[ By Steve in Animals & Habitats & Home & Garden & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
The latest buzz on urban gardening? Urban beehives, of course! These 7 bee-friendly beehives may be designed for city slickers who think Honeycomb comes in a box, but they’re ideal for anyone who wants to invite a little urban wildlife into their nature-challenged neighborhood.
The Beehaus
(images via: Physorg and New York Times)
The Beehaus might look a little like a very large breadbox but it’s really more like a honeypot – just add bees! Designed to suit the needs of both bees and beekeepers, the Beehaus comes with a 10-page instruction manual that covers pretty much any eventuality an urban beekeeper might face.
(images via: Delicious Magazine and The Crossed Cow)
Most images of the Beehaus show it in yellow with gray trim but buyers can actually select from a range of bright, flowery colors. The Beehaus is a thoughtful update on the classic man-made hive, a design that really hasn’t been significantly updated since the 1920s. With that said, the Beehaus isn’t cheap: one UK site has it listed “from £495.00″ but each kit includes everything you need to support a healthy honeybee colony. You can even order a beesuit and bees.
Bikube
(images via: New Tech News and Hot and Cool Stuff)
The Bikube Urban Beehive By Adam Weaver addresses an interesting hypothesis: city bees are doing well compared to their country cousins thanks to urban gardeners, who grow a bewildering variety of flowers yet use less pesticides than most farmers. City beehives are different too, witness the Bikube which is designed to attach to a home or apartment’s exterior wall. The attachment side is actually the Bikube’s only flat side: its other surfaces are curved to direct rainwater off the hive.
D.I.Y. HONEY
(images via: creativeDNAaustria and Philadelphia Weekly)
D.I.Y. HONEY is a design project from Austria’s Lena Goldsteiner. This acorn-shaped bee condo takes its inspiration from Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes. The support mechanism resembles that of a hanging basket, though one wonders how the bees will react to wild weather, winds and storms.
The BeeCrib
(images via: Linda Raharuhi and Re-Nest)
The BeeCrib may not be as stylish as some other urban beehive designs but it makes up for that by being easy to assemble: no tools, no glue, no problem! Designers from the Bachelor of Design Innovation program at New Zealand’s Victoria University Wellington set out to create a top bar style beehive, the parts of which can be easily shipped in flat-pack format.
(images via: Linda Raharuhi)
The ultimate goal of the designers was and is to support urban beekeeping and thus boost the numbers of honeybees. The overall simplicity of the BeeCrib should appeal not only to new hobbyists but also to open source manufacturers who can ensure easy availability and low cost.
Mason Bee House
(images via: CrispGreen and Home Orchard Society)
While harvesting honey from your urban beehive is sweet payback for the work put in making your winged guests comfy & cozy, other types of bees are worth supporting too, honey or not. Take the Mason Bee: slightly smaller than honeybees, non-stinging Mason Bees visit up to 1,000 flowers daily – 20 times as much as the average honeybee! The Mason Bee House is built from biodegradable bamboo and its network of hollow tubes perfectly suits the nesting needs of Mason Bees.
The Warré Beehive
(images via: Bee Happy)
The Warré Beehive, invented by Abbé Émil Warré, is a simple and practical design that seeks to approximate as closely as possible the natural conditions under which bee colonies build hives in the wild. With that said, the design also works well for novice and/or urban beekeepers due to its simplicity and practicality. The so-called “People’s Hive” resembles a stack of boxes – when more space is needed, another box is added to the bottom of the stack.
(images via: The Beekeeper’s Digest)
Some Warré Beehives are constructed with viewing windows at the front that allows beekeepers and their guests) to monitor the progress of honeycomb-building from the outside. The bees don’t seem to mind being watched and will happily build their honeycombs right out to the clear glass pane.
The Urban Beehive by Philips
(images via: Nanaimo Green Developments)
The Urban Beehive from Philips is a two-part affair that “aims to bring fresh honey right to user’s living rooms.” Now don’t panic – although the portion of the Urban Beehive that contains the honey may be in the living room, the bees aren’t thanks to an ingenious mounting system that keeps access to the hive strictly on the outside.
(image via: Treehugger)
The Urban Beehive is as sleek and modern as they come, and that includes the gracefully curved integral flowerpot that provides hard-working bees with a quick sip before landing. The device also features a built-in smoke activator that comes into play when collecting honey from the hive. While only a concept, the warm reception given the Urban Beehive during its debut at Dutch Design Week bodes well for both bees and bee-lovers.
(image via: Serious Eats)
Are you catching a buzz yet? Urban beekeeping can be hugely rewarding, eminently fulfilling and just plain fun but it’s no casual endeavor. Being a bee boss demands time, care and patience – the lack of any of which can turn the sweet taste of success to the bitter sting of defeat… especially if you step on a bee barefoot. Respect the hive and you both may thrive!
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Christmas Crafts: 13 Projects for Kids & Adults
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden. ]
Forget going to a big-box store and piling a cart high with cheap, mass-produced holiday decorations made in China. Warm up your home with handmade ornaments, wreaths and more that you (and the kids!) can easily make out of reclaimed and natural materials like toilet paper rolls, pine cones, wine corks, scrap fabric and cranberries.
Toilet Paper Roll Owl Ornaments
(images vía: con m de mujer)
Are these owl ornaments cute or what? They’re actually just cardboard toilet paper rolls, painted in bright colors and decorated with black permanent markers. One end of the roll is simply pinched to create the owl’s ‘ears’ – a fun and easy project for both kids and adults.
Pine Cone Decorations
(image via: good housekeeping)
Simply gather pinecones in your yard or at the park, use a vegetable brush or a nail brush to gently clean them, and attach a looped ribbon to the end with a dab of hot glue. These natural holiday decorations can be hung on doorknobs and cabinet knobs, or used as ornaments on the tree.
