COMPOST THIS!

Save $$ don't by Scrubbies! UPCYCLE

2017-02-04T13:27:00.003-08:00

Up-cycle idea for Scrubbies!

Use vegetable bags to create scrubbies

!

2017-01-25T13:33:00.002-08:00

Make Sure to Get your Hands on the Following Books before they are BANNED.

Natural Liberty
1984

I will list more soon. RESIST.

Seattle Stands with Standing Rock! NO DAPL Wednesday 2/1/ 9:30AM City Hall

2017-01-24T22:53:00.000-08:00

Compost THIS! Supports Standing ROCK and is ANTI-Cheato Head in Washington DC.

Seattle put your money where your mouth is!

GET OUR MONEY out of the big banks and put it into LOCAL Credit Unions! WE NEED TO KEEP OUR MONEY IN WASHINGTON STATE! and OUT of the DAPL pipeline.

SEATTLE STANDS WITH STANDING ROCK
tonight's rally at Westlake/Wells Fargo

WATER IS LIFE!

WATER IS LIFE. Mni Wiconi!

Can I compost this?

2015-05-21T23:56:00.001-07:00

Wilted lettuce...yes
Carrot and potato peelings.....yes
Shredded paper ...... yes
Orange peels.....yes

What about meat.....eggs.....cheese ?
It depends......does your city collect your compost? It not it is best not to compost meat products.

You need really HOT compost to kill the bacteria and decompose these items.

For more details on composting...in the city of Seattle,Washington.......check out this site.....

The Orikaso Memorial Project---Plastic Becomes Precious

2015-05-13T20:54:00.003-07:00

Check out this great idea!

The Orikaso Memorial Project

Orikaso Memorial Project

is an ongoing collaborative art project to collect over one million orikaso as a memorial for the 1,000,000 sea birds and 100,000 marine animals estimated to die each year from plastic ingestion.

Learn how to create cranes out of non-recyclable plastic! Participate in a collaborative art project! Check it out!

If you would like to donate to this project check out the GoFundMe Fundraiser.

We can make a difference!

STOP the FLOW of JUNK MAIL!

2015-02-05T21:20:00.002-08:00

Do you HATE junk mail? Me too. Today a Redplum coupon mailer managed to find its way into my mailbox. Has it really been five years? It appears that every few years you need to tell the folks over at Redplum that you are really NOT interested in getting their mailers. GO to THIS website.

to remove your address from the list!

and check out these sources for more ideas!

How to Stop Getting Junk Mail FOREVER. by CBS.com

Stopping Unsolicited Mail by the Federal Trade Commission

and don't forget wikihow! "Get Rid of Junk Mail!"

In Search of Solar.-Spray Paint/Plug it into the Window/Get off the Grid!

2015-01-31T15:51:00.006-08:00

Seattle is the rainy city. With only 80 or so days of sun each year you would think that of all the places on earth this would be one of the last to have a way with solar power. You couldn’t be more wrong. Seattle has plenty of sun to create solar energy, and the city is working how to get citizens to go solar! Check out the City of Seattle Community Solar Project. Are you a home owner or do you own business property? You can get in on the project and provide solar power for yourself and the city!

Want some other ideas for going solar?

Plug a solar panel into your wall! Check out the article by Plugged Solar “Is itPossible to Plug Solar Panels into the Wall?” According to the article, “When the entire solar kit system is plugged into the wall, it is connected and interacts seamlessly with the existing power grid. The PluggedSolar system will feed energy into your home electrical wiring. . . . When nobody is home and no appliances are running, the energy being produced by your solar panels but is not being used will be fed back into the power grid, spinning your meter BACKWARDS!”

How about Solar Energy Spray Paint? Believe it or not engineers at Nanoflex are working out the details on this product which would make it possible to create photovoltaic paint which would allow just about any surface to produce solar energy.

Window socket by Yanko Design

Window outlets

Window socket, Yanko Design.

Cling Bling Window Solar Charger

Sunflower 2500 mAh Phone Charger

Balcony Solar Panels: Check out this video about how to install a solar panel on an apartment balcony. You will want to get permission from your apartment manager first.

Say NO to Plastic. Say YES to Returnable Glass! FLYING COW Creamery! Fresh Breeze. Seattle

2015-01-30T20:38:00.002-08:00

Plastic=LEAD Plastic=LEAD Plastic=LEAD

Say YES to returnable GLASS!

