Hi Green Upgrader readers! I'm Cristin from Eve of Reduction and I'm thrilled to announce that my debut DIY book, Living Simple, Free and Happy is now available for purchase on Amazon!

This guest post is one stop on my virtual book tour. This means, if you go to the book tour page and leave a comment, you can win a copy of the book (mailed to US residents, digital copy if winner lives outside the US). If you go ahead and purchase a copy (thank you!), please leave a review on Amazon and let me know on the landing page of my blog tour, you will be entered to win a free, online upcycling consultation with me, Cristin Frank.

And with that announcement I want to share an upcycling project that will help organize and simplify your life: upcycling an obsolete playpen into a lights and brights laundry sorter.

Anyone born before 1980 will probably recognize this wooden playpen from pictures of their toddler years - or the movie Back to the Future. Yeah, no one wants these any more. Well, except me...and maybe you by the end of this tutorial.

A neighbor of mine was getting rid of this playpen, so I took it off her hands before it became landfill fodder. I put it down in my basement and the next time I went down there, I was like, "What's that awful smell!" Yikes, this thing smelled so musty, to the point of reeking. The good news was, I was planning on hacking it up, which meant it would be in small enough pieces that I could seal it in a large black garbage bag with some kitty litter. The clay litter absorbs moisture and smells wonderfully and can save many old, musty pieces like suitcases, too.

I cut up the playpen into 8 sections so that they could be reassembled as two, four-sided laundry sorters.

You'll notice that I'm making 2 structures, each with 4 legs, but there are only 4 casters. To remedy this, I positioned two casters as the back legs, then repurposed a crib spindle to use as the front legs of the laundry sorters.

Because there were so many cut edges, and now the miss-matched wood from the crib spindles, I painted the laundry sorters to bring it all together.

Next, I reused a fitted sheet to make the laundry bags. This worked out great because I reused the fabric and elastic, plus the casing for the elastic was already sewn.

Click here to get the sewing pattern for the laundry bags.

The last detail was adding a bottom onto the sorters. I fully intended to cut up the original particle board bottom that came with the playpen, but the sorters left a very tiny ledge for them to rest on the inside and from underneath, I'd have to cut around the added front legs. I decided it would be easiest to simply use the remnants of the fitted bed sheet to tack down a fabric bottom. The fabric was really easy to work with.

If you like DIY projects that are easy, inexpensive, reduce waste and add beauty and function to your home, please check out Living Simple, Free and Happy on Amazon. It is also available at bookstores, home improvement stores and craft stores nation-wide.

The book includes 10 upcycling tutorials that take easy to find furniture items and transforms them into customizable, organizational solutions from your home.

What else do you get?

• Simple techniques that eliminate clutter and keep it from returning
• A personalized plan to help you reclaim your time
• Practical (and profitable) ways to sell unused items in your home
• Tips to eliminate debt and curb consumption
• Dozens of exercises that help you identify and honor your talents, values, and goals

Please remember to leave a comment on my blog tour page to be entered to win a copy of Living Simple, Free & Happy. There you also see my blog tour schedule and can check in to learn more about upcycling, simple living, decluttering and writing a book.

Please know that I look forward to reading each and every comment, and Becky, thank you so much for being a gracious book tour hostess!

While in theory wood is a renewable and environmentally-friendly resource, in practice it is often harvested unsustainably – with impacts on both people and the planet.

Despite the profusion of modern construction materials, there are many applications for which wood has never been surpassed. It embodies a unique combination of properties compared to common alternatives like plastics, metals and concrete. Wood is strong and resilient, yet comparatively light and cheap. It is attractive, easy to shape and – in theory – carbon neutral and inexhaustible in supply.

The problem is that while some types of tree are fast-growing and therefore readily renewable, others take many decades to reach maturity. This is particularly the case with hardwoods, such as oak, ash, beech and more exotic species like ramin. Their density and tight grain structure, as well as attractive appearance, make them ideal as a construction material and for certain types of furniture and fixtures. However, our demand for their wood means that they are often harvested unsustainably – something that has an immense impact on the carbon cycle, fragile ecosystems and the people who live in them.

A carbon-neutral resource?

