A great idea to help reduce the impact of discarded plastic bottles and preventing further unnecessary packaging at the same time. New Soap, Old Bottle is a company founded by Scott Amron that bottles new bulk name-brand soap into sanitized used old plastic soda bottles, plastic water bottles, and beer bottles. Packaged in America and finished with a child safe …
LiT Lampshades – Promoting Green Home Design
Lampshades are not usually something you think of when designing green, and it is really hard to find environmentally friendly shades. Most shades have a plastic styrene backing which in no way is biodegradable. They are then coated with toxic glue then the fabric. Let’s think what happens when this glue gets hot,….toxic glue….hot light bulb….your baby’s room….hum? None too …
Can I Recycle This, and Where?
I have this happen to me all the time. Random electronics, toys, packaging, home remodeling projects, etc. I don’t want to throw it away, but can it be recycled? Real Simple has come up with a great A-Z guide to recycle just about anything, and gives you the information you need to find a recycler in your area. Their list …
Vetrazzo Recycled Glass Countertops
When I think of what impacts me the most in a kitchen, I think of 3 things: Cabinets, appliances and counter tops. Beautiful counter tops can be the crown jewel of your kitchen – an essential focal point that just ties everything together. Granite was the standard for a very long time followed by manufactured stone, then came a ‘greener’ …
Buy, Sell, Trade and Get Rid of Stuff – Recycle and Trade Spring Cleaning Treasures
I was going through my place doing a little spring cleaning (in spring, can you imagine?) and I ended up with 3 different categories of items: Items I want to sell (and I think i can) Items I want to sell (and I think they are pretty much worthless) Items I just want to get rid of If you can …
Green Up Your Launderd Clothing – Dry Cleaning Re-thought
Ever think what a little tweak here and there to a huge industry such as dry cleaning? There are about 6 dry cleaners just in my one block radius, and they each get enough business to sustain themselves, so it makes me wonder; what kind of impact could a single little change do to preserving the environment? Many of you …
Eco Game of High Low – Green-ish Turntable Record Players for all you Vinyl Lovers
I am starting a little game of High/Low which will bring both the “high-end” expensive items with more reasonably priced counterparts for the rest of us. I’m going to start this game off with something a little old school- turntable record players. Eco Chic High The “High” comes to us from German-based company Montegiro, and is quite beautifully built with …
Remodel, Reuse, Renew and Restore with the RE-Store – Green Home Furnishings
If you are lucky enough to live near the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, or a bit further north in Bellingham, Washington, then you are privileged to have a REStore near you. A home remodel and demolition reclaiming store, they save all of the wonderful things in older homes from landfills. If you are looking for home decor upcycling or reuse …
Repurposing & Upcycling – The Ultimate in Green Recycling is Reuse
Repurposing (also known as upcycling or reuse) is really the best way of taking an existing object (usually no longer suited for its original purpose) and reusing it for another purpose. This can be as simple as creating an art mosaic out of broken dishes, to turning old doors into tables. It can be as creative as you are and …
Beach Trash to Ocean Animals – Plastic Bag Sculptures and Jewelry
These really captured my marine biologist heart when i saw them- sea creatures crocheted from discarded plastic bags found on the beaches of Australia (and wherever else her travels take her). Not only is it a wonderful example of reuse (of already discarded trash), but it actually helps save the creatures she is creating with the trash. I’m speechless of …