FREE COMMUNITY-WIDE RECYCLE & REPURPOSE EVENT FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS
‘Fall Back’ into Action to Clean Up and Green Up

The Michigan Green Consortium will once again produce a free community-wide recycle, repurpose and reuse event from 10am until 3pm on Sunday,November 7, 2010 at Parking Lot B in downtown Traverse City. The event is held twice a year, the morning following the time adjustment, and serves as a reminder to residents to renew their pledge to do their part to preserve the environment.

The Daylight Savings Clean Up and Green Up Event will be hosted by the Consortium and a dozen or more local area businesses that provide recycle and reuse services. The event is comprehensive, offering residents the chance to bring recyclable items to one location and at no charge for collection.

Area businesses will be on site that day to process a realm of household goods that have reusable or recyclable value. While not all vendors are yet confirmed, past vendors have included. American Waste; Bay Area Recycling, RecycleChicken, Rifkin Steel, L & B Recycling, Cartridge World, Goodwill, GT Profile’s Shredmonster, TC eWaste, Odom Reusable Building Products, Northern Michigan Garment Restoration, Evergreen Bottle Company, Team Elmer’s and Home Depot.

Michigan Green Consortium is a trade association established in 2008 to promote and support green and sustainable businesses; to educate the business and local community on what should be done to ensure a healthy environment and provides networking opportunities for green
companies. The consortium is funded solely by member dues and public contributions.
To learn out more about the Daylight Savings: Clean Up and Green Up event, call (231) 947-1688 or visit www.mgconline.org

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You may have a junk drawer full of them or you may have one in nearly every drawer of your house. Old key chains and key fobs from hobby collecting, trade shows, promotions, etc. eventually tend to create clutter. Here are a few create ideas on what to do with them:

1. Attach one that you can write on (those rubbery kind are good) to your camera or smart phone case with your contact information just in case you lose it.
2. Attach to zippers on bags, tents, children’s jackets, etc. as decorative zipper pulls
3. Attach to your child’s soft sided lunch bag to set it apart from similar.
4. Link together or just add to the end of a pull chain for lights, ceiling fans, etc.
5. Hook one to your suitcase to distinguish it from the others … making baggage claim a bit easier. How cool would you be with the Wolverine key chain below on your bag?
6. If appropriate, remove the chain and the ring and use a children’s toy … possibly a dollhouse miniature.
7. For businesses, hook your company’s promo key fob to laptop, projector cases, trade show banner cases, etc. to ID these items when in transport or at show staging areas.

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Many people are starting to can their own food at home recently.  The once thought to be out of date practice is seeing a regrowth lately.  Canning is extremely beneficial and can be a very fun project as well.  Many have turned to canning as a means to save money but there are also many other health and economic benefits to canning as well.  Along with saving money canning also allows you to reuse those mason jars over and over again.  Once you have eaten all of the great pickles, jams, and sauces you made in the first batch, simply wash, sanitize and prepare to refill the jars with your newest creation.  Canning Local has written a great article on the subject and has made some great points.

Canning is a great idea because:

• Excellent quality and taste – When you use quality produce and perform the canning process correctly, you will create superior products to those for sale at the supermarket. Many recipes for home canned food are delicious and literally the quality is something that money can’t buy.
• Control over the ingredients – With home canning, you will know exactly where your food is coming from. Ideal sources of produce are your own garden and fruit trees, local organic farms, and any local farm. From any of these sources you will be able to hand select your produce at the peak of ripeness.
• Support of the local economy – By directly buying produce from local growers, you are putting money into the hands of local people. Local growers love selling from their own farms or market stands because they are not at the mercy of the big commodity buyers who set prices. This also allows local growers, especially small ones, to remain profitable, which is good for the local economy.
• Sense of accomplishment – Once you begin canning food, you will be thrilled with yourself. You will feel like you did something very meaningful to your existence because you did!  Along with that you also have the ability to reuse those jars once they are empty to cook up even more delicious canned creations.

