Michael Brown was out for a bike ride in Jamestown, R.I. when he became disturbed by all the plastic bottles that littered the roadside. There's got to be away to recycle them and use them for something useful, he thought. A few thoughts later Packaging 2.0 LLC was born.
Now Michael's company creates recycled packaging materials from old plastic bottles under the trademarked SmartCycle label. They produce over 5 million packages annually for clients such as Whole Foods and Microsoft. Michael himself is so gung ho that even wears shirts made from old plastic pop bottles! Proving once again that everything can have a new life and be reincarnated rather than buried in the local landfill.
To get find out more about Packaging 2.0 LLC head over to:
http://www.packaging2.com/index.php
Deconstructionism
Deconstructionism isn't just for effete Frenchmen anymore! More and more, people who want to remove and old building are deconstructing, rather than destroying, it. Instead of smashing everything to smithereens with a giant wrecking ball, these new (dare I say postmodern?) deconstructionists are meticulously disassembling buildings and recycling the parts and pieces rather than trashing them. Sort of reverse building with the raw materials being returned to reconomic flow.
To find out more check out:
Unbuilding by Brad Guy and Bob Falk or
http://thereusepeople.org
To find out more check out:
Unbuilding by Brad Guy and Bob Falk or
http://thereusepeople.org
Recycling Significant Others
We all know what BYOB stands for, or do we? Giving new life to an old acronym Recycled Date Parties now use BYOB to stand for Bring Your Old Boyfriend. And that's exactly what the women that attend these parties do -- they bring an old boyfriend, introduce him to other women who are in the market for a "new" boyfriend, and let nature take its course. It's a living, breathing, human example of the old saw "one person's trash is another person's treasure." And another simple approach to do-it-yourself recycling (DIYR), recycling that cuts out the middleman.
Why should you pay E-Harmony, It's Just Lunch, or your local singles bar, buckets of money to find a new Mr. Right, or even a new Mr. Right Now? What are friends for, if they can't share their cast aside lovers with you? One caution: Like most used cars, none of these recycled Romeos come with warranties. Recycled Date Parties are strictly caveat emptor.
Now, what I'm waiting to see is the first group of guys who are brave enough to host a BYOG party!
To find out more check out:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-used-date-perspective,0,3888939.story
Why should you pay E-Harmony, It's Just Lunch, or your local singles bar, buckets of money to find a new Mr. Right, or even a new Mr. Right Now? What are friends for, if they can't share their cast aside lovers with you? One caution: Like most used cars, none of these recycled Romeos come with warranties. Recycled Date Parties are strictly caveat emptor.
Now, what I'm waiting to see is the first group of guys who are brave enough to host a BYOG party!
To find out more check out:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-used-date-perspective,0,3888939.story
Buying Unclaimed Items
The cops have all kinds of items that never get claimed by their owners. From bicycles to computers, from oil paintings to automobiles, from baseball cards to real estate. Now you can bid on used stuff from a bunch of different cop shops all in one place -- PropertyRoom.com.
Property Room is an auction site that's alot like ebay, except that you're only dealing with one seller, who has the items on consignment from various metropolitan law enforcement agencies. I've personally never bought anything on the site, but from what I've read it's highly legit, and, if you know what you're doing, there are some real bargains to be had.
Check it out at www.propertyroom.com
Property Room is an auction site that's alot like ebay, except that you're only dealing with one seller, who has the items on consignment from various metropolitan law enforcement agencies. I've personally never bought anything on the site, but from what I've read it's highly legit, and, if you know what you're doing, there are some real bargains to be had.
Check it out at www.propertyroom.com
SolesUnited
Got Crocs? Old ones that is. Ones that you don't wear anymore because you've damn near worn them out? Don't throw them out, recycle them. Crocs has started SolesUnited to send special Crocs made of recycled old Crocs to the shoeless around the world. Philadelphia-based charity, Brother's Brother Foundation is heading up distribution of these SolesUnited Crocs to recipients in Africa, Asia and South America.
To find out how you can participate go to: www.solesunited.com
To find out how you can participate go to: www.solesunited.com
Buy More Useless Crap From China!
As I write this, most consumers, and many economic forecasters, are damn near orgasmic over Shrub's tax rebate proposal. Under the plan each taxpayer will receive a check for six hundred smackeroos to do with as he or she pleases. Of course, the Prez, the Fed, and all of corporate America hope consumers will buy more useless crap from China, and thus keep the economic bubble afloat on an updraft of unfounded optimism, for at least awhile longer.