Like all plants, trees convert sunlight into usable energy by a process called photosynthesis: a chemical reaction that involves taking in carbon dioxide and water and giving out oxygen. This process also provides them with the carbon they need to grow. Every year, more than 100 thousand million tons of carbon is converted into plant material by photosynthesis. Every time a tree is cut down, the conversion process stops.

Worse, if the wood is burned, its carbon is released back into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide.

If new trees are planted then this offsets the imbalance. Sustainable woodland and forests are harvested in this way. Not only does planting new trees help maintain the carbon cycle, but it ensures a viable long-term business model for the companies that practice it.

Unsustainable harvesting, particularly in the Amazon, are responsible for widespread deforestation – one major factor in climate change.

Bad for ecosystems

Forests – whether tropical or English woodland – are complex ecosystems. They are home to an incredible diversity of flora and fauna, including many species that are still unknown. Unsustainable logging practices result in widespread harm to these ecosystems, with an inevitable loss in biodiversity. Where woodland is properly managed, biodiversity is protected and even improved.

The human cost

Lastly, where unsustainable and often illegal logging takes place there can be significant effects on local populations. Residents may be displaced, either due to physical threat or because the habitat on which they rely is damaged beyond repair (pdf). Supplying wood is a big business, and corruption and violence can go with the territory.

What to look for

Wood remains an excellent material for many products but it’s important to ensure that it has been sourced responsibly and sustainably. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international organization set up to promote the responsible management of forest and woodland. Look for their logo, which shows that products have been sourced renewably and with concern for social as well as environmental impacts. It is a voluntary scheme, and so it will generally be immediately obvious whether a manufacturer is certified or not.

This article was supplied by Simply Shutters who obtain their louvre door products from FSC approved sources. By only buying products with the FSC stamp you can be sure that you are not harming the environment and will be promoting the importance of the FSC to better manage our remaining woodland resources.

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by anathea

As the polar ice caps diminish and our climate becomes ever-more erratic, it should be a priority for every household to try to become as eco-friendly as possible. In these cash-strapped days, even climate change skeptics might be interested to know that becoming more eco-friendly almost always means spending less money.

Here are 10 ways you can make your home more eco-friendly and save some money at the same time.

Heating

Follow these tips to stay warm and cut your heating bills at the same time.

1. Insulate your walls and lofts and you will save hundreds of pounds' worth of heat escaping, literally, into thin air. The good news is that the government is offering free insulation to householders, whereby your wall cavities are insulated and loft is lagged using eco-friendly materials. Contact your energy supplier for details.

2. Simple and cheap measures such as putting foil behind your radiators and making draft excluders to stop cold air seeping through under the bottom of an outside door can save hundreds of pounds during the year.

Lighting

3. Switching to LED lighting is another simple and effective way of minimizing energy bills. Traditional incandescent bulbs use up to five times more energy and, as many people are not aware that lighting is the second biggest user of energy in domestic and commercial buildings, changing to these new, up-to-date, efficient light bulbs can save more money from your utility bills.

Become More Savvy

4. Many of us now routinely use the internet to find the best deals for everything from holidays to a new pair of shoes, but, oddly, many consumers stick with the same energy supplier, year in, year out. Using an energy supplies comparison service can tell us which tariffs are cheaper for us, but can also give information on the green credentials of the competing suppliers. Switching to suppliers who use renewable power is a very effective way of helping preserve the environment.

5. Buying energy efficient appliances also helps. Always check your new appliance meets at least the 'A' standard on the EU Energy Label or has an EnergyStar certification.

6. Invest in a smart meter and you can monitor your household's usage of energy - all day, every day.

Waste Not, Want Not

Too many households continue to waste precious energy that they pay for with their hard-earned cash.

7. Water is perhaps the natural resource we waste most of: up to 150 liters (about 39 gallons) a day, according to some estimates. Simple measures you can take to conserve water include; not flushing the loo unless you need to, installing a dual flush cistern, ensuring you switch off taps and repair those that leak, turning off running water when brushing your teeth and using economy/eco programmes on all appliances.

8. Stop over-filling kettles - the CO2 produced and energy wasted boiling unused water is staggering - and consider investing in an eco-kettle.

9. Switch off everything, anytime it is not being used. Astonishingly, up to 10 percent of the average electricity bill is accounted for by the blinking lights on computers, TVs and other audio-visual equipment.

