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Okay...I know exactly what you're thinking...late April Fools Day joke right? And while this sounds really weird and odd, I can assure you it's not a joke.
Photo: Oil coated dead seal on Ocean Beach, Saturday November 10, 2007 after the San Francisco, California Cosco-Busan Oil Spill November 7, 2007
Matter of Trust is a non-profit charity heading up the efforts on recycling hair, fur and used nylons into adsorbent (adsorbent means 'sticks to' while absorbent means 'soaks up') hair mats and 'booms' to help ease the destructive power of oil spills. And you guessed it...their focus right now is the massive BP oil off the Gulf of Mexico.
By having the donated fibers woven into a mat or stuffed into a mesh casing / old nylons, clean up crews simply have to 'pick up' the oil off the water's surface or beach to be dealt with. And how good does it work? Check out the YouTube video below to see just how fast it adheres to loose fur.
Loose hair and fur demo
So what happens to the oily booms and mats after being used? Landfill right?
NO! They get composted with other green waste by fungus and worms! The bacteria in the compost and worm tummies break down the oil and the worms create a fantastic fertilizer. This way, the oil spills can truly be dealt with, without causing another polluting problem.
How you can help:
Donate Fibers: First, go to their instruction page to get set up. ALL salons, groomers, alpaca and llama fleece farmers, hairy individuals, and pet owners can sign up to donate hair, fur, fleece, feathers, nylons and funding. They'll send you an email where to send your donation.
FYI-Right now they need nylons more than anything, as they have a nice supply of fiber, but hardly anything to put them in!
Help spread the word of this great opportunity to clean up another human made disaster. Talk to your salon / barber shop / pet groomer, and let them know about how they can contribute. And yes, while we humans may have made this mess, there is an earth-friendly way to clean it up...and ya gotta love that.
"Tears" by Andraliba on Deviantart.com
To redeem:
1. Go to the Preserve online store.
2. Shop for your favorite Preserve products
3. Apply the coupon code to your cart: EarthMonthFS
4. Check out and enjoy the Earthly benefits!
Expires April 30, 2010
Cannot be combined with other offers.
Excludes international shipments.
Here's an exciting line of battery-free, eco-friendly, paint-free, kid-powered toys sure to dazzle the most discriminating preschooler.
Kid-Powered
Sprig toys harness the natural kinetic energy of push-and-pump action play to generate electronic features. Kids are rewarded for their efforts with engaging lights and sounds - fueling their imaginations and encouraging them to play longer.
Eco-Friendly
Sprig toys are molded using 'Sprigwood' - a durable, child safe, bio-composite material made from recycled wood and reclaimed plastic. No decorative paint is used in the production process, packaging is minimal and responsible manufacturing partners are selected to reduce Sprig's carbon footprint on the planet.
Battery-free
Did you know that each year consumers dispose of enough batteries to reach the moon?! Kid-powered sprig toys keep batteries out of the landfill, and eliminate the cost and inconvenience of battery replacement.
Expandable
Sprig vehicle and characters are designed to be interchangeable, creating endless combinations of adventures. Different characters offer unique voice and personalities, introducing children to diverse friends and animals from around the world. Future products will be compatible with existing lines, expanding play potential and the lines, expanding play potential and the life of each toy.
The electronic playsets tend to range in price from $29 (like the Rally racer shown above) and up to $60 for the deluxe set. Additional electronic people are $12. (Prices pulled off of their website)
The non-electronic are lower in price - ranging from $9 to $30 for the deluxe play set (like the dino adventure set above)
The best part is that they can be found everywhere! Amazon.com, ToysRus, Barnes n Noble.com...not to mention on their website. And conveniently they also have a store locator on the site
www.sprigtoys.com
I think I know what my 3 year old is getting for Christmas...
Save Our Planet One Stitch At A Time!
Here's a product for all you crafty kids out there...
Talk about putting waste to a better use! 'NatureSpun' is a high quality polyester fiber made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.
Just think! Now you can tie that quilt for your favorite charity and help lessen the burden on landfills at the same time! Make your favorite afghan, sweater or scarf and have a positive impact on our environment by using Simply Soft Eco Yarn.
So how much of an impact will you contribute? Check these cool numbers out:
A scarf = 1 bottle kept out of the landfill
A sweater = 4 bottles put to a better use.
An afghan = 10 bottles not sitting around as waste.
Lots of colors to chose from...I counted over 25! (Sorry the photo doesn't show the color differences very well...but they are different!)
When I found this, I immediately noticed the truth in advertising...it was SO soft! I squished all the yarns on the aisle and the only other softer one was the type used in baby clothes. AND...it was the same price as the Heart brand yarn-$2.57 at my Walmart. I know I've said it before...but I really love it when choosing enviro-friendly products won't dent your pocket book. Makes living the green life so much easier!
Perhaps now I'll have a reason to learn knitting or crochet!
