Hey 'yall.
Its been a while, and unfortunately, I do not have the time for a proper post at this very second. However I have popped on real quick to make a request of all my dedicated fellow Compactors.
It's the home stretch for me (6 weeks left!!!) and I am getting ready to create my fabulous presentation of this project. I would love to be able to include some comments from each of you. If you would like to write just a short blurb summing up your experience with the Compact, you can email or facebook them to me. I would really appreciate it!
-Larkin
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
...Another Nun's Treasure
I recently came back in contact with some old friends and, not surprisingly, they've continued to do interesting, worthwhile things with their lives. For instance, Lyanda has this really warm and informative blog called Tangled Nest, undoubtedly a reference to her publicized penchant for birds. I highly recommend it!
Her posting for today was so perfect for The Compact Project, I postponed my other planned topic in favor of sharing Transforming Refuse: Sister Monika's Amazing Market Bag. Enjoy! -k8-
Her posting for today was so perfect for The Compact Project, I postponed my other planned topic in favor of sharing Transforming Refuse: Sister Monika's Amazing Market Bag. Enjoy! -k8-
Sunday, March 8, 2009
The Cost of Communication
When asked what their favorite or most used electronic is, I would bet a lot of people would answer a cell phone. But have you ever wondered about the impact of this super important device? James Katz, professor of communication and director of Rutgers University's Center for Mobile Communications Studies, says:"Current statistics indicate that two billion people currently have subscriptions for cellular phones... enough phones for one third of the planet's population. In fact, there are some countries with more cell phones than people. In the United States, 66% of the population owns a cell phone: U.S. population stands at 297 million, with 197 million cell phone users. Collectively, people spent 675 billion minutes talking on cell phones in June 2005."
If you take that number, 197,000,000 users, and times it by the 10 gallons of water it takes to make a single cell phone chip it becomes 1,970,000,000. Nearly 2 billion gallons of water that cannot be used for anything else, possibly ever, because the water becomes polluted with acids, chromium, solvents, various metals, and more.
What can we do to stop this though? A few people refraining from buying cell phones doesn't seem like much help, especially since it wont stop the companies from continuing to make the phones. But there are choices: like Hi-Tech Wealth Co.'s TW S116 Solar Mobile Phone, the first solar powered phone. Or like Motorola's new W233 Renew, which is made from recycles water bottles and "offsets the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate the Renew through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation."
There are even companies coming out to help dispose of phones without putting them in landfills or places where they could do harm to the environment, many of these places can be found through the Chicago Recycling Coalition.
But that doesn't solve the problem of waste water, does it. And honestly, I don't know what does. What I think is that, though communication is important and cell phones are very useful to have around, very few things are worth the waste they cause, not even the phones that cause it.
Cell Phone Culture
Corp Watch
Standford News Service
Green Living Ideas
New York Times
If you take that number, 197,000,000 users, and times it by the 10 gallons of water it takes to make a single cell phone chip it becomes 1,970,000,000. Nearly 2 billion gallons of water that cannot be used for anything else, possibly ever, because the water becomes polluted with acids, chromium, solvents, various metals, and more.
What can we do to stop this though? A few people refraining from buying cell phones doesn't seem like much help, especially since it wont stop the companies from continuing to make the phones. But there are choices: like Hi-Tech Wealth Co.'s TW S116 Solar Mobile Phone, the first solar powered phone. Or like Motorola's new W233 Renew, which is made from recycles water bottles and "offsets the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate the Renew through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation."
There are even companies coming out to help dispose of phones without putting them in landfills or places where they could do harm to the environment, many of these places can be found through the Chicago Recycling Coalition.
But that doesn't solve the problem of waste water, does it. And honestly, I don't know what does. What I think is that, though communication is important and cell phones are very useful to have around, very few things are worth the waste they cause, not even the phones that cause it.
Cell Phone Culture
Corp Watch
Standford News Service
Green Living Ideas
New York Times
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Quick note
Greetings all!
Please pardon the long delay in posts! After Christmas, we also had Chinese New Year and with ramping down and then back up again at work, and the holiday duties in between...well, it didn't leave much time to write.
Even now, I have only a quick moment to ask: did you see the "It Starts at Home" article by Peter Miller in National Geographic? Ironic of course that the print-on-paper magazine so often does articles promoting a "greener" way of life. Still, what it left me with was a profound sense of moving the world by inches. I mean, the writer talks about the trials of everyday problems that the Famn Damily and I tackled ages ago. (And of course that is why we're here trying to Compact!) It was all too clear from the style that Mr. Miller was trying to encourage people with a "its not so bad or hard" approach. Sheesh! How many more times do peopel have to hear "get floresent bulbs"? Seriously, who is still buying incandesents?!
