apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We love seeing drawers repurposed as containers (usually placed on a table top holding books or DVDs). This version is definitely a spin on the traditional use and can be hung just by using L-brackets.

• Read the full post at AT:LA

We all have at least one or two geekie or tech savvy friends in our life. Make their day with a cool gadget inspired gift made out of reclaimed circuit boards originally designed for computers, televisions, and other electronics.

These small recycled tags are all cut from a variety of lightweight cardboard boxes, hand-stamped with the recycle symbol, and threaded with bamboo yarn for easy hanging. And all for only a dollar... you can't beat that!

Think this article looks familiar? July's Top 10 Green Building Products for 2009 was a list compiled by Sustainable Industries. See how Building Green's Top 10 list (8 years running) stacks up.

We ran the dishwasher about five times last week between all the pies, birthday cake, sweet potato muffins, and regular dinners that got whipped up in our kitchen. Since we have an Energy Star-rated dishwasher, use Seventh Generation powder, and pack it full each time, we don't feel too guilty about that. But we've also talked about taking things back to the basics, and cutting out some electronic gadgets. Which brings us to the Dishmaster, a vintage device we heard about through a reader tip.

Between tomorrow and next Friday, we will be attending three separate Thanksgiving celebrations, one office potluck, and two birthday parties. ('Tis the season!) And since we enjoy cooking and never like to show up empty-handed, we'll be seriously taxing the oven in the next week. Here's our simple green tip to save time and energy:

Q: We just bought a sweet little mid century modern home. It's got hollow core doors that are stained dark brown. I am looking for ways to paint/glaze/refinish them so they won't look so cheap. Alternately, I could stalk the local building supplies thrift store for doors, though I am not sure what style would look best in the home. Any tips your readers could provide would be most appreciated!

Sent by Katie

Last week, we talked about some of the compromises we'd made in our going green, deciding that it was, as the saying goes, about progress not perfection. We wanted to make our going green as easy as possible. Here are some other issues we've been tackling and how we've found our balance without berating ourselves.

Buy second hand and keep stuff alive longer! Lots of great furniture finds New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington DC in today's PM Scavenger.

In the race to finding the greenest way to illuminate our nights, a new company has come up with a new refinement of old technology to serve our needs. Will it be enough to save you even more money? Find out after the jump.

This adorable bin (perfect for storing toys, little shoes, etc.) is made from 100% cotton canvas, and the elephant is made from eco-spun felt made from recycled water bottles.

This past year my husband and I switched to using cloth napkins almost exclusively. We use them for everything but the most informal backyard barbecue, and I must say it's very nice to have the feel and look of fabric on the table. But (here's the catch) they can be a real pain to maintain!

The Eco Twinkle Light concept designed by Kenan Wang takes the mechanism of the old fashioned classroom pencil sharpener and connects it to a rechargeable battery and LED light to create a portable and eco-friendly lighting solution for indoors and outdoors.

The humble grain sack has made a comeback in recent years, elevated to the status of upholstery, throw pillow covers, and even a stair runner. Plain or striped sack cloth works well with French country style and can be used just about anywhere you see fit.