This beautifully designed complex straddles a striking white limestone cliff and an arid savanna on the tropical island’s arid Bukit Pennisula. The Alilas Villas resort is the first of its kind to achieve the highest level of certification for Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD).

Fast forward to the present and Reishee has become Rishi (and sometimes Richie) and his island has been reborn. His new island is a bit smaller, a modest 120,000 bottles, but he has “all the luxuries of home, including a private island for his ducks and a conch shell intercom system.”

On his website Rishi notes:

On his social networking website, Rishi tells us how his islands might benefit the world.

This old world economy is upsetting nature’s balance and polluting the air, so now carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are exponentially increasing as a seemingly ever growing world population using unecological industries continues to creep over the surface area of our gem of a planet and Mother Earth. We can actually help to balance this out and even reverse this process with floating islands. They can be all over the globe, on rivers, lakes and in protected oceans. They can provide sustainable habitats for plants, animals and humans can be even made on dry ground in potential flood areas such as Bangladesh. Peoples homes, gardens and lives can actually be saved instead of being washed away by the flood and if tethered the islands would even be in the same place after the flood subsided.

To read more about Spiral Island visit Treehugger.

One of the newest floating islands is a complex proposed by the Shimzu corporation. This completely self sufficient floating ecotopia that is covered in vegetation, generates its own power, grows food, manages waste, and provides clean water.

Probably one of the most bold island development proposals I have seen in a long time a group of architects from the Netherlands have proposed a crazy idea to take all the plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean and recycle it into a floating island the size of Hawaii.

Climate refugees would be able to move there and live in recycled plastic homes, and work on farms or grow seaweed. The entire island would be totally self-sufficient once built, producing its own food and energy, and managing waste. While totally off the wall, this is an intriguing concept that gets our imaginations in motion about what we can do with that ginormous mass of plastic floating around in the ocean.  

For more information on this proposal visit Inhabitat.

Floating Island in Maldives

A low lying island nation, the Maldives is at the front line in the fight against global warming. Already facing damage from rising sea levels, the Maldives is facing a grim future if action is not taken immediately.

Refusing to go gently into the good night, Maldives is fighting back with plans to build a series of man-made artificial islands.  Maldives government and Dutch Docklands/Dutch Watervalley recently signed an agreement to develop several floating facilities for the islands, including a convention center and golf courses.

Designed by architect Koen Olthuis or Waterstudio.NL, the renderings for the amphibious mini-cities appear depict star-shaped, tiered islands with indoor spaces hidden under lush green-roof terraces, complete with interior pools and beaches. While exact design details of these new floating islands are still unavailable, Dutch Docklands does have a history of creating water developments using methods and procedures that reduce impact on underwater life and minimize changes to coastal morphology.

Selling for just $9.95 US these BPA free portable water bottles are made from recycled plastic and include a carbon filter which can produce 150 litres of drinking water, which is the equivalent of 250 bottles of water. Replacement filters cost just $7.00.

To purchase your own Water Bobble visit your local backpacking or “green” store or visit the Water Bobble website.

Although still just a concept, this upside-down, underwater eco-skyscraper (say that five times fast!) could be the future of building, especially if sea levels rise and we are forced to spend our lives living on floating islands. Designed by Victoria BC-based firm Zigaloo the Gyre is a floating eco development meant to be both a research station as well as an off shore resort complete with shops, restaurants, gardens and recreation.

Powered completely by the sun, wind and ocean, the Gyre would offer a zero emissions stay for both tourists and researchers hoping to gain a better understanding of the ocean’s ecosystem.

Source: Inhabitat

According to the designers Turbine City is a way to “spin” turbines in a new light for people who might think of them as unappealing eyesores. Plus, it makes a lot of sense to have the structures perform double duty as both energy harvesting devices and a place for people to find shelter and enjoyment. To be located in Stavanger, Norway Turbine City would also be self-sustaining in terms of power, needing just 1MW (from 8MW turbines) to run. Since Norway is somewhat (in)famous for its production of oil, Turbine City could also help gain the country some fans in the clean energy arenas.

On much of Frégate, a grand reversal is well on its way. Dogs and cats have been banished; rats, at huge expense, were exterminated. As Steve takes me across the island, there is so much to see: he points at a massive, ancient Banyan tree, high up on a cliff, the sea winds having carved its somewhat sheared-off shape. I cannot count but hundreds of thousands of terns are noisily settling in. There are more than 600 giant tortoises now, eating and reproducing. A tourist can “adopt” a baby, watch it grow. We come across the remains of a coconut plantation. “What do you hear?” Steve asks. I strain to listen. Nothing. Sea birds refuse to nest there. Only silence.

To read the full article visit the Financial Times