Bridgette Meinhold

Bridgette is a sustainability consultant who helps individuals and businesses to reduce their environmental impact. She graduated in June 2007 from Stanford University with her masters in Civil and Environmental Engineering in their Atmosphere and Energy Program. She also has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from San Diego State University.
She has spent time abroad in Germany working for a wind turbine manufacturer, a kitchen assistant at a culinary school in New York City, a private chef and gardener in Oklahoma, and a waitress and ski bum in Utah. Bridgette currently lives in an aspen grove in Park City, Utah.
During the winter her home is covered in 12 feet of snow and in the summer she walks directly from her house to hiking trails. She has a puppy named Cooper and is married to the man of her dreams, who also happens to be a firefighter/paramedic.
She is the founder of Simple and Sustainable, a sustainable living coaching service that helps individuals make sustainable living simple. She is a contributing writer for LowImpactLiving.com. She is also currently talking herself into writing her first novel - obviously something environmentally related.

Waldorf Strawbale Preschool In Cuernavaca is Built Like a Fairy Tale

by Bridgette Meinhold, 10/13/11

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Paper Punk: Recyclable Paper Building Blocks for Green Kids Ages 6 to 99

by Bridgette Meinhold, 06/15/11

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Architect Barbie Aims to Inspire More Girls to Become Designers

by Bridgette Meinhold, 05/17/11

If Barbie can do it, then certainly any little girl out there can become an architect. Or so says Mattel as part of its Barbie I Can Be… line of high-heeled, blonde bombshell dolls. Architect Barbie, the 2011 career of the year, is due out this summer complete with architecture inspired clothing, a hard hat, glasses and a document tube. While there has certainly been some backlash as to her accessories from editors and young architects, Mattel’s goal is to allow little girls to role play and try on different careers with the hopes of inspiring future architects.

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NYC Second Graders Build Model of the High Line Park

by Bridgette Meinhold, 11/22/10

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Net Zero Ocean Adventure Lab Up For Auction

The folks at LPA Inc. and Turner Construction weren’t kidding around when the designed and built a net zero playhouse for this year’s Project Playhouse fundraiser for HomeAid in Orange County. The Ocean Adventure Lab goes above and beyond the requirements for a play house, utilizing green and recycled material in the construction as well as making it an fun and educational place for you kid to learn about the ocean. Ocean Adventure Lab along with six other amazing playhouses will be auctioned off for charity on September 10th in Orange County.

Top 6 Designs That Harness the Power of Play

Kids have so much boundless energy, and they can play and run tirelessly for hours on end -- as any baffled parent can attest! Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming for us adults (maybe we're just jealous?), but that's what makes kids so amazing. We often joke, "If only we could bottle that energy up, maybe we could power the world!" Well, you can't quite bottle up a kid's energy or synthesize it in a lab, but there are some fun toys and games out there that use the kinetic energy of children at play to generate power or do work. Some of them are great humanitarian designs to aid people with less resources, and others are just good old fashioned fun. Check out our Top 6 Designs that harness the power of play!

Sustainable Toddler Bed Made From Shipping Pallets

There are some seriously crafty parents out there, like Lori Danelle who took shipping pallets and transformed them into the cutest toddler bed. So cute, in fact, you might even consider figuring out how to make this into your own adult size bed. Lori took two shipping pallets, cut them and pieced them together to make this eco- and kid-friendly toddler bed and even shares her hints and tips for the DIY project on her blog.

RECALL ALERT! McDonald’s Shrek Glasses Contain Cadmium

McDonald’s has issued a voluntary recall of 12 million drinking glasses, which were part of their campaign to promote the newest Shrek movie “Shrek Forever After”. Testing of the popular collectors’ items has revealed the paint contains levels of cadmium higher than acceptable limits. Cadmium, which is used as a pigment in paints, is a known carcinogen that studies have shown can cause bone softening and severe kidney problems. McDonalds will begin accepting the glasses and issuing refunds beginning June 8th and further instructions will be available on their website at www.mcdonalds.com/glasses.

SWIRL: Washing Machine, Water Barrel & Toy, in One Big Ball of Fun!

In many developing countries, water sources are located far away from homes, making washing clothes a hard and laborious activity — hauling the clothes, washing them at the water source and then lugging them back. ‘Swirl,‘ a new concept for a non-electric washing machine, designed by German-based designaffairs Studio for children and adults in developing nations, hopes to help alleviate some of the burden of clothes washing with this awesome idea for a combo washing machine, water barrel and toy all rolled into one. ‘Swirl‘ turns a burden of a chore into an entertaining activity — by playing and moving the ball around, clothes are easily transported, rotated, and cleaned inside the washing ball.

Baumraum’s Froschköenig Treehouse

Your kids may not be the only ones who want to escape off into a treehouse. This treehouse by German designer, Baumraum, could be a parent’s dream backyard getaway spot too. The Froschköenig Treehouse, is a one-room, prefab sleep heaven built from tatajuba wood with a curved zinc roof. With large windows on either side and slim side windows, the interior is naturally-lit, making it seem larger than it really is. Built on bamboo stilts above a shallow pool of water, the Froshköenig Treehouse has an almost cartoonish feel, but is still stylish and sophisticated enough for adults.

Children’s Cork Blocks Perfect for Creative Play

Have a child who loves to create and build or loves puzzles and designs? Then these all-natural cork building blocks, which recently debuted at the famous Milan Furniture Fair, would be perfect. With 16 different blocks and three different shapes, your child can create practically anything from their imagination or follow the patterns included with the set. These soft and lightweight Tono-8 Cork Blocks are colored with natural paints and make a wonderful alternative to wood blocks painted with toxic paints.