ALIVE Blogs
Pie + Junk: the makings of a great evening out
What do you look for in a night out? A hot dance club? An intimate restaurant? How about a slice of pie, a beer, and artwork made from old ladders? If that last one sounds like your speed, you’ll want to check out Perennial’s Lost + F(o)und fundraiser next month: a pie bar, local beers, and repurposed ladders are all just part of what promises to be a really fun event at Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar.
If you don’t remember our profile from last year, Perennial’s a homegrown non-profit dedicated to the concept of transformation: the “upcycling”… more …
If you don’t remember our profile from last year, Perennial’s a homegrown non-profit dedicated to the concept of transformation: the “upcycling”… more …
Turning grandpa’s house green
Got fond memories from your childhood of time spent at your grandparents’ house? I know I do: my grandmother’s house in northern Wisconsin was the site of some of my best times as a kid. Unfortunately, when she decided to sell the house that my grandfather had built, and where my father grew up, I wasn’t in a position to keep it in the family.
That’s not the case for the owners of 4 Sleepy Hollow Lane in Olivette: they were able to hang to this house built by their grandfather in the fifties. Because it’s an older house, though, it… more …
That’s not the case for the owners of 4 Sleepy Hollow Lane in Olivette: they were able to hang to this house built by their grandfather in the fifties. Because it’s an older house, though, it… more …
Got a Green Closet?
You could be forgiven for automatically associating the phrase “eco fashion” with either “high prices”‘ or “drab style”: green couture has been guilty of both. The beauty of the concept, though, is that any clothing can be green(er): pieces that last for a long time, for instance, certainly have a lighter footprint than “throwaway fashion,” and our choices about caring for our clothes can certainly decrease their impact.
That’s the idea between Ecover’s Green Closet campaign: the clothes we choose to buy do make a difference, but the environmental impact of those clothes doesn’t stop at the checkout counter.… more …
That’s the idea between Ecover’s Green Closet campaign: the clothes we choose to buy do make a difference, but the environmental impact of those clothes doesn’t stop at the checkout counter.… more …
How’s St. Louis Doing on the Recycling Front?
Recycling seems to be the one green activity almost everyone gets: when I tell people what I do, they almost always mention that they recycle (unless, of course, they call me a liberal hippie treehugger). We can argue about the importance of recycling compared to other activities (and, yes, it’s definitely better to reduce and reuse first), but it’s a good thing that so many people are doing something… right?
It is… if they’re really doing it. But according to Siemens’ annual Green City Index, a lot of people are fibbing to me: only 3% of our waste gets recycled.… more …
It is… if they’re really doing it. But according to Siemens’ annual Green City Index, a lot of people are fibbing to me: only 3% of our waste gets recycled.… more …
Northeastern Missouri Sustainable Communities Come to Film
If you’ve ever made a trip north of Hannibal, or east of Kirksville, one words likely comes to mind: farmland. OK, a number of small towns break up the fields of crops, but otherwise it’s soybeans and corn as far as the eye can see. And for those of us used to a few more urban amenities, another phrase likely comes to mind: “cultural wasteland.”
No, you’re not going to catch the latest independent film from the festival circuits, or find good sushi just south of Iowa. But in addition to the agricultural lifestyle present in the area (with a… more …
No, you’re not going to catch the latest independent film from the festival circuits, or find good sushi just south of Iowa. But in addition to the agricultural lifestyle present in the area (with a… more …
St. Louis Contractors Join Together to Rebuild Tornado Victims’ Home
With this Summer’s brutal heat (here and everywhere), Hurricane Irene, the Texas wildfires, and other weird weather events, your memory of the Good Friday tornado may already be sketchy. Marlon and Sharita Donald, and their two young sons, wake up to a reminder of it every day: they’ve been living with family members since the tornado destroyed their home in Bellefontaine Neighbors. If that weren’t stressful enough, the Donalds discovered afterwards that they were underinsured… so rebuilding the same home, in terms of either space, quality, or both, seemed impossible.
Up to this point, this isn’t a particularly unusual story; after… more …
Up to this point, this isn’t a particularly unusual story; after… more …
St. Louis social enterprise turns trash to treasure
While the term “upcycling” originally referred to industrial-scale transformation of materials into high quality products (instead of the often less useful and pleasing results of traditional recycling), the crafty/DIY set has appropriated this term. Now, if you see something described as “upcycled,” it’s probably going to refer to a handmade product produced from materials destined for the landfill or the recycling bin. The Upcycle Exchange is one great example of how this idea is taking hold here in St. Louis.
For Jenny Murphy, the founder of social enterprise Perennial, crafy reuse of discarded materials serves as both literal mission and… more …
For Jenny Murphy, the founder of social enterprise Perennial, crafy reuse of discarded materials serves as both literal mission and… more …
What does one day on Earth look like?
What were you doing on October 10, 2010? If you can’t remember, you’re not alone… and if asked what people in Belize, Kenya, Vietnam, or Canada were doing, you’d likely be very stumped. Furthermore, you might wonder “Why the hell does this matter?”
For many of us, it probably doesn’t… right now, anyway. But for the folks at One Day on Earth, October 10th was the day they asked “documentary filmmakers, students, and inspired citizens” to “[record] the human experience over a 24-hour period and [contribute] their voice to the largest participatory media event in history.” Filmmaker Kyle Ruddick… more …
For many of us, it probably doesn’t… right now, anyway. But for the folks at One Day on Earth, October 10th was the day they asked “documentary filmmakers, students, and inspired citizens” to “[record] the human experience over a 24-hour period and [contribute] their voice to the largest participatory media event in history.” Filmmaker Kyle Ruddick… more …
GreenSpark EVs: Electric Cars that Everyone Can Afford
Even though gas prices have come down some in the past month or so, filling up the tank is still likely putting a dent in the budget. Given any thought to an electric car? After all, most of us drive 30-40 miles a day… well within the battery range of newer vehicles like the Nissan LEAF or the electric-only mode of the Chevy Volt. And with an electric motor’s efficiency, your looking at significant savings in fuel costs.
But then there’s the sticker price on these vehicles… and even after government rebates, the high 20s to low 30s is… more …
But then there’s the sticker price on these vehicles… and even after government rebates, the high 20s to low 30s is… more …
Electric fashion… or how to charge your cell phone with your shirt
Green fashion isn’t just a hippie thing any more: established designers such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren have used organic cotton and hemp in products, and newer names like Linda Loudermilk have established themselves through their commitment to environmentally-sensitive materials and manufacturing.
So far, though, none of these big names have made a shirt that harvests energy, though… but that doesn’t mean such things aren’t out there.
Yep, the solar bikini is just one example of recent efforts to turn the clothes we wear in solar collectors. Silvr Lining released its first line with embedded solar panels last… more …
So far, though, none of these big names have made a shirt that harvests energy, though… but that doesn’t mean such things aren’t out there.
Yep, the solar bikini is just one example of recent efforts to turn the clothes we wear in solar collectors. Silvr Lining released its first line with embedded solar panels last… more …