In semi-related news, there is this article on the state of Chinese Consumption (or do a search from Google for "Hard Yards" and check out the cached page). Its striking to think that the wages of skilled workers went from around US$100 a month, up to about US$200/month and are now settling out at about US$120-150/month. There is a tsunami of more factory closings expected due to the droop of consumption in USA and Europe. The gov't here is trying to stimulate domestic buying by kicking off old fashioned building of roads, tracks, dams, etc. However, folks here are *very* conservative. When the going gets tough, people here save...even more than they do when the going is good.
For myself, I am taking a big "wait and see" as well. I mean, on the one hand I actually think the adjustment (both in the Compact sense, and the overspending in The West aspects) is overdue. On the other hand, it is very, very difficult to look at the hardship that is beginnig to span the globe.
Gloomily yours nowadays,
Chris
Please pardon the long delay in posts! After Christmas, we also had Chinese New Year and with ramping down and then back up again at work, and the holiday duties in between...well, it didn't leave much time to write.
Even now, I have only a quick moment to ask: did you see the "It Starts at Home" article by Peter Miller in National Geographic? Ironic of course that the print-on-paper magazine so often does articles promoting a "greener" way of life. Still, what it left me with was a profound sense of moving the world by inches. I mean, the writer talks about the trials of everyday problems that the Famn Damily and I tackled ages ago. (And of course that is why we're here trying to Compact!) It was all too clear from the style that Mr. Miller was trying to encourage people with a "its not so bad or hard" approach. Sheesh! How many more times do peopel have to hear "get floresent bulbs"? Seriously, who is still buying incandesents?!
In semi-related news, there is this article on the state of Chinese Consumption (or do a search from Google for "Hard Yards" and check out the cached page). Its striking to think that the wages of skilled workers went from around US$100 a month, up to about US$200/month and are now settling out at about US$120-150/month. There is a tsunami of more factory closings expected due to the droop of consumption in USA and Europe. The gov't here is trying to stimulate domestic buying by kicking off old fashioned building of roads, tracks, dams, etc. However, folks here are *very* conservative. When the going gets tough, people here save...even more than they do when the going is good.
For myself, I am taking a big "wait and see" as well. I mean, on the one hand I actually think the adjustment (both in the Compact sense, and the overspending in The West aspects) is overdue. On the other hand, it is very, very difficult to look at the hardship that is beginnig to span the globe.
Gloomily yours nowadays,
Chris
Thursday, February 5, 2009
love vs MS...love wins!
In the spirit of the Compact and all things crafty, this year our MS Walk team made homemade valentines out of old magazines and a couple partial sets of old children's card games. Throughout last week and through this upcoming one, various crafty dames have hunkered down at the card table and waved their rubber cement soaked magic wands and POOF! sweet, sassy, sometimes dirty valentines all magically appear. We also made little baggies of condoms and kisses to sell, which we packed in a mysterious box of 1980's Waxtex "microwave bags" which I inherited from my grandmother's estate, and decorated with Old Maid playing cards. "Rollicky Ruth", "Agile Ann", "Ready Freddy"- they all were just made to decorate so!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Christmas
This year I gave no Christmas presents at all, not difficult to do since the rest of my family is Jewish. I myself did grow up with big gift exchanges, so I still feel guilty about not finding the perfect gift for everyone. This year I gave big checks to my three adult kids and their spouses, to keep the evil eye of layoffs far from their doors. They should have some of my money now, rather than after I am dead. Another feel-good way to celebrate the "holy days" is to give money to favorite charities. Baby Cleopatra, my granddaughter, received a toy Duc Monkey, because I gave a contribution to the World Wildlife Fund for endgangered animals. At least it is a good excuse to post a picture of her.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
the larkin line
I was so impressed with my siblings this Christmas. Because a couple of us are involved in 
Larkin's Compact Project, everyone agreed to honor the spirit of the Compact in the family gift-giving.
For example, Sarah & Bill gave me & my husband a gift certificate for an evening with them at a fine restaurant. And Aunt Sarah gave my daughter a certificate for an afternoon of yarn shopping and lunch. These gifts are not only valued for the fun experiences, but moreover for the gift of sharing our greatest commodity--time!
