another one for ike...

Just had to share this last piece composed of a pine slab wish simple and clean glass shelves by design lush

Ike Trees

After Hurricane Ike's passing I'm sure we all witnessed the demise of so many beautiful oaks among many other trees that lined our streets and yards.

The city of Houston proposed a contest- Recycle Ike - for the best idea of what to do with all these fallen trees (aside from converting it to mulch).
The site said it was "looking for ideas that are creative, practical, sustainable, adaptable, and make a big impact. Ideas should also address green house gas reductions, economic issues (benefit/cost ratio), and sustained creation of enterprise. The wood debris consists of branches, limbs, natural wood, woody prunings, stumps, trunks, and other woody vegetation."

Although the deadline has passed and the winners are yet to be announced, it seems like everywhere i look i see ideas. These are a few I'm quite fond of:

Simple stools or drink tables at a lounge in D.C.

These mutli-purpose tables/stools are dried in a solar-powered kiln and painted with VOC-free milk paint. According to the Pfeifer Studio site, the paint is made with the "same basic ingredients used during the Colonial era—milk protein, lime, and earthly pigments."
Custom teak coffee table:
I can't imagine how heavy this piece is but beautiful none the less.

Log Bowls from Loyal Loot. Made from reclaimed wood logs and water-based glossy finish

New York based Shimna has created some new natural pieces of furniture for 2008. They are the ‘Log’ table made from a walnut tree trunk with a 12″ round glass inset and the Susquehanna Coffee Table made from solid walnut with an individually carved seat. As an added bonus the coffee table has hidden storage.

Side table made out of glass and wood branches from fallen trees - vivaterra.com

Kirby trees

Some of the live oak trees that lined Kirby Drive were removed overnight as part of a controversial reconstruction project between Westheimer and Richmond.
Video by Jason Witmer. July 29, 2008

Upper Kirby

As Kirby Drive -between US 59 and Westheimer- is torn up for new stormwater drains, a plan to rebuild it as a wider street also means a smaller pedestrian realm.

This widening necessitates removing about 200 trees. Many citizens at an Upper Kirby District TIRZ meeting wanting to save the trees were also vehement about wanting better and safer walkability - and slower cars.

No one opposed construction of a 72-inch storm sewer under Kirby to improve area drainage.

The concerns centered on plans to add a 14-foot median and widen the three lanes of Kirby, now about 9 1/2 feet wide, to 11 feet to comply with city of Houston requirements.

The result — narrower sidewalks and fewer mature trees on both sides of the street — met strong opposition.

Mack Fowler, president of the board of Trees for Houston, maintained that the drainage project could be accomplished without widening Kirby.

City Councilman Peter Brown, who attended Saturday's meeting, said he supports the latest efforts to improve drainage along Kirby.

Before leaving home for the meeting, however, Brown said his granddaughter told him: "You have to do something to save the trees."

Read more:
*Houston Strategies
* Houston Chronicle
*Citizens Transportation Commission
* Upper Kirby District