The Whole HOG: January 2014

Water-centric Green Design News

Welcome to 2014, HOG enthusiasts! But before we go too far, let’s look back at the highlights of 2013. This year more than ever the importance of rainwater harvesting hits home for us. We’re experiencing a historic drought in California that has left our fields dry, our reservoirs low, and our water in short supply. NASA satellite images show a barren landscape, and Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency. All the more incentive to use HOG tanks – for us, too! Our marketing manager and HOG writer Mattie Ivy is stepping up to Marin County’s recommended 20% water use reduction. Stay tuned for her video adventures in setting up a HOG system of her own.

In the meantime, catch up on a cool catchment system in Maui that transforms air conditioner drip to garden gold. HOG co-founder and designer, Sally Dominguez, is teaching a continuing studies course at Stanford. We pull up a seat in the Insights and Tools for Creative Thinking classroom for our B.U.G. feature.

The Whole HOG: June 2013

Water-centric Green Design News

  “An idea is salvation by imagination.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright, architect

We’re diving into summer with a whole lot of imagination, brought to life with equal parts discipline and ingenuity in a ‘water-gifting billboard’ showcased in our B.U.G. Design feature. Find out how a Peruvian ad agency and an engineering and technology college teamed up to create a billboard that dispenses drinking water.

The Brietzke home install, in the Chicago suburb where Frank Lloyd Wright began his architectural practice, showcases how well our HOG tanks play with others. A good summer lesson. We’re revisiting our Australian roots with the Goff home install.

Summer rains have come to Marin, which makes for happy gardens–and gardeners. Summer storms, on the other hand, can make for physical and political upheaval and sometimes even inspire legislative action. Storms, as increasingly urgent indicators of climate change, contribute to an eventful Water News Round-up for us. Follow the links for more.

December 2012: B.U.G. (Beautiful.Useful.Green) Design

                                                       Christmas Whimsy

We’re ending 2012 (and our last newsletter of the year) in the spirit of play.  “Sometimes surprises just happen,” explains Kut, a creative collective characterized by NPR science guy Robert Krulwich as a ‘team of merry pranksters’.

Click on the photo below to watch them turn the Latvian city of Riga into a winter wonderland with cattails and no small amount of creativity.

Image from Kut/Vimeo

And thank you to the always fascinating Robert Krulwich for his Christmas post where we found this snowy gem!

October 2012: Greenbuild

Rainwater HOG will be exhibiting at Greenbuild 2012. Meet Sally and Simon Dominguez of Rainwater HOG this November in San Francisco.

November 14-16
Moscone Center
San Francisco, CA

Catch up on the newest innovations and trends at the world’s largest green building conference. We’re busy planning our booth and looking forward to seeing friends, old and new!

September 2012: B.U.G. (Beautiful.Useful.Green) Design

                                                                Washit

While we might not go so far as to call the Washit “my green shower pleasure” (something might have been lost in translation from the iF award panel to us…), we’re pleased to share with you this multi-tasking, water-saving new design that combines a shower with a washing machine. Washit is a closed system shower stall/washing machine concept from four Turkish university students.

The Washit re-mixes two domestic standards (the washing machine and shower stall) into one water-wise product that offers improved form and dual functionality.

Why is it beautiful? Winners of the water efficiency prize for the iF Concept Design Award 2012: Hansgrohe Special Award, the young designers were praised for “a clever solution” in a contest that favored intuitive, well-presented  designs. Notes from judge Andreas Haug highlight the Washit’s strengths, “identical components, resource-saving, aesthetic appeal, hygienic.”

Why is it useful? This is a sleek hybrid of two household standby’s that allows you to take a shower and wash your clothes simultaneously.  In the Washit, water used for showering is collected as grey water. Once filtered, the water is stored and ready to use again – for the shower or the washing machine. In case of water loss, water is supplemented from the water mains.

Why is it green? Washit offers a revolution in the wash cycle: from your body to your clothes, at home and in public. (A public use scenario Washit offers a privacy screen for a quick clean at airports, gyms, or music festivals.) Be green while you get clean with Washit.

Check out Sally’s blog for more B.U.G. Designs.