"The world we have is the product of our way of thinking.", Albert Einstein

I have been reading Twyla Tharp's book, The Creative Habit. She is an American choreographer, but her story hits a cord with many types of artists and creative people. I really found her writing quite inspiring. I would suggest browsing through chapters 2, 5 and 6. At the end of most of the chapters there are great creative exercises also. Good stuff!

The Total Beauty of Sustainable Products by Edwin Datschefki is a really good book with some really great information about the basic rules to go by when designing a product in order for it to be environmentally friendly. 

This book goes by five basic rules of design: Cyclic, Solar, Safe, Efficient and Social. 

I am still reading Green Design by Paul Burall and may keep it for some time. I am really getting some good information for my project. It covers reusing items, minimizing materials, using recycled materials, etcetera...

I added the following ,which I found useful information:

- Recycling reduces waste in the landfills and is far more energy efficient than making things from virgin sources. Recycling paper alone can cut energy in half compared to manufacture from trees; recycled glass uses a quarter of the energy of first-time glass and the energy of recycling aluminum is cut by 95%.

This book also covers product life and second uses for packaging once it has been used. For example, container jars that become drinking glasses. This where the problem comes in because many people find the second uses unattractive and not desirable by the consumer. -This is a problem I have to deal with when promoting my Trash to Treasures!!!