DRUMROLL PLEASE…

The results of our Green Halloween Costume Contest are finally in! Thank you to everyone who entered – we couldn’t be more psyched about the amazing homemade entries we got pouring in. It wasn’t easy, but we finally narrowed it down to 15 fabulous finalists and then left it up to YOU to choose your favorites. So with out further ado, here are the winners!

GRAND PRIZE GOES TO…IT’S A TIE!

Due to a glitch in our voting system, we had two outstanding costumes that had such a close number of votes that we had to declare it a toss-up. So congratulations to both Cheshire Cat AND Optimus Prime!!!

GRAND PRIZE GOES TO: OPTIMUS PRIME

Congratulations to Optimus Prime! You dazzled our readers with your incredible rendition of the world’s most popular autobot and got a whopping 309 votes by making a costume that actually transforms!

GRAND PRIZE GOES TO: CHESHIRE CAT

You bewitched us with your sly grin and clever costume made out of all recycled materials. This was honestly one of the most expertly executed costumes we’ve ever seen. Congratulations!

Both of our Grand Prize winners will receive a $100 Gift Certificate to the Inhabitatshop and a BoGolight solar-powered flashlight – with every BoGolight purchased in the U.S., another one will be donated to people in developing countries.

2nd PLACE GOES TO: WALL-E

One of the world’s most famous and beloved robots came to life in this super-detailed costume – we almost couldn’t believe our eyes at how closely this resembles Wall-E in the movie! We guess our readers agreed that Wall-E deserved some accolades because 122 of you voted for him.

EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARDS

HEADLESS MARIE ANTOINETTE

Could there be a more haunting and lifelike Marie Antoinette costume? We think not. The gown, the gore and even Marie’s expression caught our attention and made this costume a winner.

CORK TREE

This superbly-crafted costume gets extra points for sheer level of difficulty. We’re not sure how many hours you spent on your costume but, it’s absolutely ingenious (especially the squirrel placement)!

BEAKER

Oh Beaker – what can we say? You won us over with your simplicity and your master crafting skills. Thank you for bringing our favorite Muppet assistant to life!

Congratulations to all of our runners-up and editor’s picks! You’ve each won your choice of an Inhabitat women’s or men’s T-shirt or bag!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who entered our Green Halloween Costume contest. To look through the whole array of ingenious DIY entries, check out the Inhabitat Green Halloween website and the photo gallery below… Enjoy!

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Post tags: green halloween contest winners, Green Halloween Costumes, halloween costume ideas, Inhabitat Green Halloween Costume Contest, inhabitat halloween contest, sustainable halloween costumes

One of the main principles of permaculture is that “the problem is the solution.” Problem: tons of waste cups created by attendees of the OutsideLands concert in San Francisco. Solution: a fabulous recycled cup canopy. BIOS Design Collective tapped a keg and invited their friends over for a canopy party, building a gorgeous wave of concave color at Stable Cafe just in time for Architecture and the City.

Read the rest of re:Use Canopy Upcycled from Plastic Cups by BIOS Design Collective

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Post tags: aiasf, beer keg, BIOS, Canopy, eco-art, OutsideLands, Recycled Materials

Practically every household in America has its own tool set, drill, and ladder… but why? Most people don’t use these things on a daily basis, and due to their hardworking heritage these items tend to last forever; when’s the last time you wore out a hammer? Enter NeighborGoods, a service that seeks to cut down on redundant consumption and save households the cost of buying their own toolshed by enabling networks of borrowers. Perfect for those times when you need a drill for a day, or a saw for a few hours — plus you’ll actually have a chance to meet your neighbors and benefit your community. NeighborGoods was recently launched publicly in Los Angeles, and we hope to see borrowing hubs popping up everywhere in the months to come.

+ NeighborGoods

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Post tags: borrowing service, community, green design, lending, neighborgoods, social networking, sustainable design

Our Green Halloween Costume Contest ends TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT!

Today is your LAST CHANCE to vote in our Green Halloween Costume contest, and the competition is fierce! Our top 15 amazingly crafted submissions are currently vying for fame, glory, and some great green prizes – and we’re leaving it up to you to pick the winners! The competition ends tonight at midnight, so without further ado, here’s your chance to check them out and weigh in on who you think deserves the coveted title of “Inhabitat Best Green Halloween Costume 2009” not to mention some incredible prizes like a sweet solar-powered Bogo flashlight, an awesome $100 gift certificate to the spectacular Inhabitatshop or supercool Inhabitat t-shirts and tote bags.

VOTE HERE>

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And if you want to check out the adorable kid costumes that were submitted to our kids contest, check out our finalists for the Inhabitots Green Halloween Costume Contest here >

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Post tags: eco halloween, green halloween, inhabitat costume contest, inhabitat green halloween contest, sustainable costume

Instead of moving goods on resource-intensive trains, Spain-based technology company Novateq Guerrero SNL wants to build out a different kind of transportation network–one that uses super-powerful magnets to propel vehicles. Novateq has already developed a prototype of its system, which uses Neodymium magnets, or rare-earth magnets, as a driving force. The magnets are 9 times more powerful than conventional models.

Read the rest of Transport System Runs on Super-Strong Magnetic Fields

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Post tags: green design, magnetic fields, neodymium, novateq guerrero, Spain, sustainable design, sustainable transportation, trains

The 2009 World Architecture Festival took place this week in Barcelona, drawing great minds to discuss, learn, share and award excellent architectural designs and completed projects. This year’s theme dealt with how to achieve Less With More and the relationship between cities and architecture, with climate change and sustainability playing key roles. The winners of the festival have been announced and we want to highlight four of the completed buildings that stand out for their environmentally sensitive and sustainable designs. Read on to see all of these noteworthy buildings.