My younger brother Don works for the public library AND is completing his degree in Urban Planning. So on a new year's trip down to see him in Portland, I was surprised he'd found the time to make us little jars of homemade salsa & hazelnut chocolate sauce. Yum!
And then my sister Beth was fashionably late with her gifts--literally! She sent us homemade fashions! Taking the spirit of the Compact to a whole new level, Beth silk-screened her own art onto reclaimed shirts for every member of our family. Each shirt even came with a recycled paper tag proclaiming it to be part of the "larkin line" of clothing--check it out!
Reading those tags made my heart swell. Not just with pride for what Larkin
started, but for what a little thing like this can do to effect change in others. I was thinking about what this year-long commitment means, really. As in, after a year, do we all just go back to how we used to consume? I'd be curious about what the other Compacters feel about this, but my sense is that it would be impossible for me to go back. It's like I know too much now, or something. I've rethought & reworked my routines, I've seen how it can be done, and usually as well or better. I see how much money and, oddly, time I save overall. I see what a difference it makes. I've simply become too aware & intentional a consumer to ever go back. I think that the only thing that will change for me when the year is over is that I won't be telling myself I "can't" solve my need/want problem with a brand new solution. I'll instead be telling myself I "choose not to" most of the time.
When I think about that, I realize that this is so much bigger than one year, or handmade cards, or super hip reclaimed fashion...it's a lifestyle change. Isn't the ultimate declaration of faith to live as you would have it be? I just don't want to be part of promoting a consumer-based society. Can't we come up with something new as our country's raison d'etre? -k8-
Larkin's Compact Project, everyone agreed to honor the spirit of the Compact in the family gift-giving.For example, Sarah & Bill gave me & my husband a gift certificate for an evening with them at a fine restaurant. And Aunt Sarah gave my daughter a certificate for an afternoon of yarn shopping and lunch. These gifts are not only valued for the fun experiences, but moreover for the gift of sharing our greatest commodity--time!
My younger brother Don works for the public library AND is completing his degree in Urban Planning. So on a new year's trip down to see him in Portland, I was surprised he'd found the time to make us little jars of homemade salsa & hazelnut chocolate sauce. Yum!And then my sister Beth was fashionably late with her gifts--literally! She sent us homemade fashions! Taking the spirit of the Compact to a whole new level, Beth silk-screened her own art onto reclaimed shirts for every member of our family. Each shirt even came with a recycled paper tag proclaiming it to be part of the "larkin line" of clothing--check it out!
Reading those tags made my heart swell. Not just with pride for what Larkin
started, but for what a little thing like this can do to effect change in others. I was thinking about what this year-long commitment means, really. As in, after a year, do we all just go back to how we used to consume? I'd be curious about what the other Compacters feel about this, but my sense is that it would be impossible for me to go back. It's like I know too much now, or something. I've rethought & reworked my routines, I've seen how it can be done, and usually as well or better. I see how much money and, oddly, time I save overall. I see what a difference it makes. I've simply become too aware & intentional a consumer to ever go back. I think that the only thing that will change for me when the year is over is that I won't be telling myself I "can't" solve my need/want problem with a brand new solution. I'll instead be telling myself I "choose not to" most of the time.When I think about that, I realize that this is so much bigger than one year, or handmade cards, or super hip reclaimed fashion...it's a lifestyle change. Isn't the ultimate declaration of faith to live as you would have it be? I just don't want to be part of promoting a consumer-based society. Can't we come up with something new as our country's raison d'etre? -k8-
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Requiem to a Shoe
What do you do with those old sneakers when they have outlived their glory days? I'm not 
talking nice expensive shoes you wore a few times and don't want any more. I'm talking about the shoes you've had for years, like since the dinosaurs roamed the earth. The fit-like-you've-never-taken-them-off, smell-like-you've-never-taken-them-off, more-hole-than-shoe shoes. Uh-huh, you know what I'm taking about.
I've had these shoes (to the right) for four years, and I wore them right up until the left sole became completely detached from the body. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get rid of them; sure I could just toss them in the trash, but what a waste! Plus, everywhere that accepts donations is restricted to "gently used items," which these shoes most defiantly aren't.
But there is a solution! Nike Reuse-a-Shoe collects old shoes and makes them into tracks and playing fields for schools and communities.
