Escaping "Made in China" products is becoming nearly impossible. For a country full of people who claim to be going green, we don't seem to have a problem with buying *gray.
China has the worst environmental policies, if they have any, on the planet. There is no industry regulation, there are no humane labor laws, it is a country allowing itself to eat a whole in the earth!
Even our local organic foods grocery, that recycles and promotes itself as a planet-friendly establishment, celebrated Earth Day with free bags Made in China.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
"New" Social Network
I created a social networking site for anyone who wants to learn more about upcycling and doesn't want to wait for posts on this blog. Hopefully people will catch on and leave posts of projects they've one previously, or ideas for future projects!
http://upcyclethis.ning.com/
http://upcyclethis.ning.com/
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Cyber Storage for Your Junk...
George Carlin's stand-up routine about "stuff" was brilliant. He hit the nail on the head with his calling out Americans and their obsession with "stuff". Not only do [we] have an obsession with stuff, we have an obsession with keeping and storing this stuff. And if we move into a bigger space, because we had too much stuff, we tend to feel the need to fill that space up with more stuff too.
It's a vicious cycle. One, that if broken, could save a lot of people a lot of money! And save us the headache and eyesore of the suburban sprawl. If people gave up their obsession with possession, burglary, home invasions, car break-ins, etc. would likely decline. Supply and demand is what drives these things.
Stop listening to celebrities and famous people when it comes to stuff. Most of those people get that crap for free. Marketers know people will buy stuff at whatever price if their favorite celebrity is wearing it, etc.
Which brings me to conforming...stop it. This is one of the main reasons people own as much crap as they do. It's a problem. Stop trying to keep up with the Jones'...their trying to keep up with you too. You guys should just hang out and talk about life rather than one up each other with crap neither of you need!
It's a vicious cycle. One, that if broken, could save a lot of people a lot of money! And save us the headache and eyesore of the suburban sprawl. If people gave up their obsession with possession, burglary, home invasions, car break-ins, etc. would likely decline. Supply and demand is what drives these things.
Stop listening to celebrities and famous people when it comes to stuff. Most of those people get that crap for free. Marketers know people will buy stuff at whatever price if their favorite celebrity is wearing it, etc.
Which brings me to conforming...stop it. This is one of the main reasons people own as much crap as they do. It's a problem. Stop trying to keep up with the Jones'...their trying to keep up with you too. You guys should just hang out and talk about life rather than one up each other with crap neither of you need!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Upcycling CD Covers
Wanna help save the planet? Learn to upcycle. Recycling is an awesome way to keep our landfills from overflowing but upcycling can help cut down on pollution and energy use as well.
As Americans, we take for granted the ability to "replace" items and toss out the old versions of our stuff without asking ourselves, "how else could this be useful?" Some times just little effort can go a long way!
I have become addicted to upcycling. Every time I see someone's "junk" on the curb to be picked up by the city I immediately start thinking of what I could make out it.
For example, at the grocery where I work the supplements department had some displays they were throwing out to make way for the new ones. I got my hands on one of the old displays and it now serves as a soap rack for our shower!
And something we probably all have laying around the house are old CD covers. I've taking a couple of mine and upcycled them into little journals! One of them even sold on my Etsy site!
You can check out the process at http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Reduce_Recycling_by_Upcycling_CD_Covers_Mo/
As Americans, we take for granted the ability to "replace" items and toss out the old versions of our stuff without asking ourselves, "how else could this be useful?" Some times just little effort can go a long way!
I have become addicted to upcycling. Every time I see someone's "junk" on the curb to be picked up by the city I immediately start thinking of what I could make out it.
For example, at the grocery where I work the supplements department had some displays they were throwing out to make way for the new ones. I got my hands on one of the old displays and it now serves as a soap rack for our shower!
And something we probably all have laying around the house are old CD covers. I've taking a couple of mine and upcycled them into little journals! One of them even sold on my Etsy site!
You can check out the process at http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Reduce_Recycling_by_Upcycling_CD_Covers_Mo/
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Quaker Oatmeal
Speaking of plastics...
I love instant oatmeal. Since I was a kid, I have devoured the stuff like it was going out of style! But a couple of months ago we bought some Quaker Instant Oatmeal and found that they now package it in individual plastic bags...what?!
Remember when Quaker Instant Oatmeal came in paper packages? The packages you could rattle together to make sure the contents was all at the bottom before you tore into'em, so the oatmeal didn't go everywhere. Remember the paper crinkling when you poured that flaky goodness out of the package and into a bowl? Well, things have changed.