EDIT - 1/11/10
My Walmart store stopped carrying this line of yarn, BUT you can still find it on their website's online store:
Got an old pair of athletic shoes that just don't make the grade anymore? Lets turn them into playground padding! No, seriously!
Since 1990, the Nike athletic company has been grinding down old shoes and making them into courts, tracks, shoes, clothing accessories, athletic mats, synthetic turf and playground surfaces. As of this posting, 24,220,775 shoes have been collected and given another chance to play...and kept out of landfills.
You're thinking, "Sign me up!", right? Well, it couldn't be easier. Just bring your worn-out athletic shoes to any Reuse-A-Shoe collection center or shoe drive event. They can accept any brand of shoes, but remember - their equipment isn't yet able to process cleats, dress shoes or shoes with metal pieces. Make sure your shoes are dry and free of any mud or dirt. You can find your nearest drop-off location with the map on their website...
Nike's Shoe Recycling and Sustainability Program | Reuse-A-Shoe
P.S. I've sent the company a question if the metal pieces could be cut off before collection...therefore deeming more shoes as recycliable. I'll update with the answer when I get it!
~*~ UPDATE 10/8/09~*~
I got a reply from Nike:
"We do not recommend augmenting the shoes to our specifications, as we cannot assume responsibility for injury.
To let you know, our recycling equipment is set up specifically for the material and dimensions of athletic shoes. Footwear such as thongs, sandals, pumps, dress shoes, and boots contain different material and generally have a different shape. In addition, anything containing metal such as cleats or spikes is not accepted, as metal is not allowed in the sports surfaces containing Nike Grind material for safety reasons. It’s also hard on the grinding machines.
We are working diligently to improve our technology to accept all shoes types in the future. Until then, we suggest that you sort through the collected shoes and discard any unacceptable shoes mentioned above. It only takes a moment, and it makes all the difference in the success of the program."
So basically if you can safly remove any metal from your athetic shoes, then they can be recycled. No other types of shoes yet...But I'll keep you all posted if/when that changes!
I LOVE this company. In fact, I order from them when ever I can find a reason to. So before you start asking the who-what-why questions, let me elucidate with a description right off their website...
Preserve makes everyday products that offer more. We believe performance and style are every bit as important as their impact on the earth. Our toothbrush, tableware and all other Preserve products feel good to use and perform as well as or even better than the old standbys. And all of our products are designed to stay out of landfills when you are finished with them.
Are you in love yet? Well here's more reasons...
Preserve products are made from 100% recycled plastics and 100% post-consumer paper. By using recycled materials, we save energy, preserve natural resources and create an incentive for communities to recycle.
All of their plastic products are recyclable, either through our postage-paid labels and mailers (toothbrushes and razor handles) or at the curb side pick-up in communities that recycle #5 plastic.
They make their products in the USA, so that we can ship them shorter distances, using less fuel and limiting our environmental footprint.
They don’t test on animals. Period.
If your not swooning by now, this will get your heart thumpin'. This marvelous company has their own recycling programs. Preserve products are powered by their cosumers and their recycling efforts. Through Preserve's Gimme 5 program, you can recycle your #5 plastics—a kind of plastic that many towns and cities won't recycle. They make it so easy to recycle with pre-paid mailers (be sure to ask for a couple with your order!), drop off bins in specific Whole Foods stores and even a mail in program! AND they accept Brita water filters for recycling too! So what do they do with the toothbrushes, tongue cleaners and razor handles that get returned to them? Preserve works with a company to grind down the returned products – bristles and all – into plastic lumber to be used for park benches, decks and other useful products.
Now I'm sure everyone is itching to go look around Preserve's product list so here ya go...
www.preserveproducts.com
You can order straight off their website or they have a store locator for your convenience. Ooh, and sign up for their newsletter while your there. I love seeing it come into my inbox stuffed with enviro-tips!
Now I'm off to go order some more kids toothbrushes...and some razors...and perhaps a new colander...
Wahoo! Another mainstream company doing their part for a greener world!
What are the environmental benefits of buying Reynolds Wrap 100% Recycled Aluminum Foil you ask?
There is an 80 percent reduction in the amount of energy used during the process of turning recycled material into foil, compared to making the foil from new, also referred to as virgin, materials. Manufacturing and buying recycled-content products create a circle, or loop, that ensures the overall success and value of recycling. The process also produces fewer emissions, including greenhouse gases, and reduces the amount of landfill waste. It is also estimated that Aluminum can be recycled indefinately...so be sure to toss it (clean)in your recycling bin when finished.
As usual, I found it at Walmart for $3.32 for 50 sq ft. I noticed that it was the same price as the Reynold's Heavy Duty 50 sq ft. It's very nice when you don't have to pay more to be green!
Wanna give it a try for cheaper? Go the the website below for an online $.50 coupon.
http://www.reynoldsrecycled.com
After you filled out for your coupon, be sure to check out the tips for a greener kitchen and FAQ section...interest stuff!
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