Eco Art

Back in my art school days we didn't discuss art as a sustainable practice.  I can’t remember much in the way of artists who used recycled materials as their medium although I’m sure they existed. However, today the eco art movement is thriving. One person's trash is an eco-artist's treasure.  These days artists create with anything from old coat hangers to bottlecaps.

If you want to try your hand at closing the loop the artist's way,  check your local reuse center for classes and workshops. Here's some inspiration.

Merry Blues Art 
reduce. reuse.recycle.restore.rethink. 

All items from this Etsy shop are eco-friendly and handmade by Ana from recycled and reused materials. All paper goods are printed on 100% banana paper made from agricultural waste-tree free! 

I regularly concoct my own household solutions, so I love this "recipe book" of over 20 DIY recipes of non-toxic household cleaners. It's very handy for someone like myself who is organizationally challenged at times.  And what a great gift idea. 



Anna Garforth

These wall planters are just cool.  Not only would they be a wonderful conversation piece  (made from recycled milk cartons) they look amazing. You can find more of these and other eco-wonders  at Anna's website.  She has been featured in numerous design and lifestyle magazines for her wonderful environmental art. I love the subtle activism in her work, as well as the fact that much of her art is living and growing. Check out her innovative moss art.

Magnetic

I love magnets, I do.  I'm not a collector and don't own multiples of much but I do have a magnet collection.  These are just fun and unique.

Bottlecapmagnets.com

Photos in the bottle caps are designed by Cory Lundquist

My Plastic Free Challenge

In my previous post about plastic bags I mentioned that I was signing up for Beth Terry’s plastic challenge.  Beth has a wonderfully informative blog about living without plastic called myplasticfreelife.

The rules for the first week are to tally up normal plastic use.  That means purchasing, eating, and business as usual per your normal life.  Being an eco-conscious person I thought I’d do pretty good. Well at four days in I was already stressing at the amount of plastic I had used.  Seven days in and I definitely suffered some guilt.  Here is my complete list.


Week One


1.) Wine bottle cap (twist off type)
2.) Cheese wrapper
3.) Bag that kiwi’s came in (Trader Joe’s)
4.) Packaging for organic bell peppers (Trader Joe’s)
5.) Fresh flowers packaging (2) plus material of unknown origin that might be plastic
6.) pouch for flower food
7.) plastic film covering raw chicken, plus styro-foam container
8.) bike light plus packaging
9.) grocery bag (I forgot to bring mine!)
10.) take-out container from salad bar
11.) lid from take-out soup container
12.) telephone headset plus packaging
13.) packaging for ‘savory thins’ rice crackers
14.) plastic soup spoon
15) Bubble wrap mailer received from an online purchase
16.) Three small containers for minerals make-up (eco friendly make-up in unfriendly packaging!)
17-19) More bubble wrap from an online purchase of organic coconut oil & vitamins from iherb.com


Yikes that’s a lot of plastic! Much of which is ending up in the ocean in a cesspool of consumer waste. I am appreciative of Beth for bringing more awareness to the world about plastic. But I've got to admit, it's not easy!!!




Week two


Week two went a lot better.  Here is my plastic talley:


1.) Two coffee cup lids
2.) Tube of anti-itch cream
3.) one take-out container
4.) One water bottle (found in the fridge at work, so I don't know if it counts)


It became clear to me that in order to reduce my use of plastic I will no longer be able to shop at Trader Joe’s.  Last weekend I attempted to shop 100% plastic free there and I was able to get just a few items.  Lemons, apples, gluten free mac & cheese and organic wine.  There are a few more items I could have gotten, like butter and eggs but that is a dismal percentage of the majority of their inventory.  The love affair is over (unless I need cheap wine, however my wine bottle had a plastic cork…sigh).  Well if anything It’s got me thinking(and talking) about how to reduce my use of plastic. 


Things I can do to reduce my plastic consumption:

• Buy larger quantities
• Leave house earlier on Sunday morning to get to the farmer’s market.
• Refill my own containers at the health food store
• Buy flower's at farmer's market (local and sustainable)
• Purchase re-usable lunch container such as Lunch Bots

Be sure to visit Beth Terry’s blog at myplasticfreelife for tons more information (and inspiration) on how to live plastic free. 


Another great slice of life article on living without plastic is on the Earth911 website.  
1 Month, No Plastic: How Real People Did It.

Creative Reuse: Recycling Beyond the Curbside

What is Creative Reuse?
The process of taking used or recycled materials and turning them into creative pieces of art, home decoration, or other useful items.

I am very fortunate to live in an area which is alive with creative ideas to help keep the planet more sustainable.  One brilliant eco-solution is the creative reuse centers that have been popping up in the Bay Area and beyond. I discovered the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse the week I moved to Oakland.  It is conveniently located just a few blocks from my apartment and has been one of my very favorite discoveries ever.

I had just moved in to a studio (after years of living with housemates) and I had next to nothing. Initially I had thought the Depot only carried interesting, sometimes bizarre, artsy things for crafty people.  But each time I went there they'd have new stuff.  Things I could actually use.   It seems that they receive donations from everywhere (and regularly) so their inventory is always changing. Imagine my delight when a local restaurant donated piles of kitchen wares. The items I needed for my new apartment miraculously appeared.  A large cooking pot, cookie sheets, measuring cups, baskets, fabric, flower pot, cocktail strainer.  

Aside from being filled with useful recycled art materials like buttons, toilet paper rolls, or bins of naked barbies, it's just plain fun!  I enjoy strolling through the store digging through the bins of pretty fabrics and lace,  old magazines, baubles of all kinds, and really too many things to mention here. The other amazing thing is that they manage to keep it very organized - cheery even! This wonderland of curiosities has me coming back often.

They also give discounts to teachers and have an in-store teachers resource zone, a project which began as an effort to assist teachers that have been hit by reduced state funding.  

So if you haven't been to a reuse center, I highly recommend it.  I have wandered in and literally spent 50 cents and felt satisfied.  Maybe you can even start one in your area.   

Other Re-use Centers in the Bay Area and Beyond

"On an average day, Urban Ore prevents nearly 
20 tons of waste from entering local landfills"

S.C.R.A.P. 

San Francisco, California


The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse
Oakland, California

Urban Ore Eco Park

Berkeley, California

Creative Reuse Warehouse

Chicago, Illinois

The Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse

Long Beach, California

Fresh Heirlooms Construction Junction 

(has online shop!)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

SCRAP 
Portland, Oregon

The Scrap Exchange
Durham, North Carolina