FROM YOUR DESKS: How did the idea for the NY Ceramic cups come about?

GRAHAM HILL: I was doing some ceramic work for another project and had always loved the cups. I wondered if I could make them less ephemeral.

FYD: Will you ever designs lids for those?

GH: I did years ago but never got on it. I was busy building Tree Hugger! It’s frustrating to see the “I Am Not A Paper Cup” come out!

FYD: Any early word on the I Love NY ceramics for MoMA? What a great idea (why didn’t I think of it?) Was licensing tricky to get around on that Glaser logo?

GH: Is that already public? Didn’t know it had leaked!  It wasn’t tricky to get the license.

FYD: What routine do you stick to concerning the environment; whether it be using the same coffee mug or walking to work? How can we educate non-New Yorkers (and big city folks in general) who tend to be a bit more savvy to educate those who consume more?

GH: Cities are indeed greener in general. But we also fly more than most non-big-city types and flying emits huge amounts of carbon.

The big ones in general to think about are:

-Sign up for green power (available most any state)

-Become a weekday vegetarian or figure out how to cut down your meat consumption

-Fly less by nixing “surgical” trips, combining trips and using video conferencing

-Understand your power usage and figure out how to reduce it (no power when not

-At home, dress up or down and adjust thermostat accordingly, replace energy hogs with energy star etc..)

Become a weekday vegetarian or figure out how to cut down your meat consumption.

FYD: Can you share any other prototypes you’re working on at this time (maybe a sneak camera picture?)

GH: Life Edited!

FYD: Any smart books that don’t play into the “fear factor” but allows people to make viable, conscious decisions regarding the environment?

GH: Yes, I highly recommend Sustainable Energy Without The Hot Air, as does Bill Gates.