Your Good Morning Coffee !

Hey there,

Summer is (finally!) in full swing in the Gallatin Valley. Long awaited by some.

I was contemplating recycling yesterday, as I often do...what is new under the sun? I'm still awaiting an answer...

But, while I wait, I was cleaning out my Inbox and came across this suggestion from Anna Dingman--our bag maker extraordinaire from a previous post! She sent a link about recycling coffee grounds. Now, we all know (or I hope ya do!) that you can compost them. But, wait, there's more! Dye, cleaner, cat/pest repellent (which might be popular in the garden,) fertilizing carrots and radishes, deodorant (not on the body!) and making a brunette, well, more brun! Check out the link from Vision Magazine for details...

http://www.visionmagazine.com/archives/0804/culture.html

...and, enjoy that cup o' joe!

Yours,

tg

Vehicle & Bike Auction ! A Type of REcyclin' !

This just in! The City of Bozeman has its bike and vehicle auction comin' right up! These are abandoned bikes and vehicles that are up for viewing and purchase! It is so fun. Details from the City web site:

To be sold at combined Police auction on June 12, 2010, from 09:00 to 12:00 at the impound lot at 600 East Griffin Street, Bozeman, [...] Montana, to the highest bidder for cash in hand, with the highest bid being obligatory for purchase. All the right, title and interest in and to the following property to wit.*
Cash, Check or credit card for all sales. Minimum $125 bid for vehicles. All sales final. All bicycles and vehicles purchased must be taken by 4:00 p.m. on date of purchase. A detailed list of Bicycles and Vehicles being sold is posted at the City Library, City Hall and L&J Center or for full list and vehicle photos go to: www.bozemanpolice.com.

And:

http://bozeman.net/bozeman/upcoming events/auction.pdf

Bidding starts at 10am for bikes and 11am for vehicles, trailers and whatever else they have layin' around...

This is where I purchased my trusty 1981 Toyota Tercel for $100 in August of 2007.

It's a fantastic opportunity, and a kind of recycling.

Go! View! Bid!

tg!

*They do sign it over to ya right there, on th' spot!

2 Recyclin' Guides for Gallatin Valley !

Mmm...how one loves to recycle, or at least, dispose of things safely, yes?

Recently I came across not one, but two, recycling guides for the Gallatin Valley and Bozeman. One is a .pdf created by the Gallatin Zero Waste Coalition, and the other, found as a .pdf on the City of Bozeman web site. Pdfs don't load on blogspot, dontcha know...

SO, the one being just two pages, I've saved each as a gif file and offered it here, with blessing from the GZWC:

...and the other, please click on the link and help yourself!

http://bozeman.net/bozeman/government/sustainability/recycling.aspx

I'm amazed...a place for everything, and everything in it's place! It's much more than just paper, cardboard, tin and plastic... Print these out and put them on your fridge. Share them with others. Spread the word, for the health of our community, and the world at large.

Enjoy,

tg

Recycling BIKES !

Big snooze of summer fever then hibernation, but there is much to reveal and here's a compelling event!

Bozeman Bike Kitchen is a wonderful community resource that takes donated bikes and bike parts and soups 'em up to offer to those who need a fresh ride. Sometimes called, "Frankenstein bikes," they offer an alternative to our National oil dependency as well. Volunteers staff the shop and assemble the bikes for a good time and the warm fuzzies; you could be one! Win, win, win, all the way around!

SO! SATURDAY, FROM 9AM - 3PM AT 425 E ASPEN, home of the BOZEMAN BIKE KITCHEN ! Bring your bikes, bike bits, and anything else still usable from cyclingland! They'll love you and you'll love them! Here's their web addy for more data:

http://www.bozemanbikekitchen.org/

Attached, incidentally, there is a .jpg of Bike Week. Click to enlarge. Free eats and treats all biz week long next week! Enjoy!

tg

Post Script

THIS JUST IN: Le Chatelaine Chocolat Co. announced on their facebook page they will give you a free chocolate for biking over during Bike Week. As my friend said, "those chocolates are very dear," meaning: high end. And, ohhh, so good! Will they give you one every day this week? I don't know! Ask them. They are in the lobby of the Baxter at Willson and Main (opens at 11:30am,) and also at 1516 West Main (opens at 10.)

E-waste Recycling is HERE !

It's here: our BOZEMAN E-WASTE EVENT ! Bring office electronics for recycling April 17 & 18 to the Fairgrounds in Bozeman, Building #3. FRIDAY IS BUSINESSES DAY...please call the Landfill Scalehouse for an appt: 587-7890. SATURDAY IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, from 9am to ? They WILL CLOSE BY 2pm, but perhaps earlier if the truck fills.

Told you I'd tell ya!

tg

One Dress

Ahhh...so long since I've posted. Sorry: house-sitting, parent in town, etc. And, this will be a brief.

A while ago I heard about this impressive (to me) project by one woman who made a dress in which to spend an entire calendar year in. Just to prove one could. Rather than reduce, reuse, recycle, our culture leans toward rampant consumerism (in my uneducated opinion.) I have been more than once amazed by current television programming featuring (usually women)(but there must be a male equivalent) with closets full of items they have not even removed the tags from, let alone worn. Let this woman's savvy with accessorizing be our guide: less is more. Click on...

http://www.littlebrowndress.com/

Bags of Bags !

You know how those bags you mush in the bag drawer mysteriously breed and multiply? There are many things to do with them...you know...bulk food refills, sandwiches, cat poop (!) but here's a recipe for the craft-oriented that is the best I've seen so far: Make bags from your bags! Check out these beautiful examples, and read on for instructions.

plastic bag grocery bag (recipe from Anna Dingman, inspired by Ready Made--http://www.readymade.com/projects)

You will need quite a few plastic bags, any type will work. I like the bread bags because the plastic is a little thicker.

1. Fold each bag into a square, you can use any size square--try and get all of the bags close to the same size.
2. Put each folded plastic bag between two towels and iron lightly.
   
3. Then sew them together using a sewing machine--straight stitch works, you may want a heavier (denim, for example) needle.
   
4. Usually 6-8 will work for the main panels and 2-3 for the bottom panel. I used larger bags folded for the side panels and strap.

Anna mentioned the beauty of the Wheat Montana bags, and how fun clear bags were (I have lots, if you want some!) because you can put images in the bag, and seal them with the iron! As you can see, these would make some rather stylish gifts as well as original work pieces for yourself. Thanks Anna for these elegant examples of reuse!

Readers, please feel free to send me your ideas, from the simple to the complex: how do you reduce, reuse, recycle?

tg