Second Runway

Before I forget - tomorrow night, all you Twin Cityites should go to Second Runway at Goodwill/Easter Seals (553 Fairview Ave N in St. Paul). Designers re-create items purchased at local Goodwill stores.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Okay, so I usually try to keep this blog up-beat, do-able and exciting. Certain parts of environmentalism make good financial and health sense, and I try to focus on those. I don't usually go in for convincing people to be environmentally friendly with fear, doomsday predictions, and fire and brimstone admonishments. But OH MY GOD there is a continent-sized patch of garbage floating around in the middle of the ocean! With all the oil spills happening in the last weeks, one hitting too close to home, it's impossible not to notice a giant, whirling mass of garbage that is "too big to be cleaned up." Greenpeace explains the phenomenon, as does the San Francisco Chronicle.

The good news is, smart people in Kenya are using similar washed-up flotsam to make cool stuff.

Simple Shoes!

Oh, recycled tires. I marvel at the many attractive things you can become.



These EcoSneaks are made from:
Washed leather and organic cotton canvas uppers
Organic cotton linings
PET laces
PET pedbeds
Yes, that outsole used to be a car tire
Vulcanized rubber sidewall, toecap, and heelcap
100% post consumer paper pulp foot forms

At only $70 bucks, maybe I'll add this to my growing list of purchases to make once the loans have been paid off. Oh, recycled tires! You do pull at my wallet strings so!

English Retreads

When I pay off all my college loans, I'm going to celebrate by buying myself some trashion from English Retreads.

Yes, California consumerism meets green in this Boulder, CO creation: bags made from old tires.

And maybe they smell like rubber, but they still look cool!