Give Clothes a Second Chance

Clothes get thrown away for a lot of reasons:

they get old

they go out of fashion

they have holes

they are too small

and more

Before you decide to throw out any old item of clothing, take a second look at it. There are hundreds of creative and innovative ways to refashion old clothes into new and cool items. They can be as simple as turning a pair of old jeans into shorts. If the only reason you are throwing something out is because it doesn't fit quite right, learning a few simple sewing techniques can help save those clothes! 

A Simple Hem

Sewing on a Button

Repair a Broken Zipper

Turn Bootleg Pants into Skinny Jeans

Fixing the clothes you already have will save you a lot of money as well as keep usable clothes out of landfills. If you do have clothes that you just don't want anymore, make sure to donate them instead of throwing them away. Businesses like Deseret Industries help old clothes get a second chance. Many of the items donated there are put back into the community and made available to people who need them. A lot of the donations are even shipped overseas to third world countries where they are given to those in need. 

If you are looking to do some shopping, try out a second hand store first. The items you get will be cheaper than anything in mainstream stores and you will be helping clothes have a longer life. Somebody's Attic  in Logan is a great store to try, and all proceeds go to helping prevent child abuse. The Deseret Industries is also a great option for shopping.

Here are some great tips on how to successfully shop at thrift stores:

http://www.alreadypretty.com/2011/03/your-thrifting-checklist.html

Make sure to stop by the TRUE BLUE REUSE SALE at USU on Saturday may 18th from 9-2pm at the parking near Morgan Hall on campus. There will be hundreds of clothes for sale, most going for a dollar or less. There will also be many appliances, TVs and kitchen supplies. All proceeds will go to help support the Student's for Sustainability Club on campus. 

Of course, not all the clothes that you will find at thrift stores are going to fit great or be super fashionable. Don't let that deter you! It can be really simple to make a thrift store find into your next favorite item! Try out some of the tutorials below for inspiration. 

http://www.refinery29.com/diy-cut-off-shorts/slideshow?page=20#slide-20

http://www.maybematilda.com/2011/10/button-up-cardigan-cowl-old-sweater.html

http://www.merricksart.com/search/label/Refashion

http://www.babble.com/crafts-activities/refashion-an-old-t-shirt/

http://refashionco-op.blogspot.com

Wasatch Community Gardens

Wasatch Gardens is a nonprofit organization that has been serving various communities in the Salt Lake area for over 25 years. They have community education programs, community gardening programs, youth gardening programs and plenty of opportunities to serve and grow. “We exist to build community by providing the space to garden, the expertise to assist others, and the education to empower current and future generations of organic gardeners. By doing so, we improve more than our community's green space. We improve its health, vitality, and self-reliance.”

I was able to visit the Historic Sandy Garden last week and poke around to see what the Wasatch Community Garden program is all about. The area itself is nestled in a small community over in Sandy. Even though we have not quite closed the door on winter yet, it seems spring is getting warmed up and ready to go! There were already small sprouts poking up through the ground in many of the plots. On the edges of the garden there were wheel barrows, watering cans, planter boxes and all kinds of tools. The plot is welcoming, the gate was wide open and people came and went as they pleased, this plot obviously serves as a community gathering place as well as a garden. The gates that enclose the plot are made up of bits and pieces of reused gates of various materials, even the benches around the garden are mixed and matched from various sources. There is even a small picnic table located under a shade tree. 

More information HERE 

Join a garden HERE 

Garden Locations in UT:

Grateful Tomato Garden: 800 S 600 E, SLC

4th East Garden: 553 S 400 E, SLC

Fairpark Garden: 1037 W 300 N, SLC

Historic Sandy Garden: 500 E 8880 S, Sandy

People's Portable Garden: 900 S 200 W, SLC

Harmony Park Garden, 3700 S West Temple, South Salt Lake City

Magna Garden, Copper Park, 2600 S 8900 W, Magna

Program Highlights 

• Wasatch Community Gardens has 23 years of experience developing and overseeing community gardens in the Salt Lake Valley. Today, they oversee 11 community gardens throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
• They provide training, education, and resources to community and school gardens through the WCG Network.
• In Spring 2012, they partnered with Salt Lake City to support community gardens on City-owned land.
• In 2011 and 2012, they partnered with Salt Lake County's Urban Farming Initiative to start 3 new community gardens through the Parks for Produce program.
• In 2011, $14,000 in mini-grant funding distributed to 9 new and expanding community gardens.
• In 2011, 39 community garden projects recieved education through theGrowing Community Gardens leadership training. (source)

Contact

PO Box 2924 | Salt Lake City, UT 84110

801-359-2658 | 801-322-4810 (fax)

admin@wasatchgardens.org

www.wasatchgardens.org

Biking: Benefits and Resources

Why Bike?