Grow Your Own

10. Turn over your garden, or balcony, to growing vegetables. This improves your diet, saves you money, but also releases lots of lovely oxygen into the atmosphere and saves on CO2 emissions by cutting down on food miles.

This article was written on behalf of MHA Lighting, who produce energy efficient LED lighting and promote the transition from standard lighting to LED Lighting – for a more environmentally and economically viable future.

Image Credit: Eco-Friendly Home photo via Bigstock

Renewable energy systems - or energy development - is the process of creating sufficient primary and secondary sources of energy to help us supplement and even eschew our use of fossil fuels. The delivery of energy services and the production of many manufactured goods have caused technologically advanced societies to become increasingly dependent on external energy sources.

Depending on factors like the climate, levels of traffic congestion, and pollution these energy level uses differ from society to society, and  it has allowed people who can afford this energy to live under otherwise unfavorable climate conditions.

Renewable energy is power harnessed from natural resources like tides, rain, wind and sunlight, and which can also be naturally replenished. Around nearly 20 percent of all global energy in 2009 came from renewable sources, compared to electricity generation which was around 19 percent.

Alternative Energy

Wind power is one of the most popular forms of alternative energy, and it is growing at the rate of 21 per cent every year. By the end of 2011, photovoltaic installations had increased by over 70 per cent worldwide, and presently, ethanol fuel from sugar cane now provides over 18 per cent of Brazil’s automotive fuel.

Alternative renewable energy systems have benefited from increased concerns surrounding the environment, and coupled with rising oil prices and governmental support, new and improved energy legislation continues to benefit countries all over the world. By the year 2030, scientists believe that nearly 100 per cent of the world’s energy will be able to be sourced from wind, solar power and hydroelectric energy solutions.

Solar

There are also a number of rural areas that have benefited from renewable technologies, even though many renewable energy projects are large-scale. In human development, sourcing energy is crucial, and globally, it’s estimated that over 3 million people now generate their own power from solar panels attached to their homes. Villages and small scale counties have started implement micro-hydro systems that provides power to the local community, and over 30 million households worldwide receive power in the form of bio gas.

Hydro

Hydroelectric energy is one of the oldest forms of harnessing energy, and there are hundreds of stations all over the world. This type of energy is created when the gravitational descent of a river is compressed into a single location, creating a place where concentrated pressure can be used to spin turbines, thus driving an electric generator.

There have been a number of unexpected results when it comes to hydroelectric energy however, and one such in the Amazon showed that a hydro dam generated nearly four times as much greenhouse gases than electricity production from oil. Results like these have driven scientists to the furthest reaches of our oceans to implement underwater turbines, removing the need for a dam and the subsequent greenhouse gas effect. Research into hydroelectricity has even shown that electricity can be stored in water reservoirs that at placed at different altitudes, through the process of pumped-storage hydroelectricity.

Written on behalf of ENER-G, they are an all encompassing renewable energy company who specialise in a variety of techniques ranging from landfill gas extraction, energy from waste and anaerobic digestion. Click here for some anaerobic digestion advice.

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by Evi Christodoulou

Hi! I'm Cristin Frank, popping on over from Eve of Reduction to bring you a sustainable holiday craft: snowflakes made from milk jugs.

What's great about milk jugs, besides holding cereal's best friend? Their durable, semi-transparent plastic can be reused to make some fun, useful and decorative crafts. With about 380 million gallons of milk products being sold in the US each month, we are at no shortage of free milk jug material to make this decorative snowflake ornament, just in time for the holiday season!

Here's what you're going to need:

Supplies

• Milk Jugs (I used 3)
• X-Acto blade
• Scissors
• Snowflake template (I used a cookie cutter)
• Washable Marker
• (Optional) Hole punchers
• Fishing line

Step 1: Use your X-Acto blade to cut into the jug. Cut out just the flat surfaces. At this point you want to make sure your plastic pieces are ultra clean. Clean them with soap and water and dry them thoroughly.

Step 2: Trace your snowflake template, cookie cutter or stencil onto the flat plastic pieces using a washable marker.

Step 3: Cut out your snowflakes. I was able to cut 4 snowflakes per milk jug.