Now, Quaker is packaging their individual packets of instant oatmeal in plastic. Why?! Quaker went from being recyclable to adding to the "plastic soup" that will eventually encompass our planet!
And do you know what Quaker did when I emailed them about my dismay in their choice of packaging? They sent me a coupon for more. Really?!
My email basically said I would not purchase anymore of their product until they went back to the paper packaging... So they sent me a coupon for more of the stuff I had just told them I would not buy.
This month's "Write Us with Your Concerns But We're Not Actually Reading/Listening" Award goes to Quaker.
We are now lifetime non-purchasers of Quaker products.
Recycle your world or die.
I love instant oatmeal. Since I was a kid, I have devoured the stuff like it was going out of style! But a couple of months ago we bought some Quaker Instant Oatmeal and found that they now package it in individual plastic bags...what?!
Remember when Quaker Instant Oatmeal came in paper packages? The packages you could rattle together to make sure the contents was all at the bottom before you tore into'em, so the oatmeal didn't go everywhere. Remember the paper crinkling when you poured that flaky goodness out of the package and into a bowl? Well, things have changed.
Now, Quaker is packaging their individual packets of instant oatmeal in plastic. Why?! Quaker went from being recyclable to adding to the "plastic soup" that will eventually encompass our planet!
And do you know what Quaker did when I emailed them about my dismay in their choice of packaging? They sent me a coupon for more. Really?!
My email basically said I would not purchase anymore of their product until they went back to the paper packaging... So they sent me a coupon for more of the stuff I had just told them I would not buy.
This month's "Write Us with Your Concerns But We're Not Actually Reading/Listening" Award goes to Quaker.
We are now lifetime non-purchasers of Quaker products.
Recycle your world or die.
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Caps
If you've been recycling for a minute, then you know your plastic bottle caps aren't recyclable. Not at most recycling yards. So what do we do with those lil'plastic buggers?! It seems Aveda has an answer.
I just read on their website, they are collecting the caps for recycling into new caps for their products. You can get more info at http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp They also have a link for educators and parents to help make their communities are of the project.
Go check it out!
I just read on their website, they are collecting the caps for recycling into new caps for their products. You can get more info at http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp They also have a link for educators and parents to help make their communities are of the project.
Go check it out!
Plastic Bottles
Recycling plastic is a big big thing 'round our house. I've always been apt to recycle plastic bottles but when I read about the "plastic soup" out in the Pacific Ocean, I took my recycling up a notch.
For those who don't know what I'm referring to when I say "plastic soup", it's a mass of garbage/trash that is large enough to stretch across the Pacific Ocean from the U.S. (Hawaii) to Japan.
The garbage is comprised of just about anything you can think of and it's not just surface-floating debris. Apparently, the garbage is suspended in the water just below the surface and further down. And though it is far out to sea, the mass is affecting life all around it, which will eventually affect our lives too. An ecosystem doesn't go silently into the night, when it begins to break down, it takes everything with it, kicking and screaming. Today, it's an albatross swallowing plastic it mistook for fish or plankton. Tomorrow it's little Suzy at the beach getting caught in a floating plastic bag.
If we don't start re-using our world instead of throwing it away, things will come full circle! And we will be in a heckuvalot of trouble.
Check out "Recycline" for the cool stuff they're re-using plastic bottles to make. And try to come up with your own ideas for re-using plastic bottles!
Instructables.com is a great place to find tips and tricks for recycling and upcycling!
Go re-use your world!
For those who don't know what I'm referring to when I say "plastic soup", it's a mass of garbage/trash that is large enough to stretch across the Pacific Ocean from the U.S. (Hawaii) to Japan.
The garbage is comprised of just about anything you can think of and it's not just surface-floating debris. Apparently, the garbage is suspended in the water just below the surface and further down. And though it is far out to sea, the mass is affecting life all around it, which will eventually affect our lives too. An ecosystem doesn't go silently into the night, when it begins to break down, it takes everything with it, kicking and screaming. Today, it's an albatross swallowing plastic it mistook for fish or plankton. Tomorrow it's little Suzy at the beach getting caught in a floating plastic bag.
If we don't start re-using our world instead of throwing it away, things will come full circle! And we will be in a heckuvalot of trouble.
Check out "Recycline" for the cool stuff they're re-using plastic bottles to make. And try to come up with your own ideas for re-using plastic bottles!
Instructables.com is a great place to find tips and tricks for recycling and upcycling!
Go re-use your world!
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