Why do I use recycled items for my products?

From a young age I have always looked for useful purposes for items that were to be discarded. We live in a society that discards so many things that could be re-used if repaired or repurposed, and I've always looked for ways I could help change this.  I think there were a few animals I brought home that could fit in one of those categories. I have brought home all kinds of things that I knew didn't need to be thrown away. 

When recycling first became popular, I was already a good "recycler," at least I thought I was. It wasn't until I was designing a kitchen for a couple that was struggling with space, that I really started looking at recycling in a practical way. They had recycling bins all over their home. At the time recycling had to be sorted by the consumer, and seeing that many bins around their home gave me a new perspective. This prompted me to further my eco-education. I hadn't realized to what extend our waste could damage our environment. One example was that I never knew a single discarded battery could contaminate a large portion of a landfill.

As I started work on the kitchen, I saw that they had bins for not only batteries, but for plastic bags, glass, light bulbs, paper and even items that could be donated to charities. The design for the space now integrated recycling stations and provided an easy way to continue their eco-friendly ways.

This experience convinced me to expand my efforts and do everything I could to share what I learn with as many people as possible. As I started to learn more about recycling I also learned about re-purposing used items. I have always been creative and loved doing household projects... it seemed natural that I started seeing trash and waste in a new way.

I started to learn how to transform wine and liquor bottles into cheese boards, bowls, sun catchers, clocks and more. I already owned a kiln and learned how to slump bottles into many useful items. Those same bottles can be cut and used for vases or drinking glasses. Wine corks can also be used to make a variety of UpCycled items. I now have wine cork bulletin boards, Hot pads and even a 13' counter top. A raft is next on my list.

While producing these items, I discovered that some bottles don't slump well so I started getting creative again. I now transform these bottles into soap and lotion dispensers. College kids love them and what else are you going to do with an old "Patron" bottle.

One day I got a text message that mason jars were being thrown away, not recycled, but thrown away. Now glass will break down and isn't as bad for the environment as plastic, but I still hated the idea of trashing those jars.  So, I made a detour and picked up 10 dozen. There were also a few other items being thrown out that I knew I could UpCycle.  My first thought was that I could do some canning, my grandma would have liked that, but then I had a 3:00am light bulb idea. I could re-purpose them into solar lights. I was pretty excited about the idea, and the first model was a freestanding version that could sit on a porch, patio or table.I engineered a way to attach a light to the lid of the jar and then the fun began.  I needed to determine what to put in the jar, oh the possibilities! Sand and shells, sea glass, broken bottles that have been donated to me, marbles. All things you find on the beach, a recycle bin, or laying around your house. 

News of my collecting spread and I started to get help in the form of donations. Bottles, jars, corks and even boxes and packing material. Why not, it is better to reuse them than to throw it all away. I am very happy and appreciate the donations I receive. As I acquire more and more items, my creative side runs a muck.

My eco-friendly products continue to sell on Amazon as well as a friends store in Cape Charles, MD. and I feel blessed that I can combine my love for helping to save the planet with a truly eco-friendly business.

Bonnie,

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Cyber Monday orders

Tyson and I thank you for all the Cyber Monday orders. 

Tyson is guarding the packages till the mailman comes to pick them up.

Cyber Monday was our largest selling day ever.  We can't thank you enough for your purchases, your trust in us, and for sharing our respect for the environment. 

    May your holidays be safe and happy!

            Bonnie

Recycling stuff is easy?

Recycling is fairly easy for us these days. Just pop that used bottle, can or newspaper in the bin and put it out at the curb on pick-up day. While this is a commendable action, some people go further. They compost old food, reuse household items again and again, and even help spread the word about how recycling, reusing and re-purposing helps the planet.

This is where the easy part ends. There is an entire industry devoted to transforming our used paper, plastic, metal and glass into usable materials to make brand new products. Not only does this process save  a great deal of energy in the manufacturing processes, but it most importantly keeps these used items out of landfills.

The following link will take you to a "Wired" article about Virginia-based apparel company "Renew Merchandise" and will show you how the process can work.

Renew Merchandise

Bonnie

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Plastics are Harder to Recycle than Glass!

Plastics are harder to recycle than glass because there are so many varying polymers in use.  Many of these polymers can not be mixed which limits the products that can be made from these recycled materials.  For glass lovers like us, this is not an issue.  Glass, unless it Pyrex, can be recycled thousands of times. 

To aid in making plastics more recyclable, a Florida company has come up with a way to create a common plastic resin from a variety of normally "non-ideal" plastics that are typically not recycled.  This could eventually provide a process that would allow these polymers to be recycled regardless of their origins.  Until such a method is available and in use everywhere, I'll stick with glass.

Read More about this process in this article on smartplanet

Bonnie

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Earth Day 2013

Where were you on April 22, 1970?

This was the first official Earth Day recognized in the United States. This April 22nd we will observe the 44th Earth Day - a special day intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for our natural environment. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin has been given credit as the founder of the day that led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Earth Day is now celebrated around the world. Today we are encouraged to work towards protecting our environment everyday throughout the year. Many of us have accepted the challenge to live our lives in an environmentally responsible manner, and act upon these beliefs in our daily lives. We can join like minded people and maybe even convince a few others by organizing or attending an Earth Day event.

If you are planning an event, here are some points to keep in mind:

• Define your goals and establish a vision.
• Set achievable goals. Every little bit helps, so clean up a local park, or roadside. Every success counts.
• Market your event on Earth Day Networks. Notify the local media and reach out to your local government officials.
• Gather a team. You'll get more accomplished and even have some fun.
• Put together a schedule in advance and make sure that you are well organized. Be prepared for surprises.
• Follow up with participants, obtain feedback, and post your results on the Billion Acts of Green section of the Earth Day Network website.

When all is said and done, the important thing is becoming smarter about the choices we make everyday. Recycle, upcyle, precycle, buy from green conscious corporations, those companies that have nothing to hide. Jacqueline Latour of Nokia said "transparency of environmental and sustainable actions are a good way to measure an organization's dedication and commitment."

Americans are joining the Green Movement in record numbers, why not be part of the solution.


Take a look at this video promoting the Billion Acts of Green campaign. The one thing you do today, added to a billion others can really make a difference.




Thanks,

Bonnie

What Are You Doing With Your Old Cell Phone?

It is hard to think about the future of recycling with out thinking about our personal electronics. Every person I know has a cell phone. We not only use them as phones, we use them to keep control of our lives. We stay on top of our email from our smart phones and so much more. With even an old smartphone you can keep your calendar, google more topics than we can even imagine, surf the web, send and receive text or instant messages, obtain directions, and even send pictures. With the newest technology, you can do even more. But what do we do when we are finished with our mobile technology.

Many of us have a box of old phones hanging around the house because we know we shouldn't just throw them away. Unfortunately, too much of our personal technology reaches the landfill. The good news is that there are companies out there trying to make Green Mobile Technology.

What is Green Mobile Technology? To quote Jenny Beswick "Green Mobile Technology is the manufacturing of mobile phones using Eco-friendly resources and materials." Basically it is developing processes to remove as many of the harmful substances that adversely affect our environment as possible.

Read Jenny Beswick's article in Manufacturing Digital to get a better understanding of what is being done by some major manufactures to make our mobile technology more green.

Bonnie

Feel free to check out my virtual store front on Amazon.

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