I am on the search for products produced in returnable glass containers! Since I live in Seattle I will start here. If you have glass products available where you are please leave a comment and I will post it. Later I will be posting other cities and their options.

Seattle, Washington

YOGURT!! The folks at Flying Cow Creamery focus their attention on making awesome yogurt and they only produce their product WHOLE MILK OLD FASHIONED YOGURT in glass, returnable containers! Their yogurt is currently available at the Central Co-op!

Conventional Milk: TwinBrook Creamery, Lynden, WA: 2%, 1%, Skim, Whole, Cream, Chocolate, Half-n-half, and EGG NOG (seasonal) . Available at most Seattle-area QFC grocery stores.

ORGANIC Milk: Fresh Breeze Organic Dairy, Lynden, WA: 2%, 1%, Skim, Whole, Cream, Chocolate, Half-n-half, Available for sale at the following stores: Central Co-op; Ballard Market; Eat Local. See the Fresh Breeze website for more info on other locations!

Thinking Spring! Seeds from Renee's Garden ideas

2015-01-29T17:55:00.002-08:00

Just got my catalog from Renee Seeds and am having fun looking at all the new choices! GARDENS GARDENS EVERYWHERE! is my motto. I'm thinking of having yellow wax POLE beans and the little fire birds would make a great border and bring in the pollinators! So exciting to think about SPRING SPRING SPRING!
Here are some links!

French Gold Filet (Organic)!
Little Firebirds Nasturtiums ---These are great for containers and since my apartment garden is ALL ON CEMENT I am so looking forward to having them in my garden this year!

URBANITE BIRDHOUSE! Keep an eye out for photos!

2014-10-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

What to do!

I Found 6 obsolete VCR tapes in my apartment today. I had squirreled them away thinking SOMEDAY I would do something with them! Well, that day has come. When I searched VCR tape I found several suggestions: You can make a shelf, a box, and other great ideas. Check out this link from google when I did a search for "upcycle VCR tapes".

My favorite was the BIRDHOUSE! The hole in the tape casing was the perfect size! The designs I saw online used the whole tape, but I found out (through my awesome little sister) that the actual 'tape' in a VCR tape was highly toxic. Check out this forum for details on the toxic nature of video and other media tape.

A VCR tape is the perfect size for a Chickadee or Wren birdhouse!
For details on how to make a wooden birdhouse check out Coverside BirdHousees

To make a birdhouse out of VCR tapes you will need to handle the magnetic black vinyl tape carefully. I would suggest wearing gloves and if possible go outside. You will need to remove the tape from the plastic reels. If you cannot go outside be careful. Don't stretch or crush the tape....it is the dust that is toxic. You shouldn't place the tape in the trash. It needs to be given to your hazardous waste disposal company. Or you can send it to Greendisk for a fee. Read about it via Stanford's website.

What do you need to make an URBANITE birdhouse?

Glue gun/glue sticks (you can use other glue, just make sure it is non toxic and weatherproof.

small screwdriver (to deconstruct the tape)

2.5 vcr tapes (I made three bird houses out of 6 tapes).

1.5 CD cases *or one CD case with the extra plastic insert

extra flat piece of plastic from something (maybe you have a file folder)

Paint (non-toxic outside/ best to use paint you would use to paint toys)

This is what the inside looks like. You will want to collect all the little pieces of plastic. You will want to remove the metal piece (on the left). It is very easy to remove.

Instructions

1. Take out the 5 screws that hold the tape together

2. Carefully separate the tape case

3. Collect all the little plastic and metal pieces--you may need to fiddle around with the corners to make sure you have everything. You don't want to leave anything that could be swallowed by a bird.

4. Put aside the plastic reels

Each side of the tape can become the four sides and the bottom of the bird house. For the 3rd birdhouse I used the pieces of plastic that holds the tape together and glued them together for one side of one bird house.

I wanted to make sure that the birds had a smooth interior for their house. With that in mind I glued the box together with the interior of the tape facing outward.

The holes in the tape case are the perfect size for a bird (chickadee/wren size) but you only need one!

After you carefully remove the tape from the reels you can glue the reels over the holes.

For the roof you need 1.5 cd cases and some extra plastic to fill in the gap in front.

