Crafty art ideas for reusing items

I found these at the Five Points Community Farmer’s Market in Norfolk, VA.

And Amelia at the Green Alternatives store in Norfolk, VA. found a new use for an old window. (Which she displayed beautifully in her store near the cash register.)

Cloth glued on glass panes of an old window.

Beer bottle cap ideas sent in by readers:

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Ways to save on your water bill

This comes straight off the Georgia Department of Community Affairs poster where I used to pay my water bill at City Hall:

Prunes

Nature’s candy…

Turn off the water

I owe learning this lesson to my sister.

The 70-year-old dumpster diver

My friend Hope called me early this year and told me this story and sent me these pictures. I felt I should share it–mainly because I found it so disturbing.

Perfectly good thrown out food.

Turning the lights off

I’m always shocked when I’m in the home of an intelligent individual who leaves the lights on in every room. But we weren’t all brought up with, “Did you leave the light on?” constantly heard from the age of birth. And for this, I thank my parents.

Showering in the dark.

I’m trying to use less electric light, and more sunlight.

Gettting rid of Styrofoam egg cartons

I try to buy cage-free eggs. They come in cardboard instead of styrofoam, but for double the price, I have no idea if they really are cage-free. How do you really know? All the other eggs at the commissary are offered in God-forbid–styrofoam!

Now what to do with the empty styrofoam….

Holiday wrapping paper

I overheard a conversation this month:

“We need to go buy wrapping paper tomorrow.”
“Wrapping paper. Why?”
“Uh, because you’re going to wrap my presents before you give them to me, that’s why.”

Which got my little green mind to thinking….why do presents have to be wrapped in wrapping paper? Because of tradition? Because that’s what we remember as kids? Because that’s what’s expected or what we’ve always done? My husband  says, “Why do they have to be wrapped at all?”

The mystery of the persimmons

Our persimmon tree in the backyard was full of persimmons about three weeks ago, right when they started changing from green to orange. Suddenly, they all mysteriously disappeared….