monitor your energy usage with carl smith’s wilting flower

an ingenious prototype by carl smith. the flower stands tall, bright and open when you are doing a good job of keeping your energy consumption low, but begins wilting and turning warning colors as your consumption goes up.

what to do with all those leftovers

i ☆ this idea from danielle spencer’s turkey-shaped jell-o® mold competition, but it’s just as easy to do without a turkey shaped mold.

just layer all of your leftovers in your favorite rectangular or round baking pan, sprinkle a little bit of shredded cheese between each layer to bind them all and bake covered with foil at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. you can even cut your meta-turkey into single servings and freeze them - homemade tv dinner!

other winners for your viewing enjoyment:

bubby’s matzoh turkey

kimchi turkey

califurkey roll

like a name ring, but on steroids

i wish that i could somehow put an eco-friendly angle on this post, but it really doesn’t have one. i just really, really wanted to showcase the work of sarah van gameren because i think it is unique, delicate and beautiful. her latest piece, family tree jewelry, is the most gorgeous necklace i have ever seen.

“the piece of jewelry I made for her has every single name of her family members. from her ancestors on her breast to her close family embracing her neck. she wears the collier like a genetic palette.” says the artist.

two hours later: i finally thought of an eco-related spin to put on this post. as we approach gift-giving season, why not commission, or better yet, make yourself something truly one-of-a-kind for your loved ones this year instead of purchasing a mass-produced product that will be thrown out in a couple of months anyway?

now to get started on my own family tree ring - good thing there are only 3 people in my family!

urban outfitters luxe soldier coat steel blue size s - free

the styling of this coat by luxe is so original: soldier-style brushed silver buttons and furry hood. the first person to comment on this post about what they will do this holiday season to move our country toward a greener and more sustainable future or help others who are less fortunate gets this coat for free.

details

good luck!

save the world by clubbing

as a follow-up to my post on the opening of greenhouse in soho last week, i wanted to give a full-fledged shoutout to the piezoelectric dance floor at club surya in london. yes, it sounds like something out of an episode of get smart or batman (the original one with adam west), but i am kicking myself for not thinking of this sooner! the brainchild of club4climate (you must, if you do nothing else of importance today, check out this website because it will blow you away) founder andrew charalambous, a.k.a. “dr. earth,” the revolutionary flooring uses quartz crystals and ceramics to transform clubbers’ dancing into electricity.

dr. earth offers free entry to any clubber that can prove he/she walked or used a bicycle to get to his clubs, although i’m not really sure how - perhaps a heartrate reading? surya also has its own wind turbine and solar energy system with plans to surplus power to local citizens.

the non-evil dr. is also planning to open a club4climate party island where eco-clubbers can gather to “save the world lying down and sipping cocktails next to the pool.” it will undoubtedly be expensive to attend a bash there, but i can’t wait until 2010, the slated opening date, to see what eco-innovations the island will reveal.

“unless we stop preaching to people and use an inclusive philosophy we’re never going to create the revolution to combat climate change,” said charalambous to reuters.

“it’s also about creating avenues of thought. imagine what you could achieve if big corporations adopted this kind of initiative.”

a peek at simon doonan’s eco-chic holiday windows and a brief history of barneys

barneys unveiled its groovy holiday windows this week as an homage to the 50th anniversary of the peace sign. simon doonan, creative director at the tony department store found his inspiration for the psychedelic 60s vignettes after reading tom brokaw’s new book, Boom! Voices of the Sixties: Personal Reflections on the ’60s and Today.

the whimsical windows showcased the work of designers like derek lam, diane von furstenberg, donna karan, doo ri, three as four, and narcisco rodriguez displayed amidst multi-colored afro-piks, hippie flowers and painted butterflies. but the outfits, which were contrastingly neutral and subdued, were not just pretty on the outside - each design was cut and sewn with a clean conscience, using sustainable fabrics from the earthpledge futurefashion initiative.

select designers (three as four, derek lam, rodarte, zero maria cornejo and behnaz sarafpour) crafted their creations using Ingeo™, a revolutionary corn-based biodegradable and sustainable fabric. although Ingeo™ is not a household name yet, its applications are gaining steam in the mainstream. case in point: i recently spotted target bedding that proudly displayed the Ingeo™ name. oh target - be still my heart.

here are some pics of the windows, but i highly recommend that you check them out for yourself if you’re in the area!

if you’ve gotten this far, you probably won’t mind reading a couple of interesting facts about barneys that i picked up from wiki:

the company began in 1923, when barney pressman (i had no idea!) opened his first store with the $500 raised by pawning his wife’s engagement ring. i certainly hope he bought her a new one after that.

the original slogan was “no bunk, no junk, no imitations.”

barneys was originally a discount retailer.

barney pressman claimed to be the first manhattan retailer to use radio and television, beginning with “calling all men to barney’s” radio spots in the 1930s that parodied the introduction of the dick tracy show.

mr. pressman used women encased in barrels to give away matchbooks with the store name and address. and once chartered a boat to take 2,000 of his customers from manhattan to coney island.