Terrarium Ornaments
(images via: design sponge)
Create your own little nature scene in a terrarium that never requires watering. Dried sheet moss is placed inside a clear glass ornament globe along with any little decorations you like including feathers and paper butterflies. Get the tutorial at Design Sponge.
Wine Cork Wreath
(image via: good housekeeping)
Gather wine corks from parties, special events or your favorite restaurant and use them to add a little cheer to your front door or your kitchen. Good Housekeeping explains how to string the corks together with jingly red bells using floral wire.
Hand Print Ornaments
(images via: stephanie lynn)
Flour and salt are all you need to create the dough for hand-molded ornaments, perfect for capturing the handprints of your little ones or even the paw prints of your pets. This is a great project for kids to participate in, and the results will be lifelong keepsakes. Get the tutorial at By Stephanie Lynn.
Christmas Village
(images via: country living)
Make this DIY paper village even more eco-friendly by saving cardboard boxes from cereal and other food products and painting it, either a solid color for simplicity or to include more architectural details. Country Home has a series of .PDF patterns that you can download and print.
Pretty Paper Ornaments
(images via: lilybeedesign)
The scrap paper odds and ends that you’ve been saving have just found a perfect use. You can use a shaped puncher or hand-cut circles from the paper, and then tape the paper to a beaded string as indicated at Lilybee Design.
Coffee Bean Trees
(images via: factorydirectcraft.com)
Here’s yet another unusual use for coffee beans that you might not have thought of. While most ‘coffee bean tree’ tutorials advise that you purchase styrofoam cones as a base, we all know that styrofoam is not eco-friendly in the least. Instead, try carving a cone shape out of styrofoam packaging you already have on hand, using paper birthday hats or cutting and glueing a cone shape out of a piece of thin cardboard.
Painted Ornaments
(images via: voyages of the creative variety)
This cute project can revive even the ugliest, most dated ornaments or give purpose to random round objects like balls. Tori at Voyages of the Creative Variety applied bits of printed paper to round wooden ornaments with glue, and then painted and drew adorable animal faces on them. Get creative and go for your own subjects and color schemes.
Scrap Fabric Scented Sachets
(image via: studiobotanica)
If you’re handy with a sewing machine, this holiday DIY couldn’t be easier. Little bits of scrap fabric are simply sewn into the shapes of your choice and filled with a scented material like fir branches or cloves.
Cranberry and Popcorn Garland
(image via: budget wise home)
This is a great craft to undertake while watching your favorite Christmas movie. You’ll need to pop up a big pot of popcorn (no butter – yuck!) and purchase bags of fresh cranberries. Use a heavyweight sewing needle and waxed dental floss to make your garlands, according to the instructions at Simply Christmas.
Mini Trees Made of Branches
(image via: espritcabane)
Choose your favorite fallen branches in your yard and use them to make miniature trees that will lend a rustic charm to your holiday decor. Using a disc of wood, a screw and some wire, the branches are cut into size and stacked into shape. Get the tutorial at Esprit Cabane.
Carpet Remnant Stockings
(image via: martha stewart)
Small, unusable carpet remnants evoke the aesthetics of the Victorian era when crafted into stockings a la Martha Stewart. Look for scraps at your local rug warehouse or shop at thrift stores and flea markets; you could also use old blankets or shawls.
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25hours: Reclaimed Shipping Container Hotel in Hamburg
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Geography & Travel. ]
Have you ever visited a harbor bustling with barges, cranes and sunburned dock workers and thought, ‘I wish I could sleep here’? If so, you’re in luck. The architecture firm Stephen Williams Associates have completed a hotel in Hamburg that will make you feel like you’re staying in a shipping warehouse “with the roughness a sailor would appreciate.”
The central unit of the 25hours Hafencity Hotel is a bright orange, weather-worn shipping container that was donated to the project. It encloses a conference center adjacent to the main lounge, where the floor is painted with yellow grid markings. The main desk is made of plywood boxes, and when guests arrive, they pile their luggage onto industrial trolleys that are lugged around by burly safe in Breton shirts.
Guest rooms are intimate as ship cabins, each fitted with a trunk stocked with drinks, a logbook, information packets and electrical sockets. The architects emphasize that staying here is an experience in itself, boasting, “The ‘Hafen Sauna’ is on the rooftop built within a rusty container with panoramic views over the industrial harbor. It is the furthest from wellness that one could imagine.”
“We wanted to create a web of meaning with interrelating signs and symbols referring to seafaring and harbour life. A place where old and new stories come to life,” says Stephen Williams. “Objects are just like characters in the script, they are not the story itself. It is the interplay that brings this to life, the context of spacial sequences. To achieve democratic spaces where everyone can feel comfortable and be who they are is worth achieving. Then we have created the true living room of the Harbour city.”
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Trash to Fashion: 13 Chic & Crazy Upcycled Collections
[ By Steph in Art & Design. ]
Rescuing discarded materials like parachutes, military blankets, shower curtains, wood chips and festival tents from the dumpster, eco-minded designers create couture that ranges from the cute and totally wearable to the artistic and avant-garde. Whether it’s ready for the rack or meant for the runway only, these 13 collections of upcycled fashion definitely make surprising and innovative use of items others see only as trash.
Recycled Packaging by Karishma Shahani
(images via: arts.ac.uk)
Designer Karishma Shahani distills the colorful essence of her home country of India into a stunning collection of upcycled fashion. “Yatra” includes recycled plastic packaging mixed with natural fabrics like cotton, silk, linen and muslin that were dip-dyed using plants from a local market.
Dresses from Paraglider Sails by Valerie Pache
(images via: valeriepache.fr)
New life is breathed into old, retired paraglider sails by Valerie Pache, a French designer who creates colorful and quirky upcycled garments. Pache takes this material – which she gets for free – and crafts it into dresses, jackets, accessories and even wedding gowns. “People are very surprised to see dresses in this material, especially paragliders who have no idea what can be done to give a second life to their sails. And that seems to make them really happy.”