Biking has so many benefits, I could type all day and still miss some. But there are a couple really big ones that everyone should be aware of. First off, biking is both energy and time efficient. As everyone knows, "time is money", and when you bike to work, you save both! Biking uses three to five times less energy then walking, and can generally get you to your destination faster than driving or mass transit in trips less than three miles. 

Biking is also economical! Gas prices are...volatile at best. When you commute by bike, you save yourself the hassle of filling up on gas, as well as eliminate parking and car insurance costs. Another bonus of bikes is the minimal maintenance. Cars need a lot of attention and money to keep going. Oil changes, tune-ups, repair work, registration costs, tire replacements, wiper repairs, rock chips and more can quickly add up. Bikes, in contrast, need minimal maintenance to keep working. 

Biking also has great health benefits! It can contribute to stress reduction, is easier on the knees than jogging and can improve lung capacity in people of all ages. What better way to get a little "pick-me-up" after work then increase endorphins through exercise? 

Motor vehicles create a lot of air pollution, so riding a bike is also great for the enviornment. Every day you ride to work, you are are saving the atmosphere from carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and particulates that are emitted from cars. Bikes also are "resource smart". One hundred bicycles can be built with the resources needed to build one car. 

So I guess the real question here isn't "why bike?" but rather.."why not?"

For even more reasons to bike, click HERE

Getting Started

Lots of people seem to think that getting into the world of biking is hard. Don't be fooled, biking is for everyone! You don't need a fancy bike and a $400 spandex suit to be a biker. Just dust the one in the garage off and hop on! After-all, you never forget how to ride a bike.

For more tips on getting started, go HERE 
Even more information and ideas can be found HERE

Resources

Road Safety: Keep yourself safe while you bike. Always wear a helmet and be familiar with the rules of the road.Check HERE for even more safety tips.  

Map My Ride: This is a great resource for bikers! You can create your own bike routes and then share them with the online community. You can also find great links to events and races on the site, as well as nutrition tips and fitness information.

More bike links can be found HERE  

Upcoming Bike Events

National Bike Challenge 

May 1-September 30 2013

"The Challenge is an exciting health and wellness initiative that encourages people to bike for transportation and recreation. In 2013, we aim to have 50,000 riders pedaling 20 million miles from May 1, 2013 until September 30, 2013. It is open and free to anyone who lives in the U.S. or works for an organization with U.S. employees."

Utah Bike Summit

Friday, April 26, 2013:  University of Utah Guesthouse 

"The Fifth Annual Utah Bike Summit brings together bicycle and trail advocates, representatives from our bike industries, cycling event promoters, city planners, representatives from Utah’s tourism industry, local and state government officials with one common goal, to promote biking in Utah. This year’s summit focus is Keep Utah Rolling! Utah has been making great progress over the years and the summit will help keep us rolling towards a bright future."

Sustainable Business: Crumb Brothers

  Crumb Brothers Bakery is a warm, inviting, and sustainable business right here in Logan. When you walk in the doors, the first thing you notice is the beautiful natural lighting, the warm wood on the walls and of course…the aroma of freshly baked bread.

            I had the great opportunity to take a tour of the building with the bakery owner, Bill Oblock. He graciously showed me around the building and pointed out the various sustainable aspects of the business. The owner stated that he looked to the LEED Sustainable Building Standards for inspiration and guidance in the design. 

The first thing that caught my eye was the beautiful wood the walls were made of. The bulk of the walls are made of repurposed wood and beams from the Great Salt Lake Trestle. The wood had been essentially “pickled” in the salty water and had a wonderful texture and grit to it. The doorways are made from sustainable fast-growing hardwood from Latin America.

In the backrooms, huge windows that cover many walls in the room light the work area. The natural lighting reflects off of “light shelves” that direct the light down onto the work areas. This is fairly common in Scandinavia where there is little daylight available. Thick wooden beams stretch over the workspace; Bill said that he was inspired by the San Francisco bay area “arts and craft” design.

On the outside of the building, there is a large solar wall, the energy generated by this wall helps to preheat the air that flows through the building. This helps save energy by 10% in the business. All around the building are beautiful “water-wise” plants, most of which are native to Utah. One of the most sustainable aspects of this building is the Geothermal heating system that they use for heating and cooling. Bill said that the system was one of the biggest investments in the construction of the building, but it is very close to paying itself off. 