To make them a little more interesting, use hole punchers to add detailing to the inside of the snowflake. You can also use your X-Acto for even more creative freedom.

Wipe off any remaining marker with a sponge.

Step 4: Add fishing line to hang them. It helps to have a hole punched near the edge of the snowflakes to attach the fishing line.

Step 5: Hang them over your windows. Hang them randomly, in a pattern or have them overlap so you can see the transparency of the plastic.

Another bonus of this craft is sustainability. These snowflakes will last you indefinitely because they're easily cleaned and stored.

You can find Eve of Reduction on Facebook and on Pinterest, or find Cristin on Facebook, on Pinterest, and on Twitter @cristinfrank. Are you looking for more information about upcycling, living simple and reducing consumption? Sign up for the free Reduction Rebel eNewsletter!

There's a revolution happening in American city after city: craft breweries delivering carefully created beers for the product- and community-conscious consumer. The past several years we've witnessed an explosion of breweries in all fifty states, and besides the high-quality beers that they offer, many of these breweries are putting an emphasis sustainability in both the production of beer and on educating their consumers on what they can do to better their communities.

Many craft breweries are embracing environmentally-friendly practices, and several have gotten large enough to be able to spread the word about better production and agricultural practices while still staying small enough to practice what they preach. Here is a list on some of those breweries – with many of their products available in many states.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company – Chico, California

Founded in 1980 by Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi, Sierra Nevada become one of the most successful craft breweries in America. Their signature Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a big hit nationwide, and their other beers such as Torpedo IPA continue to set the standard of a widespread beer that doesn't sacrifice quality.

It isn't just the beer that the people at Sierra Nevada pride themselves on but also their fantastic environmental record. The US Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged Sierra Nevada as the “Green Business of the Year” in 2010 for their efforts to practice sustainably.

Some of the noteworthy things that Sierra Nevada has done to their brewery include:

• A massive solar power installation that according to the website includes 2,288 photovoltaic panels creating an output of 503 kW DC – one of the biggest independently-owned solar installations in the nation.
• They are experimenting with the biogas generated at their onsite water treatment facility to replace the natural gas currently powering their fuel cells.
• HotRod Composting System. Between all of the food from their restaurant, spent hops, grains, and paper materials, Sierra Nevada produces a lot of organic byproduct. Thanks to their HotRod Composting System, they are able to feed up to 5,000 pounds of material into compost which then goes back to their hop fields.
• One of the largest purchasers of organic hops in the nation. They even grow their own hops for their Chico Estate Harvest Ale.

This is a mere introduction to what they have done, and they have devoted an entire section of their website to their environmental efforts (including live updates of their energy output from their solar panels!), which you can find on their site.

New Belgium Brewing Company – Fort Collins, Colorado

The state of Colorado has been a stronghold of craft beer, with dozens of breweries getting their start in various cities throughout the state. Of them, New Belgium has gone on to be one of the largest, and - like Sierra Nevada - has a widespread distribution with their popular Fat Tire amber ale.

Their motto proudly states “Alternatively Empowered. Employee Owned,” and this is absolutely true. From it's beginning in 1991, New Belgium has remained independent, and the employees all get part of the share. New Belgium is also very open about their sustainability practices through various reports that anyone can access on their website.

Interesting Environmental Facts About New Belgium (according to their executive summary of 2010)

• 200 kW photovoltaic array on their rooftop which accounts for three percent of their electricity at 264,000 kWh.
• Has a landfill diversion rate of 99.9%
• 14% of the power from New Belgium comes from the waste it produces. This is thanks to the Process Water Waste Treatment plant that remains onsite at New Belgium
• Considered a bicycle-friendly environment. Learn more about New Belgium's advocacy with their Tour de Fat
• Packaging contains anywhere from 88% to 100% recycled content.

Learn more about New Belgium and their efforts on their website

Uinta Brewing Company – Salt Lake City, Utah

Pronounced "you-in-ta," Uinta Brewing Company has been getting more notice in the craft beer community for their distinctive brews such as Hop Notch IPA (one of my personal favorites), Hyve Honey Ale (brewed with local and organic honey) and their bold Dubhe Black IPA (not for the faint).