Festival Tents into Costumes and Rain Coats
(images via: madeinschool.dk)
Long after they have sheltered thousands of music lovers at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival, event tents can shelter fashionistas from the rain in the form of highly unusual upcycled clothing. Designer Lisa Våglund was inspired to use the material after seeing how much trash is left behind each year.
Discarded Wood Chips into Scaled Couture
(images via: ecouterre)
In the hands of designer Stefanie Nieuwenhuys, wood chips rescued from the floor of a university workshop transform into reptilian scales in soft shades of beige. Nieuwenhuys used this inspiration to create a collection of fascinating ‘biomimetic’ corsets, evening dresses, pants and accessories, working with a bio-waste firm to obtain discarded pieces of plywood which she laser-cuts into shape. The designer told eco fashion website Ecouterre that the scales created a “simulacra of nature, without discarding nature’s inherent harmonies.”
Reclaimed Underwear into ‘Knickers Dress’
(images via: design.nl)
Would you wear a dress made of old panties? Designer Antoine Peters gathered up dozens of undergarments and sewed them all up into this kooky experiment in upcycled fashion. The panties are interwoven, and some of the tags are still showing; the designer tried to use every component so that it would be a zero-waste project.
Amour Sans Anguish Salvaged & Recycled Fashion
(images via: amoursansanguish.com)
Designer Tawny Holt of Amour Sans Anguish crafts salvaged and recycled materials into cute, feminine, highly wearable garments. Each piece is entirely one-of-a-kind. Check out all of the lovely designs – including custom-made bridesmaid dresses! – at the Amour Sans Anguish Etsy shop.
Parachute Netting into Camouflage Garments
(images via: ecouterre)
Who would have thought that parachute netting could be so pretty? British designer Debbi Little teamed up with AO Textiles to create a line of lovely dresses and accessories made from discarded Ministry of Defense parachute netting.
Recycled Trash Shoe – by Christian Louboutin
(images via: nmdaily)
Would you pay over $1,000 for trash? How about if that trash were recycled into signature red-soled pumps by Christian Louboutin? The famed shoe designer created the “Ecotrash” slingback heel that incorporates trash from the designer’s dumpster including sequins, fabric swatches, thread and postage stamps. Unfortunately the heels also include python skin (a huge eco no-no) and toxic PVC.
Intricate Gowns Made of Recycled Paper
(images via: papier couture)
Decked out in Lia Griffith’s incredibly intricate paper couture, you might feel like you’re in a fairy tale, an experience that would only be amplified if you were to be caught in the rain. But Paper Couture’s creations, made of recycled paper, are more wearable art for runways and photo shoots than a viable option for weddings and proms.
Totally Wearable Upcycled Fashion by Goodone
(images via: goodone)
Now this is upcycled fashion that the average woman would love to wear, for prices she can afford. British retailer Goodone released a “Basics” line made from reclaimed, deadstock and end-of-roll fabrics that would otherwise have been discarded. The collection includes casual garments with figure-flattering shapes made of jersey and lightweight knits.
Military Materials to Warm Winter Fashion
(images via: lost at e minor)
Looking at this collection by designer Christopher Raeburn, you’d never guess that it was crafted from unusual reclaimed military materials like wool blankets and parachutes. For his Fall/Winter 2011 collection, Raeburn rescued these materials and transformed them into outerwear that doesn’t scream ‘trash’.
Wacky Raincoats Made of Recycled Plastic
(images via: ecouterre)
Why yes, that is an old shower curtain on my head, thank you for noticing. Designer Jane Bowler created these rather unusual high-fashion raincoats out of recycled and reclaimed plastics using stitch-free processes like heat-forming.
“Plastic Fantastic” by Tomaas
(images via: the coolist)
Okay, so these ones aren’t exactly wearable, but they’re gorgeous all the same. Fashion photographer Tomaas has captured a series of images in which models are decked out in common plastic items like water bottles and forks. Because of the styling, the plastic somehow looks much more high-fashion than it really is.
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Clucked Up: 13 Creative Chicken Coop Designs
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden. ]
Urban chickens have never had it so good. Not only is backyard chicken farming increasing in popularity, but chicken digs are getting cooler and fancier, with coop designs that rival those of the owners’ houses. These 13 poultry palaces range from ultramodern egg-shaped coops for a trio of birds up to larger wind-powered enclosures that could revolutionize the livestock industry.
Chicktopia
(images via: studio h)
100 reclaimed sticks from a tobacco barn make up the ‘cage’ of this highly unusual, super-modern chicken coop. Chicktopia was designed and built by Studio H – a public high school design/build curriculum. Two skewed boxes on either end offer up cozy lodgings for the chickens while the twisting walkway gives them a taste of the outdoors. Chicktopia is now located at the Bertie Early College Agricultural School.
Handcrafted Chicken Coops by Drew Waters
(images via: design milk)
Portable, compact and beautiful, this is one chicken coop that you likely wouldn’t mind showing off. Drew Waters crafts these A-shaped homes from Douglas Fir timber, which naturally repels insects.
Cocorico
(images via: yank0 design)
Is this coop concept cool or what? Cocorico by Maxime Evrard is made up of an egg-shaped housing compartment connected to a covered mesh area for play and scratching. While, like a number of other stylish coops on this list, it’s not super practical, it’s an interesting idea for urban chicken owners with just a handful of hens.
Breed and Retreat by Frederik Roije
(images via: dezeen)
Like an apartment building for chickens, Breed and Retreat by designer Frederki Rioje elevates hen houses off the ground in a stacked configuration with private ‘rooms’ and a large glassed-in egg-laying area.
Maurice, the Car Chicken Coop
(images via: backyard chickens)
Kooky and creative, ‘Maurice’ is an old, half-crushed 1970 Morris Traveler converted into a chicken coop by Michael Thompson. Thompson cut the car in half, painted the interior black to create a private area for egg laying and cut a hole into the back door.
