From The Green Room: Upcycling Your Peels, Prada & Proust

It is insurmountably disturbing the amount of waste that happens in the US on a daily basis. Our landfills are packed to the brim and although many have caught on to recycling, there is still much more to be done...

HERE are a few stylishly beneficial ways to divert waste from our landfills:

1) “WASTE NOT WANT NOT”

START A COMPOST:

Nearly 40% of our average daily waste can be composted. Do you compost at home? If you live in an apartment, like me, and you don’t have a personal garden, farm, or yard to put some rich compost to use, like me.... that’s no excuse... you can compost in small quantities 1-2x per week at a community garden!

Composting is easy.  Here’s what you need:

-A large (or small) bin (even a rubbermaid trashcan) 

-Soil (gardening soil does the trick)

-Food scraps (nothing with fat-- no meat or dairy)

Check out this link for step-by-step directions: http://gatheringinlight.com/2007/10/15/how-to-start-a-compost-bin-in-the-city-with-little-money/

2)“ONE MAN’S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN’S TREASURE”

UPCYCLE:

There are various ways to upcycle. Whether it is turning an old pair of jeans into a quilted satchel or old wine bottles into flower vases and candlestick holders...

Here are some of my favorite ideas:

“THERE ONCE WAS A PLANT WHO LIVED IN A SHOE”

WAIT!!! Don’t throw out that old, unmatched boot. Use it as a planter. These look really great mounted

on walls or even on picket fences. The sky is the limit here. You can use tennis shoes, boots, heels, whatever!

MAKE-SHIFT COFFEE TABLES...

I work in the furniture industry and if you are looking to buy a rad coffee table (that is NOT from IKEA or TARGET-- blah!) then you're probably going to be spending a pretty penny. 

Why not make your own? All you need is a solid piece 

of glass (tempered) that is beveled on the ends.  Then you can be really creative with the “legs” or “base”. Options that I love are vintage books or old amps. 

IN THE KITCHEN-- a few easy tips.

1. cut your kitchen sponges in half
2. dilute your dish soap
3. reuse condiment/spaghetti sauce jars
4. rinse and re-use ziplock bags 
5. use cloth rags not paper towels.

In closing, I would just like to acknowledge the fact that my Grandmother was probably one of the “greenest” gals I know... Not because it was hip but because she grew up in the Great Depression, when wasting was abhorred.  Take a peek into your family history to find out just how thrift-savvy your loved ones were -- take away a tip or two!

xoxo,

&

From The Green Room:

My days off are spent harvesting, planting or tilling at ATWATER VILLAGE FARM.

Last year I met PIPER GOLDSTEIN, and was blown away. 

“This is my kinda chick.” 

She farms in gold lamé and Diavolina accessories.  HELLO!  Her wardrobe is as stocked as her toolshed.  Her nail polish collection is unparalleled.  She used to be personal chef to the Beastie Boys and Janes Addiction...  Seriously, chicks don’t get much radder.

Piper just opened a community market that curates its inventory according to the community’s needs -- while providing sustainable, local, and organic products.

www.atwatervillagefarm.com

Tune in next week for Farming and Furniture tips!

• EASY UP-CYCLING IDEAS for coffee tables, lighting, and shelves.
• FUNKY FARM trends: ways to give your garden style.

xoxo, 

&