Archive for September, 2011

Where once was trash

Monday, September 26, 2011

Fresh Kills. First it was an estuary. Then it was a landfill. Now it’s a park with an active blog and a brand new app.

Freshkills Park +

Freshkills Park Blog announced today that smartphone users visiting the park may now enhance their visits with an augmented reality app.

The experience, which is available to users of iPhone 4, iPad, Android and Blackberry devices, was constructed using theLayar browser, which makes use of a phone’s camera, GPS, compass and accelerometer to enhance what is seen with a layer of digital information.  Users are able to view the landscape through their phone, and Freshkills Park+provides relevant information, audio, video, links and downloads in real time.

Pretty snazzy. Can’t wait to try it out!

Green technology to save essential pesos

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Recycled plastic bottles, water and dash of chlorine bring light to dark shacks outside Manila.

via HipUrbanGreen and Recyclart on Twitter

Low Waste Wedding

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

My friends Chloë and Jen got married this weekend in the most personal ceremony I have ever witnessed. The whole weekend, in fact, carried wonderful personal touches starting with a lobster bake — the one tradition shared between their diverse families.

Lobstah!

Prior to attending this event, I might have described myself as someone who knows how to eat a lobster. I’ve cracked my share of claws and tails. I know to suck and bite the smaller legs to drag out hidden bits of meat and flavor.

I was wrong. I now know I have been wasting lobster bits my whole life. Chloë has set me straight. I wish I had taken video, because I believe this woman to be the least wasteful consumer of lobster in the world and when her YouTube how-to video blows up, I wouldn’t mind cashing in on the web traffic.

Zero Waste Lobster

Not only does Chloë eat that weird green stuff inside the lobster, she collects the discarded carcasses of friends’ meals and scrapes up their green stuff, too. But it doesn’t end there. She then rips off the little pieces at the end of the tail and uses them as small scoops to collect the swampy water that pools on the plate when you bust open a boiled crustacean. And, if that’s not enough murky green water for her, she picks up the plate and slurps down the rest. Pictured here, the lovely bride demonstrates her technique as her approving mother urges her on.

I never realized how wasteful I have been in eating just the meat. Think of all the seafood diverted from landfills by this woman alone!

I kid, but Chloë and Jen are amazing and thoughtful women who care deeply about their friends and family and are conscientious about the environment as well.The Chuppah they stood under to exchange vows yesterday will get a second life as a trellis in Jen’s dad’s garden. I’m looking forward to anniversary photos to see what beautiful things have grown around it.

Choopah

Congratulations, Chloë and Jen! I hope you’re truly offline and enjoying your honeymoon!

xoxo

Al Frank upcycles

Monday, September 5, 2011

Do you follow us on Facebook? If not, you’re missing out on some of the best everydaytrash.com content: photos and comments posted by YOU, the readers. Some of my favorite recent updates have come from Al Frank in Edina, Minnesota. Al is the father of my dear friend Lindsay and (in the nearly 15 years I’ve known their family at least) always has a home improvement project in the works. Lately, he has taken to refinishing dumpstered furniture. Here are two trashtastic examples:

A national bagel store was throwing out a bunch of chairs. The next stop was the dumpster. The manager said I could have some. I rescued 8 chairs. I took them apart and refinished them. My wife, Kathy, reupholstered them. We’ll now enjoy them at our cabin in Wisconsin.

Table

I made this table from Corian and a pine beam destined for the dumpster.

Thanks for sharing, Al! Fan us on Facebook, trashies! Post your projects, Facebook fans!

 


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