These are all great reasons to start canning at home. Your family will love the delicious food you have cooked up and canned goods are a great gift as well. From homemade pickles to jams, and even flavored vinegars, your friends and family will be happy to unwrap a jar of something you’ve made just for them.

There are many resources on the internet that can instruct you on canning as well as thousands of recipes available.  Canning can be a little overwhelming at first but once you have done a few canning projects you should get the hang of it and it becomes quite easy.

Below is a list of resources to help you get started.

• http://www.freshpreserving.com/
• Pick Your Own
• Mountain Breeze Canning and Preserving
• Canning Pantry
• Country Home Canning

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Do you have some old tank tops that aren’t really worn out but you just don’t wear them anymore?  RecycleChicken has your solution.  With a sewing machine and some scissors you can turn those tops into handy totes for everyday use.

Tank Top Tote with 6 Pockets

You will need:

• tank top
• straight pins
• water-erasable fabric marker
• sewing machine and thread
• fabric scissors
• seam ripper
• sewing gauge or ruler

Here’s how to do it:

1. Cut off any tags with a seam ripper or scissors.

2. Turn the tank top inside out.

3. If the shirt has a bra liner like the one above, cut the elastic off the bottom of it.

4. Fold the shirt so that the straps lie on top of each other as shown in the picture.

5. Fold the bottom of the tank over itself. This will later become the pockets of your tote.

6. Pin in place, making sure the seams line up. Mark where you want the seams in between each pocket with pins or an erasable fabric marker.

7. Using a stitch that stretches with knit fabric, such as the triple straight stitch, sew the seams that divide each pocket. Make sure the bra liner is lying flat before sewing. Back-stitch to lock the seams.

8. Sew the bottom together about 1/4 inch from the edge. Back-stitch to lock the seam.

9. Turn the tote bag inside out so the pockets will be on the inside—or you can leave it as is if you would like the pockets on the outside of the tote.

Now onto the Gathered Tank Top Tote.

You will need:

• tank top
• straight pins
• water-erasable fabric marker
• sewing machine and thread
• fabric scissors
• seam ripper
• sewing gauge or ruler
• flower pin

Now all you have to do is put it together.

1. Cut off any and all tags with a seam ripper or scissors.

3. Fold so that the straps lie on top of each other as you can see in the picture above. Then, measure and mark where you want the seam to be. This example has placed it five inches from the bottom of the tank top.

4. Baste two rows (about 1/4 inch apart) along the line you marked. Do not back-stitch. Then pull the bobbin threads tight as you slide the fabric inward to gather it. Then use a straight stitch with a shorter stitch length and sew between the two basted seams. Back-stitch to lock the seam. Pull out the basted seams.

5. Cut off the excess fabric about 1/2 inch past the seam.

6. Turn the tote bag right-side out and you have a lovely new tote.

These great ideas, pictures, and instructions  have been provided by Craftynest.

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Wooly Bison bags are made from wool suiting as well as other wool clothing.  The bags are lined with cotton and straps and closures are aslo made form found or reclaimed items. 

These bags are all hand made in Seattle, WA and look really cool. 

Wooly Bison bags range in price from $14 to $145 and are available for sale online at their Etsy store.

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Tired Ol’ Belts, LLC is the brainchild of the hand crafter himself, Matthew Meyer. Tired of his pants falling down while he biked around the city, and even more tired of the boring old belts in his drawer he decided to take matters into his own hands, literally. He’d seen a few belts on the Internet that were similar, but not anything he was looking for. So, after much toiling around in the garage Tired Ol’ Belts was born. All belts are unique and hand crafted. They are made from 100% recycled (and sometimes irregular)bicycle parts, and are 100% vegan. You can also send Tired Ol’ Belts  a favorite tire and they can make it into your new favorite belt.

The only question you have left to ask yourself is, “What’s holding up your pants?”

Tired Ol’ Belts wll also trade you a belt for your metal, or even pay you.

Here is a list of parts they are looking for:

• cranksets that have removable allen-wrench style chainring bolts
• allen-wrench style chainring bolts by themselves
• discarded chain (can be greasy but not rusty)
• discarded cassettes and/or 11t-15t individual cogs and discarded spokes.

