Archive for the ‘Recycling’ Category
December 28th, 2008
Treat Yourself to a Green Gift from the Post-holiday Sales
Stumble it!
So you were good to the earth by greening your Christmas, Chanukah, and other holiday celebrations, and good to your loved ones by getting them green gifts. Now, what about being good to — yourself?
Great after-holiday sales are happening now — and here’s how you can take advantage of them while getting a head start on your eco New Year’s Resolution too:
Live simply. Turn down the thermostat a couple degrees but keep your feet warm and cozy with these Shuf Slippers made by Simple Shoes. The Shufs are made with eco materials like 100% post-consumer paper pulp foot forms and natural latex, all held together with water-based cements. Pick from burgundy, heather gray, or dark earth for just $19.90 a pair, down from the original $80.
Green my gadgets. Amazon Green’s got a whole bunch of energy-efficient electronics on sale — but you can get an extra discount on top of those! How? Recycle your old gadgets in exchange for Amazon gift certificates! Four separate programs are competing to reward you for everything from your old computer to iPod to gaming consoles; check them out before you upgrade to a greener gizmo.
Be eco-fashionable. Prep for those spring and summer parties with this White and Ruffled Dress, made in San Francisco from organic cotton. The dress is already on sale at BTC Elements for $60, but the promotional code “GreenLA” (without the quotes) will get you an extra 20% off.
Bike more. Always wanted an electric mountain bike but could never afford one? Right now, the 2008 EZIP MTN Trailz Electric Mountain Bike can be yours for $299.97 — 40% off the usual price. The bike comes with seven gears and an electric assist motor that’ll give you 15 - 22 miles of range.
Get crafty. Learn to DIY with Simple Women’s Stitch It Mocassins — a once $65 kit that’s on sale now for under $20! All the instructions and sewing materials are included in the kit. Plus, the shoe materials are green, from the jute laces to the crepe rubber outsole.
Best of luck with your eco-goals for the new year!
Popularity: 2% [?]
December 18th, 2008
Eco-Friendly Wood for the Greater Good
If you are planning a home improvement project, chances are you’ve spent some time thinking about how to make that project a green one. You’ve probably started thinking about countertops or tile made from recycled material, no-VOC paints, and Energy Star lighting, appliances and windows. But have you thought much about one of most basic but critical parts of your project, the wood you use?
Wood is likely to be one of the biggest components of any significant remodeling or new construction project. And, if grown and harvested correctly, wood is a sustainble product - what is cut can then regrow. Unfortunately, in today’s global forestry markets much wood is harvested in unsustainble ways that contribute to global warming, damage or destroy ecosystems, and kill threatened or endangered wildlife. And manufactured wood products like plywood and particleboard often contain harmful chemicals that can impact your family’s health for many years to come.
Fortunately, there are some fairly easy ways to ferret out what’s green vs. what’s not when you’re talking about wood. Where did the wood come from and how was it harvested? What type of tree does it come from, and what is its lifecycle? And what if any chemicals does the wood product contain? We’ll go through each of these questions and give you some pointers.
Popularity: 3% [?]
December 10th, 2008
Use Slipcovers To Save Furniture From Landfills
In today’s disposable society, I don’t like to think about how much perfectly-usable furniture must end up in landfills each year - just because people change their minds about the color, or the fabric looks slightly worn or faded. That’s why I think slipcovers are a great idea, as they can extend the life of old armchairs and couches by giving them a complete change of look.
Ready-made slipcovers are inexpensive to buy and are machine-washable, which means they can last for years. They’re designed to fit over the top of existing upholstery, so they can completely hide unattractive fabric, unfashionable patterns, tears or stains.
There’s even a line of organic slipcovers available now. These are available from Sure Fit and come in only sofa and loveseat sizes at the moment, although I would imagine the range will be extended in the future. There’s a choice of two fabrics made from organic cotton; one in solid neutral colors and the other has a striped pattern. I hope that the ever-growing interest in organic textiles will encourage other slipcover companies to start offering eco-friendly products too.
One popular misconception about slipcovers is that they don’t fit well and look untidy. It’s certainly true that “one-size-fits-all” covers might be too loose on some items of furniture - after all, there’s no such thing as a “standard size” couch. However, this can usually be overcome by tucking all the extra fabric into the crevices at the back and sides of the seat to get a snug fit. A good trick here is to use a wooden spoon to push the material deep into the gaps. Then roll up some old magazines and put rubber bands around them. Insert these into the crevices to make sure the slipcover stays in place and prevent it becoming easily untucked.
Some seats are a bit more of a challenge. For instance, pre-made slipcovers are made for conventional sofas and chairs with cushioned arms. So, if your couch has wooden arms, you’ll need to add your own DIY padding to get a slipcover to fit. This is easy enough to do. You just need to tie something soft, such as an old blanket or towel, around each arm to make them cushioned enough for a slipcover to fit neatly.
Another handy tip for getting a slipcover to look smooth and wrinkle-free is to lightly dampen any creases with water, using a plant-mister if you have one. Then simply use your hands to smooth out the creases.
With a little imagination and creativity it’s possible to use slipcovers on almost any style of seat. So, if your furniture is starting to look a little tired, think twice about throwing it out. Why not see if you could give it a new lease of life with some slipcovers?
Popularity: 2% [?]
December 3rd, 2008
Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics
Greenpeace publishes a periodic report on electronics, and has just released its November 2008 Greener Electronics Guide. The report ranks the leading mobile and PC manufacturers on their policies and practices for eliminating harmful chemicals and for taking responsibility for their products that are discarded by consumers.
The news is not good. According to the report, “Very few firms are showing true climate leadership. Despite many green claims, major companies like Dell, Microsoft, Lenovo, LG, Samsung and Apple are failing to support the necessary levels of global cuts in emissions and make the absolute cuts in their own emissions that are required to tackle climate change.”
Nintendo and Microsoft own the bottom of the rating scale, and Nokia scores the highest. Learn more about the individual ratings of the companies here.
Of the 18 market-leading companies included in the Guide, only Sharp, Fujitsu Siemens and Philips show full support for the necessary cuts of 30 percent of greenhouse gases for industrial nations by 2020. According to the report, “All the other companies in the Guide make vague or essentially meaningless statements about global emissions reductions and have no plans to make absolute emissions cuts themselves. With the need for deep emission cuts becoming ever more urgent it’s vital big companies support a global deal and take effective measures now to reduce their overall emissions.”
Popularity: 1% [?]
December 2nd, 2008
Oh Cardboard Tree, Oh Cardboard Tree
Tired of the artificial tree vs. real tree debate? This year brings a new type of Christmas tree to pick from: The Cardboard Christmas Tree!
This tree’s a crafty environmentalist’s holiday dream come true. Made of recycled corrugated cardboard, the Cardboard Christmas Tree’s shipped in an eco-friendly flat package. Once assembled, the tree stands 3 feet tall — and can be painted and decorated either with the assortment of cardboard ornaments that arrive with the tree, or with your own decorations.
To get your creative juices flowing, check out some of the examples of decorated trees. Then make a fun crafty day of it! You may even want to put those old conventional bulbs you no longer need to good use by turning them into tree ornaments!
Keep your tree and holidays all-eco by opting for LED lights and giving green gifts. After the holidays, you won’t have to deal with sweeping up needles or dragging a dead tree to a mulching center. Just put the cardboard tree into the paper recycling bin!
The Cardboard Christmas Tree is yours for $19.95. If you’re afraid you’re not up to the challenge of decorating a Cardboard Christmas Tree, do try to pick a real tree! Here’s how to pick out the most environmentally-friendly real tree for your holidays.
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