Environminimalist

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  • via curiositycounts:

    The Mountain – certifiably the most spellbinding timelapse yet, of (mostly) the Milky Way from El Teide, Spain

    There’s certainly something instantly gratifying about time-lapse videos that we miss in viewing our surroundings in real time. It pulls hours and hours of moments and forces you see the big picture; colors shifting from day to night, the sway of trees, the way the wind moves across everything. Unachievable with the naked eye? Nah. Spend more time doing nothing but observing the smaller details and you’ll find each single frame more interesting as a whole. Be concerned how each moment moves to the next, how real time lapses. Meditation has many forms…

    Take your time. 

    1 year ago 84 notes →

  • alternativeoperations asked: I saw the picture of your backpack, and I'd like to recommend using Eagle Creek's Pack-It System (http://www.eaglecreek.com/packing_solutions/). I'm fairly certain it will change your life!

    I fell in love with the Pack-It cubes and Pack-It sacks during my recent around-the-world trip, and I refuse to travel without them now, even on short trips.

    Separation, compartmentalization, organization! You'll never again have to rip your bag apart looking for the one item that's slipped to the bottom.

    P.S. - Your blog rocks!

    Thanks for tip!

    I think the picture you’re referring to is actually an Eagle Creek pack (mesh compartment)…  right before I put into my backpack. They seemed to have revamped their look as well diversify utility and sizes of what they offer nowadays. 

    My Eagle Creek’s products have held up wonderfully. I seemed have inadvertently collected enough of their packs to the point where I’ve put together my own “pack-it” solution that works well for me. One or two for base-layer clothing, one for miscellaneous gear or objects that typically get lost, and a smaller Sea To Summit toiletries bag.

    I do highly recommend utilizing a packing solution much like what Eagle creek has put together for you here. Like alternativeoperations said “ I’m fairly certain it will change your life!”.

    P.S. - Right back at you. Your blog rolls! Seriously, keep it going.

    1 year ago 9 notes →

  • thedailywhat:

Green Initiative of the Day: It was announced yesterday that PepsiCo will soon begin manufacturing a biodegradable bottle composed entirely of plant material — this despite Coca-Cola Co.’s recent assertion that it would be years before a 100% plant-based bottle could be produced.
Materials used include switch grass, pine bark, and corn husks. PepsiCo plans to eventually begin incorporating organic leftovers from its food business.
According to PepsiCo senior VP of advanced research Rocco Papalia, the way the new PET bottles feel and protect their contents is indistinguishable from their plastic siblings. “We’ve cracked the code,” he is quoted as saying. “It’s a beautiful thing to behold.”
[ap via csm.]

This is a huge deal. While it’s still a mass produced bottle, it’s evidence that a large corporation can innovate towards a direction where the product can have a complete life cycle that includes a natural degradation process. As most of what we produce, plastics take an un-natural lifespan to decay… and even then, what was decaying wasn’t anything the Earth’s natural biosystems could collect and re-use on it’s own (at least within a reasonable time frame). And if it’s true, that they’ve created something biodegradable, we are another small step towards becoming as efficient as our nature counterparts, a system that produces no un-usable waste.
Now, my less optimistic nit-picky qualms:
While named third in the list of the bottle’s manufactured contents, I predict that a large portion of the bottle’s contents is corn husks. Farm production of corn is amassing it’s own set of environmental problems… mostly to maintain our culture’s fast food bingeing. Perhaps, Pepsi’s next step could be lessening it’s use of corn in it’s product altogether, bottle and soda contents.
And now the thing I’m stuck with is why isn’t all of the soda’s contents, the thing we ingest, as natural it’s container?

    thedailywhat:

    Green Initiative of the Day: It was announced yesterday that PepsiCo will soon begin manufacturing a biodegradable bottle composed entirely of plant material — this despite Coca-Cola Co.’s recent assertion that it would be years before a 100% plant-based bottle could be produced.

    Materials used include switch grass, pine bark, and corn husks. PepsiCo plans to eventually begin incorporating organic leftovers from its food business.

    According to PepsiCo senior VP of advanced research Rocco Papalia, the way the new PET bottles feel and protect their contents is indistinguishable from their plastic siblings. “We’ve cracked the code,” he is quoted as saying. “It’s a beautiful thing to behold.”

    [ap via csm.]

    This is a huge deal. While it’s still a mass produced bottle, it’s evidence that a large corporation can innovate towards a direction where the product can have a complete life cycle that includes a natural degradation process. As most of what we produce, plastics take an un-natural lifespan to decay… and even then, what was decaying wasn’t anything the Earth’s natural biosystems could collect and re-use on it’s own (at least within a reasonable time frame). And if it’s true, that they’ve created something biodegradable, we are another small step towards becoming as efficient as our nature counterparts, a system that produces no un-usable waste.

    Now, my less optimistic nit-picky qualms:

    While named third in the list of the bottle’s manufactured contents, I predict that a large portion of the bottle’s contents is corn husks. Farm production of corn is amassing it’s own set of environmental problems… mostly to maintain our culture’s fast food bingeing. Perhaps, Pepsi’s next step could be lessening it’s use of corn in it’s product altogether, bottle and soda contents.

    And now the thing I’m stuck with is why isn’t all of the soda’s contents, the thing we ingest, as natural it’s container?

    (Source: thedailywhat, via fuckyeahpackaging)

    1 year ago 1,254 notes →

  • Patagonia Footprints - Product Manufacturing Maps →

    alternativeoperations:

    Visually explains Patagonia’s supply chain, sourcing strategy, and considerations of sustainability for a number of its products.  I think this is way cool, and I wish more companies from all industries would follow Patagonia’s lead.  

