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We're making every day Earth Day here at Design Squad Nation! Check out another great way to go green: paper furniture. In this video, Judy and Adam build a table out of newspapers that can hold a bunch of heavy books. How many books do you think a paper table can hold?



How would you build YOUR Paper Table? Share your ideas on the Projects page by clicking on Judy's wish below!

Going green with style! These finalists in our Build Big contest took our paper table activity and made it super big AND super stylish! Kalin and Jennifer got their inspiration from this activity and our Cardboard Furniture episode. They both like art, so they thought giant paper furniture would be a great way to show their creativity!

First, the team designed their furniture, figuring out how it would look and work, and measuring out all the pieces. For materials, they used cardboard from grocery shipping boxes and duct tape, plus newspaper to make pillows! Very creative.

Click on the video to see the team's cardboard sofa, table, and sculpture.



We can't wait to sit on a cardboard sofa and watch some Design Squad Nation!

Try making your own paper furniture -- big or small! Then share it with us on the Projects page by clicking on the wish below.



You can see more of the winning contest entries on our Contest page.

The air quality monitor we built for Sustainable South Bronx was very complex, with lots of electronic parts and computer code that controlled them. Judy and I spent HOURS testing this build! The thing that drove me crazy was the air sensor. I tried to be really careful, but during testing I accidentally hooked it up backwards and broke it! Luckily, we had a back-up sensor that worked just as well.



This reminded me of a lesson I learned a long time ago -- when you buy parts, especially electronic parts, always buy two! Maybe even three! If there's a part you really need, and it's really breakable, then definitely buy two. You'll thank yourself.

If you want to try working with electronics, check out this video to see me and Judy design an awesome alarm that's small enough to hide. Then try making one yourself!

Speaking of paper tables, have you seen our cardboard IKEA challenge? The teams compete to build the most original and function pieces of furniture for judging on an IKEA showroom floor -- the only catch is that it all has to be made out of cardboard!  Check it...

This giant Pop Fly catapult will be launching live at Design Squad Nation events in 2011! Based on our table-top activity for kids, this prototype stands six feet tall and can fling things farther than any other Pop Fly built to date. Want to build your own? Take on the challenge at on the Pop Fly Projects Page!

When NASA astronauts travelled to the moon they used moon cars--called rovers--to drive across the moon's surface to explore the area, carry supplies, and to help build their outpost. Check out this video of a NASA moon rover test-driving across some rocky terrain in Arizona. It is crucial that the moon rover be able to drive in rough conditions, so prototyping and testing the rover is very important before the day of launch. When you are done watching the video, head on over to the Moon Rover Projects page to see Adam and Judy build their own moon buggy, then build and submit photos of your own!