Reuse. Rehabilitate. Restore. Architectural salvage and repurposed pieces for the home.
The Daily Green is holding their “Heart of Green Awards” over on their website. Vote for your favorite eco-friendly restaurant, celebrity, city, cookbook…you get the picture. There are tons of categories and nominations. Don’t like Daily Green’s nomination? Write your own in.
One day last year while I was in the Brooklyn Museum bookshop, I picked up a copy of “Veg Out, Vegetarian Guide to New York City“. I forgot I had it until yesterday. Is it a good guide? Well, it’s not bad, although the second edition I bought is slightly outdated.
But the problem isn’t the restaurant listings. Author Justin Schwartz’s comments on certain neighborhoods made my jaw drop. He speaks of Crown Heights and Flatbush as if it’s 1980…and even back then those areas were not as bad as he makes them out to be.
From a paragraph on Street Smarts… “A word of caution: If you’re a vegetarian freshman college student just off the bus from a farm in rural PA or a tourist visiting from Kansas, please don’t hop on a the subway alone at night to get some great Caribbean food in Crown Heights or Flatbush. Seriously, don’t.”
Ok, maybe he’s more insulting to out-of-towners than the residents of Crown Heights or Flatbush. The book is probably geared towards tourists as it’s a guide book. But he doesn’t stop there…
“Street-smart Manhattanites and residents of trendy neighborhoods like Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights may think I’m exaggerating. Let’s put it this way: if Crown Heights is so safe, why is the chef at the Caribbean Delicacy working behind bulletproof Plexiglas?”
Hmm. Plexi is old school. Hello, there were still some plexi places in “trendy” Park Slope up until the early 2000’s! Maybe the Plexi was installed back when the neighborhood was rough and they just never got around to taking it out? Yes, there are plenty of places with Plexi still around, but as shops renovate and as new businesses come in, the Plexi is becoming a thing of the past.
And why would only street smart residents of trendy neighborhoods think it’s an exaggeration? How about us folks living in these untrendy neighborhoods? Exaggerating? Yes. Insulting? Uh, ya-ah!
I figured I’d cut the guy some slack. The guide was written in 2006. Maybe it was ever so slightly grittier back then. So, I visited his website. From a 2009 blog post: “Crown Heights isn’t for everybody. Frankly, if I was a young woman alone after dark, I wouldn’t even think about going there. in fact, I wouldn’t even think about going there alone after dark myself, being a 6-foot tall guy. You definitely have to know your way around — you don’t want to look lost in Crown Heights.”
Wow. Am I overreacting? I mean, can’t the guy warn people it ain’t the Upper East Side without magnifying the situation? He makes it sound like a friggin’ war zone. A word of caution is fine, but dude…people live in these neighborhoods and walk around after dark all-the-time.
FYI, Mr. Schwartz, even white people.
Who knew there were green Twitter lists? Apparently, everyone but me. It’s old news. But now that I’m onto it, I’m all about that! Green Upgrader has the green twitter directory. It may not have been updated in awhile, but most of the folks on it are actively tweeting.
The Huffington Post green Twitter article from 2008 is not as impressive. Interesting to see who has survived the twittesphere though.
Of course you can always follow some twit’s green list if you’re so inclined, or better still, make your own damn list! Lemme know if you do. I’m too lazy to do it myself. I’ll follow.
New Jersey is known for many things…Snookie, high hair, garbage aroma, The Sopranos. Well, Bergen County (BTW, Blue Laws still exist-everything closes on Sunday!) came up with a brilliant idea this year.
The county, having reached their snow removal budget, opted for a less expensive alternative to salting the roads. Pickle juice! It seems the salt in the brine will do the trick. Sounds like an awesome idea considering it’s inexpensive (if you eat a lot of pickles) and environmentally friendly.
The problem is, your sidewalk may smell of vinegar. Not a problem if you live in NJ, because it’s probably not noticeable over all the other smells. Bada-bum!
One commenter on the CNN post I lifted this from suggested sea salt as that is free and plentiful. If you live near a beach, there ya go.
A small house made an entirely from recycled materials. That’s what Reclaimed Space does. And they come pre-assembled too!
The Texas based company is the brainchild of rancher/construction guy Tracen Gardner. Kimber Reed is the design gal behind it all. Together, they build some super fab sustainable living quarters ranging from 336sf to 1240sf. Prices start at $38,460 for the smallest structure. That includes almost everything, but it looks like delivery is separate.
I totally would have done this back when I was thinking about my new garage that I never did. Too bad I can’t stick one of these babies in my Brooklyn backyard. Hmm…nah.
Love this! Artist Chrissy Conant created this human rug masterpiece in 2005 out of silicon rubber. The hair is real!
Effin awesome bear! $1800 from C.S. Post
These faux furs minus the heads are only $179 from Faux Fur Comforter.
Last Sunday we got to visit the Ben and Jerry’s factory in Waterbury, VT since we totally got rained out from doing any outdoor activities.
The first place I hit was the restroom. There I noticed a poem on the wall of the stall that had something to do with the “blue loo”. If I understood correctly, the waste water in the toilet was being composted and recycled. Sorry, I should have taken a snappy with my iphone, but I was in there to do my business if ya know what I mean. There’s something on their website about waste, but it’s not the kind that I’m talking about.
Next, whilst sampling the latest flavor (something with vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate cows) I spotted the “cleaner greener freezer” over in the corner. The new hydrocarbon technology supposedly has zero impact on ozone depletion.
Yes, it’s true that Ben and Jerry’s was acquired by Unilever, so they’re not the same 2 guys from Long Island we’ve grown to love. But they ain’t Walmart either. Check out some of their other environmental causes.