Open one CD case to make a triangle (you want one with a working hinge so that you can open the bird house to clean it). The other half is glued to this. Then you can glue it to the house. This can take some work because the back may not be flush. I used some of the metal pieces to make it flush and then the glue worked.

I intend to add to this post once I've painted and embellished this birdhouse.

Good Luck! Please let me know if you create birdhouses this way! Would love to see your creations!

Recycle your Electronics! Via an ATM!

2014-09-21T22:00:00.001-07:00

EcoAtm is a service that takes e-waste at your local mall! WOW. Check it out! Make a difference in e-waste. Check out this article for details on where e-waste goes and how much of it there is! "The Story of E-Waste"

Photo by http://www.maximumpc.com

2014-03-04T21:22:00.001-08:00

"Nature in the City" by COMPOST THIS!
Nature brings life to the city! This picture was taken in downtown Seattle near Dearborn and Rainier Avenue in February 2014.

"Nature in City Part 1: Water", Photograph by Tracy
This photo is copyrighted. Please do not share without permission.

Where do you find nature? Gardens are everywhere! This photo was taken near another wonderful restaurant in Seattle. Humble Pie is a pizzeria which is all natural, they cook the pies in an adobe oven and they They even have their own chickens for the eggs that are necessary for the dough! In the summertime they have numerous raised beds for home grown vegetables!

Recycle CDS and their packaging!

2014-02-11T21:38:00.004-08:00

As we move to Itunes and online for our entertainment 1000s of CDs and DVDs are being tossed. Don't throw them into the garbage. Do the right thing and recycle them! Check out the CD Recycling Center of America. Make sure to delete any sensitive information prior to sending!

For more details on recycling visit www.earth911.com

Love Coffee? Hate trash? You can get paid for your coffee bags!

2013-10-15T20:28:00.002-07:00

Check it out! TRASHE Bags They will pay you for the coffee bags! YAHOO! Less out of the garbage.
UPCYCLE your discards!
Got pets or other animals? Other things that they upcycle?

Recycled dog food bags
Pedigree is much needed
Recycled chicken food bags

Check out this bag DIY instructions!!

Natural Graffiti......GARDENS EVERYWHERE!

2013-10-08T22:49:00.003-07:00

Photo by Le Quiantrelle: Moss graffiti

I live in the Northwest, in the lovely state of Washington. Moss grows nearly everywhere! And now is the time when everything turns green with the ongoing fall and winter rains.
So what is a Northwest gardener going to do? MOSS Graffiti. Keep an eye out for future posts. I intend to turn my apartment's walls into living art. Click here for a collection of images of MOSS graffiti.
Want to join the green revolution? Check out this WikiHow "How to Make Moss Graffiti"

Gardening on the Inside

2013-10-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

Gardening may reduce depression and stress, check out "Get Growing and Get Happy," while houseplants are known to reduce toxic chemicals that build up in our homes.

Plants "Clean" Air Inside Our Homes discusses which plants are best for specific toxins. Learn how to grow plants indoors with Great Plant Escape. Here is a list of 9 Vegetables to Grow Indoors.

Grow your own food and antidepressants and clean the air! Here are some more links:

Grow Herbs Indoors

25 Easiest Houseplants to Grow

Photo By "Not Just A Housewife"

Love this idea from "Not Just a Housewife"

GARDENS EVERYWHERE!

Going Camping? Don't Forget your Biolite Stove.....and your Cellphone! (RECHARGE!)

2013-07-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

My friend Matt clued me into this great device--the BioLite Stove! It is a camp stove that uses the energy created by fire to charge your cellphone!

I love this idea! Say no to disposable gas camp stove containers! Twigs and other kindling do the trick!

A New Type of Drinking Fountain---Refill you water bottle with Elkay EZ H2O !

2013-07-30T22:27:00.002-07:00

The University of Washington in Seattle has been on the edge of environmental revolution. Back in 2005 the school began its composting program. Now that program has blossomed into a city-wide composting program. Seattle's Food Waste and Yard Waste Program is one of the more progressive in the United States. Check out what can be recycled/composted "Where does it go?" In 2006, the UW started testing compostable silverware. In 2010, "Seattle Ban[ed] Single-use Restaurant Packaging From Landfills".