the apostrophe in barney’s was dropped by 1979, and about 1981 the removal became official. (The removal of the apostrophe would be short lived–it was reinserted around the end of the decade.) i think this statement might need to be amended as i have not seen a “barneys” with an apostrophe on the official website or any recent flyers or ads.

the “i am not a paper cup” travel mug

wait for it….wait for it…

after the popularity of anya hindemarch’s “i’m not a plastic bag” bag, we all knew that similar product lines of other household items would follow suit. case in point: the “i am not a paper cup” cup. the reusable porcelain travel mug tells the world how it is (in a slightly more formal voice than the famous bag). aside from being curious about why the makers, decor craft inc., opted to keep the name of their mug contractionless, i wondered how people would react to the usability and slightly steep price point (about $19).

the mug receives 4 out of 5 stars on amazon.com, and most reviewers did not gripe about the price. for those who are skeptical or just plain cheap, it does pay to keep in mind that starbucks and other coffee shops will either upgrade you to a larger size coffee or charge you less if you bring in you own container. if that alone is not enough to sway you, several males that i know have also reported the mug’s chick-magnet powers. if you’re gonna spend $60 on drinks trying to pick up girls anyway, isn’t a measly $19 more worth it? i think so.

greenhouse: sometimes obvious works

greenhouse, nyc’s first eco-friendly luxury club, opened last week in soho. it seems like the natural addition to the lineup of owner john b., who also owns such hotspots as guest house and home. the venue is applying for leed certification, a designation granted by the u.s. green building council for leadership in energy and environmental design.

but don’t be fooled by greenhouse’s bamboo dancefloor, waterless urinals and recycled glass bar. there’s nothing crunchy about this space. you’ll still find all the same types of plush surroundings that grace john b.’s other clubs. they’re just green versions. a night out at a tropical retreat with two floors, multiple vip sections, and a ceiling fixture made of 5,000 crystals is an apropos way to thank yourself for those long hours you spent setting up your compost.

photos courtesy of greenhouseusa.com and guestofaguest.com which reports that kevin spacey was there on opening night!

adidas black & pink track jacket m

new and perfect for fall and winter lounging.

score it for free! find out how here.

how to recycle pretty much anything

ever wonder how to recycle a prom dress or frying pan?

lime’s guide to recycling pretty much has it all:

check it out here.

trendwatch: chopsticks

at first glance, you might be skeptical about yunhong chopsticks shop’s business model. after all, chopsticks aren’t really considered high on the “must-have” item list. but consider the link that the owner of the franchise store might have been banking on: having your own pair of chopsticks is the ultimate eco-fashion accessory. not only does carrying around your own chopsticks cut down on a huge amount of waste, it’s also downright amusing to see the confusion it causes amongst your friends and waitstaff. it’s also a way for you to showcase your personality and style just like you would with your purse, shoes or cellphone.

as nascent as it is, i’m not the only early adopter by any means. at our last gathering at yakiniku riki’s 5 out of 8 (that’s 62.5% for all of you numbers people) of my japanese school classmates whipped out their own pairs and they’re not even japanese! color me impressed!

that being said, you can consider this part deux of my blogera on my favorite utensils. see part 1 about the chopsticks bra here.

yunhong sells chopsticks and other utensil-centric accessories in all shapes, materials and sizes ranging from the intricate and ornate to the simple and minimalistic.

check out these very bond-like collapsible chopsticks in a brushed metal carrying case:

these training chopsticks would make a thoughtful (or offensive depending on how you look at it) gift for your favorite little kid or person trying to learn how to use chopsticks.

make your old tank tops into reusable totebags/scarves

this camo tank used to be my favorite, but it’s been a little too tight lately (darn you late night bacon cravings).

rather than end our 11 month relationship, i decided to transform it into something new and useful.
1. first, i turned my tank top inside-out and laid it flat so that the armholes aligned.

2. the next step is to sew the bottom of your tank top (preferably with a sewing machine) closed. i sewed mine twice for good measure.

3. and you’re done! just turn it inside out and you’re ready to carry home bread, eggs, newspapers or other light items.

for a fancier look, just use a glitzier tank.
this:

became this:

they double as scarves too! what a thoughtful way to avoid having to actually carry your extra totebags.

pink & tan nova plaid stadium coat size l

hurry and score this coat for free!

it is pink, tan and chocolate herringbone with black toggle buttons and hardware and hood. i got this coat from hong kong, so i’m not really sure who the maker is, but it is brand new and has never been worn.

it is a size large.

details on how to score it for free.

food pyramid lunch box

brilliant!

thanks to http://labexp.blogspot.com/ for the images.

i couldn’t have scrawled it better myself

instead of taking the route that this person chose (perhaps he/she was doing scavengers like me a favor by warning us in advance?), why not check out green screens this saturday and sunday from 8am-2pm?

your neighborhood gigantic bird and tiny tv will thank you!

Click here for a full list of accepted materials.

keep looking »

why is this a site?

swyyne has always been an experiment for me. with all of the other super eco sites out there, i've been feeling like i want to contribute something just a bit different. so for now, here are my random musings.