Computer Monitor by AlpineButterfly. $200
Suitcase by LoveNostalgicWhimsy. $65
Soda Crate by Sleepurrz. $55
Heard about this on NPR. This guy builds hobbit cabins out of reclaimed material. His first one was called the Hickshaw. Because he’s a hick.
See also: Plywood Chateau
I try my best to be an eco-friendly gal, but one thing I cannot put up with is the heat. Sorry, but I have my air conditioner running all the time in the summer. Please do as I say and not as I do so you can make up for my own hypocrisy.
1. Turn off electrical heat sources. Well, you obviously shouldn’t be cooking a lasagna on the hottest day of the year. Don’t forget that the oven isn’t the only thing giving off heat. Dishwasher? Clothes dryer? And turn off those lights!
2. Screw you, Sun. Ok, your lights are off and now I’m asking you to draw your shades or curtains. Hel-lo? Sun=The original heat source. So, you’re sitting in the dark. At least it’s cooler. You know what? Get naked while you’re at it. Nobody will see you.
3. Ice, meet fan. Stick a bucket of ice or cold water in front of a fan. That should cool down that nasty hot air blowing on you.
4. Have a wet T-shirt contest. It may seem daffy, but when I’ve been caught without a/c, I just step into a cold shower with all of my clothes. They’ll stay wet long enough to cool down some. The shoes can come off.
5. Eat spicy foods. Yeah, for real.
6. My husband says hot tea helps but I don’t believe him.
7. Make your own air conditioner.
Ah, the good news just keeps on coming out of the gulf. I caught wind of this video from Credo. It’s just an interview, nothing bad happens. There are several horrible videos on You Tube now….dolphins, birds, fish and sea turtles dying and washing ashore. I couldn’t watch. Don’t expect you to watch either. Just be aware that it’s happening and do something about it!
There’s a petition for ya to sign @ Credo.
1. Volunteer for surveillance and clean up with National Wildlife Foundation.
2. Get a haircut! They take pet hair too.
3. Adopt a bird.
4. Text 20222 to donate $20 to NWF.
5. Donate to Sierra while giving Rush Limbaugh a what for.
BP is getting much of the blame and rightfully so! Let’s not forget that we’re all guilty of oil consumption. Just like poachers and fur trappers wouldn’t be killing innocent animals if there wasn’t a market for it, oil drilling wouldn’t be necessary if nobody was buying.
The obvious thing to do is cut down on driving. Walk, bike, take the train. But FYI, there are sooo many things made from oil….it’s pretty scary.
Are you ready for this? It’s gonna blow your mind….
1. Plastics. This means your water bottles, TV, phone, the computer you’re looking at right now, condoms….CONDOMS!
2. Pills. That’s right, honey. That Advil you take for cramps? Oil.
3. Faux Fur and Leather. I’m guilty. Don’t want to kill the animals, but I’m helping to kill the environment.
4. Ink
5. Dog Toys
6. Paint
7. Floor Wax
8. Soap, some of which has animal fat too. Dr. Bronners is safe, y’all!
9. Cosmetics. Yuck! Keep painting your faces, you harlots.
10. Breast Implants
So, what to do? It’s impossible to live without oil by-products. There are alternatives and solutions, so consumption can be cut down significantly. Shut lights and a/c when not in use, refill your water bottle, wear natural fabrics or vintage clothing, shop for eco-friendly cleaning products, um…use the pull out method.
Every little bit helps. And can you imagine if each of us did one little incy wincy thing to cut down? It would make a difference!
Who knew vodka can be used for lots of stuff other than getting sloshed? Well, I didn’t. Vodka is the new vinegar! You heard it here first.
Actually, I heard it from Retro Renovation. Someone wanted to get the smell of cat urine out of a vintage sofa and everyone was recommending vodka.
So, I did a search and sure enough, vodka does it all!
1. Mix with water and spray on stinky clothes, rugs or upholstery.
2. Dab it on poison ivy undiluted.
3. Insect repellent
4. Mix with shampoo for oh-so-shiny hair.
5. Spray on mold as you would bleach.
6. Polish chrome, porcelain, jewelry and cutlery.
Ok, that was just 6, but I bet there are 95 vodka drinks I could come up with if I had the time.
See also: Daily Green’s 12 Uses for Vodka
Wow, James Cameron really IS King of the World. I suppose by now you’ve heard that he was tapped by the feds to help clean up that oily mess in the Gulf.
As stupid as it sounds, it’s probably better than what BP is doing at the moment. I mean, yeah, we laugh at the concept of some Hollywood dude plugging the hole, but some Hollywood dude was POTUS for 16 years and some bulked up Hollywood dude with a funny accent is the governor of a rather large state.
So, don’t laugh just yet. One of the very first things I learned in photography school was that “photographers are problem solvers”. They have to take any situation and figure out how to deal with it, whether it’s lighting, crying babies or stop motion. I would imagine a film director has to solve problems a million times more difficult than a still photographer. Plus, this guy knows his under water stuff. So, I’m rooting for him.
But if that doesn’t work out, there’s always the Facebook petition to let the MythBusters fix the oil disaster. Now, THAT would be awe-some!
Either way, here’s the FB link to boycott BP, which of course you could do without joining the group.
And this kinda pissed me off. Times UK reports that BP faces criminal charges and the commenters are freaking out about it. Huh? You know, because America is the big evil.
The Eco Friendly Expo opens today for previews and runs through Thursday, May 27th in Midtown. Cost is $10 to get in or free for the trade.
There will be green lectures on art, products and lifestyle all day Wednesday and Thursday. Plus, of course as any good expo has, plenty of exhibitors.
Among the exhibitors are 2nd Soul, Eco Supply Center and Cardboard Design. There also some WTF booths, including CNN, The Bloomberg Administration and Corcoran.