I wouldn’t ordinarily tell someone to go out and buy a book, but this one is definitely one I think should be added to every household.  It’s a great book for newlyweds or college kids or folks who are starting out on their own.  Why?  The book is full of useful, practical, environmentally friendly tricks and tips for day-to-day house keeping.
It’s a compilation from Reader’s Digest–I know, I know–Yes, that book your gramma has on the little shelf in the bathroom.  But think about all the stuff your gramma knows how to fix and organize and DO.  Think of how we have changed our mentality of thrift to going out and buying convenience or buying all kinds of single purpose tools.  Yet, we already have tons of stuff in our pantries and cupboards and junk drawers that could do a lot more if we only thought differently about their uses.
If you try to read it cover to cover in one setting, you’ll be overwhelmed–there’s over 2300 tips!  Instead, read it a little each night or thumb through it and read whatever bits strike your fancy.  There’s tons of photos, drawings, and sidebars which break up all the concentrated information.  You will be a greener Know-it-All in no time.  It has everything from cleaning to cooking, storage to organizing and repairing– making play-dough and more.  You will save money, buy fewer tools, you will use (and flush) fewer harmful chemicals down the drain, you will be more useful to others and you’ll be richer in experience!  Unfortunately, the library won’t let you keep it forever, so get it used from a used book store instead.

A new thing I would like to continually do is write about ReSourceful Projects that we all have come up with.  By doing this I can share the creative work of individuals who have purchased ReUsed products from Buffalo ReUse and made something new out of the old.  I cannot maintain this without the help of you out there.  If you are someone who likes to do this, please send me information on your project.   I would love to share it with the rest of our community.

It would be really cool if we all can keep track of the items that come in and out of store and help keep the uniqueness of Buffalo alive by ReUsing them for their intended purpose or some other creative purpose.   That being said please keep me updated on your journeys in and outside of our ReSource.  You can contact me at Scott {at} buffaloreuse(.)org.

A while back I endeavored my own creativity my making a table out of a door and two spindles.  You can read about this here.

With that being said, Christine Frank, a supporter and customer of Buffalo ReUse purchased an antique knob from the ReSource and used her creativity to come up with a tea box out of her newly acquired knob and old book.  Very clever.  She has created several other cool projects like this and you can read all about them as well as other topics on her website, the Eve of Reduction. I have included more photos of Chrstine’s project on our flickr set of ReSourceful projects that is linked above.

Ladies and gentlemen, the future of compost is here. The Greenspaces team at Buffalo ReUse is currently experimenting with several different methods of brewing compost tea, and will be sharing our results with you as the season goes on. The murky water that is produced from brewing this tea has the power to fertilize and improve the health of your garden’s plants, while actively deterring pests and introducing beneficial microorganisms to your soil. With a little bit of compost and a few things you would find in your shed or your garden, you can easily set up your own tank to brew your own compost tea–and watch the difference it makes for your plants.

There are several approaches that one can take to prepare compost tea:

–The most simple, straightforward form of compost tea preparation is called “Passive Brewing.” This method is somewhat archaic, and dates back centuries, but needs only a few things: A vessel to hold the water (i.e. a rain barrel), water (preferably rainwater as it does not have additives that municipal water treatment plants will add), a “tea bag” to steep the compost in the water, something to suspend it in the water, and some compost.

–Fill your “tea bag” with garden compost, suspend it so it doesn’t sit at the bottom of the barrel, and lift it or stir it once a day for aeration. Do this for 7 – 10 days. When your tea is ready, decant by pouring through cheesecloth or pantyhose (if you prefer), or just pull out your tea bags and dunk your watering can right in. And the compost can go right back in your pile when your tea is all done.

–We used and old burlap sack for one barrel and mesh bags from onion sets for another. The bags hold and steep the compost, making it easier to remove the solid matter after the brewing is complete. We used an old tree stake to suspend the tea bags in the water, and use them to lift the bags out when we aerate the barrels each day.

–If you use tap water or from a garden hose, make sure to let the water sit in your barrel for at least a day, to let the chlorine and other additives evaporate as much they can. As your tea brews, microorganisms and bacteria grow, and will die if chlorine is present

We are also experimenting with a newer, more intensive approach to brewing tea is called “Active Brewing.” This involves the same materials as a passive barrel, but with some added technology: electricity, an air pump, and food for the growing microorganisms. What sets an active compost tea apart from passive is the addition of oxygen and food to the mix, making a more ideal environment for those microbes to thrive. Using an air pump, you can increase oxygen in the water, and by providing a food source like molasses, kelp, or humic acid, you can greatly increase the number of beneficial organisms growing inside your barrel. And an active brew can be done over the course of 2 or 3 days, way quicker than a passive brew.

Try it out, and let us know how it works for you! There is a good amount of reliable information on the web regarding compost tea, and it can’t hurt to experiment! Good luck, and happy gardening!!!

This past Saturday, the 27th of March was the annual tradition of Earth Hour.  For the past three years since its inception, at 8:30pm hundreds of millions of people and structures have chosen to turn off their lights in a call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple for one hour. 

Earth Hour was started in 2007, and as each year passes more and more are getting involved on the last saturday during the month of March.  Earth Hour was initially conceived by the World Wildlife Fund, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights. 

Following Sydney’s lead, many other cities around the world adopted the event in 2008.   Just a few of the many famous structures that have participated have been the Brooklyn Bridge, Eiffel Tower, Las Vegas Strip, Pryamids of Giza, Golden Gate Bridge and most importantly our Niagara Falls.

In 2009, reports show that the United States topped the Earth Hour participation with an estimated 80,000,000 people, 318 cities and 8 states participating.  87 countries among all of the continents were active in this global initiative.  Every year this day is getting bigger and its sure to continue to get larger over the years with all of our help.

