Tired of the paper vs. plastic debate? (New York Times columnist John Tierney recently said not to worry about plastic bags, but I and the 100 billion flimsy sacks tossed last year beg to differ.) If you don't yet have your own canvas grocery-getters (I pride myself on vintage WholeFoods totes, circa 1996 -- should I try eBaying them for massive profit?), check out The Better Bag. It's basically an eco-friendly triple threat: reusable, recyclable and crafted from recycled materials. Not to mention washable, waterproof and kind of good-looking.
Manufactured by Massachusetts company CSI Plastics, a long-time plastics recycler, The Better Bag is available for purchase through its website, which recommends buying the bag in bulk to distribute at your next fundraiser or event. Finally a schwag bag you can do some good with.
I'm not going to say that these Recycle Lights by Johanna Keimeyer are pretty because they really aren't (in my opinion), but that doesn't mean I don't like them. Inspired to re-purpose the ugly plastic bottles we all see laying all over the place to into something use-able again, Johanna Keimeyer took a trip through Europe that resulted in this unique collection of eclectic lights that incorporate bottles from water, soda, detergent, and numerous other products. They're especially interesting to me because they look so completely different when the inner bulb is illuminated versus when it isn't. Plus with all that melting and twisting they look really fun to put together!
I've always been a little in the minority being what some would call a "girly girl" but at the same time really not liking jewelry with too much in the way of jewels or flash. I'm hugely partial to sterling silver pieces with organic energy and unique individual design. And as far as I'm concerned, pretty much everything from FrucciDesign fits that criteria -- especially this Tally ring. Made of recycled paper plus various other items like wood, metal, glass, or even lava, these designs aren't priced all that high but really could be -- there are definitely some conversations waiting to be started when you wear anything from this collection.
This interesting piece of art work is exactly what it looks like: a bunch of real license plates cut into the shapes of their corresponding state and put together to form a map of the United States -- Alaska and Hawaii included. It's not only an interesting piece of artwork to display but also a nice way to recycle old plates. Created by artist Aaron Foster, this Reclaimed License Plate Map is made by hand in California and mounted on a large cedar plank (with smaller separate boards for AK and HI). I think it would look great in a library or study. $3900
It sounds like a dessert, but the Dulce de Leche Divan by Trevor O'Neil is a contemporary sofa that's both stylish and eco-friendly. Made of recycled cork and birch, this sofa is simple and contemporary in design. Besides neutral/natural colors (it looks almost unfinished) clean lines with rounded soft edges make this an inviting seat, although with no back it's probably not the best for real relaxing -- sit up straight! Only available in the one color scheme, and notice the handy built-in end tables on either side. $5,800
Some great reasons to drink more wine, if you were looking for some, are these Colorblock Hanging Lights. Designed and made by Jerry Kott of recycled wine bottles (he cuts them apart, puts them back together, and polishes them) they're bright without being obnoxious, stylish, functional, and good for the environment because they're made of recycled materials -- what else can you ask for in a lighting fixture? Each hanging lamp measures 17"Hx3"W, is priced according to the number of color blocks, and is custom made to order. $190-$310
I have to say, I would not have guessed "bicycle" if asked what this coffee table used to be in a former life. I can kind of see it in the cogs and the reshaped rims, but the rolled inner tubes for feet and some other features are well disguised. This Recycled Bike Coffee Table by Resource Revival is definitely unique and brings a whole new meaning to the idea of recycling with it's elegant though industrial appearance. It's hard to imagine that it used to be an old used-up form of transportation for somebody -- welcome back little bike!
Specializing in using old bicycle parts to create functional works of art, Resource Revival makes its creations by hand in Mosier, Oregon. Also worth checking out from them is this Recycled Bike Cafe Table.
With global warming becoming such an unavoidably huge issue, pretty much everybody has a soft spot for all things "eco." But that being said, not everybody takes it quite as far as Ted Turner's daughter, Laura Turner Seydel, and her husband did when they decided to built the biggest environmentally friendly home in the United States, the EcoManor.
It wasn't cheaper to build, although with features like recycled water from the showers irrigating the drought-resistant lawn, and rainwater-filled toilets, it will be cheaper to maintain -- 80 to 90 percent cheaper than other homes of similar size in the area. And with beautiful white linen wallpaper (made of recycled newspaper, of course) and natural lighting via solar tubes, the Seydels didn't have to sacrifice any style while they were doing their part to help the environment.
There's noting like a really slick design to inspire some eco-friendly behaviors. In this case, it is the design of the Ecopod Home Recycling Center that is getting us in the mood to be a touch more diligent when it comes to recycling. The pod was designed by BMW Designworks and automatically compacts plastic and aluminum containers.A bin at the bottom collects the newly compact pieces and holds them until they can be redeemed or collected for processing. There are removable bins inside the lid to store glass, paper and other noncompactible items before collection, as well. Price: $328.
Blue Air's AirPod is a visual riff on the iPod, but is nothing like the mp3 player. The AirPod is a small air purifier, which allows you to "create your personal clean air zone" and do it in style, as the patterned filters can be swapped in and out of the base with ease. The pod can clean 45 cubic feet of air per minute. It can be used at work, at home and even when traveling, as the gadget is incredibly light and small, standing just 13" high with the filter. It is also very eco friendly, using less manufacturing material, less packaging and even less energy than air purifiers with comparable performance. On top of that, all of its parts and packaging are 100% recyclable. Price: $99 .
Even though we have seen a lot of handbags here at Luxist, we've never seen one quite like this. From Ecoist, these totes use an environmentally-friendly, recycled material that is durable, waterproof and available in striped, metallic and multi-colored varieties. The mystery material? Candy bar wrappers. Each bag is carefully woven by hand, and as the wrappers vary, each piece will be completely unique. The store stocks a huge variety of other wrapper bags, as well, but the multi-colored tote would be perfect for a trip down to the shore, so it's our favorite of the bunch. Price: $238.
Making good use of already existing products, this handbag is made out of the sailcloth from a real ship. The
material used for sails is some of the strongest fabric on Earth, able to withstand wind, water and extreme exposure.
Though the sails are strong, they are still replaced by safety-conscious sailors. Recycled
Sailcloth Bags, as a result of their unique material, and virtually indestructible as far as handbags go. There is a
panel on the inside of the bag that authenticates the sail and identifies the origin of the ship it came from. The bags
are funky and fun, perfect for taking along on an Earth Day hike, and have a design that varies from bag to
bag. Price:
$98.
Tired of the paper vs. plastic debate? (New York Times columnist John Tierney recently said not to worry about plastic bags, but I and the 100 billion flimsy sacks tossed last year beg to differ.) If you don't yet have your own canvas grocery-getters (I pride myself on vintage WholeFoods totes, circa 1996 -- should I try eBaying them for massive profit?), check out The Better Bag. It's basically an eco-friendly triple threat: reusable, recyclable and crafted from recycled materials. Not to mention washable, waterproof and kind of good-looking.