Chicken Circus
(images via: studio h)
Reclaimed and beautiful, ‘Chicken Circus’ is another chicken coop designed and built by Studio H. Two swinging doors make it easy for minders to feed and water the chickens and collect eggs, and an attached front run gives the chickens a little bit of protected outdoor space.
Front Yard Solar-Powered Chicken Coop
(images via: frontyardcoop.com)
This isn’t just a simple and compact chicken coop design. It does something very special, all on its own, without requiring you to lift a finger. The Front Yard “Fully Monty” chicken coop has a self-propelling mechanism that scoots it 16 feet every hour, powered by an affixed solar panel. Small yard? No biggie. If the coop bumps into a tree or a fence, it will simply turn itself around and move in another direction.
Urban Solar-Powered Chicken Coop by RAAD
(images via: inhabitat)
While browsing the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in May 2011, Inhabitat came across this solar-powered chicken coop by RAAD Studio in New York City. The coop is shipped flat-packed and is easy to assemble. The solar panels on top help circulate air through the coop, which contains storage space for bedding and food, a perch for roosting, four laying units and a slide-out chicken run.
Handmade Green-Roofed Chicken Coop
(images via: dwell)
Before you get a sense of the scale of this sleek structure, you might think it was a full-sized contemporary home. But architects Mitchell Snyder and Shelley Martin prove that good design isn’t just for humans with their creation, which houses three hens. The green roof not only supports a garden, but also keeps the interior cool. It includes a 4-by-15-foot run.
Nogg Egg-Shaped Chicken Pod
(images via: nogg.co)
LIke a big wooden egg for your yard, the Nogg makes visual reference to its purpose while simultaneously looking like no other chicken coop you’ve ever seen. Made of cedar wood, the Nogg boasts a glass dome in the roof that provides light and can also be twisted and lifted for ventilation.
Coopus Maximus
(image via: studio h)
Inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s geometric architectural designs, Coopus Maximus is a third chicken coop by Studio H. The designers say, “This coop in particular was an interesting construction feat, as much of its realization happened in a sort of fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants fashion, figuring out joinery and angles as we went, designing and building simultaneously.”
Eglu Chicken and Rabbit Hutch
(images via: core 77)
Says designer Omlet of their cute and colorful rabbit or chicken houses, Eglu is “designed to be the house that chickens [and rabbits] themselves would choose.” They’re cozy and well-protected, but each offers a nice long caged-in run in which to play and enjoy the outdoors without being exposed to predators. Each Eglu features a removable lid for cleaning, a pull-out tray for droppings, a top-mounted door handle and a reach-in ‘eggport.
Wind-Powered Prefab Chicken Coop
(images via: inhabitat)
It might just be one small step in the daunting process of reducing the impact that livestock farms, including chicken operations, have on the environment – but it’s definitely impressive. This prefabricated wind- and solar-powered chicken coop by Peleg/Burshtein Architects and landscape architect Nathan Gulman is designed like a wind tunnel to provide constant ventilation and contains water tanks, silos, egg storage and a waste-treatment system that turns chicken manure into biofuel. The unit can be adapted for free-range use.
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Flipping The Bird: 8 Turkey-Free Thanksgiving Treats
[ By Steve in Food & Health & Home & Garden & Uncategorized. ]
Thanksgiving without the turkey is like Groundhog Day without the… OK, bad analogy but you get my drift. Not everyone enjoys the basted beast, however, so it can be a real challenge trying to satisfy those who’d rather flip off the bird than eat it. These 8 twisted turkey-free Thanksgiving tricks & treats make for some great gobbling at any meatless meet & greet.
Tofurky
(images via: LilVeggiePatch)
One can’t pen a turkey-free Thanksgiving post without waving a wing at Turtle Island Foods, creator and manufacturer of Tofurky. Tofurky has expanded mightily since its debut back in 1980 and turkey-phobic holiday eaters can now choose from a range of holiday creations including Tofurky Giblet Gravy… giblet-free, naturally.
(images via: Vegan Product Reviews)
Tofurky… not just for Thanksgiving anymore! The Tofurky Italian Sausage & Fire Roasted Veggie Pizza does the original Tofurky roast one better by not including Italian Sausage. Make that two better: it’s made with non-dairy cheese.
Jones Cola Turkey & Gravy Soda
(images via: LJWorld and BevReview)
Who would inflict Turkey & Gravy flavored soda on an undeserving world? Jones Soda, that’s who. Jones rocked our worlds back in November of 2003 when they announced “Turkey & Gravy” soda in honor of Thanksgiving – we responded by crashing their website. Imbibers who sampled the Jones 2006 Holiday Pack also “enjoyed” complementary Thanksgiving-themed sodas such as Sweet Potato, Dinner Roll, Pea, and Antacid (urp).
(images via: LOL Products!)
How do you top Turkey & Gravy soda? With Tofurky & Gravy soda, of course! Not that the original brew included any turkey, mind you, but perhaps paranoid vegans were put off by the name before they could be put off by the taste. Regardless, Tofurky & Gravy flavored soda debuted in 2009 to a rousing chorus – of crickets.
Turkey Joints
(images via: Deectably Scrumptious and NowPublic)
Thinking of celebrating Thanksgiving Cheech & Chong style? Well break out the Turkey Joints and don’t even think of Bogarting ‘em! Turkey Joints are a unique candy-coated chocolate filled with a “marrow” of chocolate and ground Brazil Nuts. Sort of like an upscale version of those unique candy treats called Chicken Bones. You don’t have to have the munchies to enjoy Turkey Joints but, er, umm, what was I talking about?
