Turn those two breakfast buddies–milk container and cereal box–into an eco-friendly place mat by a simple weaving technique. The supplies, which you probably have on hand, consist of:
You might not be too big, but your environmental impact might not be as small. It's becoming hip to measure your resource consumption as your "ecological footprint". Wikipedia claims, "Ecological footprint (EF) analysis attempts to measure human demand on nature. It compares human consumption of natural resources with planet Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate them. It is an estimate of the amount of biologically productive land and sea… Continue Reading
If you logged on to your local Craigslist, chances are you'd see at least one household with a dead or recently removed tree, begging for someone to help reuse the material. "Cool," you'd say, "but what would I do with a dead tree?"
DIYLife has 30 ideas.
I find this plastic bottle chandelier interesting, in an inelegant yet cheeky yet environmentally friendly kind of way. And for 20 bucks, why not give it a try?
All you need:
This sweet side table was made from a recycled white oak wine barrel. Wine barrels are usually scrapped after a few years of use. Such a waste, considering this hand-made re-incarnation. Available through Uncommon Goods for a rather reasonable $350 each.
Architecture and design blog Materialicious points out these amazing recycled glass tiles:
"Trendgroup USA announces the launch the new handmade transparent glass tile collection, Liberty. It was designed by the Italian mosaicist Giulio Candussio and contains a minimum 25% post consumer recycled glass. It is available in 12 colorways for around $45 psf. Soon to be available at retailers everywhere, you can already get it at Stone Source (see more… Continue Reading
Teag on Craftster shows us how to turn soda cans into stars using a minimum of supplies that include, a tin snips, scissors, Sharpie, hammer, punches, metal ruler and, of course, empty soda cans.
A thumbnail sketch of the procedure goes like this:
One way to recycle those old incandescent light bulbs is by making a pair of salt and pepper shakers out of them. Supplies are minimal and include:
The tools used to tackle this project are:
For full instructions, visit Readymade.
Brazilian designer Mana Bernandes specializes in making beautiful jewelry from common, inexpensive items, like "Clasp" made from hair ("bobby") pins. While she doesn't offer a how-to, I bet one could figure out the technique from the photo. It reminds me of those regal neckplates you see on ossuaries and paintings from the Ancient Near East...a handmade version would certainly complement your handmade Pharoah costume nicely.
Other designs include:
"When I saw this pillow case at the thrift store, I thought it already looked like an apron. Pillowcases and sheets are so easy and fun to recycle, so many possibilities. There are a lot of pictures so it may seem complicated, but this is honestly the easiest thing I’ve ever made. It would be a great project to introduce kids to sewing because it’s mostly sewing straight lines. I just included a few sewing tips of things I wish… Continue Reading
For more ideas on how to reuse old bras, go to lingerie-party-fun.com.
Find out where to recycle just about everything at earth911.org. Simply enter the item you’d like to recycle–like paint, old tires, refrigerators, cell phones, whatever–and then your zip code. You’ll be presented with an informative list that includes links to sites and maps of drop-off centers near you.
Besides this great feature, earth911.org is also loaded with information that encourages us to think globally.… Continue Reading
Before you clean out that dryer lint trap, you might want to read these interesting ways to reuse the stuff.
1. Spin it (like wool) into thread and use it to knit or crochet something fabulous. Here's a great little video introducing the spinning process.
2. Use it to make fire starters. This is a recycling two-fer, as you can stuff lint into sections of old toilet or paper towel rolls or you can go DIY crazy, and do the cardboard egg… Continue Reading
You may even have your own little collection of interesting little containers in the form of left-over little boxes of candy from Halloween. What can you do with all… Continue Reading
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