Thursday, August 28, 2008

Chris Jordan Photo Art

We all hear a lot of numbers regarding consumption that are supposed to wow us, but it can be hard to comprehend what the numbers really mean. Enter Chris Jordan - a photographic artist whose work allows our left brain and right brain to communicate and actually comprehend the enormity of the issue. Take Plastic Cups from Running the Numbers: An American Self Portrait, for example. From afar it looks like a funky, modern work that we might expect hanging on the wall in an art museum. Take a closer look, however, and you'll see that the funky, swirly lines are actually made up of plastic cups, 1 million of them to be exact, the number used on US airline flights every 6 hours. Jordan is able to stun the viewer over and over as he looks at cell phones, paper bags, aluminum cans, batteries and more. What I find most interesting is that each work is preceded by a title telling you what you are looking at, how many of them there are and what time period that represents. Even so, as one scrolls through the 3 versions of each piece, zooming in closer and closer, it is the visual depiction that is so stunning. Maybe all statistics should be accompanied by visuals such as this! Check it out for yourself at http://www.chrisjordan.com/.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Throwplace

Another great option for getting rid of items you no longer want without sending them to the landfill...Throwplace.com. Their tagline says it best - "Take what you need & throw what you don't." Users can list goods that they want to give away, and charities, businesses, or individuals registered with Throwplace can search the site and make requests for items. It is free to list items that you are giving away, and as a thrower you can designate whether you want the item in the charity, business, or free-for-all section. Charities can then request items listed in the charity section for free. Businesses must pay a small subscription fee in order to take things listed in the business section. The free-for-all section is pretty self-explanatory. So, shed your excess and get it to people who need it...at Throwplace!

Friday, August 8, 2008

Earth and Wallet Friendly Printing Tips From Lifehacker

If you have never checked out LifeHacker, you owe it to yourself. The Wall Street Journal, Oprah and Wired Magazine can't all be wrong! It's a daily blog packed with tips, tricks, downloads and shortcuts to make things in your life more efficient. Start by checking out "Smart and Easy Ways to Reduce Printing Costs" on LifeHacker. It takes you step by step not just on what print-settings can help you save some dough and be easier on the environment, but where you go to change those settings. It even includes tips on digital photos and avoiding wasting ink on unnecessary graphics. It's totally geek-chic, and now green to boot!

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Re$ycle Some More

Yesterday I told you how you could get some money for recycling your cell phone. Turns out this works for more than just cell phones. Check out Gazelle, a site through which people have already kept 5 tons of electronics out of the landfill! Look up your used electronic device of choice (digital camera, laptop, camcorder...you get the idea) and the folks at Gazelle will make an offer on it. They send you the box to send it back to them in, and once they inspect your gadgets they will send you the money. They pay you for recycling! C'mon, it can't get much easier than that!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Re$ycle

Want to be green and maybe get some green? (That has been so overused...I don't know why I just wrote that). The Cell For Cash web site lists hundreds of cell phone. Simply indicate which one you have and Cell For Cash will send you a box to send it back to them for free. For some models, they will then send you a check! The company refurbishes the cell phones and then sells them is developing countries where cell service is often the most reliable type of communication.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Kelley Green Book

Many of us have relied on the Kelley Blue Book to find out the value of a used car or truck. Well, now the Kelley Blue Book folks have gone green! The new KBB Green section on their web site provides all sorts of information on hybrid diesel, biofuel and other alternative fuel vehicles. Have you been wondering whether it's worth it to trade in your clunker for a more fuel-efficient model? Answer a few simple questions and find out the upfront cost of trading in your car for a new one, how much money you'll save on fuel per month, and the time it will take for you to financially and emotionally break even. Yes, this site can even gauge your emotions! It also lets you know how many barrels of oil and metric tons of CO2 you's be saving the Earth. It's definitely a site worth checking out!