In yesterday's Chicago Tribune there was a series of person-on-the-street interviews in which a reporter asked random passersbys what they plan to do with their mini-windfalls. Then the Trib had economists grade consumer responses based on how much they would be doing to stimulate the economy. The only guy that got an "A" was the one who planned to use all $600 to go to more Cubs games! The people who planned to save their money got a bottom of the barrel "D." As did the woman who was going to use the rebate to help pay for an educational trip overseas.
In other words, let stupidity reign! It's good for the economy. Even though as a nation we are at an all time low savings rate, actually a negative savings rate (i.e., we are spending our savings rather than adding to it), we are encouraged to buy more shit we don't need in order to be patriotic! Talk about a house of cards.
By participating in the reconomy, you are spending less for your wants and needs, and hopefully turning your savings into savings. Also, hopefully, you are living simply and buying smarter, not feeling the need to own every high tech bangle that Silicon Valley has to offer, or to purchase every tres chic item that Madison Avenue parades before your eyes.
Don't get fooled into believing that we can save an overblown economy by spending more money on stuff we don't really need. It's a quick fix that merely hides the real problem -- people are living way beyond their means, chasing happiness through owning rather than being. In the end it's a lose/lose game for all players.
The first step out of this morass is to is to simplify your life. Get rid of all the stuff you have that you don't really need. Stimulate your own personal economy by selling it at a yard sale, on Craigslist, or to a second hand store. Use the reconomy to sell as well as buy.
Then when you need something, think used rather than new. By buying used, trading, bartering and giving/receiving, you are not just saving your money, but also saving planetary resources. Ben Bernacki may not like you, Wall Street may snub you, but your children, your grandchildren, and the Earth itself, will thank you.
In yesterday's Chicago Tribune there was a series of person-on-the-street interviews in which a reporter asked random passersbys what they plan to do with their mini-windfalls. Then the Trib had economists grade consumer responses based on how much they would be doing to stimulate the economy. The only guy that got an "A" was the one who planned to use all $600 to go to more Cubs games! The people who planned to save their money got a bottom of the barrel "D." As did the woman who was going to use the rebate to help pay for an educational trip overseas.
In other words, let stupidity reign! It's good for the economy. Even though as a nation we are at an all time low savings rate, actually a negative savings rate (i.e., we are spending our savings rather than adding to it), we are encouraged to buy more shit we don't need in order to be patriotic! Talk about a house of cards.
By participating in the reconomy, you are spending less for your wants and needs, and hopefully turning your savings into savings. Also, hopefully, you are living simply and buying smarter, not feeling the need to own every high tech bangle that Silicon Valley has to offer, or to purchase every tres chic item that Madison Avenue parades before your eyes.
Don't get fooled into believing that we can save an overblown economy by spending more money on stuff we don't really need. It's a quick fix that merely hides the real problem -- people are living way beyond their means, chasing happiness through owning rather than being. In the end it's a lose/lose game for all players.
The first step out of this morass is to is to simplify your life. Get rid of all the stuff you have that you don't really need. Stimulate your own personal economy by selling it at a yard sale, on Craigslist, or to a second hand store. Use the reconomy to sell as well as buy.
Then when you need something, think used rather than new. By buying used, trading, bartering and giving/receiving, you are not just saving your money, but also saving planetary resources. Ben Bernacki may not like you, Wall Street may snub you, but your children, your grandchildren, and the Earth itself, will thank you.
Reconomy Recommends: Crossroads Trading Company
Crossroads Trading Co. proves that not all chains are bad. They sell used clothing, shoes and accessories -- hip, fashionable, brand name merchandise for both men and women -- at great savings. And if you're in the selling, rather than buying, mode, they pay you 35% of what they will price the items for, and unlike consignment shops, you get your money immediately on the spot.
Currently, they have stores only in California, Seattle and Chicago. But if you live in any of those locales, or plan to visit soon, check out the Crossroads Trading Co. store near you.
For specific locations and addresses point your browser to www.crossroadstrading.com.
Currently, they have stores only in California, Seattle and Chicago. But if you live in any of those locales, or plan to visit soon, check out the Crossroads Trading Co. store near you.
For specific locations and addresses point your browser to www.crossroadstrading.com.
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