Greenhouse By Joost.

In my industry, the "green" term has been thrown around and on everyone's (especially government organisations') lips. It's been on everyone's minds especially more in the last decade. What do we understand by the term "green"? 

Maybe not everyone understands it as well as Joan Pick (a 68 year old granny in UK) who has the smallest carbon footprint in UK. She never heats her flat and eats all her food raw. She has avoided travelling on any form of motorised transport since 1973. Instead, she travels on foot, jogging 12 miles a day across the suburbs of southeast London. Only twice has she broken this self-imposed code: in 1991, when she dislocated her shoulder and paramedics insisted on taking her to hospital in an ambulance; and this year, at her mother's funeral, when she agreed to travel in the hearse. Her Morris Mini Millenium has been sitting in her garage since 1972.  She has even given up watching television in 1975. 

Her only luxury is boiled water - for tea, which she takes with condensed milk, and for washing - and a pair of trousers that she recently purchased, in a sudden fit of unbridled consumerism, from Marks & Spencer. Otherwise she makes her own clothes.

After reading about her, I've wondered if I could be like her. I could possibly expire without the car or telly. One thing I can do is to do my little bit by using my leftover (juiced extracted, not fully) lemons to clean. They make excellent household cleaners for sinks, shower screens and stoves (those that you would usually use chlorine to clean). Moreover, they leave behind such a fresh, pleasant smell. Is it much? No. But I am big on not overcooking. Food waste is one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gases.

I love what Joost has done to inspire others with their green ideas. Last summer at the Federation Square in Melbourne (yes I am so proud of Melb), Corina Baldwin of bttb and installation artist, Joost Bakker collaborated on a project entitled, The Greenhouse by Joost. It is a "Greenhouse" made entirely out of recycled  and recyclable materials. Even the chairs, stools and drinking vessels  are made from old street signs, crates and jars. The greenhouse ran as a public bar, cafe and a gallery, and its walls were adorned with art from David Bromley. 

The rooftop garden is made up composting vats, a burgeoning veggie patch, rows of bay trees in recycled CHEP bins and buzzing-alive bee-hives. The growing wall has rows and rows of strawberry plants in pallets. 

The greenhouse opened for the entire of summer and has just finished it's run at the end of January. It will be deconstructed and moved to Sydney then to the Milan Furniture fair. 

Joost's greenhouse magazine.

The explanation of how a crate is transformed into a chair. The one on the left is a strawberry plant.

The finished greenhouse at Federation Square.

The Greenhouse while being constructed.

The greenhouse with its crowd and its growing wall.

Art from David Bromley behind the bar.

The seats made from old street signs.

The chairs made from old crates.

Coffee in a jar, anyone?

Drinks in old brown jars.

Green trivia.