Earth Hour 2010 was reportedly the biggest Earth Hour yet, aiming to garner more than the one billion participant goal of 2009′s Earth Hour.  126 countries signed up for Earth Hour 2010.  With everyones contribution, small or large we can go a far way together towards facing climate change.  Its not to early to plan ahead for 2011′s earth hour.

Next wednesday, March 10th, Buffalo ReUSE is hosting a tin ceiling workshop at 2pm. The workshop will be at the ReSOURCE. For those who do not know, this is our store (where you will find many great things that you may or may not need), so check it out for yourself! 298 Northampton.

If it is nice outside, plan on being outdoors catching some rays and fresh air. Hopefully the weather will be like it has been this week.

I have included a previous blog from one of my colleagues that was written in the past. It includes a great history of tin ceiling as well as the steps that are involved in tin ceiling restoration that we will be partaking in. 

Some may think tin ceiling is out of date, but with a little creativity anyone can come up with different uses for it and bring back its original sublimity. Come next week to find out some neat ways!

Hello Gangalang,
We introduced you to CHRIS CARLSSON and his book, Nowtopia awhile back!  Now, he’s coming to Buffalo and you have 2 chances to see him.
Friday Nov. 6th 1:00 pm
Center for the Arts 112 (University at Buffalo, North Campus)

Internationally-recognized author and activist Chris Carlsson lecturing on Nowtopia:  How Pirate Programmers, Outlaw Bicyclists, and Vacant-Lot Gardeners are Inventing  the Future Today!

Carlsson is the executive director of the multimedia history project
Shaping San Francisco, and has edited four collections of political and
historical essays. He is a co-founder of the alternative arts venue
CounterPULSE, helped launch the monthly bike-ins known as Critical Mass, and was the longtime editor of Processed World magazine.

In his current book Nowtopia: How Pirate Programmers, Outlaw Bicyclists, and Vacant-Lot Gardeners are Inventing the Future Today (AK Press), San Francisco-based activist and historian Chris Carlsson profiles practices that embody a deep challenge to the basic underpinnings of modern life, as a new ecologically driven politics emerges from below, reshaping our assumptions about science, technology, and human potential.

This event is sponsored by Graduate Group in Cultural Studies, Humanities Institute and Media Study GSA.  Carlsson will also take part in a panel discussion Friday evening:

Seeds of the New Commons: Building the Future in the Present Chris Carlsson in conversation with Justin Booth and Kirk Laubenstein
November, 6th 7:00 pm
Sugar City (19 Wadsworth – near Elmwwod and Allen)

Found an AWESOME article about a guy from Texas who builds with…whatever he finds!  Wine corks, broken tiles, odd shapes of plywood, a random collection of roofing material…you name it, he’ll use it!  Sort of reminds me of the wheels used in the Children’s garden on Northampton…

Check out this article to find out some of the cool stuff he’s done, and learn to think beyond decorating norms.

For the month of July, we’ve been collecting books and magazines for our new lending library. Since July is almost over, this is our last ditch effort! We are asking for any of your old books/magazines with subjects such as:

home improvement
gardening
outdoor projects (green houses/decks etc)
green technologies
architecture
sustainability
community building
activism
urban issues
farming
building houses
canning (foods)
tool safety/use
landscaping
inspiring biography
Buffalo history

but please, no sappy romances.
Donators get a 10% coupon!

Books can be dropped off at 298 Northampton St BFLO 14208
any time Tues-Sat 8-6pm or Sun 10-4pm. THANKS!!

Get it at Talking Leaves

The next UB Green Book Club Meeting will be 7pm on Wednesday, February 18^th at the UB Green Environmental Library. This month, we will be discussing Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan.

One reviewer of Botany of Desire on Amazon.com writes “Polan is unusually talented at explaining complex ideas and he does so in a way that is fresh, fun, often funny, and surprisingly profound. Pollan’s section on Johnny Appleseed alone is worth the price of the book. The Botany of Desire is chiefly the history of the tulip, apples in America, cannabis, and the potato. This may not sound like the recipe for a really satisfying read, but in Michael Pollan’s more than able hands, it certainly is. If you enjoy gardening, history, or just plain old very decent writing, I expect you too would appreciate this excellent book.” Sounds like a good read, right?

If you are interested in reading Botany of Desire with us, please RSVP to Erin or Jim, eecala {at} buffalo(.)edu or 716 829 3535 by February 17^th. If you are looking to purchase the book, Talking Leaves Books has copies available to our book club at a discount. Remember to support local businesses!

In case you haven’t heard, next Tuesday, September 9^th, will be our very first meeting for the UB Green Book Club. The meeting will be the noon session of our two introductory meetings taking place in September. The second of which will take place on Thursday, September 18^th at 7:00 pm.

At this meeting we will be discussing the format of future sessions and introduce our first book: the meeting will take no longer than an hour.

Do not let the pressure of reading one of the books prevent you from being a part of our book club! We realize you are busy! Even a brief understanding of the book or the topic being covered can engage us in some stimulating conversations about current environmental topics. Do not miss out on this opportunity!

Follow the link below to see the article in Buffalo Rising discussing the UB Green Book Club:

We ask that you RSVP to this event. Simply e-mail us at: (ubgreen {at} facilities(.)buffalo.edu ) or call: (716-829-3535) with your name, e-mail and which introductory meeting you will be attending.

The first selection is by Paul Hawken

Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Social Movement in History Is Restoring Grace, Justice, and Beauty to the World

An account of how people use imagination, conviction, and resilience to perform daily miracles of redefining our relationship to the environment and to one another.