The Whole HOG: April 2012

Water-centric Green Design News

Our April edition is focused on cleantech – inspired by our adventures at Eco City in San Francisco. For show and tell, we’re featuring our neighboring exhibitors, a company called BISEM Inc, producing building-integrated photovoltaic (BiPV) curtain walls. Find out more in the B.U.G. Design section.

As a follow-up to last month’s feature on financing sustainable water infrastructure in the U.S., we have a report from the American Water Works Association that offers a clear warning about the state of our nation’s pipes, and the associated costs.

The architecturally designed, modular Rainwater HOG tanks offers a cleantech take on rainwater harvesting. Capturing rainwater reduces reliance on aging infrastructure and offers a piece of the solution for alleviating pressure on the national water system and the environment.

Finally, don’t miss Sally’s heart-pounding article on her 8-day race through the deserts of Morocco!

April 2012: Rallye Aicha des Gazelles

Rallye Aicha des Gazelles

HOG Founder and newly seasoned-extreme endurance event rally driver and navigator Sally Dominguez writes, “The Rallye des Gazelles was one of my hardest and most rewarding experiences ever!” She and teammate Samantha Stevens were the first Australians to race in the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles in Morocco.

Experience the ‘strangely exhilarating brew’ of grueling Saharan terrain, old-school navigation, and serious teamwork in the 8-day, all-female rally through the sands of Morocco here. There’s a video too!

Want to find out why the rally is beautiful, useful, and green? Sally previewed the rally in the March’s B.U.G. Design section.

The Whole HOG: March 2012

Water-centric Green Design News

Trending (by the numbers) for 2012

The fourth-largest advertising agency on the planet, J. Walter Thompson (JWT) recently released their alphabetized list of 100 things to watch in 2012. Rainwater harvesting comes in at #58, and rooftop farming at #61. Solar gets simpler (#73), and spiking food prices (#74) are also pieces of the trending global puzzle.

Rainwater HOG is on the road to addressing global concerns of 2012, at the intersection of rainwater harvesting and rooftop farming.  QuickDominguez Architects (a new venture for designer and architect Sally Dominguez) is on the scene in Australia with a twelve-HOG, multi-green roof sustainable renovation of a Bondi Beach residence.

Ecobuild, the world’s largest sustainable building conference, is being held in London this month. Find us there, alongside other innovators working to improve building materials and techniques, and to promote sustainable practice like garden-growing, solar energy, and rainwater harvesting (that’s #58, #61, and #73 on the list).

Inside the Financing Sustainable Water Infrastructure report is a call to action. The report is a compelling look at the reality of expanding water scarcity (hello #74 – spiking food prices) and an urgent need to update the United States’ aging water infrastructure.

And finally, veer off-road and into the sand in our B.U.G. Design section, as we get ready to follow Sally on a nine-day road rally through Morocco! She and fellow Australian Samantha Stevens are team 168 in the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles.

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

Rallye Aicha des Gazelles

Sally writes, “Ever heard of an offroad car rally having environmental credentials? NO? That’s because the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles, now in its 20th year, is the first to seek and be granted ISO 14001 certification for seeking to manage and constantly improve its environmental performance.  And the best bit – I am driving in it!

Why is it beautiful? The wild vistas of Morocco have staged countless Hollywood movies but this time they are the terrain for an all-female nine-day off-road rally where the emphasis is on land navigation (no satnavs here) rather than speed.  The Rally raises funds for medical services in the remote areas of Morocco, and demonstrates female strength and independence in a country which is finally starting to support its female population.
Why is it useful? Raising funds for essential medical services is useful but the Rally also demonstrates, with its commitment to minimum waste, responsible practices and socially beneficial outcomes, how a car rally can tread lightly on the earth and still be sporty – and fun!

Why is it green? The Environmental Management System for the Rally involves all competitors signing an “environmental good behavior” charter around water and energy use, the carbon emissions from the event are offset by contributions to a program in Morocco that composts household waste for agricultural use without releasing CO2 into the air, and the premise itself that the winner drives the shortest distance, rather than the fastest speed, encourages less fuel consumption.

It is so much more productive to re-design driving events like this rather than to call for a halt to all extraneous fuel-burning activity.  By the time you are reading this I will be in Paris learning to navigate without electronics, in French, before my epic drive in a VW Amorak.  We will be posting YouTube video daily – I hope!!

Join the Sammy and Sally Rally community page on facebook to follow the adventure.

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

Surement le Maroc a besoin d’eau de pluie porcs! (Translation: Surely Morocco needs Rainwater HOGs!)