If you’re a maker just starting out your journey in sustainability, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to get started. From understanding the types of materials to utilize, learning what steps will help reduce waste and emissions, and finding inspiring new ways to explore creativity that don’t have a negative environmental impact. The good news is there are plenty of resources available for DIYers looking for ways to make their projects more sustainable – from simple switches you can make today, big-picture ideas for longterm change, or exciting new ways makers are helping push sustainability into the future. In these blog posts we’ll look at tips tricks and ideas specifically tailored towards diyers and makers on the road to creating projects with greater eco consciousness so that not only will you create something beautiful but also respect its impact on our planet!
If you don’t reclaim enough pallet lumber to justify a specialized prybar for the purpose, it is of course possible to knock down shipping pallets using everyday hand tools. But don’t pry – that’ll just split the wood. Instead, knock out the boards and nails from behind with a hammer. Or better yet, a pair of hammers. YouTuber miscpro shows us how it’s done.
Nice “short form” Instructable from user mfoster, who heats milk jug pieces to 350°F, loose, in a pot of canola oil, before pressing them into blocks using a simple scrap-wood mold and a set of manual clamps.
Complete instructions for this Weekend Projects can be found at
http://makeprojects.com/Project/Solar-Joule-Bracelet/22/1
The Solar Joule Bracelet combines two separate projects, a solar battery and a “joule thief,” to build a wearable circuit that powers an LED. Solar energy flows through the photodiodes, building up a supercapacitor, which essentially acts like a battery. This energy is then delivered to the joule thief, where oscillations eventually exceed the LED’s forward voltage, making it light up. Once fully charged, these oscillations will occur so fast that the LED will appear continuously bright, visible even during daytime!
Best of all, this circuit’s design allows you to install it where and how you wish!
I love this idea: If you have a broken fountain and you can’t afford to fix it — or don’t want to — plant a succulent garden! Above photo, of a Balboa Island succulent fountain, found on Rock Rose. More: Molded Concrete Planters Succulent Pallet Table Hanging Succulent Terrariums
Guilherme Pena Costa created a lighting system for a standard childs’ swing that uses the motion of the swinger to power strips of LEDs.
We had a great time in April, with concrete month! Now it’s time for “reclaimed materials.” If you’ve got resources, requests, or recommendations, please click through and leave ’em in the comments. Cheers!
For me, Concrete Month has been about discovering all kinds of amazing uses for a material that, before, had seemed pretty mundane. But among engineers, that sentiment—that concrete can do so much more than we normally ask of it—is not new. Case in point: the concrete canoe phenomenon.
