Cassette Tape Green

A follow up post to the Suspect Musical Taste Green  post 

During the late 70s and 80s, the transition vinyl to tapes occurred. Some folks even still have 8 track tapes lurking in their storage areas. Our music became portable and every high schooler wanted a Walkman and every car had a tape player. We mixed tapes of our favorite songs and instead of trading an MP3s, we gave each other tunes tapes.

A drawback of tapes was that they got tangled easily, at which point the owner had a mile of spaghetti-like magnetic ribbon to try to rewind. Today, cassette tapes and their wider cousins, VCR video tapes have been rendered obsolete by digital music and blu-ray discs.

One crafy blogger, RecycleCindy, has turned the innards of tapes into a sort of "yarn" for knitting and crocheting. Her creations are simply gorgeous, and she includes instructions on her site. Pictured is an evening bag crocheted from cassette tape and yarn. She also has patterns for doll clothes and tote bags. Take a look at her store and blog, you will be in awe.

Another fun use for cassette tapes is a retro design lamp, such as the one featured on the Technbob blog. The designers glue old cassettes into a visually appealing design and use a cool burning light source to keep the cassettes from melting. Lamp kits can be found at any craft store, or if you're truly crafty, just recycle an old lamp! This light would be a great addition to a media or rec room. What a conversation piece!

The ideas are only limited by your imagination. What about a cuff bracelet, out of a warped cassette case? Or a wallet? With a little imagination, so much can be done with old cassette tapes to make a uniquely green statement.

Happy Green Crafting!

350.org Green

350.org was founded by U.S. author Bill McKibben, who wrote one of the first books on global warming for the general public, and a team of university friends.

The number 350 signifies the safe upper limit of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Currently the number is 387, but can be changed with some simple choices.

In 2007 a campaign called Step It Up organized over 2,000 rallies at iconic places in all 50 states. Their creative actions - from skiers descending a melting glacier to divers hosting an underwater action - helped convince many political leaders, including then Senator Barack Obama, to adopt our common call to action: cutting carbon 80% by 2050.

This year, the day is October 24, Saturday.
350 video

Suspect Musical Taste Green

How many of my readers have crates of vinyl albums? How many progressives are totally modern with their music and have gone the completely digital route?

While it's easy to commend yourself for environmentally happy musical taste and plug in your digital music dock to dance like nobody's watching, somewhere lurking in the hidden recesses of attics and basements are the ghosts of music past.

Such media need not be relegated to thrift store obsolescence or even worse, garbage dump filler. Instead, with a bit of ingenuity, it can become funky fun art and decor.

One of the most creative uses for old records came from my friend Ryan. He and his roommate used album covers to wallpaper their apartment wall. If you notice, they also used the records themselves as decor on the far right side of the photo.

But what else can you do with old records? Why not warp and shape them into funky serving bowls or plant holders? The turntable hole already serves as a drainage hole. Several websites offer simple instructions for more detail, but in essence, place an old album over an oven proof bowl and bake it in a preheated 200 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. These bowls also make great serving dishes for snacks at a party.

Embrace your sense of ingenuity and respect for the earth. Take those old albums out of hiding and turn them into something that makes a true statement about all you once loved.

Rather than hide what you listened to (yeah, I've got some Tony Orlando and Barry Manilow lurking in my pile), I say we recycle and enjoy the ghosts of music past. That's a song I can sing like nobody's listening, but I hope you are!

Consciously Frugal: The Many Wonders of Coffee

Great deal on coffee! 

Just a caveat, if you consume the coffee too late in the day, you will be reading and posting about it in the middle of the night! (smiling)

This is more borrowed wisdom from my fellow blog sister over at Consciously Frugal. I think she has more ideas than carter has little pills. (something my dad used to say).

Cheers!

Consciously Frugal: The Many Wonders of Coffee