Recycling

Moving from Burlington, Vermont to Boston, Massachusetts meant a lot of change for me, the most immediately noticeable being more crowds, more tall buildings, and more startled close calls when trying to cross the busy streets. One small thing, though, was an abundance of these wherever I went:

They're Big Belly solar trash compactors, although being a simple country boy I didn't know this right away. Basically, they're public trash bins that compact the trash that the receive. They have a hatch on the front, a solar panel on top, and a few blinking lights to indicate readiness to receive trash.

The compactor collects all of its own energy for compaction, and it does so either rarely or silently; I've never heard one make any noise. The device was interesting, but at first I didn't understand what good it did-- after all, compacting the trash doesn't make any of it disappear.... read more

Last weekend, we went to the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston.   (A very green zoo, btw, from their conservation efforts to many of the recycled items in their gift shops)  Before you enter, there were some animal sculptures (pictured left) made of used containers from the nearby Sam Adams Brewery.  

I thought it was an excellent and unique way of reusing something that would have otherwise been thrown away.  It made me think of the "reduce, reuse, and recycle" adage, and how people are often good about recycling these days, but forget about reducing and reusing.   And what better way to reuse something than to turn it into a cool piece of artwork?... read more

To-Go Ware

Why Its Keen:

Kelly Farkas of To-Go Ware introduces the company well:

"To-Go Ware provides reusable, non-plastic eating ware, including bamboo utensils, stainless steel food carriers and handcrafted accessories from communities abroad. Giving people some great options to reduce their forkprint while on-the-go. Our mission is to make available innovative products that provide a solution, tell a great story, and are enjoyable to use."

... read more

Nike Reuse-A-ShoeI was at the outlet mall this weekend and, while waiting for a friend to finish shopping at the Nike store, I perused their literature display. Now, I'm not going to pretend I am up-to-date on Nike's social practices, nor am I going to deny that their shoes work best for my proluxating feet when I work out. Social politics aside, what I saw in their literature case made me very proud to be a working out gal with Nikes on her feet.... read more

Universal Studios, Hollywood

Universal Studios in Hollywood was recently honored with the EMA Environmental Media Association (EMA) Green Seal Award. The award is the first-ever given to a theme park for its commitment and effort in working towards a more environmentally conscious workplace and community.

I recently toured the theme park to witness their ‘greening’ efforts as a casual visitor.... read more