Part Vintage Part Innovative

Particle Reconstruction out of San Diego California, is always coming out with new ways of reconstructing old clothing. This piece called the Blues, combines and old recycled Vintage T-shirt and a recycled plaid western shirt for a one of a kind creation. To minimize their waste they take the leftover scraps to create another piece called their House.

Particle Reconstruction line combines vintage materials from the past with the creative style of the present. Each piece is formed from recycled clothing which has been deconstructed and refitted together to create a unique and original garment. Every article is cut from a standardized pattern, while simultaneously allowing natural style and wear variation through fabrication, further ensuring that each piece is a one of a kind.

You can find the Particle Blues and other Particle Pieces at Counter Culture Store

Recycled Solar-Power Bag

Here is product that uses both re-usable bags and solar-power. We found a post on on Alternative Consumer and though that it was so cool that we would post it also. This solar beach bag from Reware Solarsistem let’s you plug-in and charge small electronic devices while transporting all your essential suntan products and snacks to the beach or lakeside.

Some features:

• charges a wide variety of small electronic from cell phones to mp3 players
• heavy duty cotton webbing handles
• large roomy inside pocket
• gadget pocket for holding your phone or camera
• natural cotton “duck canvas” frame
• removable interior bottom support
• rugged Cordura® nylon cover for a water-resistant bottom
• each Juice Bag comes with a universal CLA/Car charger female socket

The Reware SolarSistem allows you to remove your solar panel for use separately from the bag, or to allow you to clean your tote.

So be the envy of all your greenish friends and techno geeks with the ultimate in re-usable bag utility.

on sale now for $199.99 @ the http://www.rewarestore.com/product/beachtote.html

The Safe Bedside Table/Beater

File this one under "When weird stuff happen to good ideas." The "Safe Bedside Table" goes from bedside table to home intruder protection system in two quick steps, so you can make that would-be burglar sorry they tried to invade your space by just rolling out of bed. If you ever have been woken up in the middle of the night by an intruder, the first thing you look for is a weapon. Now instead of looking for a gun, or bat, now you can arming yourself with your night stand. I think most transforming furniture is a good idea -- stuff that performs multiple functions with minimal materials makes me smile -- but this might only be useful to the more paranoid light sleepers among us. In that case we are all thankful that its not a gun they are reaching for. . Available at James McAdams

Teva Branches Into Recycled Shoes

Teva is branching out in a green way with a new style of recycled shoes. Using post-consumer PET canvas (which makes up the lining) and post-consumer recycled rubber (which makes up the sole) they’ve come up with a cool shoe for today’s sustainable shopper. The uppers are suede and they come in dark brown or sandstone. $74.95 at Amazon

This pair of Tevas has a lining made out of recycled soda bottles, while that big rubber outsole is from recycled rubber. They also come in an Olive color. $69.95 at Amazon

Dallas Boutique Revolutionizes Shopping Experience

For the entire month of August Counter Culture Store at Mockingbird Station is having a donation drive called "PROJECT JUXTAPOSITION". Individuals throw away 67.9 pounds of used clothing and rags each year. Collectively, Americans discard two quadrillion pounds (that's a two with fifteen zeroes) of used clothing and textiles into the landfills each year. Fortunately, they can make sure they reach the people who need them rather than find their way into already-bulging landfills.

They are making it as easy as 1,2,3 to make a difference.

1. You drop off your old clothes in our donation bin

2. They give you a 10% discount on new, vintage or refurbished clothes

3.They make sure your old clothes make it to those in need through local charities.

Take the train, ride a bike, skate or drive a friend. They guarantee that once you revolutionize your shopping experience, you will want to teach others how they can.

Counter Culture Store is located at 5331 E. Mockingbird Ln. Suite 110 Dallas, TX 75226

Not Just A Load

When slapped with an order to clean up the poop of 12,000 dairy cows, the Hefer Valley Cooperative Society built a manure-driven power station to solve their problems. The first of its kind in Israel, the plant was inaugurated this week and is expected to process 600 tons of manure a day and generate 2-2.4 megawatts per hour (MW/h) within the year. At present the plant is operating at about half its capacity, and most of the energy is feeding back to the national grid.

The project is a joint effort between Tambour Hefer Ecology Ltd and Granite Hacarmel Investments Ltd. Granite Hacarmel CEO Amiaz Sagis said, "This is unquestionably an important milestone. This facility fits in with Granite Hacarmel's strategy to invest in infrastructures and ecology. The company is also investing resources to developalternative energy, water treatment, and desalination.” While it wasn’t made cheap – the new plant located in Hadera cost about $10 million to build, which included a $2 million grant from Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture to help improve Israel’s much-polluting dairy industry. First the manure is sterilized, then the solid and liquid waste are processed to produce methane, which drives
the generators. This Story was Originally Posted by Karin Kloosterman, Jerusalem, Israel on Tree Hugger.