Read the rest of 2009 World Architecture Festival Winners Announced

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", 2009, Barcelona, Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre, Pearl Academy of Fashion, Restaurant Tusen, Unileverhaus, WAF 2009, winners, world architecture festival

Situated in an defunct arms manufacturing facility in Saint-Etienne, the recently unveiled Cité du Design is a stunning international center for design. Designed by LIN, the project completely renovated the historic complex and integrated a new facility made out of triangular scaffolding. Powered by solar energy and supplemented by an efficient heating system, the energy efficient Cité du Design is a world class design center that lives up to its name.

Read the rest of Cité du Design: Solar Powered International Design Center Unveiled

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Post tags: Cite du Design, energy efficient design, france, heat recovery, International Design Center, lattice structure, LIN, photovoltaic cells, Saint-Etienne, solar panels

If you’re interested in the intersection of business, design, and sustainability and will be in the Los Angeles area this weekend, we highly recommend checking out this year’s Opportunity Green conference! Inhabitat favorite designer Yves Behar will be on hand to talk about his FuseProject, Method’s Chief Greenskeeper Adam Lowry will be available to talk about delivering natural home products to the masses, and our very own Sarah Rich, representing Dwell, will be on the stage moderating a panel. Inhabitat readers receive a 30% discount by entering in the code Inhabitat30, so register today!

+ Opportunity Green

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Post tags: green businesses, green design, Opportunity Green, sustainable design, sustainable design conference, ucla

We first reported on the conceptual design of the Bel-Air living air filter back in 2007, and now everyone may breathe a little easier because it came to fruition as the ANDREA Air Filter and went on the market this week! The stylish air purifier, invented by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur with Harvard professor David Edward elevates common houseplants to heroic status as they eliminate noxious chemicals that pollute indoor air. Visit Inhabitots to see precisely how the ANDREA Air Filter works!

READ MORE AT INHABITOTS >

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Post tags: andrea air filter, david edward, eco baby, green baby, HEPA Filter, indoor air filter, Mathieu Lehanneur, plant air filters, plants as air filters, plants clean indoor air

Instead of acting as one of the most bland parts of city landscapes, what if manholes served a purpose? That’s what designers Cheolyeon Jo and Youngsun Lee propose with their “Eco Sign“, an electronic manhole cover that gives directions to the closest train or bus stop.

Read the rest of Manhole of the Future is Powered by Rainwater

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Post tags: bus, Electricity, green design, hydroelectric, kinetic energy, manhole, rainwater, renewable energy, sustainable design, train

Taipei 101, famous for being one of the world’s tallest buildings, is set to get some major eco-upgrades in an effort to save money, reduce its impact, and gain the much coveted title of “World’s Tallest Green Building.” In 2007, the Burj Dubai surpassed Taipei 101 in terms of height, but the Taiwanese building won’t give up the fight, throwing down $1.8 million in energy efficiency upgrades, which are expected to yield $20 million annually in savings and make it the Earth’s greenest building that’s also closest to the heavens!

Read the rest of Taipei 101 To Be World’s Tallest Green Building

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Post tags: "energy efficiency", energy efficiency upgrade, green upgrade, taipei, taipei 101, Taiwan, world's tallest building

What if you could design your own lighting fixture in the time that it takes to unscrew a light bulb? That’s the premise behind Daniel Becker’s Spark system, a series of energy-efficient LED bulbs that can be linked together to form beautiful light sculptures.

Read the rest of LED Sparks Create Energy Efficient Light Sculptures

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Post tags: daniel becker, energy efficient lighting, green design, Interiors, LED lights, Products, sparks, sustainable design

When Architect Adi Purnomo of Mamostudio set out to design a live, work, and exhibition space for a photographer/painter client, he knew that maximizing natural light would be a necessity. Purnomo also pushed his studio’s creative design process to maintain the temperature of the home’s interior spaces through passive means whenever possible. The resulting Puri Indah House features an intricate series of slanted walls that reflect sunlight throughout the day, while intermingled gardens and interior pools of water ensure that the house is shaded and kept cool.

Read the rest of Puri Indah House: Poetic Sustainability in Jakarta, Indonesia

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Post tags: Green Building, Mamostudio, passive solar design, Passive Sustainable Methods, Purii Indah House, sustainable design, Sustainable Green Housing

High Density green living is on the rise in Elwood, Australia with Crosby Architect’s new Elwood Green project. Living up to its name, the high-density apartment building will house 25 units that are expected to receive an average 6-star rating – the highest honor currently available from the Green Building Council of Australia. What comes as a bit of surprise is the lack of active systems assisting in the green rating, which just goes to show that old ingenuity and smart design can create buildings every bit as sustainable as the most high-tech structures.

Read the rest of Elwood Green: 6 Star Sustainably Built Apartment Complex

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Post tags: 6 star Rating, Crosby Architects, Elwood Green, Green Building, Green Building Council of Australia, Sustainable Building

Mark Twain had a garden shed; he called it “the loveliest study you ever saw…octagonal with a peaked roof, each face filled with a spacious window…perched in complete isolation on the top of an elevation that commands leagues of valley and city and retreating ranges of distant blue hills. It is a cozy nest and just room in it for a sofa, table, and three or four chairs, and when the storms sweep down the remote valley and the lighting flashes behind the hills beyond and the rain beats upon the roof over my head—imagine the luxury of it.”

But in recent times, the humble garden shed has become an outlet for designers to experiment in small spaces that often slide under the radar of zoning bylaws, providing extra room for study, relaxation or just getting away from everyone else.

Read the rest of Garden Sheds Are an Explosion of Architectural Experimentation

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Post tags: Architecture, building, garden sheds, green design, green roof, Prefab, prefab architecture, sustainable design