It’s hard to think about blogging when the city is still in limbo and people are still taking daily steps to get their businesses (if they still exist) and lives back on track. Eclipsed by the Japanese disaster the changes that have occured in our city are still awfully sad and depressing – it has been three weeks and there is still a very long way to go.

SIFT is still moving forward though with current projects and new ones coming through the pipeline – hopefully some we can talk about soon for some positivity.

We are still on the look out for anything interesting that we can add to this blog and this morning I came across this awesome piece of new packaging from American green cleaning company Seventh Generation (read more of the article here on Re-Nest (links through to their source USA Today)).

The container is made from recycled cardboard and newspaper (the lid is still plastic) but this is a fantastic leap forward away from using plastic and something that could be done here in NZ. A type of packaging that we need more of across all plastic packaging lines – if it can be done with laundry liquid it can be done with all other cleaners, pet food and even cosmetics. And depending on what is inside the packaging maybe it could be compostable/biodegradable as well.

This is great!

Seventh Generation Laundry Liquid via ReNest via USA Today

Read more on the great specs of this new packaging.

Wallpapered Rubbins Bins from Re-Nest

At the close of another week here are some of the cool/interesting things we have found from around the world:

• LoveNotes – Love Notes is a New Zealand company that provides a collection service to businesses to upcycle their one-sided non confidential paper into note books. Love it!
• Children’s toys made from recycled wood and plastic from Go Green Games.
• PlanetGreen.com’s top 10 Great Green reads of the past 10 years.
• The camp in your kitchen – stackable and very practical kitchen gear from Pila.
• A new eco-index for clothing will be able to tell you the complete life cycle impact of that item of clothing. Be great to see that here.
• Re-Nest lists the 10 alternatives to plastic wrap here.
• Is one of your New Year resolutions to reduce the amount of stuff you have then check out Zoove.

Have a great waste free weekend.

Source - ReNest Recycled Star Craft

Last week got away from us and we forgot to post the Friday Faves we normally do so here they are now:

• Alternative and sustainable Christmas tree options
• Beautiful recycled star ornaments
• A few ideas to help you contribute to a more sustainable way of life this Christmas
• Ingenious gadget that turns paper into pencils!
• Shoreline debris turned to art

SIFT Vision Poster on the wall at our After 5 Drinks and Nibbles event on Tuesday

Welcome to the end of another working week. We met some potential new projects, had a bit of an After 5 drinks and nibbles event for few key people at our offices, met with current projects to get updates and generally continued to do what we do.

On the way we also found some interesting tid bits that you might be interested in perusing. Here are this week’s Friday Favourites:

• A great article here from Nick Potter on his affair with the word “sustainability” – what will be the new words? You can see more of what Nick Potter does on his website Re-Be.
• A dining room made from recycled plastic bottles that floats – a unique eating experience here.
• Another great link from the team at Re-Nest who found an article in a recent Martha Stewart Living magazine about using real peanuts for packing (definitely better than styrofoam “peanuts”).
• The latest Environmental Indicators Quarterly from the Ministry for the Environment here (pdf).
• A great little tutorial on how to make reusable sandwich bags – (no velcro, glue, and only minimal sewing) – great idea here.
• A move in the US to replace ornamental gardens with food producing gardens here.
• More disrespect for and damage to the environment – will the fine work? More here.
• The kitchen of the future – bringing the vege garden inside – more here.
• The fridge that grows food not just stores it here.

Have a great waste free weekend.

Joanna Langford – Up from the plainlands (detail) 2009. Recycled plastic bags, bamboo skewers, sushi grass, 12 volt LED lights, fans and electrical wiring. Commissioned for Brought to Light: A New View of the Collection 2009. Reproduced courtesy of the artist and Jonathan Smart Gallery.

Tesco- From Somewhere for F&F recycled clothing

It is starting to happen – recycled clothing has hit the mainstream. UK supermarket  Tesco have teamed up with ethical fashion company From Somewhere to produce a new line of clothes made in a LEED certified factory in Sri Lanka from old Tesco clothing stock that would otherwise end up in landfill. And prices start at an affordable £16 (NZD$35).

You can read more here from the Guardian.

It’s time for New Zealand fashion companies to start recycling their old clothing stock and become more sustainable (as well as providing clothing made sustainably, ethically and with low environmental impact).

We would love to know if there is anyone in New Zealand already doing this?

Office supplies and stationer Corporate Express has a range of different products for organising your files and office stationery with a lower environmental impact as they are made from recycled content. Here is the full range.

The EXP Green range is made from up to 80% recycled polypropylene and includes magazine files, desk sorters, drawer tidies and a waste paper bin (although we hope the paper put inside it gets recycled!).

There is also the “I could have been landfill” range. Made in New Zealand (green marks for this) the pencil tub, desk tidy, magazine file and bins are made from 100% recycled HDPE  (High Density Polyethylene).

And lastly and possibly the best option is the Earth series range which uses 100% recycled and 100% recyclable fibreboard (pre and post consumer waste) to make a magazine file, desk tidy, organiser file, stackable trays and even a CD rack. They look stylish and have been promoted as “strong, durable and biodegradable” as well as being coated in “non-chemical inks”.

Here at SIFT we are very low consumers of office stationery but like to see waste from other soures being used for everyday items that others might use. Here are some pics of the Earth Series range:

Corporate Express Earth Series File Organiser

Corporate Express Earth Series Magazine Holder

Corporate Express Earth Series Multi Document Holder

It is always more uplifting to enjoy life with people and places that match your own values. One of those places Linda found on a trip to Timaru late last year. After visiting Timaru District Council and the local landfill Linda discovered the Arthur Street Cafe. It is great to be able to eat, drink and be merry in places that are operating with a lower impact on the environment.

The cafe is decked out in recycled furniture (yay), glass jugs of water (no plastic bottles), on site baking and excellent nourishing food with a bit of kiwi dub feel thrown in. “Everything is really good” said Linda.

Owner Juliette Whiteley has set up a myspace page for the cafe here which also talks about the gigs, art and great coffee from Kranks.  So, when you are next in Timaru (even if passing through) check out the Arthur Street Cafe. Here are some photos from Linda’s trip.

Arthur Street Cafe Timaru

Arthur Street Cafe entrance with lovely old table

Love the retro chair

Great use of an old coffee sack