Turkey-Flavored Doritos
(images via: The Taipei Kid and We Are Sub Rosa)
Speaking of the munchies (and the crunchies, for that matter), Doritos are your average gamer’s fave snack and they come in just about anyone’s fave flavor – even Flavor Flav’s fave flavor, which might possibly be Turkey. Doritos have become a worldwide phenomenon and you’ll find Roasted Turkey flavored Doritos in Taiwan. See, the chips look like little Christmas Trees and… hey, who designed this, Flavor Flav?? Above right are another type of Turkey Doritos: Doritos from Turkey! They don’t call turkey “turkey” in Turkey, by the way, they call it “Hindi”. The more you know!
(images via: Woman’s Day)
Lay’s is another global snack brand that has cleverly tuned their offerings to local cultural cuisine. Hmm, that doesn’t explain why Lay’s Turkey Potato Chips are sold in Mainland China. We’re not sure what Mainland Chinese are expecting from their snack foods, by the way, but it’s probably a lot worse than turkey.
Turkey Day Triple Fudge Ice Cream
(image via: Ice Cream Journal)
“Turkey Day Triple Fudge is designed to take the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner and unite them in a very rich, creamy, frosty dessert. It does that by combining super premium chocolate ice cream with morsels of real turkey covered in dark chocolate swirled with sweet potato, chocolate fudge and cranberry sauce.” Now hold yer horses, pilgrim, we said this post would be turkey-free and we meant it – there’s no actual turkey in Turkey Day Triple Fudge Ice Cream ’cause Turkey Hill doesn’t make any such thing. It’s just the twisted scribes at Ice Cream Journal pulling our drumsticks with a timely post dated March 31st, the day before… uh huh.
Thanksgiving Gumballs
(images via: BaronBob.com and Accoutrements)
How often have you dug into a plate of oven-roasted Thanksgiving turkey only to find it’s been overcooked, and you end up chewing and chewing and… the heck with that, eliminate the middleman (he’s a lousy cook anyway) and get yourself some Thanksgiving Gumballs! Available in Turkey, Cranberry and Pumpkin Pie flavors, they’re the greatest thing to come along since those ice cream pills 10-year-old Pia Zadora ate in 1964′s Santa Claus Conquers The Martians.
Turkey-Flavored Canned Veggies
(images via: Glory Foods, Cafe Press and Newgrounds)
Do your kids hate eating their vegetables? Yeah, well, Turkey-Flavored Collard Greens aren’t going to change their minds. Neither will Turkey-Flavored Turnip Greens for that matter. Maybe Glory Foods could try deep-frying their Collard Greens and Turnip Greens in chocolate sauce.
Wild Turkey Bourbon
(images via: Whisky Drinker, Twenty Twenty and J-Walk Blog)
What’s the best remedy for freeloading relatives, noisy young’uns and WAY too much rib-stickin’, calorie-laden food? Turkey of course! Er, Wild Turkey that is, Kentucky’s famous 101-proof bourbon and Hunter S. Thompson’s favorite tipple. That’s tipple, not triple – the only thing worse than leftover Thanksgiving turkey is a raging Wild Turkey hangover.
(images via: Taste of Bourbon, Food Service Geeks and The Vegan Epicure)
Wild Turkey offers a range of delicious sauces as well, and you’re not obligated to use them on turkey too. Actually meat itself is optional: The Vegan Epicure mentions an intriguing recipe for Vegan Fried Chicken with Wild Turkey Barbecue Sauce, shown above right. Finger lickin’ good indeed, and you’re cool with the Vegans as long as you only lick your fingers, not bite ‘em.
(image via: BaronBob.com)
Staying in the spirit of the season is simple, even if the traditional main course turns you off faster than your s/o’s tryptophan-laced morning breath. Hey, Christmas still works without any actual elves, reindeer or chubby guys (Santa, not you), amiright? That’s where the incredible Inflatable Turkey comes in: blow it up, garnish it to the max and watch it glisten… while you and your grateful guests dig into buckets of hot wings, juicy t-bone steaks or an extra-large 7-topping pizza. Now if only they made an inflatable Tofurky…
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The Real Spirit of the Season: 14 Charity Gift Sites
[ By Steph in Animals & Habitats & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Does your boss really need another coffee mug, or your father another tie? What if you could, instead, give them a gift that changes another person’s life, or improves the environment? These 14 charitable giving websites allow you to symbolically ‘adopt’ an animal, foster a coral reef, provide school books for children in third world countries and give long-term sustenance to families in need. Your recipients receive a card letting them know that you’ve donated in their names and that warm glow that comes with doing a great deed.
Oxfam America Unwrapped
(image via: oxfamamericaunwrapped)
Mosquito nets, vegetable gardens and goats can be the difference between life and death for families in need around the world. Oxfam America Unwrapped lets you choose a unique gift that can help give an education, start a business, recover from a disaster or provide long-term food and water solutions. Your friend or loved one gets a card letting them know that you have donated in his or her honor, and the money goes to someone in need.
Greater Good
(image via: greatergood.org)
Greater Good partners with charities around the world, letting donors give 100% tax-deductible contributions directly to nonprofit causes like recovery from the earthquake in Turkey, feeding malnourished children in Africa, providing clean water to families in Guatemala and helping veterans in America get training for new jobs. Choose your preferred cause, and you can donate in the name of your gift recipient.
International Fund for Animals
(image via: ifaw.org)
Honor someone special with tribute gifts from the International Fund for Animals, which saves animals in crisis around the world including whales, elephants, seals and domesticated pets. IFAW will send a special card to the individual of your choice to notify them of your tribute.
Heifer International
(image via: heifer.org)
Give a gift that will change someone’s life forever. Heifer International works to end world hunger by providing livestock, trees and bees to people in need. Gifts include cows, sheep, goats, water buffalos, geese, pigs and chicks. These gifts can make all the difference in the world as they produce offspring to sell and manure to nourish crops.