Well, the Huskies have done it again. The new, updated Husky Union Building, the Student Union or HUB has brand new water fountains that monitor how many plastic bottles were kept out of the landfill. The name of this fountain is an Elkay "Ez fill" water fountain.

I'm waiting to see what the City of Seattle will do. There are several water fountains on each floor of the HUB. Each one has saved thousands of disposable plastic bottles from going into the Northwest waste stream.

We are making a difference. Each step. Each new design!

Got a Pallet? Make a Garden!

2013-07-24T19:41:00.002-07:00

Got a pallet? Make a garden! Check out Growing a Greener World or Life on the Balcony for instructions on how to make a vertical garden! Or check out this great article "20 Creative Ways to Upcycle Pallets in Your Garden" by The Micro Gardener. Gardens are not just something that requires lots and lots of land or space. You can create a garden wherever you can find at least 4 hours of sunlight. Make a difference. Plant a garden.

Mixed Recycing! How does it Work?

2013-07-21T20:27:00.002-07:00

I've always wondered how I can throw everything that is recycled in one bin is sorted. Here is a great video (British) that details the process! WOW!

Toxic Products in your home!

2013-02-17T13:18:00.000-08:00

Get yourself a copy of this book: The Safe Shoppers Bible, Here is just a very short list of the household products that contain known irritants, CARCINOGENS and/or neurotoxins. (Carcinogens are chemicals that cause cancer. Neurotoxins are chemicals that adversely affect the nervous system reducing emotional well being, mental alertness, coordination and other functions associated with intelligence.)

Lysol disinfectant (all scents)
Renuzit Air Deodorizer
Bon Ami Foam Cleaner --wow. I thought this was safe. I'm not buying it again!
Citra-Solv
Fantastik All-Purpose Cleaner
Formula 409
Pine-Sol Multi-Action Spray
Pledge Household Cleaner
Simple Green
Spic & Span Cleaner
Scotts Liquid Gold
Lemon Pledge
Tilex Soap Scum Remover
Glass Plus
Ajax Cleaner
Gillette Foamy Skin Conditioning
Speed Stick Deodorant
Soft Soap
Secret Deodorant
Johnson's Baby Shampoo--seriously! OMG!!
S.O.S. Ammonia Glass Cleaner
Dawn Sureshot
S.O.S. Vinegar Cleaner
Joy Dishwashing Liquid
Windex Glass Cleaner
Shout Aerosol & Stick
Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid
Spray & Wash Stain Remover--DANGIT.
Kleen King Aluminum & Copper Cleaner
KR2 Spot Lifter
Behold Furniture Wax
Depend-o Blue Toilet Cleaner
Endust
3M Aerosol Spot Remover
Formby's Lemon & Almond Spray
Most Home & Garden Pesticides

Right Guard Deodorant
Ponds Dry Skin Bar
Palmolive Skin Bar
Lady Speed Stick
Lever 2000
Irish Spring Deodorant
Lifebouy Soap
Jergens Liquid Soap
English Leather Deodorant
Ban Roll-on
Caress Body Bar
Camay
Ultra Brite Toothpaste
Cepacol Mouthwash
Crest Tartar Control
Listerine Original & Cool Mint--Got this....hmmmmm......even my dentist recommended using it sparingly....last time I got my teeth cleaned.
Arm & Hammer Toothpaste--seriously! This is one that is supposed to be 'safer"
Colgate toothpaste
Scope Mouthwash
Old English Furniture Spray
Dove Soap Bars

Last Minute Costumes! Recycle Halloween!

2012-10-23T17:34:00.003-07:00

Photo by the Daily Green

Need some last minute tips for your Halloween costume? Check out The Daily Green webiste! They have a ton of great ideas! THE DAILY GREEN I love this idea! WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A BROKEN UMBRELLA? ---make wings!

And this Samuari is made of cardboard, and an old calendar!!!

Photo by the Daily Green

39 sq. ft sustainable kitchen

2012-07-20T23:30:00.004-07:00

Photo by Compost This!

Check out my sustainable kitchen! Only 39.27 sq ft. Fully compostable (Seattle has a food waste ordinance.....all households and apartments must compost their waste!) and recyclable. The red bin the picture is for recyclables (glass, paper, cardboard, plastic etc). Having recently removed and recycled all plastic containers, my kitchen has plenty of room for what really matters, ie., canning supplies, rice cooker, blender, crock pot, and of course a waffle iron!

