What about this?

A pretty beach scene – yes, but how much longer will it remain that way? Last week the East Coast had a crazy mix of events with an earthquake, tornado warnings and Hurricane Irene. Today Alaska and Argentina experienced earthquakes and a huge chunk of ice broke off from a glacier in Greenland. Something is shaking up the environment. Is it man against nature or is it nature against man? We can no longer deny the effects that our daily actions have on the environment. On Tuesday I posted directions for making shopping bags out of t-shirts. Today’s post also touches on the environment and creative ways to reuse things.

#1 – Plastic Garbage
Photographer Laurie Penland shares her video and her experience of filming a plastic garbage dump floating off the coast of Belize. View it on the Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal Blog. It will make you think twice about using plastic disposable items!

#2 – Green Glass
Avoid using plastic cups and plastic bottles by using glassware made from bottles. Green Glass Company is the “largest producer of reclaimed glassware in the world” and manufactures candle holders, assorted tumblers, vases, carafes, and goblets from wine, beer and soda bottles. Got a gift to give? Think green!

#3 – Coffee Makers Are Just Not For Making Coffee
Here’s a way to get additional use out of an old or extra coffee maker. Send it off to college with your student! You may want to forward this link to your child on how to cook food in a coffee maker. I can’t vouch for the safety of the procedures or how these recipes turn out, but for some reason I’m intrigued with the whole concept. Wish I had known about this when I was in college, because to this day I remember being a hungry college student. As the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” If your student resides in a dormitory, better have him check first to see if coffee makers are allowed in the dorm rooms.

#4 – Reusing Used Paper
In most cases computer paper is used three to four times in my house before it hits the permanent recycling bin. After the original printed paper is no longer needed, it gets put in a bin by my printer for a second-side printing – not big news for there are many of us who already do this. But when that paper has been printed on both sides and is no longer wanted, it goes into another bin in my craft area. These pieces of paper work well to protect surfaces when I’m gluing and painting. They also make good scratch paper for testing colors and for cutting out patterns and templates. Twice is nice, but three times is better!

#5 – The Future
“The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. The activity of making them changes both the maker and their destination.”
John Schaar

Have a safe holiday weekend!