Bidding for Good
(image via: biddingforgood.com)
Want a real, physical gift that also gives to charitable causes and organizations? Check out Bidding for Good, an auction site where you can shop for travel packages, unique experiences like hot air balloon rides, tickets to special events and in-demand items like iPods. A portion of proceeds goes to a cause specified by the seller including elementary schools, pet rescue organizations and the arts.
Alternative Gifts International
(image via: altgifts.org)
At Alternative Gifts International, you can choose a cause that might resonate with your intended gift recipient – like hunger, education, gender equality, reducing child mortality or environmental sustainability. Projects within each focus area might give children around the world anti-parasite treatment, provide bicycles to rural healthcare workers in Namibia, give safe water to people i the Philippines or help kids in Myanmar stay in school.
The Nature Conservancy
(image via: nature.org)
The Nature Conservancy invites you to “give a gift of conservation.” You can adopt a coral reef in Palau or an acre in the Northern Rockies. You can plant trees in Brazil, give the gift of clean water or give a special kid’s gift of protecting threatened species like turtles, jaguars, rhinos and orangutans. Another fun gift is the Animal Adoption Kit for kids; the gift recipient will receive a backpack full of stuffed versions of the animals that are being protected in their name as well as discounts from eco-friendly retailers, field trip invitations and more.
Charity: Water
(image via: charitywater.org)
We take clean water for granted, letting untold millions of gallons of it disappear down the drain when people around the world don’t have access to a single glass. Charity: Water, an organization that brings clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations, allows you to donate in someone’s honor. You get to choose a specially-designed greeting card to send the recipient, and 100% of your donation will directly fund water project costs.
Oceana
(image via: store.oceana.org)
Oceana works to protect the world’s oceans, and when you choose to adopt marine wildlife through them, your money will fund efforts to improve the health and safety of species like bluefin tuna, sea turtles, coral, sharks, whales and dolphins. You can adopt the species of your choice and send an ‘Honor Card’, printed with soy inks on recycled paper using 100% wind power. When you adopt four animals, you receive four stuffed animals, and adopting six will get you a set of cookie cutters.
TisBest
(image via: tisbest.org)
Not sure which charity or cause your gift recipients would prefer? Let them choose. At TisBest, you choose between printing a gift card on your printer or sending a 100% recycled gift card by regular mail. Choose between over 50 stock images, or upload your own to personalize it. The recipient then gets to select the charity of his or her choice to receive the donation.
Concern Worldwide
(image via: concerngifts.org)
Located outside the United States? No problem. Many of the charities on this list can work with international donors, and Concern Worldwide deals specifically in Euros. Types of gifts include medical help, long term support in the form of apple trees or solar water pumps, access to education, and school books and sports equipment for kids.
National Parks Annual Pass
(image via: nps.gov)
Encourage your friends, family members and co-workers to explore America’s most beautiful natural spaces. The National Parks Annual Pass gives them access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites including national parks, national wildlife refuges and national forests. Of course, the entrance fees covered by the pass are a crucial part of the National Parks System’s budget, so purchasing this pass preserves our natural heritage for everyone. The pass covers the driver plus all passengers, so it’s an ideal way to give an eco-friendly, charitable gift to an entire family.
JustGive.org
(image via: justgive.org)
Here’s another way to let your gift recipient choose exactly which charity he or she would like to see your funds to go. JustGive features over 1,000 recommended charities in areas like animals, education, children, arts and culture, disaster relief and women’s issues. You can either send the recipient an email notification, or have JustGive mail a personalized note card.
World of Good
(image via: worldofgood.ebay.com)
World of Good truly is the best of both worlds. Offering a selection of artisan, hand-made and fair trade clothing, household goods and other gifts, World of Good is a special eBay market site for socially and environmentally responsible shopping. You can purchase physical gifts that your friends and family will love, and know that your money is supporting economic empowerment, energy conservation, animal welfare and other causes. World of Good verifies each merchant through a third-party non-profit partner.
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1200 Bicycles Create Cavern at Taipei Art Museum
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Transit & Auto. ]
A crystalline sculpture of 1200 suspended bicycles stretches from floor to ceiling at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, seats and pedals removed, the frames welded together into one massive structure. This installation is the work of artist Ai Weiwei as part of an exhibit entitled “Ai Weiwei, Absent.”
Named by the British magazine Art Review as the most powerful artist of 2011, Ai can’t even be present at his own art exhibition. Known for works that critique Chinese social change, Ai was detained in April as part of China’s crackdown on activists and is currently prohibited from leaving Beijing. In a pamphlet for the show, he writes that his inability to attend the show “is part of my art, my portfolio and my cultural state.”
Ai states that his ‘Forever Bicycles’ is “a moving abstract shape that symbolizes the way in which the social environment in China is changing.” Whether bicycles are a positive or negative symbol to the artist is unclear, but observers have their own theories, seeing messages of the power of the people, of independence, but also of facelessness and lack of personal identity in a Communist nation.
The exhibition, which includes other installations, photography, sculpture and videos by Ai, will be on display at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum until January 29, 2012.
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New 7 Wonders of Nature: The 7 Winning Wonders!
[ By Steve in 7 Wonders Series & Geography & Travel & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
The New7Wonders Foundation’s long-running campaign to select (with your help) the world’s seven most outstanding natural wonders officially ended on November 11th, 2011. The highly-publicized process was hugely successful in raising awareness of our planet’s natural beauty and in that respect, everyone’s a winner.
Amazon Rainforest
(images via: Amazon Rainforest, Caoba Lodge, Flickrfavorites and The Guardian)
The Amazon Rainforest first took root, so to speak, around 55 million years ago. Ironically perhaps, its creation was sparked by a period of global cooling that resulted in a moister climate in north-central South America. Known colloquially as “the lungs of the Earth”, the Amazon Rainforest functions both as a critical carbon sink and an oxygen supplier whose beneficial effects are distributed worldwide.
