BY CHAD CLARK

Honeycomb Vase: Studio Libertiny in the Netherlands constructs vases (well actually bees construct them) by letting nature take its course. It takes approximately 10 days for some 40,000 bees to construct each vase around a framework. The process, which is referred to as "slow prototyping," is an interesting counterpoint to mass production. The bees use flowers to create the vessels that in turn are used to contain flowers. (www.studiolibertiny.com)

Test Tube Leather: No cows were killed by The Tissue Culture & Art Project when they grew a small-scale prototype of a "leather" jacket. The in-vitro garment was grown on a jacket-shaped matrix of biodegradable polymer from immortalized cell lines that are cultured from a living layer of tissue. The result is a seamless, semi-living skin in the shape of a jacket. The project intends to confront people with the moral implications of killing and/or exploiting animals for human use and instigate cultural discussions on irresponsible consumerism. (www.tca.uwa.edu.au)

Flesh Pets: L.A.-based designer Stuart Karten conceptual projects referred to as "Cautionary Visions" look to the future to where the distinctions of real and artificial become increasingly difficult to detect. Their Epidermits are the result of tissue engineering and electronics technology. Basically they are toys made from engineered human tissue that can be customized with optional hairstyles, piercings, and tattoos, or even a tan. When your kid becomes tired of playing with it; just store it in the fridge.
(www.kartendesign.com)

Post-Apocalyptic Vacations: ARK-INC. is an organization based on the notion that it is too late to fix earth from the damage that human beings have caused. Jon Ardern intends to aid us in the transition to a “post-crash” lifestyle and otherwise help us adapt to the current and future changed conditions of our planet by providing a series of manuals, books, films, and radio broadcasts. The Web site is a great source for post-apocalyptic vacation spots. (www.ark-inc.info)

Living Air Filter:

Living in L.A. we are all aware of the poor air quality, surrounded everyday by such toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide. These are detrimental to human health but there are certain plants that help absorb these chemicals out of the air. Plants such as bamboo palm, English ivy, mums, peace lily, and gerbera daisies are quite common and easy to grow. Parisian designer Mathieu Lehanneur has used this concept to design the "Bel-Air," which is essentially a flower pot/air filter combination. Polluted air is drawn in and purified by the plant's leaves and roots and then returned to the environment. There are no filters to change and it makes an attractive addition to your home. (www.mathieulehanneur.com)

Grown on the Road: There is a great deal of waste when it comes to getting food to grocery stores. It takes large amounts of time and space to grow, transport, and maintain the fresh produce we take for granted in the market. A student from the Design Academy in Eindhoven has come up with a clever idea to turn waste into production. Agata Jaworska transformed a shipping truck into a mushroom farm with a biodegradable packing system. The "Gro-Pak" uses the normal heat produced by shipping trucks to grow mushrooms right in the container that eliminates the need for growing spaces, labor, and refrigeration and allows the consumer to enjoy the product at the peak of freshness. (www.agatajaworska.com)