"Clean out your closet, take a peek under the bed and ask your friends and family – chances are, you'll find a few pairs of kicks lying around that have seen better days. When it's time to say goodbye, bring your athletic shoes to any Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off location – there are more than 300 around the world... Keep in mind, an individual person can bring up to 10 pairs of shoes at one time – more might overwhelm our collection bins. If you're not near a drop-off location, you can also mail your worn-out sneakers to our recycling facility – but please, only mail your shoes if you have to, as shipping small numbers of shoes to our facility creates a larger carbon footprint."
Well what about those not-so-gently used clothes, you ask? The picture on the left is of a jacket I have had since 6th grade, that makes it 6 years old, and I got it at a value village, so who knows how old it really is. Having lived through so many years of Seattle rain, frequent falling over, and my more recent interaction with a door jam, it doesn't resemble a nice leather coat anymore, so much as a severely botched experiment. Multiple severely botched experiments. While I am finally resigned to buying a new coat this weekend (at the local Goodwill) I cannot bring myself to toss this one out, at least not in the trash. Retex Northwest, in Mill Creek, Washington accepts donations of "unwanted cloths, shoes, backpacks and other textiles," in any condition. "Collected textiles and shoes are shipped to overseas grading stations where they are sorted by size, season, gender, and condition... then shipped to countries which are experiencing severe shortages of even the most basic clothing. Garments which are no longer wearable can be made into 'rags' or pulled apart and reprocessed into fibers for paper, upholstery, and insulation materials. Cloths which can’t be recycled are composted whenever possible. Less than 5% of the unused clothing will end up as solid waste."
talking nice expensive shoes you wore a few times and don't want any more. I'm talking about the shoes you've had for years, like since the dinosaurs roamed the earth. The fit-like-you've-never-taken-them-off, smell-like-you've-never-taken-them-off, more-hole-than-shoe shoes. Uh-huh, you know what I'm taking about.I've had these shoes (to the right) for four years, and I wore them right up until the left sole became completely detached from the body. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get rid of them; sure I could just toss them in the trash, but what a waste! Plus, everywhere that accepts donations is restricted to "gently used items," which these shoes most defiantly aren't.
But there is a solution! Nike Reuse-a-Shoe collects old shoes and makes them into tracks and playing fields for schools and communities.
"Clean out your closet, take a peek under the bed and ask your friends and family – chances are, you'll find a few pairs of kicks lying around that have seen better days. When it's time to say goodbye, bring your athletic shoes to any Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off location – there are more than 300 around the world... Keep in mind, an individual person can bring up to 10 pairs of shoes at one time – more might overwhelm our collection bins. If you're not near a drop-off location, you can also mail your worn-out sneakers to our recycling facility – but please, only mail your shoes if you have to, as shipping small numbers of shoes to our facility creates a larger carbon footprint."
Well what about those not-so-gently used clothes, you ask? The picture on the left is of a jacket I have had since 6th grade, that makes it 6 years old, and I got it at a value village, so who knows how old it really is. Having lived through so many years of Seattle rain, frequent falling over, and my more recent interaction with a door jam, it doesn't resemble a nice leather coat anymore, so much as a severely botched experiment. Multiple severely botched experiments. While I am finally resigned to buying a new coat this weekend (at the local Goodwill) I cannot bring myself to toss this one out, at least not in the trash. Retex Northwest, in Mill Creek, Washington accepts donations of "unwanted cloths, shoes, backpacks and other textiles," in any condition. "Collected textiles and shoes are shipped to overseas grading stations where they are sorted by size, season, gender, and condition... then shipped to countries which are experiencing severe shortages of even the most basic clothing. Garments which are no longer wearable can be made into 'rags' or pulled apart and reprocessed into fibers for paper, upholstery, and insulation materials. Cloths which can’t be recycled are composted whenever possible. Less than 5% of the unused clothing will end up as solid waste."
Friday, January 9, 2009
Not your mother's reclaimed art!
I recently spent a day at Seattle's Olympic Sculpture Park, taking picture for a photography final. But it got me thinking.... Seattle has this huuuge expanse of land set aside for no reason besides the beauty of artistic form. I wonder how many other cities have this same (or similar) love for artistic form?Well, there is a place in Portland, Oregon called The Rebuilding Center, which is "a project of Our United Villages, is vibrant resource working to strengthen the environmental, economic, and social fabric of local communities. Founded by volunteers in 1998, The Rebuilding Center is the nation’s largest non-profit reuse center for salvaged construction and remodeling materials." Within the Community Gathering Space at the RC, is a unique project: a three-story tall tree sculpture of trees made from recycled metal and donated objects.
