greenaid grenade eco-bag
saw this little gem at spring in dumbo and it really blew me away! was that as bad as it sounded in my head when i thought of it?
well regardless, remember that part in full-time killers when andy lau throws one activated grenade into the crime boss’s jail cell, and then tosses in 20 more dormant grenades so the poor guy has to look for the one grenade that will kill him? well this product really has nothing to do with that, but it’s still pretty sweet.
sure, it looks like a cute and cuddly live one, but it is actually a compartment for your reusable bag that you can clip onto your jeans or purse!
image courtesy of switchedonset.com
while you’re there, ask them if they have the dexter chair:
this would be a pretty snazzy and inexpensive way to jazz up a flea market find.
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need a new laptop bag? make one out of a recycled t shirt!
those crafty folks at make magazine (they’re just so much cooler than me and there’s really nothing i can do) have done it again - this time with their recycled ishirt:
check out the useful pockets.
the before pic:
i truly wonder if this pic would have gotten the same reception had it been a pc instead of a mac. it just makes me miss my macdaddy all the more…but you didn’t hear that heppie. heppie? oh, who am i kidding, you really can’t even come up with an acceptable, non-veneral diseaseish name for an hp. hprince? okay, it’s over. i do have altec lansing speakers though so take that macs.
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new york times posts article about green dry cleaning the day after swyyne does
the article is called “it may market organic alternatives, but is your cleaner really greener?” and addresses many of the same points that my post did.
check it out here.
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laid off? recycle your business cards for waste free catharsis
don’t throw those business cards away yet!
if you’ve recently been relieved of your duties, or if you decided to relieve yourself of your duties, your first instinct might be to do away with your leftover business cards in a less than dignified manner. after all, a job is not unlike a significant other, and most people think it’s healthiest to purge all reminders of an ex after a breakup, especially if it is a painful one.
but think back - you didn’t just throw all of hector’s stuff in trash did you? you responsibly peddled his flight of the conchords dvds on ebay and reuse his t-shirt as a kitchen rag.
you can employ the same strategy to recycle those business cards! after all, they bear your name and lend more credibility than scrawling on a person’s forearm. the fact that they are a free and do not promote arborcide (yes, that is really a word!) are icing on the cake.
step 1: cut away any parts of the card that mention your old company’s name or contact info. let this be a cathartic experience. breathe deeply or chant or something.
step 2: apply a thin layer of glue to the back of the card. i know, not as cool as step 1.
step 3: cut out a piece of recycled paper (i used old notepads that i had in my desk with my name on them) that match the dimensions of your card. you can get crazy with it and print designs, pics, or your logo on it first if you like.
step 4: gently line the paper backing up to your card and press in place.
step 5: flip the card over and write in any info that you cut in step 1 - but remember to use your personal info instead of your former employer’s.
et voila!
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lean mean free green dry clean deal
madisonclean dry cleaners is offering new clients $10 towards their next order with a new account signup. the signup is free as well! check out the deal here.
madisonclean is one of many “green” dry cleaners that you may have seen popping up on the scene. but what exactly makes one dry cleaner greener than another?
the traditional method of dry cleaning, strangely enough, uses a liquid solvent called tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene, or perc. here is what the environmental protection agency says about perc:
the main effects of tetrachloroethylene [perc] in humans are neurological, liver, and kidney effects following acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure. adverse reproductive effects, such as spontaneous abortions, have been reported from occupational exposure to tetrachloroethylene; however, no definite conclusions can be made because of the limitations of the studies. results from epidemiological studies of dry-cleaners occupationally exposed to tetrachloroethylene suggest increased risks for several types of cancer.
in light of the above knowledge, you really want to ask your dry cleaner 2 questions in order to decide whether or not they really are green:
1. do you use perc to dry clean clothing?
2. if not, what alternative methods are used?
so how did madisonclean fare? here are their answers:
1. while perc is currently still used to clean our clothing, we offer a green option (only $1 extra per garment) that is advertised on every counter.
2. we use wet cleaning and CO2 cleaning as alternatives to using perc.
although 100% perc free is ideal, i applaud madisonclean for taking the initiative to evolve. some other changes they are in the process of making are using biodegradable plastic bags and re-usable garment bags as well as offering promotions via email only as opposed to paper.
but wait - upon further research, i saw that madisonclean is actually located in long island and differentiates itself from other dry cleaners by offering free pickup and delivery from anywhere in nyc and long island. problem: “green” and driving around all over the city daily don’t really go hand in hand. i wondered what steps, if any, they were taking to reduce their carbon footprint in terms driving, and am awaiting comment via email or perhaps even on this post if we’re lucky.