    I’m a fan.

    (Source: dellcreative)

    1 year ago 11 notes →

  • Nice, light and compact… I’ve always had good experiences with alloy gear. 

“William Wallet is the refined version of this assembly, made with 18 gauge lightweight Aluminum Panels and a 1/8” polyester bound latex rubber Shock Cord with metal U-Pin Closure.”

I also like the fact these are made in the U.S…. apparently assembled right here in Florida too. It’s sort of a shame that I have to be pleasantly surprised about in-country manufacturing. If they haven’t already, I hope they are considering using previously recycled materials as alloy is typically very easy to re-purpose.

    Nice, light and compact… I’ve always had good experiences with alloy gear. 

    “William Wallet is the refined version of this assembly, made with 18 gauge lightweight Aluminum Panels and a 1/8” polyester bound latex rubber Shock Cord with metal U-Pin Closure.”

    I also like the fact these are made in the U.S…. apparently assembled right here in Florida too. It’s sort of a shame that I have to be pleasantly surprised about in-country manufacturing. If they haven’t already, I hope they are considering using previously recycled materials as alloy is typically very easy to re-purpose.

    1 year ago 17 notes →

  • via Re-Pack 
Yet another way to recycle packaging. It might not be biodegradable or super-compressible but it is re-using the same box twice. Simple. I’m looking forward to seeing a few flagship companies take on an initiative like this and set the standard for shipping. *Cough* Amazon. 

Smallprint: “Recycling existing packaging is a way to produce and pollute less. The more you recycle, the less you have”.

Edit: idroolinmysleep said: Amazon has actually just started a pilot program to ship stuff in reusable packaging. is.gd/gGH1a6
Awesome! Thanks for pointing this out. 

    via Re-Pack

    Yet another way to recycle packaging. It might not be biodegradable or super-compressible but it is re-using the same box twice. Simple. I’m looking forward to seeing a few flagship companies take on an initiative like this and set the standard for shipping. *Cough* Amazon. 

    Smallprint: “Recycling existing packaging is a way to produce and pollute less. The more you recycle, the less you have”.

    Edit: idroolinmysleep said: Amazon has actually just started a pilot program to ship stuff in reusable packaging. is.gd/gGH1a6

    Awesome! Thanks for pointing this out. 

    1 year ago 29 notes →

  • via Note Slate

NoteSlate is low cost tablet device with true one colour display, real paper look design, long life battery (180h !), together with very handy usage and very simple and helpful interface for pen and paper. This easy, compact and portable gadget is used anywhere you want to make any notes, drafts, sketches, any ideas for future reference. Paper for everyone! Write a note and check it later, save it, or delete it. Maybe send it after.

Electronic paper! *gasp* I think it speaks for itself.Love,the Lorax

    via Note Slate

    NoteSlate is low cost tablet device with true one colour display, real paper look design, long life battery (180h !), together with very handy usage and very simple and helpful interface for pen and paper. This easy, compact and portable gadget is used anywhere you want to make any notes, drafts, sketches, any ideas for future reference. Paper for everyone! Write a note and check it later, save it, or delete it. Maybe send it after.

    Electronic paper! *gasp* I think it speaks for itself.

    Love,
    the Lorax

    1 year ago 26 notes →

  • zenhabits:

The Living Kitchen | This Tiny House

This is fantastic! It’s great to finally see all these ideas cumulate functionally. There’s even a video of it in action. 

    zenhabits:

    The Living Kitchen | This Tiny House

    This is fantastic! It’s great to finally see all these ideas cumulate functionally. There’s even a video of it in action. 

    1 year ago 60 notes →

  • ahotsecond:

“Berry+ is a 95% berry-based, 100% plant-based laundry soap. Unlike conventional detergents that come in a heavy plastic jugs, Berry+ comes in a tiny microdose (2ml – a little less than half a teaspoon) capsule. Each microdose has enough concentrated soap to clean up to 30lbs of laundry (or any size load in between). The outer packaging is 80% non-GMO, plant-based bio-resin clam shell.
The product represents a a disruptive design innovation in the laundry space. Berry+ works any way you do laundry (HE machines, front-loaders, top-loaders, or in the sink) and is cold water-formulated. The packaging is so light that it takes 3.67x fewer trucks to transport Berry+ than leading detergents that come in a jug.
The Moderns, a multidisciplinary branding agency and design think tank based in Manhattan, developed the packaging, branding, and go-to-market strategy for Berry+.”
(via)

This seems too good to be true! But, you can find it here. Anyone have experience using this product? 

    ahotsecond:

    “Berry+ is a 95% berry-based, 100% plant-based laundry soap. Unlike conventional detergents that come in a heavy plastic jugs, Berry+ comes in a tiny microdose (2ml – a little less than half a teaspoon) capsule. Each microdose has enough concentrated soap to clean up to 30lbs of laundry (or any size load in between). The outer packaging is 80% non-GMO, plant-based bio-resin clam shell.

    The product represents a a disruptive design innovation in the laundry space. Berry+ works any way you do laundry (HE machines, front-loaders, top-loaders, or in the sink) and is cold water-formulated. The packaging is so light that it takes 3.67x fewer trucks to transport Berry+ than leading detergents that come in a jug.

    The Moderns, a multidisciplinary branding agency and design think tank based in Manhattan, developed the packaging, branding, and go-to-market strategy for Berry+.”

    (via)

    This seems too good to be true! But, you can find it here. Anyone have experience using this product? 

    1 year ago 21 notes →

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