'Future of Labour' project in Japan, Sept 2011

I am currently in Tokyo helping to run a Royal College of Art/ Tokyo University i-School/ Tohoku University workshop entitled 'the future of labour' in response to the earthquake and tsunami disaster of March this year. Last week we visited the area around Kesennuma city. Our arrival in the area was shocking even though we'd seen the media coverage - nothing could have prepared us for the sheer force and scale of the distruction which was evident immediately. Cars had been crunched like aluminium foil; buildings tumbled away or shattered leaving bare foundations; ships were lifted into city centres; fire damage added even more to the misery and decimated homes, businesses and communities. Evidence of bent steel girders and columns showed the raw power of the tsunami. But ultimately the most moving insight was the evidence of people and their lives - bicycles, shoes, children's cuddly toys, trading cards...

Within a short time our immersion has made us even more determined that this visit and workshop must deliver tangible positive ideas for the future of this beautiful area. More on this soon...

Tapwater.org at Limetree Festival

Lifebottle and Tapwater.org will be at Limetree Festival 26th- 28th August. This is the world's first plastic packaging free music and arts festival with zero waste to landfill policy. Should be fun! Carleen Anderson is amazing.

www.limetreefestival.co.uk

tapwater.org now fully live and stocked with lifebottles

One of the projects on which we've been working for 2 years has now gone completely live

www.tapwater.org

Revenue from sales of lifebottles goes into free installation of tap water dispensers in schools. The whole thrust is to reduce or eliminate disposable plastic water bottles. We've designed the identity and all of the products (lifebottles, ice stick etc). There's a great map and app which helps you find free tapwater when you are out and about. Over 1000 shops, cafes, pubs etc have already signed up (for free) to provide free tap water and to be searchable via the map and app.

Michael Green the founder of tapwater.org tracked me down after seeing my London on Tap carafe. Find out more about him here

www.julietshield.com/promote-tap-water-get-rid-of-plastic-bottles/

As it's for a good cause we'd like to promote it to as many people as possible - please spread the word and buy a lifebottle or two ;)

Spring with Gusto - Fresh Air and Fun Pegs

OK so things are warming up a bit after a seemingly endless winter. We've designed and produced some funky laundry pegs for energy company E.ON aimed at making the whole process more fun and less energy intensive.

In their words:-

'Tumble dryers are one of the biggest energy guzzlers in the home, so E.ON has launched the Fresh Air and Fun peg bag and pegs to make hanging the washing out to dry fun.

Each peg back contains 10 pegs with a variety of unique accessories that react to the outdoor conditions. There are:

* 2 x red windmill pegs that spin round when the wind blows
* 2 x green windmill pegs
* 2 x pegs that change colour in the sun
* 4 x pegs with windchimes'

We had a lot of fun developing and testing these products.

They can be purchased from www.eonshop.co.uk following the 'latest products' link. £9.99 gets you a slice of Fresh Air and Fun.