How to Declutter on the Go

Per Anna's last post, there's yet another way to discard your unwanted stuff, which may be particularly convenient for you cool kids with your iPhones. It's an app called Yoink that you can download for free from the iTunes store, and it allows you to either list your goodies or see who in your area has stuff that they want to get rid of. Be the first to click on what you want and it's yours. You're put in contact with the...not seller...downsizer?, arrange to pick up the items, et voilà! You have a new couch. Or some dude has your old toaster. You get the picture. If you don't have an iPhone (excuse me, but some of us are quite attached to our Droids), there's also a web-based version of Yoink, though that somewhat decreases its appeal, e.g., its portability.


So far it looks fairly sparse, but is getting great reviews on iTunes. Hopefully more items will be posted as increasing numbers of people download the app. Start (continue?) decluttering, people!


-Kaitlen

Too Much Stuff

If you are looking to get rid of some of that stuff piling up in your apartment, you can donate, sell, or "free-cycle" it on either of these useful links: NYC Stuff Exchange or Freecycle Network They even have options for getting things for free if you somehow have extra room.


- Anna

Green Products (for Fewer Greenbacks)

Not sure how she found it, but Angela discovered this green supplies site, which is currently having a 50% off sale (code: 50off) until December 31. In addition to all the usual stuff (CFLs, composting systems), they sell an assortment of Green Samplers and Green Home Starter Kits, any of which would make great (read: thoughtful/useful) gifts.


At the risk of sounding like a used-car (used-planet?) salesman, act fast while the sale's still going! At half off, you can get 96 rolls of recycled toilet paper for about $34, plus shipping. Now that's cost- and eco-conscious.


-Kaitlen

Metropolis Mention

And the mentions of our 4th Bin logo win continue....

The November issue of Metropolis contains an article, written by 4th Bin competition judge Susan S. Szenasy about the worrisome issue of e-waste. It's an upsetting problem, but e-cycling initiatives like the 4th Bin and many others around the world are definite steps in the right direction.

-Kaitlen

Friedman in the Forest

Take a look at today's New York Times op-ed column by Thomas Friedman. It concerns the Brazilian rainforest and is both depressing and hopeful. (Unfortunately, it's a bit more on the depressing side.) Still, it's interesting and certainly worth reading.

Great find, Michelle!

-Kaitlen & Vina

A Different Kind of Treehouse

This is amazing. Architect/forester Roald Gundersen builds houses using entire trees, not pieces of lumber. The resulting structures are gorgeous, and the process is so much gentler on the environment than traditional logging (or building with steel supports). Here are some of the highlights:


"According to research by the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, run by the USDA, a whole, unmilled tree can support 50 percent more weight than the largest piece of lumber milled from the same tree. So Mr. Gundersen uses small-diameter trees as rafters and framing in his airy structures, and big trees felled by wind, disease or insects as powerful columns and curving beams.

Taking small trees from a crowded stand in the forest is much like thinning carrots in a row: the remaining plants get more light, air and nutrients. Carrots grow longer and straighter; trees get bigger and healthier.

And when the trees are left whole, they sequester carbon. “For every ton of wood, a ton and a half of carbon dioxide is locked up,” he said, whereas producing a ton of steel releases two to five tons of carbon. So the more whole wood is used in place of steel, the less carbon is pumped into the air.

These passive solar structures also need very little or no supplemental heat."

Now go check out the slide show. (Nice work noticing this one, Anna!)

-Kaitlen

The 4th Bin Logo Winner

Remember when we mentioned that 4th Bin competition? Well, good news: we won. Yep, your trusty Two Twelve Green Team designed the winning logo, which will be used on the clever new bin, as well as supplemental materials such as advertising, communications, possibly products, etc.

The blogosphere has taken note, too. Here's a roundup of blogs that mentioned our win:

BusinessWire
Core77
Dexigner
Earth911
The Graffik
Reuters
SEGD Blog
TreeHugger

Pretty awesome, huh?

-Kaitlen