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If you’re constantly fighting with all of those computer and ipod cords that are always falling behind your desk and wrapping around your feet RecycleChicken has your solution.

Just take a few of the numerous black clips you have lying around your office and clip them to the back of your desk.  You can not thread each one of those cords hanging around through that metal loops used to pinch the clip open and you have a handy cord keeper.  The best thing is that it is easy to remove the cords and the wires slide easily back and forth when you need to plug your ipod in.

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Turn pretty pie-filling cans into a piece of folk art that doubles as a cooking utensil holder. Bolt three eye-catching blueberry cans to a wooden cutting board with a frame hanger on the back. Display your clever work on the wall near the stove.

No matter how hard you try to keep drawers from collecting junk, they seem to be the vortex of miscellany. Get control over the odds and ends by cleaning a dozen tuna cans and nestling them into a drawer. Each little compartment can store thumbtacks, rubber bands, clips or twist ties. Junk drawer no more!

Corral the clutter in the kids’ room with magnetic tin cans. Hot-glue heavy-duty magnets to 10 soup cans and stick them to a steel cookie sheet. Hang it within kids’ reach using a plate hanger. Use the cups to hold crayons, chalk, markers and even small toys. Label the cans for easy clean-up.

Organize your accessories with a scarf display made of sleek silver cans. Arrange seven soup cans to create a tight circle with one can in the center. Tightly wrap a long sash around the bundle of cans, secure it with a knot at the top, then hang your new organizer on the wall. Each cubby stores a colorful scarf and adds stylish organization to your closet.

Keep the weeds out of the seeds by organizing your potting bench with bright vegetable cans. Choose a brand with gorgeous graphics of tomatoes, corn and green beans, or whatever you plan to plant. A clean-edge can opener creates nicely fitting lids, too, so your seeds will stay high and dry.

Thanks for the great ideas HGTV

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Gaiam Life has compiled a list of 50 ways you can put an old yoga mat to good reuse.  Here is the list but RecycleChicken is sure that there are many more great reuses for this product.

1. Tree ornaments — just use holiday cookie cutters! – T.C., Arvada, CO

2. Dog & cat dishes stay put. Cut to size required. – A. O., Trumbull, CT

3. Donate to homeless shelters as sleeping pads. – R. N., Minneapolis, MN

4. Use an exacto-knife to cut out shapes, letters, numbers, etc. Perfect for little fingers. – C. M., London, ON, Canada

5. While taking my dog to the vet or groomer or just for a ride with the top down, her feet would scratch the leather going around curves. So I decided to take an old yoga mat and roll it out over the back seat of my car. Viola! She is comfy and can do her own version of Downward Dog without scratching my seats! – L. S., Powell, OH

6. Drop off your old mat at an animal rescue shelter. Most of these places need soft, durable mats, rugs, towels, & blankets to line crates. The poor helpless and homeless animals need comfort too! – P. O., Highland Park, NJ

7. My children love play dough! This mat will be excellent for play dough and other messy projects because it will make cleaning up a lot easier. – F. F., Owings Mills, MD

8. I have used an old mat in my wood working shop to keep wood from slipping on my workbench while using power tools on them. – M. C., Lee’s Summit, MO

9. Line kitchen shelves — glasses won’t scratch and hold better to the sticky surface. – J. S., Madison, WI

10. Smother weeds in your garden. Just place the mat over a section of your garden and the mat and the sun’s heat will smother weeds and their seeds. Then when it is time to sew your seeds just remove the mat and move it to another spot in your garden. – J. M., Woodbury, CT

11. Cut the mat into squares and use them as “bases” while playing baseball with the kids. Easy to carry and easy to clean! – J. C., New York, NY

12. Mat gripper — place it under an area rug for no-slip gripping. When you’re ready to work out, just roll back your rug and presto — yoga in an instant. Best used with a sticky yoga mat. – S. F., Brooklyn, NY