GO SUSTAINABLE. GO SMALL. WE REALLY DON'T NEED IT ALL.

Photo by Compost This!
Like this kitchen? Vote for it here.

Window Gardens! Small Space Indoor Gardening!!

2012-07-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

Got a window? YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN FOOD--YEAR ROUND. Check out this great project via kickstarter.com Brand New Windowfarms- Vertical Food Gardens They totally acheived their goal of getting enough money to produce this product.

Red or White? Yes please! DIY Wine Cork Recycled Projects

2012-07-02T15:50:00.004-07:00

Photo by Compost This!

Please pass the wine! Open another bottle! Cork is a wonderful resource and the thought of throwing them away bothered me. Please note that some wines have a plastic resin cork which can also be made into a trivet (or if you have about 200 corks a bathmat!)

Photo by Compost This!

I decided to create a couple of trivets to start with. They turned out great!

Very easy! All you need is the following:

Wine corks—about 50 or so for two trivets

Exacto Knife (needs to be sharp)

cutting board you don’t mind gouging.

hot glue gun (the extra hot kind is best)

glue sticks (standard are fine)

1. Separate out real cork corks from plastic corks

2. Cut all of the wine corks length wise.

3. Arrange in a square.

4. Cut out a piece of dishtowel (other blogs suggest using the plastic weave that is used for keeping dishes in place. I tried that but the glue from the glue stick seeped through and stuck to the dishtowel underneath ….hence my idea using a dishtowel instead).

5. glue stick your sliced corks to the dishtowel and whallah!

Wise Bread: Living Large on a Small Budget has some great wine cork projects! Check out the post:

25 Things to do with Used Corks (Including Making Money with Them).

For those of you who would rather purchase something made out of reused/recycled cork here are

Here are some kits to help you get started!

COMPOST THIS!

Save $$ don't by Scrubbies! UPCYCLE

Seattle Stands with Standing Rock! NO DAPL Wednesday 2/1/ 9:30AM City Hall

Can I compost this?

The Orikaso Memorial Project---Plastic Becomes Precious

If you would like to donate to this project check out the GoFundMe Fundraiser.

We can make a difference!

STOP the FLOW of JUNK MAIL!

In Search of Solar.-Spray Paint/Plug it into the Window/Get off the Grid!

Sunflower 2500 mAh Phone Charger

Say NO to Plastic. Say YES to Returnable Glass! FLYING COW Creamery! Fresh Breeze. Seattle

Thinking Spring! Seeds from Renee's Garden ideas

URBANITE BIRDHOUSE! Keep an eye out for photos!

Recycle your Electronics! Via an ATM!

"Nature in the City" by COMPOST THIS! Nature brings life to the city! This picture was taken in downtown Seattle near Dearborn and Rainier Avenue in February 2014.

Recycle CDS and their packaging!

Love Coffee? Hate trash? You can get paid for your coffee bags!

Natural Graffiti......GARDENS EVERYWHERE!

Gardening on the Inside

Gardening may reduce depression and stress, check out "Get Growing and Get Happy," while houseplants are known to reduce toxic chemicals that build up in our homes.

Plants "Clean" Air Inside Our Homes discusses which plants are best for specific toxins. Learn how to grow plants indoors with Great Plant Escape. Here is a list of 9 Vegetables to Grow Indoors.

Grow your own food and antidepressants and clean the air! Here are some more links:

Grow Herbs Indoors

25 Easiest Houseplants to Grow

Love this idea from "Not Just a Housewife"

GARDENS EVERYWHERE!

Going Camping? Don't Forget your Biolite Stove.....and your Cellphone! (RECHARGE!)

A New Type of Drinking Fountain---Refill you water bottle with Elkay EZ H2O !

Got a Pallet? Make a Garden!

Mixed Recycing! How does it Work?

Toxic Products in your home!

Last Minute Costumes! Recycle Halloween!

39 sq. ft sustainable kitchen

Window Gardens! Small Space Indoor Gardening!!

Red or White? Yes please! DIY Wine Cork Recycled Projects

"Nature in the City" by COMPOST THIS!
Nature brings life to the city! This picture was taken in downtown Seattle near Dearborn and Rainier Avenue in February 2014.