• Uinta was distinguished as the first 100% wind-powered business in the state of Utah in 2011 and has gone on to educate and promote the advantages of wind power to residents through the Pacificorp Blue Sky Program.
• Since the installation of a solar-electric panel in 2011, the energy make-up of Uinta has gone on to be 85% wind and 15% solar-electric.
• Spent grains from the beer production process get donated to farmers for feed to cattle, pigs, and other farm animals. This is a growing practice in many breweries, not just Uinta.
• Just two days ago, Uinta announced they will start canning their beers – something that is growing in the craft beer community due to ease of recycling, and production.
• A good number of Uinta's beers are part of their Organic Line, made from organic ingredients. Some include the Hyve Ale (as mentioned above), Wyld Extra Pale Ale, and their Monkshine Belgian Blonde Ale.

Uinta seems to be growing in size, and it is exciting to see how they will continue to evolve with their conscientious practices.

But Wait! There Are Many Others!

The three breweries mentioned above are just a small percentage of craft breweries utilizing sustainable production practices. The list really could go on and on, and if you're a beer drinker hopefully this will encourage you to see what breweries near you are doing for the environment. With more than 2,000 craft breweries now operational in the US, there may be one closer to you than you think.

Michael is a musician, writer, and of course, a craft beer geek. He is continuing to discover how craft breweries positively affect the surrounding communities. He has a blog about craft beer in the Washington Times Communities, and also writes for DX3 about entertainment, and ZME Music as a critic of the social context of music.

Image Credit: Craft Beer photo via Bigstock

Increasing biodiversity is one of the most important goals in the garden. The benefits are a really big deal, including:

• Decreased disease and insect predators
• Increased beneficial insects and other organisms
• Decreased weeds
• Improved soil fertility
• Healthier plants
• Higher overall yields from the vegetable garden

To get there, we need to encourage more species of plants, animals and beneficial microorganisms all hanging out together.

The microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and protists) and animals (insects, worms, spiders, etc.) can be introduced with quality compost and leaf mulch, two of the most important inputs in most gardens. Compost tea and other microbial inoculants are also increasingly popular to increase microbial diversity.

Then we introduce seeds, seedlings, and plants from the garden center. Since the focus today is on increasing biodiversity, that means companion planting.

While companion planting has its share of mythology - check out my companion planting chart - the general concept is incredibly important.

Companion Planting

Some plants create substances that attract or repel certain plant predators. Others create substances that enhance or hinder the growth of other plants.

For example, while I was eating rice for breakfast this morning I was reminded of a huge study 10 years ago on many thousands of acres in China. They increased rice yield by 89% and decreased rice blast disease by 94%, simply by planting more than one species of rice together in the fields.

And that's probably about the simplest form of companion planting there is, using 2 cultivars from the same species. In the garden, we have an opportunity to promote much more biodiversity than that.

Two Easy Ways to Use Companion Planting in Your Garden

There are many books out there that outline which plants should and shouldn't be planted together. I'll just list 2 of the simple guidelines I tend to follow without really even thinking about it:

1. Herbs. Many herbs - including basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage and dill - provide many pest control services, so I use them all over the place. Basil is very beneficial, especially when planted with tomatoes and peppers. You do need to do a little research before planting, though. For example, it's generally agreed that you shouldn't plant dill beside tomatoes.

2. Alliums. Onions and many other alliums such as chives and shallots are great all over the place. Onions can help decrease disease on strawberries, but aren't great companions of legumes. Garlic is a member of the same family, and is another one that should be used liberally.

Then there are polycultures, which in its simplest form just means planting a bunch of plants in close proximity in order to allow them to benefit each other and make efficient use of space. Most of my organic garden beds have 10+ plants in close proximity.

Companion planting can get very technical, but it doesn't need to be difficult. A few guidelines can help ensure success, and the bottom line is that planting many complimentary plants close together is an important way to increase biodiversity in your garden, which creates a healthy, more resilient ecosystem.

Phil Nauta is a SOUL Certified Organic Land Care Professional. He's the author of the book 'Building Soils Naturally,' published by Acres U.S.A. He has taught for Gaia College and been a director for The Society For Organic Urban Land Care. He was an organic landscaper and ran an organic fertilizer business before starting www.SmilingGardener.com to teach practical organic gardening tips to home gardeners.