13. I made one of those garden knee pads to kneel on by cutting the mat into even sections and binding the ends with twine. – K. F., Manassas, VA

14. Wash, then cut apart to use as drawer liners. – C. L., Mason City, IA

15. Cut it up to make mouse pads. – L. E., Fort Worth, TX

16. Grommet the corners and suspend the used yoga mat from the ceiling of a parking garage (such as at the yoga studio) to prevent door dings. Keep that centered, calm feeling going! – F. H., Los Angeles, CA

17. Use it on the beach instead of a towel.  – A. B., San Diego, CA

18. Shred and use for a backyard jungle gym, at the end of the slide. Ooh, comfy landings! – R. N., Minneapolis, MN

19. Grip pads to open jars. – A. F., Grapevine, TX

20. Cut to size and use as foot pads for the bottom of furniture that is on a wood or ceramic floor. Glue on pieces with a non-toxic adhesive. One mat will go a long way! – E. W., Tampa, FL

21. I like to use my mat at soccer games or anywhere I need to sit. It keeps me from sitting in the wet grass, mud, or bird poop on a bench. I can just hose it off and let it dry. – – C.G., Westminster, CA

22. Cut into pieces for holding artificial flowers in vases. – G. B., Winnipeg, MB, Canada

23. My husband has a sweet restored 1971 truck with a new paint job. When he went to put his toolbox onto the back of the frame, he needed something to pad the lip of the bed where the toolbox came in contact with the finished paint. An old mat worked great! – C.J. S., Millfield, OH

24. Place it under your sleeping bag for extra padding when enjoying the outdoors. It reduces pack load for those who like to do yoga on camping trips. – S. F., Brooklyn, NY

25. I am in law enforcement and had to go to training for fifle qualification. Part of the training is lying down and shooting. It was raining for three days and everyone else had old blankets, which soaked through. I used one of my old yoga mats to lie on and was the driest person there. – H. S., Chowchilla, CA

26. When traveling with your infant it’s a great idea to take an old mat along for safe bath time. Simply place it on the bottom of the tub and you don’t have to worry about your little one slipping around! – K. S., Spearfish, SD

27. Cut into strips and use for drainage in flower pots. – J. A., New York, NY

28. Make covers for sharp corners like in a parking garage or school. – L. S., Miami, FL

29. No more messy packing peanuts! Old yoga mats get a new life as a protector of valuables while moving or shipping. Perfect for glassware or anything else that you don’t want chipped, broken, or otherwise damaged. Simply cut into the appropriate sizes, wrap and voila! – J. F., Dexter, MI

30. With camping, I have used the mat as a “door mat” outside my tent. It is a great way to take your shoes off and kneel down to get into your tent and you are not sitting on the ground. – J. S., Cincinnati, OH

31. My sweet dog is 13 years old now and cold wooden floors don’t do much for her joints. My old exercise mat makes an instant pad for her when we’re a floor away from her usual sleeping spot. – V. R., Irvington, NY

32. Use cookie cutters to make an adorable and funky mobile. You can also cut it into a big square then fold and cut it into snowflake ornaments (just punch a hole in the top). – J. A., New York, NY

33. My pet carriers get sticky mats so my pets have good footing when being transported to the vet, especially my cats who can more easily slide around.  – S. L., Indianapolis, IN

34. Make children’s toys: Cut circles out and make frisbees; cut holes and create masks, hats, costumes and props; cut into shapes and letters for tub and pool toys. – R. N., Minneapolis, MN

35. No more slippery steps! Reuse your old yoga mat to create safe and colorful step treads for stairs. Cut your mat into rectangles slightly smaller than the size of your stairs — glue on for a permanent solution or let the mat’s inherent stickiness hold it in place is you’d prefer easy removal. You can use these on outside or inside stairs. And they’re easy to wipe clean, too! – J. F., Dexter, MI

36. Cut and put down by the kitty litter box. It’s not hard on paws and stops the litter. – C. W., St. Joseph Township, MI