Community Trees, an art installation made by Suri Iron Shop for The Rebuilding Center, "features cob tree trunks topped with branches and leaves crafted from reclaimed metal and household objects donated by community members."Where else are there works like this? What about the Rebuilding Center, are there places of this sort in your city?
***I must send out props to Dan B. who was the one to bring my attention to this fantastic example of recycling and art. Thank you!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Belated Christmas Catch Up
Happy new year to you all!
Sadly, I spent much of my holiday sick and asleep. Who knew that a human could sleep 18+ hours a day for days on end?!
Be that as it may, we stuck pretty OK-ish to The Compact this year. We had to get a *few* things for the kids...especially the two younger ones who believe in Santa. Still, we mostly made cards and other projects. (Sorry to say that they went out before I could snap shots.)
Among the best gifts...in my book...was a game I gave the family, "A Kingdom for Keflings." Firstly, it is a very fun little game. You are a giant, helping the Lilliputian-like Keflings build up their town. For kids, it is great because it teaches them about planning (you need to check out blue prints of the buildings the Keflings need, and get the resources lined up) and other fun life skills. Secondly, there is nothing but zeros and ones! I saw a demo version via Xbox Marketplace, checked it out, then downloaded it. No print, poster, or other ads. No discs, packaging, etc. Just entertainment...delivered straight to you, with no extras. Pretty cool!
I'd also like to introduce you all to Akoha...a "play it forward" game. It is a great way to inspire and encourage random acts of kindness, and also certain social messages. Essentially, there are cards that describe a mission to complete...anything from "buy a friend a cup of coffee" to "send drinks to a couple in love" to "donate on hour of your time" and so on. When you do the mission, you give the card to the person/people you're completing it with. They can go online and you can track when, where and how that mission has gone out into the world and reached you. Read all about it at www.akoha.com. My favorite "play it forward" mission: give someone a compact flouresent a.k.a. "the Al Gore card." (BTW, if you're interested in getting a mission, just send me an email...we can exchange addresses and I'll make you part of one of mine!)
A final holiday reminder (mostly to myself!)...Chinese New Year is right around the corner. While not as consumer-focused as Christmas, we'll still have to be careful. Having said that, I am pretty much resigned to getting some things...sorry! We are having the entire family over and we are simply going to need a few things...even just entertaining things.
All the best!
Sadly, I spent much of my holiday sick and asleep. Who knew that a human could sleep 18+ hours a day for days on end?!
Be that as it may, we stuck pretty OK-ish to The Compact this year. We had to get a *few* things for the kids...especially the two younger ones who believe in Santa. Still, we mostly made cards and other projects. (Sorry to say that they went out before I could snap shots.)
Among the best gifts...in my book...was a game I gave the family, "A Kingdom for Keflings." Firstly, it is a very fun little game. You are a giant, helping the Lilliputian-like Keflings build up their town. For kids, it is great because it teaches them about planning (you need to check out blue prints of the buildings the Keflings need, and get the resources lined up) and other fun life skills. Secondly, there is nothing but zeros and ones! I saw a demo version via Xbox Marketplace, checked it out, then downloaded it. No print, poster, or other ads. No discs, packaging, etc. Just entertainment...delivered straight to you, with no extras. Pretty cool!
I'd also like to introduce you all to Akoha...a "play it forward" game. It is a great way to inspire and encourage random acts of kindness, and also certain social messages. Essentially, there are cards that describe a mission to complete...anything from "buy a friend a cup of coffee" to "send drinks to a couple in love" to "donate on hour of your time" and so on. When you do the mission, you give the card to the person/people you're completing it with. They can go online and you can track when, where and how that mission has gone out into the world and reached you. Read all about it at www.akoha.com. My favorite "play it forward" mission: give someone a compact flouresent a.k.a. "the Al Gore card." (BTW, if you're interested in getting a mission, just send me an email...we can exchange addresses and I'll make you part of one of mine!)
A final holiday reminder (mostly to myself!)...Chinese New Year is right around the corner. While not as consumer-focused as Christmas, we'll still have to be careful. Having said that, I am pretty much resigned to getting some things...sorry! We are having the entire family over and we are simply going to need a few things...even just entertaining things.
All the best!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
from Albuquerque NM
I wanted to share with everyone a thank you card that I made from the Larkin & Kate family Christmas card which was posted on the blog Dec. 15th. I also used another card and some left over paper from another project. Happy New Year. LynnA
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
