Chinese History Museum made from recycled materials

It never ceases to amaze me how creative impoverished nations have become when it comes to reusing materials and saving natural resources and energy.

Thai monks are building temples from used beer bottles, to Indian artists reusing e-waste, to Chinese architects recycling old bricks to design this beautiful History Museum in Ningbo.

Built with a nod to local building practices and to the archeological finds it contains, the museum's facade is constructed of recycled brick from the area, a ravaged patch of former farmland turned development district on the outskirts of the booming southern city of Ningbo.

It only makes me wonder, when will Americans catch up to this trend. Or will we be left behind?

More pics and info on the museum here.

Recycling in NYC

Image via Flickr member Doonvas licensed under Creative Commons.

I thought I knew everything about recycling in New York, but this post on re-nest has got me all confused. Did you know that only plastic bottles are recyclable in the city? It can get a little confusing knowing what to recycle or not, so see below for a quick rundown... And if you have any more info on the subject, please feel free to share.

1. Plastic bottles only. If you wouldn’t call it a bottle, it doesn’t get recycled. Yogurt containers, restaurant delivery containers and plastic cups do not make the cut. Plastic shopping bags technically don’t go with the plastic recycling, but they'll get sorted out along the way.

2. Recycle anything more than 50% metal. And it's okay to leave the labels on as they burn away when the metal is smelted.

3. Glass bottles and jars only.

4. Milk and juice cartons go in the bin with the plastic, glass and metal.

5. Recycle any and all paper, staples and all. They'll get sorted out later.

Check out NYC's Department of Sanitation for more recycling guidelines.

Via Brick Underground

20 Ways to Live Green(er)

Organic material--food and paper, for example--rot and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, when sent to the landfill. When the liners meant to seal landfills eventually crack, toxic substances can leach into the water table, causing hard to trace illnesses in faraway communities.

But perhaps the worst thing is, when we throw something in the landfill to be buried in the ground (or worse, in an incinerator to be burned into our air), it represents a waste of resources that we took from the earth in the first place.

For these reasons, I've put together this list of 25 ways to avoid making trash suggest by readers of the No Impact Man blog:

1. Keep your own cutlery with you so you don't have to use the plastic versions
2. Cut up your old clothes for use as rags and avoid paper towels
3. Use mason jars to carry everything from drinking water to a packed lunch
4. Use a handkerchief instead of tissue
5. Make notepaper from the blank side of junk mail
6. Give your old eyeglasses to the local Lions Club for distribution to those in need
7. Make cardboard egg cartons into biodegradable seed starters
8. Cut yogurt containers into strips and use them to label garden plants
9. Use cloth bags for the bulk bins at the grocery store
10. Empty out vacuum cleaner bags and reuse
11. Use cloth napkins instead of paper towel
12. Cook from scratch to avoid food packaging
13. Use shaving soap bars to avoid throwaway bottles
14. Make your own yogurt so there are no plastic tubs
15. Wash and reuse ziplock bags
16. Use the waxy liners of cereal boxes to wrap sandwiches
17. Use scrap office paper for kids coloring books
18. Carry a cloth for drying your hands and wrapping things in
19. Pack a lunch in a reusable container instead of buying lunch in plastic packaging
20. Use rechargeable batteries

Thanks to No Impact Man for the tips.

Anthropologie Craft Workshops

Anthropologie stores around the country are hosting a series of reinvention workshops, teaching shoppers how to get more out of the existing items in their wardrobes. Past seminars have been devoted to making hair accessories, wrapping packages with scarves, reinventing plush toys, refashioning blouses and revamping last year's gloves and hats.

To find out when the next one is in your area, check with your local store.

Turning computers into planters

TerraCycle's Urban Pots are made from 100% e-waste. Using items like crushed computers and fax machines that would otherwise be destined for landfills, the organization gives them new life as a planter.

TerraCycle is known for making waste products into mainstream consumer products, and supplies for those of us with green thumbs. Their latest addition is this line of pots.

The pots are made from e-waste and painted by urban artists. Click here for a video on how they're made.