birch

birch
Trees are poems that Earth writes upon the sky. We fell them down and turn them into paper, that we may record our emptiness. ---Kahlil Gibran

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Slogans, Definitions and Games

2011 is almost at an end! I thought I’d borrow a catchy slogan about going green that would define the ideas this blog has tried to impart this past year.



There is the very simple - “Recycling works!”,
the polished - “Recycle today for a better tomorrow”,
the overly-rhyming - “When you refuse to reuse it’s the Earth you abuse”,
and the almost-rhyming -  Paper, bottles, cans, plastic…recycle them all, it's fantastic!”.
There is the lazy slogan - “Eat, sleep, recycle”,
the reproachful -  Don't trash our future: Recycle”,
the smug -  It's easy being green”,
and  the silly.
“I pity the fool who don't recycle”
There is the trying-too-hard-to-be-clever “Waste is a terrible thing to mind-recycle“.  And the hoarder’s mantra -  “When there is doubt, don't throw it out!”

My personal favorite is  - “Recyclers do it over and over again”, but that’s kind of crass.  So is my second choice -  “Once is not enough, recycle”. 

I’m afraid to examine what that says about me! So, let’s just forget the slogan and wipe out waste by following the four R’s as below:
Reduce - Decrease the amount of waste you produce by purchasing fewer products and making sure that those you do buy are long-lasting and have merit.
•Reuse – Donate or sell items you no longer need or use and re-purpose stuff you already have on hand to eliminate waste.
•Recycle - Plastic, paper, glass and metal materials can be separated and processed to be used again.
•Repair – Fix broken items instead of purchasing replacements.

If you still have stuff leftover, then you can do what I like to do:
Make Art (or something useful) from Recycled Materials
PAPER
magazines
                                               from http://greenupgrader.com
newspapers

PLASTIC
soda bottles
                                          from  www.dollarstorecrafts.com

credit cards
                                          from www.recycledcrafts.craftgossip.com

GLASS
 pickle jars
                                          from www.housetohome.co.uk

  broken glass earrings
                                                  from www.marthastewart.com

METAL
 globes
           from http://consignmentphinds.blogspot.com
spoons
                                          from http://storageandglee.blogspot.com

TEXTILES
zipper
into a beautiful brooch

fabric scraps
                                             from http://kimboscrafts.blogspot.com

OTHER
Truely bizarre
                                                        Recycled "Art"

 Why would you?
                                          something "useful" ?





RECYCLING GAMES
This is an online game from the EPA where you are city manager of "Dump Town" and you have to solve the city's pollution problems.
Energy Quest Booklet
This is a 26-page PDF printable booklet from California's "Energy Quest" with puzzles, word games, and crafts.
National Geographic Recycle Roundup
Online game where you have to help "Gus, the gorilla" clean up the park.
Action for Nature
Two online flash games called "Clean Up" and "Recycle".
This website offers an online quiz, PDF coloring book, Activity Book and Bingo game.
From Australia’s Sustain Ability International Party
 
Have fun exploring the crafts links and playing the games! 
RECYCLE (over and over because once is not enough)