apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


Posts By Jonathan B.

call2recycle

10_30_2008-call2recycle.jpgCell phones, cordless vacuums, laptop computers, fake candles, Wii accessories...

It's remarkable how many gadgets and doodads around the house require a rechargeable battery in order to function.

It's important to recycle batteries because some contain metals that can contaminate ground water if the batteries end up in landfills.

But if your curbside recycling doesn't take batteries, it's been hard to figure out what to do with them.

Green in a Cunning Disguise

10_30_2008-velux1.jpgHalloween is tomorrow, and we're hoping more manufacturers will take the opportunity to dress up their products in unexpected ways. These ordinary-looking skylights, for example, aren't skylights at all, but rather solar collectors for heating hot water.

Two Contests to Support FSC

10_29_2008-design21.jpgWe've been blown away by the volume of responses and the brilliance of the submissions to our Creative Reuse series. Now you can put that creativity and design sense to work while supporting FSC, one of the greenest certification schemes out there.

AT On... Will You Join Us?

10_29_2008-chevron.jpgIt's odd to see a big oil company touting conservation, but that's exactly what Chevron is doing. And for us, it's reaching saturation levels—we feel like the woman holding a sign reading, "I will install a programmable thermostat" is becoming an old friend...

Sport Utility Bikes

10_28_2008-sub1.jpgIf you are looking for a replacement for your gas-guzzling SUV, but still need to haul the occasional load, we've got the fix for you: a SUB. That's right—a sport utility bicycle.

Natural Settings Help Brain Fatigue

10_28_2008-hudson.jpgHere's one more reason to do all you can to preserve what's left of the natural environment: simply looking at a green landscape can help refresh your brain.

Is an Organic Halloween Pumpkin Worth the Price?

10_27_2008-pumpkin.jpgA few days back, we asked about how to green Halloween. Well, the new Green, Inc. blog over at the New York Times is wondering why people would shell out more money for an organic Halloween pumpkin. Kate Galbraith wonders, "does it make sense to pay a premium for something you’re only going to carve up and put on display?"

Look! Recycled Wood Crates for Cabinet Organization

10_27_2008-tea.jpg1.jpgWe had some serious cabinet chaos thanks to an overabundance of tea and coffee. These simple wooden crates we picked up for less than a dollar each at the local salvage store did the trick...

CB2's Darjeeling Table

10-24-2008_darjeeling.jpgWe like the rough aesthetic of this dining table from CB2, made of wood reclaimed from Indian railroad cars...

Working From Home

10-24-2008_postage-bedside.jpgWired recently ran an article on the benefits of working from home, and it's triggered a serious conversation on several blogs. Something to reconsider: the assumption that working from home is always greener than schlepping to an office.

Quick Greener: Stop the Phone Books!

10-23-2008-phonebook.jpgWe're all fairly plugged in these days, so the phone book has been getting more and more dusty. Make that the phone books... with the proliferation of phone companies, we get no fewer than three sets of white and yellow pages on our doorstep every year. Here's how to stop them from coming.

Eco Touch Car Products

10_23_2008-ecotouch.jpgCar nuts with a green streak—or those of us in drought-stricken California who simply want a clean and shiny car—can now have a sparkling ride without guilt or washing harmful chemicals down the driveway. Among other things, Eco Touch makes a waterless car wash, so you don't even need to get out the hose...

GoodGuide: Household Products and Politics

Democratic
Republican

GoodGuide has a new tool that lets you look up to which political party a corporation has given money... above are the companies in GoodGuide's household chemical category.

The National Association of Homebuilders Goes Green

10_22_2008-construction.jpgThe state homebuilder associations of Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York and Oklahoma have affiliated themselves with the National Association of Home Builders [NAHB] National Green Building Program. This news means the market for green home certifications is heating up. How will this affect your hunt for a new green home? And how will it affect the environment?

Save Energy for a Strong Economy

10_21_2008-insulation-cafe.jpgLots of people are putting more insulation in their homes, making plans to add PV systems, and finding more efficient ways to keep warm in winter and cool in the summer. So what are we doing with the money we’re not spending on gas and electricity?