Accessories
Laptop-Notch
Recently I met up with Justina Blakeney, Jill-of-all-trades and co-author of the popular 99 Ways series of books, at Veggie Grill (my new lunch obsession, BTW).
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Handbags
The Springer Show
Submitted by mroemer on Mon, 11/09/2009 - 12:00am. Wanna punch up your style with a new bag? Here's a hit: Venice Beach-made handbags by Beth Springer.Why Care?:
Accessorizing with repurposed leather keeps usable stuff out of landfills and avoids the production of more carcinogenic chromium in factories (for tanning).
Shops and Robbers
Calling all entrepreneurial DIYers in New York! Greenfinds and Samples for (Eco)mpassion are looking for vendors for their Holiday Eco Marketplace. This all-green market will run from Nov. 19 to Dec.Eyebrow:
Recycled Eyeglasses
Eye, Eye Captain
Submitted by tmeronek on Tue, 11/03/2009 - 12:00am.
Stylish eco eyeglass frames ahoy? Aye, and get sustainable glasses shipped straight to your door, matey.
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Make It: Umbrella Necklace
Heavy Metal
Submitted by dsimmons on Mon, 11/02/2009 - 12:00am. Time to Kiss your broken umbrella goodbye? Before you chuck it in the trash, salvage the Metal(lica) by turning it into a simple, surprisingly delicate necklace.
Umbrella Joint Necklace
20-35 minutes
What You Need:
• Old umbrella (here, we use a pop-up, but bigger ones work too)
• Diagonal cutters (you or a handy friend'll most likely have one - it looks like this)
• 2 pairs of small flat-nose pliers
• 6 jump rings
• 1 clasp
Directions:
1. Open the umbrella and flip it over so you can see the structure. There are eight metal sections, each made up of a thick crossbar with a smaller, thinner crossbar (that's the one you want for your necklace) extending from the center and attaching to a metal ring on the plastic collar that you use to push the umbrella open. Use the diagonal cutters to snip the wire ring in several places and slide the ends of thinner crossbars off the ring. To detach the other end, snap the thicker (and softer) crossbar on either side of the joint attaching the piece you are trying to extract, taking care not to disturb the joint. Once you have detached this joint from the rest of the structure, it should be easier to remove the piece from the joint without breaking the hole. (See step-by-step photos.)
2. Use the diagonal cutters to nip off the ends of the actual joint and reveal a clean hole. Do this with five pieces.
3. Open a jump ring with two pairs of pliers, using one to hold it in place and the other to open the ring like this. Now slip the hole of the umbrella piece you cut in steps 1 and 2 onto the jump ring. Use the pliers to close the jump ring. Repeat with each umbrella piece to make a chain.
4. Using the pliers, add the clasp to the end jump rings to finish the necklace.
To recycle the nylon, find a local recycler here. To recycle the unused metal, check here.
20-35 minutes
What You Need:
• Old umbrella (here, we use a pop-up, but bigger ones work too)
• Diagonal cutters (you or a handy friend'll most likely have one - it looks like this)
• 2 pairs of small flat-nose pliers
• 6 jump rings
• 1 clasp
Directions:
1. Open the umbrella and flip it over so you can see the structure. There are eight metal sections, each made up of a thick crossbar with a smaller, thinner crossbar (that's the one you want for your necklace) extending from the center and attaching to a metal ring on the plastic collar that you use to push the umbrella open. Use the diagonal cutters to snip the wire ring in several places and slide the ends of thinner crossbars off the ring. To detach the other end, snap the thicker (and softer) crossbar on either side of the joint attaching the piece you are trying to extract, taking care not to disturb the joint. Once you have detached this joint from the rest of the structure, it should be easier to remove the piece from the joint without breaking the hole. (See step-by-step photos.)
2. Use the diagonal cutters to nip off the ends of the actual joint and reveal a clean hole. Do this with five pieces.
3. Open a jump ring with two pairs of pliers, using one to hold it in place and the other to open the ring like this. Now slip the hole of the umbrella piece you cut in steps 1 and 2 onto the jump ring. Use the pliers to close the jump ring. Repeat with each umbrella piece to make a chain.
4. Using the pliers, add the clasp to the end jump rings to finish the necklace.
To recycle the nylon, find a local recycler here. To recycle the unused metal, check here.
Muffins = Good, Muffin Tops = Bad
As most can expect with any holiday season (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.), a little weight gain is in the cards. So what’s a candy-goobling, turkey-lovin’, cookie-snatchin’ Biter supposed to do? Indulge and worry about the weight later thanks to the Muffin Top Stopper. Yep, you heard me right.Eyebrow:
Recycled Pins
Leave It to Beaver
Submitted by dsimmons on Tue, 10/27/2009 - 11:00pm. Looking for an iconic accessory? Re-run to one of 17 local Busy Beaver Button vending machines (yes, vending machines) and grab an artsy pin.Why Care?:
Spiffing up tired clothes and bags with accessories made from recycled materials conserves resources and keeps stuff out of landfills (which close at a rate of one a day due to being at or over capacity).
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Umbrella Bags
Blame It on the Rain
Submitted by bdisylvester on Tue, 10/27/2009 - 11:00pm. Break about a Milli-on umbrellas every winter? Sync up with Himane, a company that'll upcycle 'em into waterproof bags. You can recycle yours by dropping it off at Sustainable NYC (which'll send it to Himane), or take it in and have Himane make it into a custom bag - or just pick up one that's already made.Why Care?:
By reusing materials like umbrellas and denim, Himane keeps tons of stuff out of landfills and it helps preserve resources by, er, bagging production of new materials.
Put on Your Dancing Boots
Last Thursday in NYC, my writer Yachtz (lucky him) rocked out at the Wyclef concert to celebrate the Grammy winner’s partnership with Timberland (the boots not the singer). I was at my sister’s baby shower but Yachtz gave me the low down.Eyebrow:
Eco-Luggage
Case in Point
Submitted by tmeronek on Wed, 10/07/2009 - 11:00pm.
Does Your Honor need a new suitcase before holiday travels begin? Case closed: Just transport your stuff in sustainably made luggage. We think they're great, but you be the judge.
