Small Space Wallet: Jimi

I hate wallets, but not the idea of the wallet. Organization is good and having everything handy is always a plus. It’s the everything part that scares me. That’s where Jimi comes in.

I have had a Jimi for about 4 years now. Jimi is a small-sized recycled plastic wallet. The small part is the main point here. There is room for your ID, a credit or two, and a few folded bills. I think of the Jimi as a sort of gastric-bypass surgery for the wallet. It forces you to only put in exactly what you have too.

I use to suffer from bulging wallet syndrome. I would stuff all manner of trash I’d never need into my wallet. When my wallet got to thick and I could no longer sit comfortably on it, I’d sort all the stuff I’d been carrying around and wonder “what was I thinking.” The Jimi is a great design — there is even a removable portion, like a money clip just big enough for two cards and some cash.

If you find you store too much in your wallet, give Jimi a try.

Small Space Waste Reduction: Filter For Good

I don’t know if you have seen the Brita ads with the person running on the treadmill. The short of it is “30 minutes on the treadmill, forever in a landfill”. You think it’s the person they are talking about, but then you realize it’s the plastic water bottle.

I’m beginning to realize just how dumb bottled water is. A few years ago Coca-Cola admitted that their Dasani Water was well water, from the tap no less. Filtered, over priced and bottled, but tap water nonetheless. In addition to paying too much for tap water, you get all the convenience of destroying the environment with plastic bottles. Bottles that either consume rescores through recycling or more frequently get buried in landfills.

Well Brita, along with Nalgene and Filter for Good, are trying to save you money and save your planet. It is really quite a simple premise — get yourself some reusable bottles and a water filter and it’s by-by middleman. You can bottle your own water. You will begin saving money very quickly. The bottles are cheap and you may even have one already — Nalgene bottles are everywhere. The Brita filters are quite reasonably priced — I’d wager less than the cost of one case of that fancy bottled tap water. I recommend the Brita Space saver it will fit better in your small space.

So you have the filter, the bottles and your tap water — now you’re in business. Just remember to thoroughly clean your bottles and you can save money, the environment and space all at the same time.

UPDATE

I bought a new Brita filter pitcher this weekend, the slim model. It was $12.00. Not a bad deal.

Mold Forms: Found Object Decorating

I Live in Pittsburgh. Regardless of Its current accomplishments or future direction, Pittsburgh will always be know for its industrial past. Even now, there are signs of this past everywhere — giant machines stand as silent monuments to their proud history. Rows of smoke stacks remind new developments of their sooty past. Everywhere you look there are reminders — many of the buildings are gone, but we all recall what stood in the now open spaces.

At one time, the steel mills were everywhere here; then they were gone. As they folded, there was a wealth of buildings and objects abandoned. These forms are some such objects. At one time there were shops at every mill that produced these forms and prototypes. They were used to create the molds into which steel was pored.

These particular items have been stored in a friend’s house for years. Having been involved in the dismantling of steel mills, he had the forethought to keep some of these items — which at that filled dumpsters. They were so black with soot I could have never guessed the wood could still possess the warm glow that it now displays.

To clean them, I did very little to the pieces seen here — I washed them with Murphy’s Oil Soap and that’s it. They were placed in my mantel to be photographed, but I will find some more permanent home for them soon. It is amazing how closely the wood resembles the patina of the pine floors in my 1860’s row house.

I will keep one or two around on display to remind me of where I from. I am glad these objects survived. It would be a shame to not display such beautiful objects.

Small Space Composting

Landfills are bad. According to the EPA, food waste is the number one least recycled material. It is unfortunate that food waste, although very easily biodegradable, is most often added to landfills. In landfills, plastic, water and continual packing prevent food waste from biodegrading for centuries. Now there is a better solution.

NatureMill is a company with the kind of social consciousness we love. Their product, The NatureMill, is a revolutionary item no home should be without. The Nature Mill swallows 120 pounds of organic waste per month. That is the equivalent to the food waste of an average family of five. It will take any organic waste — vegetables, coffee grounds, dairy or meat.

The NatureMill then gets to work by using hot composting to reduce your organic waste. It mixes you waste in just the right conditions using heat, airflow and moisture in its top chamber. The process eliminates odor, pathogens and any seed germination. The compost, as it breaks down, is transferred to a lower curing tray where it continues to compost.

Now I know what you are thinking — but this is not your grandfather’s composter. There is no odor — but just incase there is — a built in air filter that lasts several years. There are no bugs or worms. The end result is fine compost that can be used in your garden.

The Nature Mill can be used inside or outside. It is built to withstand the rigors of rain and snow. There is even a pet waste version. It is a great product with prices starting at only $299 and uses only 10 watts of power.

Tubelor Trashcan

We all have trash and we all shop. My wife and I always try to bring reusable bags when we shop for groceries. We still some how end up with a never-ending supply of plastic bags. I guess it’s the little things we buy — the un-planned shopping excursions.

The Tubelor Trashcan is the perfect mate for your plastic bag collection. It’s a simple design that provides a small trashcan and a colorful cover. Simply place your plastic shoping bag in the can and use the cover to hide the unsightly edges and handles. It’s an easy way to recycle plastic bags. Six designer colors are available, so it will be easy to match your decore.

Vintage Belt Floor Mat

I love this Vintage Belt Floor Mat. It is a leather mat made by gluing vintage bets to a reconstituted leather backing. Knowing how much I love recycling and upcycling, this mat gets high marks from me. The mat's vintage leather belts have such rich natural tones, they make a wonderful warm addition to any home.

I also like the idea of trying this as a DIY project. I always see racks of vintage belts at thrift stores — I think I may attempt to make my own.

Starbucks Gift Card Coasters

Ok, so in addition to being a super eco-friendly product, this post is pure shameless self-promotion. I want to be honest right up front and say that I make these coasters and sell them on Etsy.com. My wife and I sell several handcrafted items that we produce in our home. Crafting can be a fun and rewarding experience.

These coasters are made by cutting spent gift cards and arranging them in mosaic patterns. They are then laminated to cork creating quite functional coasters. You can now protect your furniture and the environment at the same time. Most gift cards are not recyclable so finding alternative uses for them prevents them from ending up in landfills.

Construction Junction

Every Sunday I will attempt to post at least one entry focused on recycling.

This being the first one, I thought I’d start with a local favorite. Construction Junction is a local architectural salvage yard and so much more. There is a bit of everything at Construction Junction. It really doesn’t matter what you’re looking for; chances are you’ll find it there. They have every thing from used architectural elements to new building materials, and so much more. On any given day you could find everything from furniture, pianos, statues, and the list goes on.

Construction Junction is great for so many reasons, but I love the thought of buying items that have history. To add a period door to your home, for example, instead of buying a newly manufactured one is a cheaper and more rewarding experience.

Not just for the homeowner, there is truly something here for everyone. I suggest you check out you local version of Construction Junction soon. Not all such salvage yards are non-profit like Construction Junction, but they all allow us to reuse cast off items. That’s a good thing.

These salvage yards are located all over the country in big cities and small towns. If you have never been to one, look around and I’d bet there is one near you.