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biodegradable grass cellphone
this isn’t a promo giveaway for half-baked 2 (although you know samson simpson has one of these stashed away somewhere). je-hyun kim designed this mobile device for a lifespan of 2 years, after which it would biodegrade easily instead of adding to another dump.
true, the keypad and screen will not break down, but can be recycled or reincorporated into a new phone.
although the grass cellphone is still a concept and could use a few tweaks (don’t leave yours next to your neighbor’s horse), the main point is that people are thinking differently about what criteria make for good design. and how awesome would it be to call verizon and say that you need your new every two because your current phone started to biodegrade?
pics courtesy of inhabitat.com
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trendwatch: my hashi benetton chopsticks
i really must give ecoprops to my japanese homies for pioneering eco (pronounced eh-ko ｴｺ) before it was what all the cool kids were doing, and my observations from my recent trip to japan only furthered that belief. to be fair, there were some rather disappointing practices that made me frown as well, but more on that later.
since my closest friends like to beat me when i don’t bring back omiyage for them, i found myself scrambling around the massive shopping complexes of my mom’s hometown whimpering, and at times, blatantly talking to myself. each shop displayed wares which were either too cutesy, too useless or too illegal to bring back to the u.s. until, to my utter delight, i discovered my hashi (by benetton, yes, that benetton). apparently, they don’t just make corduroy pants and cashmere berets in all the colors of the rainbow. they also make chopsticks in all the colors of the rainbow!
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my hashi, which means, surprise!, “my chopsticks” in the mother tongue, allow you to tote around your own pair of utensils and obnoxiously whip them out when dining with your pals. it’s a great conversation starter, although you should be warned that many of the reactions will be hostile. one hostess even tried to force her disposable wooden chopsticks on me! seriously, can i live?!!!
overall, i think these my hashi are great, but there are 2 flaws that i would like to point out:
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1. they are packaged in a plastic tube wrapped in yet another plastic sleeve! why??! they are supposed to be eco-conscious!
2. the “hashi wipe” tissues that come in the package are a bit silly. i’d rather excuse myself to clean my hashi in the bathroom than rub them vigorously with alcohol-smelling disposable napkins.
all in all, i give my hashi a thumb and a pointer finger up! get it? because you use those fingers to hold your hashi… no? okay, i’ll stop now. let’s just say that they are worth the 1050 yen, but you could certainly find a better, less wasteful alternative.
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dutch beat the swiss to it with a font that is holier than thou
i am weightless, but you can see me. put me in a bucket, and i’ll make it lighter. what am i?
okay, i probably made that riddle a little too easy - unless you can’t read. and if so, here is a little something to keep you amused:
(q\_/p) /. .\ __ ,__ =\_t_/= .'o O'-. ) / \ / O o_.-`| _ _ ( (( )) /O_.-' O | (q\_/p) \ /\) (/\ | o o o| /. .\.-"""""-. ___, `-\ Y / |o o O.-` =\_t_/= / `\ ( nn^nn | O _.-' )\ ))__ __\ |___) '--` (/-(/` `nn---'
for those of you who can read, the answer to my riddle above is “a hole.”
that’s right, sometimes the negative space, or what is not there, is just as important as what is.
for example, check out the fedex logo:
see anything interesting in the negative or white space?
making things lighter by putting holes in them (and therefore making them more efficient to ship) has been a mantra of the green community for quite some time now. but the folks over at spranq creative communications, a dutch firm, have taken that concept to the next level by cooking up ecofont:
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printing docs typed using ecofont use up to 20% less ink, which we all know is 20% better for the environment.
sorry switzerland - you had your moment in the sun when you cranked out your eponymous cheese and helvetica. gouda’s good too ya’know!
grab ecofont for free here.
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congratz aneka!
thanks to everyone who wrote in about the pink razr!
one entry stood out from the pack so i had to give her props and the phone.
the lucky winner, aneka, who is orignally from germany, has volunteered for idealist.org, the world schools foundation, transportation alternatives, etc. and rides her bike every day, even in the snow!
she would like to work for the UN at some point in the future to help make life easier for those who need help.
she even sent a pic of herself as a marshall in the tour de bronx bike tour. clapping proudly*
keep up the good work everyone! and send in pics and tips if you would like to be featured.
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free green literature on zinio.com
the folks over at zinio have done it again.
now you can read classics like don quixote, the decameron, great expectations and the three musketeers for free and without wasting any paper. digital classics by zinio labs has a lovely, leathery interface that makes you feel like you’re actually perusing your bookshelf for the perfect book to snuggle up with.
there’s an added bonus if you (like most human beings with backs) want to lighten up your luggage on your next trip. all you need is your laptop to access a whole library of your favorite books and magazines without buying one of those pricey e-readers.
look how pretty!
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check it out here.
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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.
look for stuff
feed yourself