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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 …
Maplewood Beekeepers Get into the Beeswax Lip Balm Business
Urban beekeeping is quickly developing into a trend on par with gardening and backyard chickens… as more people discover things they really don’t like about the conventional food system, they’re picking up these self-sufficient practices to protect their families’ health and the larger environment. Bees, of course, are a critical element of pollinating that backyard garden… and with threats like colony collapse disorder occurring worldwide, many urban homesteaders recognize that keeping a hive nearby will increase the odds of successfully growing their own fruits and vegetables.
Honey’s the product we most readily associate with beekeeping, but, as brothers Luke… more …
Honey’s the product we most readily associate with beekeeping, but, as brothers Luke… more …
Upcycle Exchange Opens Store in Dutchtown
When Reiner Pilz coined the term “upcycling” in the mid ’90s, and then when William McDonough and Michael Braungart popularized it in their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, they were thinking primarily in terms of large-scale production and recycling of materials. I can’t say for certain how well the concept has caught on with industrialists, but crafters have embraced it whole-heartedly, looking at “waste” materials as a source of inspiration for new projects. You can find the “trash to treasure” craft ethic all over sites like Etsy and Crafting a Green World (which —… more …
Happy Compost Awareness Week!
“Compost awareness”… you may associate this phrase with that smell coming from the hippie neighbor’s yard. But it’s International Compost Awareness Week, so let me make my pitch for this oft-maligned staple of organic gardening: composting is one of the easiest green practices to implement on a small scale, makes a real difference in terms of your own climate impact, and doesn’t have to smell…
Consider this: food scraps make up 14% of municipal waste streams… only paper has it beat. Once those scraps hit the landfill and start decomposing, they give off methane: carbon dioxide’s nasty big brother in… more …
Consider this: food scraps make up 14% of municipal waste streams… only paper has it beat. Once those scraps hit the landfill and start decomposing, they give off methane: carbon dioxide’s nasty big brother in… more …
St. Louis Building Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure… Slowly
Looking at gas prices and thinking “Damn… I need to get one of those electric cars!” It’s a logical jump, and new vehicles like the all-electric Nissan LEAF, or the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt will certainly help you avoid the stress at the gas pump. And while these vehicles have ranges that will work for the average commuter, you could well find yourself low on juice while away from your garage or parking pad with a nearby outlet. What do you do?
In St. Louis at this point, not much… electric vehicle charging stations are very rare in the region… more …
In St. Louis at this point, not much… electric vehicle charging stations are very rare in the region… more …
