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!
(Image via Wikipedia) Here’s a BBC radio documentary about Vรยฉlib’ (loosely velo + liberte = free bike?), a bike-share program in Paris. It costs nothing for up to half an hour, 1 euro per hour after that, and has 20,000 bicycles in operation! I like that you earn free credits if you leave bikes at […]
Kevin, of Race Day Nutrition, writes: RFID devices have found a niche in the sports timing world. Instead of handheld stopwatches or velcro transponders, racers now strap an RFID to their shoelaces. Race logistics are greatly improved, but at what cost? What is the environmental impact of 10,000 trashed RFIDs after a big city marathon? […]
MAKE subscriber Mike Prevette writes in about this incredible homemade Japanese RV. From the site: Ok, this car isn’t nostalgic (or even a car, really), but the idea is timeless. After graduating high school, three Japanese buddies decided to follow their dream of a year-long cross-country road trip, from the northeastern island of Hokkaido to […]
Yeast under a microscope, via Wikipedia Chelsea Green has 2 great posts with Sandor Katz, author of “The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America’s Underground Food Movements” and “Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods,” on the wonderful world of fermentation. First, here’s license to experiment (if you needed it): More […]
Lloyd’s roof-mounted solar panels (image via Extreme Tech) In response to a Slashdot / Extreme Tech article about a $60,000 residential PV system that still leaves its owner with $200 per month winter power bills, Mikey Sklar posted the following tips: 1. Roof Mounted Panels Suck – They often have limited or no tilt control […]
Homegrown Evolution recently pointed out Farm Aid’s social networking site. This website celebrates all of us who pioneer a HOMEGROWN way to live, eat, grow, and express ourselves. We connect to the land and to each other. HOMEGROWN.org is a place where we can learn from each other, share our questions, and show off how […]
The Nuage Vert (or “Green Cloud”) installation aims to heighten public energy awareness in Helsinki by outlining the emissions of a local power plant via green laser. As a previous commenter points out, there’s a bit of irony present due to the high-powered laser’s high-power consumption – still, altering the local mindset for the better […]