Bill Oblock said that his decision to incorporate sustainable practices at Crumb Brothers was a two part decision. He said that business production drains energy and the more energy a business can create for itself the more money it will save. He also said that a large part of his reasoning came from his personal philosophy about responsibility and business. 

Crumb Brothers Bakery is a great example of a business that not only has great products, but is sustainable in the creation of those products. The Crumb Brothers mission statement states that the business will "strive to set the standard for Northern Utah in providing a quality product in the most environmentally and socially responsible manner as possible." With so many sustainable business practices in place, Crumb Brothers appears to have a bright, and tasty, future ahead. 

              

A More Water Efficient You

     Water is an essential part of our day to day lives. We drink it, cook with it, bathe with it and more. It is tempting to disregard the amount of water we use because there seems to be such an abundant supply around us. After all, 70% of the Earth is covered in water! But the reality of the matter is that only 2.5% of water on earth is freshwater. Because there is not a limitless supply of this vital liquid, it is important to give some thought as to how much water you use on a daily basis. The numbers might surprise you! 

Fast Water Facts:

The average American family uses up to 260 gallons of water in the home each day

A full bathtub is equal to approximately 60 gallons of water

A five minute shower is equal to 20-35 gallons of water (source) 

Approximately 400 Billion gallons of water are used in the United States per day 

In one year, the average American residence uses over 100,000 gallons (indoor and outdoor) 

More than 25% of bottled water comes from a municipal water supply, the same place tap water comes from (source)

Simple Ways to Make A Difference: 

• Turn the water off while you brush your teeth
• Take showers instead of baths
• Water your lawn in the morning and evening hours
• Equip your home with a low-flow toilet
• Watch for leaks in your home, those little drips really add up year after year
• Use the water saving setting on your dish washer
• Look for energy star ratings on appliances like dishwashers and washing machines
• Front-Loading Washing Machines save a tremendous amount of water
• Use a rain barrel to collect water for your garden 

More ways to save:

Ways to Save Water at Home 

Water-Efficient Appliances and Fixtures 

USU Extension Water 

Do you have any tips for water conservation? If so, please share in the comments! 

Sustainable Apps

It seems everyone and their dog has a smart phone these days. With all the technological advances that have happened recently, it is easier than ever to find ways to make your lifestyle more sustainable. Check out these neat sustainability oriented apps!


iRecycle
     Their website says that "recycling is the easiest and more accessible way to get people plugged into sustainability".  This app provides access to more than 800,000 recycling and disposable resources for more than 240 materials. If you have ever wondered "can I recycle this?", the answer can be found on this FREE app! 

Green Map
     This app will connect you with green resources where ever you go! Their website states that, "With unique global icons and adaptable tools, Green Map System has engaged communities worldwide in mapping green living, nature and cultural resources since 1995. Green Maps chart a sustainable future! Explore and get involved". 

Just Means
     Many companies around the globe are helping advance social and environmental sustainability, this app lets you find these businesses and see how they rank up against others. What a great way to support those    businesses that are concerned with these important issues! 

Seafood Watch
     Are you a seafood lover? This app from the Monterey Bay Aquarium provides recommendations for ocean-friendly seafood at your favorite restaurants and stores! This is a treasure trove of information about how each item should be fished or farmed. If you know of a business that uses sustainable seafood practices, this app lets you add them to let others know!

Green Globe
      This travel oriented app lets you find sustainable resorts, hotels, conference centers, attractions, tour experiences and wedding options. Be sure to download this FREE app before your next trip!



Food Guide
     Do you want to ensure only sustainable products are purchased by your family this year? Well then the Good Guide app will help you shop sensibly. Simply scan a product barcode to get a complete rundown of health, environmental, and responsibility ratings on a database collection of over 90,000 products and businesses worldwide.


Do you have any sustainable apps on your device? If so, please share in the comments :) 

Up-Cycleing Everyday Items

If you are anything like me, you hate to throw anything away. After all, why waste materials that could be used in so many other ways! If you are looking to reuse everyday items you might be throwing away, look no further. Here are many resources that can inspire you and provide information about how to recycle "junk" into treasures. 

             Do you have any great up-cycleing projects? If so, please share! 

Click the picture to link to HipCycle, a great inspiration
board full of ideas for up-cycleing projects

Try the website upcyclethat.com . They
have projects for  all skill levels and interests. 

Do you have a lot of mason jars laying around?
Why notturn them into reusable soap dispensers?

Ever wondered what to do with all those
 old card? Why not make a fun picture frame!