you receive. You can let those who love you know that you do not want more stuff but want something less tangible instead (breakfast in bed, money for a favorite charity, etc.). Ask for specific stuff you really truly need that will add years of value to your life on a daily basis… and stuff. The point is, control the stuff. Don’t let the stuff control you.

It’s always difficult to explain to people that you don’t want stuff for Xmas.

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What's the greenest way to get home for Thanksgiving? »

And you just thought I was too cheap to buy an airline ticket.

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Ballpark area leaders push for walkable rather than car-dependent neighborhood »

There are buildings in Near Southeast where if someone placed you in front of the doorway of each building, you wouldn’t know where you were. They look all the same. We are recreating Crystal City at a rapid pace and not understanding that the reason people are moving back into the city is for the quality of the pedestrian experience, the multimodal experience. They’re using Circulator, using Metro, using bikes and moving back into the city for a higher quality of life.