(image via: Love These Pics)
Although its current area of 2,123,562 square miles (5,500,000 km2) does not mark the rainforest’s maximum historical extent, “Amazonia” is still the planet’s largest tropical rainforest and acts an irreplaceable biological reservoir for botanical and zoological diversity.
(images via: TripAdvisor, Dark Roasted Blend and Big Travel Web)
At the present time, approximately 668,000 square miles (1,730,000 km2) of the Amazon Rainforest – nearly one third – is protected to some degree by official conservation measures. The region’s unique pink river dolphins, brilliantly colored “poison dart” frogs and forest-dwelling Amerindian tribes never in contact with the modern world will be happy to hear that.
Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)
(images via: Todd’s Wanderings, Asean Heritages and Desben)
Ha Long Bay means “descending dragon bay” in Vietnamese, and this picture postcard perfect place has charms that could soothe even the most ornery dragon. The bay boasts nearly 2,000 islands, only half of which have been named.
(image via: The Amazing Stuff)
The bay’s otherworldly beauty is a testament to the power of geological processes acting over time… say, 20 million years since the area’s half-billion-year-old Karst limestone began weathering away under the onslaught of tropical storms and salt-water spray.
(images via: World’s Best Places and Baitulong Travel)
Karst limestone formations around the world often feature extensive subterranean cave systems and Ha Long Bay is no different. As such, the area shows another dimension of scenic beauty though the more popular caves have suffered ill effects from human activity associated with increased tourism.
Iguazu Falls (Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay)
(images via: Wikipedia, National Geographic and List After List)
Iguazu Falls has been impressing onlookers for a long time: the name “iguazu” is derived from the native Guarani words for “water” and “big”. Unlike other large waterfalls such as Niagara Falls and Victoria Falls, the irregular basalt plateau over which the Iguazu River plummets divides the flow into as many as 275 separate cataracts.
(images via: Neverending Voyage, Argentina’s Travel Guide and Artist Rising)
Visitors to Iguazu Falls are advised to take the Moonlight Tour, though the ethereal after-hours magnificence of the roaring falls is best taken in under a full moon and clear skies. The sight may seem somewhat muted but the sound? Not a bit!
(image via: eTravelPhotos)
The two nations that share access to Iguazu Falls (Argentina and Brazil) recognized long ago that the falls and their associated ecosystem was both magnificent and fragile. Brazil created Iguaçu National Park in 1939 while Argentina’s Iguazú National Park first opened in 1934.
Jeju Island (South Korea)
(images via: Chic Traveler, Scubaboard and Travionside)
Jeju Island is the largest and most southerly island in South Korea. The 175 mile (282 km) wide island was formed 2 million years ago in a series of massive volcanic eruptions and the island owes much of its unique and striking scenery to its fiery origins.
(images via: Vinhbinh-Share and MohammedAldawsari)
South Korea’s tallest mountain, the 6,400 ft (1,950 m) tall extinct volcano Halla-san, rises from the island’s geographical center. The contrast between Halla-san’s alpine scenery and the palm-fringed tropical beaches at the isle’s fringes results in a wide range of ecosystems.
(images via: VisitKorea)
Known as the “Island of the Gods”, Jeju Island is South Korea’s top honeymoon destination. The island’s relatively small residential population and the unsuitability of much of the rocky, lava-covered land for farming has helped preserve Jeju Island’s primordial character.
Komodo National Park (Indonesia)
(images via: Labuan Bajo and TripAdvisor)
Founded in 1980, Indonesia’s Komodo National Park consists of the three large islands of Komodo, Padar and Rincah, 26 smaller surrounding islands, and a short section of western Flores Island’s coast.
(images via: The Beauty of Indonesia)
The park as a whole comprises nearly 670 square miles (1,733 km²) of combined land and sea. The park was created specifically to protect the world’s largest lizard, the Komodo Dragon, but its purview has been expanded to cover a number of unique indigenous terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
(image via: Photohome)
Komodo Dragons are a rare example of “island giantism” in which one species gradually evolves to fill an ecological niche, in this case one left empty by the lack of large carnivorous predators. Certainly qualifying as giants among lizards, Komodo Dragons can grow up to 9.8 feet (3 meters) in length and can weigh up to 150 lbs (70 kg). Fun facts about Komodo Dragons touch on their reddish saliva and white excrement, the latter a consequence of the creatures’ inability to digest the calcium in their prey’s bones.
Puerto Princesa Underground River (Philippines)
(images via: LovePinasPinoy, Puerto Princesa Hotels & Resorts, Eye in the Sky and New7Wonders.com)
The Puerto Princesa Underground (or Subterranean) River was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on December 4th, 1999, and it’s likely the attention the site subsequently received did much to spur much-needed preservation and protection measures.
(images via: Pinoy Travel Blog, Themenschwerpunkte and TripAdvisor)
Stretching 5.1 miles (8.2 km) from its mountainous headwaters to the South China Sea, the Puerto Princesa Underground River system encompasses a vast range of ecological habitats supporting an intricate web of rare and often interdependent plant and animal species.
(image via: Philippines – Official Gazette)
Puerto Princesa City is the capitol of the Philippines’ semi-isolated, rugged and relatively undeveloped island province of Palawan, and the Puerto Princesa Underground River is situated roughly 30 miles (50 km) north of the city center. This advantageous location is a boon for the limited number of tourists who have and will visit the Puerto Princesa Underground River.
Table Mountain (South Africa)
(images via: African Fiesta and TripAdvisor)
The massive, flat-topped sandstone peak called Table Mountain stands 3,558 feet (1,084.6 meters) tall and looms over Cape Town, South Africa. As the centerpiece of Table Mountain National Park, the long-time landmark attracts visitors from around the world and facilitates their movement via the convenient Table Mountain Cableway.
(images via: Splash and SA-Venues)
Is that Reverend Desmond Tutu up on Table Mountain looking all messianic-like? Why yes, yes it is! Was the revered Reverend calling upon The Big Guy “upstairs” to help boost Table Mountain into the New 7 Wonders of Nature’s final seven? We can let the results speak for themselves.