37. Plug up drafty places and save energy — windows, doors, under window air conditioners. – R. N., Minneapolis, MN

38. Work on your car to avoid high maintenance costs. My dad loves to use one to make the concrete just a little warmer and more bearable. Hose it off afterward to keep it clean. – C. R., Baltimore, MD

39. Make “Sit-Upons.” Great for those hard bleachers when watching sporting events. Easy to store, lightweight, washable, reusable, and comfortable. Cut the mat into equal pieces to make one top and bottom (the size of a newspaper laid flat). Next, punch holes about every 2 inches all the way around (both top and bottom). Then, take a couple of days worth of newspapers and lay them between the top and bottom. Use yarn, ribbon, rawhide, etc. to lace the holes and tie off. To re-stuff, untie and add new newspaper. Enjoy! – J. H., Shingletown, CA

40. My old yoga mat makes a great liner under my house plants. It protects my rug from water marks great. You can even cut it to fit each plant! – D. T., Battle Ground, WA

41. Cut rounds or squares for coasters. You can also glue laminated pictures on top for prettier coasters. – R. R., Morris Plains, NJ

42. I glued cut pieces to the bottom of beautiful ceramic tiles to make hot pads as gifts (the pads protect tables and prevent sliding). – H. K., Mesa, AZ

43. Cut to fit closet floors or place in foyers as a place for muddy shoes. – J. F., Fort Myers, FL

44. For garage music studios — hang and tack against walls for a nice aesthetic effect while also providing sound-proofing. It can also be tacked to the back of an upright piano for the same purposes. – C. A., Long Beach, CA

45. Give to nursing homes for people to have next to their beds so they don’t slip while getting in and out of bed. – P. W., Kennedyville, MD

46. Put one between your surfboard & car to protect both from abrasion. – A. B., San Diego, CA

47. Using it in my SUV when it’s really hot. I lay it over the dashboard and steering wheel.  – J. T., Los Angeles, CA

48. My husband loves working on the electrical components of his beautiful guitars. We have a workbench that is the length of the guitars and he has a cushion for the headstock of the guitar, but the rest of the body is not protected and often slips while working on the stainless steel surface. The body of the guitar can be easily scratched and dented. We plan to run the yoga mat across the surface of the workbench to create a safe work space for the guitars — it’s cushioned and prevents slippage. – A. H., Riverside, CA

49. Cut into shapes and use as stamps with non-toxic paint. Glue a couple of layers together to make the stamp thicker and easier to handle. – J. A., New York, NY

50. Keeping an old yoga mat in the car is great for those spur of the moment picnics, keeping groceries from sliding around in the trunk, a padded seat at a sports game or a myriad of other uses limited only to your imagination. –K. H., Lancaster, CA

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Every year BILLIONS of drink pouches end up in dumpsters and landfills across America. TerraCycle, Capri Sun and Honest Kids are working together to put an end to this awful loss of resources. As an eco-friendly innovator, TerraCycle converts the used drink pouches into unique fashion bags, tote bags, pencil cases, and other items for kids and adults! TerraCycle is proud to team up with the largest producer of drink pouches in the country, Capri Sun, and a young organic entry into the market, Honest Kids, to help address this problem! Together with your help TerraCycle CAN make a difference.

The TerraCycle Drink Pouch Brigadeâ„¢ program allows almost any school, non–profit organization or individual to save drink pouches from taking up space in landfills. TerraCycle will donate $.02 for each drink pouch we receive. which will go to the school or charity of your choice. If you don’t have a charity currently in mind, you may choose from a list of existing charities! There are no signup fees whatsoever.

Along with drink pouches TerraCycle also pays you to take many other items such as:

• Stonyfield® Yogurt

• Candy Wrappers

• Cookie Wrappers

• Flavia Fresh Packs

• Chip Bags

• Energy Bar Wrappers

• Bear Naked Bags

• Kashi Packages

• Cell Phones

• Huggies® Packaging

• AVEENO® Packaging

• Scotch Tape

• Wine Corks

• and many more

For more information on how to send you trash to TerraCycle for Cash visit their website at www.terracycle.net

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