(image via: Itinaukri)
Table Mountain’s indigenous ecosystem is very different today from what it was when Dutch colonists first founded Cape Town in 1652. Large carnivores such as lions and leopards have been eradicated as have most of the larger herbivores. SANParks has been vigilant (some say TOO vigilant) in rooting out invasive plants and animals from Table Mountain, including a large population of goat-like Himalayan Tahr which descended from a breeding pair of zoo escapees back in 1935.
(images via: Let’s Go Sago! and DavidIcke.com)
The seven winning wonders described above and listed in alphabetical order are stated to be “provisional” based upon the first vote count conducted by the the New7Wonders Foundation and announced by Bernard Weber, project founder, on 11/11/11. Stay tuned for official confirmation of the seven winning sites, due to be announced early in 2012 at the Official Inauguration ceremony!
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25 Rad Items Made from Reclaimed & Recycled Tires
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden. ]
Strong and durable, the rubber used to make tires has many uses long after the tires are no longer fit for the road. Unfortunately, more than 290 million tires are dumped or tossed into landfills each year in North America alone. If only more people completed brilliant recycling projects like these 25 examples – including jewelry, flooring, shoes and entire houses – we could slash that figure significantly.
Planters
(images via: recaptured charm, lattices)
Stack tires and fill them with earth to make simple raised planters that cost next to nothing; the heat absorbed by the black rubber helps plants like potatoes and tomatoes thrive. Another idea hangs tires on a vertical surface, filling just the bottom portion with soil, to create unusual wall planters.
Rugs & Floor Mats
(images via: we upcycle, retiredmats)
Both vehicle tires and bicycle inner tubes can be transformed into durable, waterproof, non-slip surfaces for indoor and outdoor applications. Etsy seller ReTIRED Mats weaves strips of reclaimed tire rubber around metal frames. Bicycle inner tubes, as demonstrated above, is even flexible enough to crochet.
Says crafter Michaela, “After several attempts I found out that it’s the easiest way to use a tent peg. I cut out the valves and then slit the tubes lengthwise. Washing the tubes has to be done thoroughly because the valves are covered in a thick layer of powdered talc from the inside. Then you have to cut the tubes in stripes and either tack (like I did it) or sew them together. The result is a long “thread” which you just crochet and then you’re done.”
Jewelry & Belts
(images via: trilliumartisans, julienjaborska, madeforfun, craesnyderindustries, andrewdietch)
Earrings, bracelets and belts get a tough urban look from recycled tires, even when used to create delicate leaf shapes and folded layers of ribbon. As belts, bicycle tires are still recognizable, perfect for cyclists who want to display their love for riding to the world.
Bike Stand
(image via: recyclart)
Tires were half-buried in the ground to make this clever and convenient recycled bike stand. With this simple solution, the bicycle’s tire could be locked to the tire in the ground to secure it.
Parquet Flooring
(image via: apokalupsabotek.se)
Who would have thought that recycled tire flooring could be so stylish? Swedish company Apokalyps Labotek takes some of the 4 million tires that are disposed of in that country each year and grinds them into a powder, which is then mixed with recycled plastic and formed into flooring.
Bags & Wallets
(images via: trigo, blowuponlinevintage, rubberpieces)
It would take an awful lot of abuse to break or puncture a purse or wallet made out of reclaimed tire rubber, so these bags should last virtually forever. Etsy sellers Trigo, BlowUp Online Vintage and RubberPieces show just how versatile this material can be.
Swings
(images via: inhabitots)
Of course, tire swings are nothing new, but they’re no longer just as simple as screwing on some bolts and chain. Check out these incredible creature-shaped tire swings that practically double as garden art. Wildlife Creations cuts and bolts tires into dragons, sharks, horses, dogs, elephants, dinosaurs and more.
Playgrounds
(images via: maryland environmental service, inhabitat)
Animal-shaped tire swings are awesome, but what happens when you decide to make an entire playground out of reclaimed tires? With some creative thinking, the possibilities are practically endless. Two examples include a fun scrap tire dragon in Maryland, and a ‘Rubber Tree’ design by AnneMarie van Splunter installed in Thailand for refugee children.
Footwear
(images via: simpleshoes.com, instructables)
All of the qualities that make rubber tread ideal for tires also make this material perfect for the soles of shoes. The shoe company Simple Shoes includes reclaimed tires in many of their eco-friendly designs. You can also make your own hand-crafted recycled sandals from a bicycle inner tube and a scrap of used tire, as explained at Instructables.
Furniture
(images via: wallacegardens, bikefurnituredesigns)
Furniture made from reclaimed tires and bicycle wheels ranges from elegant and modern to funny and kitschy. The Tired Lounge chair by Leo Kempf weaves strips of tire rubber into upholstery for a rocker, while Bike Furniture Design comes up with crafty uses for practically every part of the bike – including, of course, the tires.
Roof Shingles
(images via: useitagain.soup.io)
You can now purchase commercially fabricated roof shingles made from recycled rubber – or you could go DIY like this ambitious homeowner, who cut strips of tires and arranged them into interesting patterns on his roof.
Houses
(images via: duncankinney, greendiary)
Tires are a central component of earthships, which are sustainable, self-sufficient homes made of recycled materials. Packed with dirt, the tires often form the foundation and walls of these free-form houses. Reclaimed tires can also be used as extremely inexpensive building materials . Argentine architect Carlos Levinton designed dome houses for Haitians displaced by the 2010 earthquake that devastated the Caribbean nation.
Sculptures by Yong Ho Ji
(images via: scrappedcraps)
Korean artist Yong Ho Ji has gone above and beyond all of these innovative re-uses for old tires with a sculptural series that binds strips of used tires together with synthetic resins. His complex works, depicting humans and animals, makes a statement about humanity’s responsibility for nature.
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