The R4 Initiative

SEE: Yarn Made From Recycled Newspaper
The list of “trashy fashion” creations grows longer every day – shoes made from plastic bottles, underwear made from wood and even a gown made from Ford Focus parts. But when we saw Italian artist Ivano Vitali‘s crochet pieces made from recycled newspaper, we had to take a closer look. Vitali tears recycled newsprint into [...]

Get Certified Online to Green Your College Campus
The University of Vermont (UVM), which received an ?A? on last year?s College Sustainability Report Card, wants to help other colleges and universities green their operations with the launch of its new online Sustainable Campus Innovation certificate program. The new training program kicks off in March, but UVM announced this week that registration is currently [...]

PHOTOS: Couture Jewelry Made From LEGOs
Inspired by haute couture and reclaimed materials, San Francisco-based artist and jewelry designer Emiko Oye has experimented with loads of unconventional mediums – including circuit boards, recycled plastics and scrap metals. But in 2006, the reware artist stumbled upon an even more unconventional material for her creations – LEGO® building blocks. Since then, Oye has [...]

Coachella Calls on Artists to Redesign Bins
If you?re an aspiring artist who is passionate about sustainability, now is your chance to inspire the hundreds of thousands of music lovers who will be attending this year?s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to recycle their trash at the annual event. Nonprofit Global Inheritance will select 50 artists to redesign, decorate and embellish [...]

Students Help Haitians Build Homes From Plastic Waste
Engineering students from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash. are working on a recycling project to help earthquake victims in Haiti rebuild homes from plastic waste, according to recent news reports. Nikki Larson, an associate professor of engineering technology, and six of her students are researching to find the best way to create small homes [...]

OnStar to Match Volt Drivers with Clean Energy
Chevy Volt drivers may soon have a cleaner way to charge their plug-in electric hybrids. General Motors announced Monday that OnStar, its subscription-based communication and navigation system, is developing a technology that would allow Volt owners to choose renewable energy when it becomes available on the electric grid to recharge their cars. How would the [...]

VIDEO: NYC Swap Meet Machine
We’ve seen some pretty crazy “reverse vending” ideas recently: machines that recycle light bulbs, charge cars and even pay you for your iPhone. But how about a machine that helps you freecycle? Swap-O-Matic, a New York City-based vending machine project, is doing just that with a machine that allows users to donate, receive and swap [...]

This iPhone Case is Made from Trash
Looking for an eco-friendly case for your iPhone 4S? Check out the innovative Re-Case from Miniwiz, a carrier that uses trash and agricultural by-products to protect your phone in style. The company combines by-products from the rice farming industry with post-consumer thermoplastics – including plastic bottles and bottle caps – to form its POLLIBER? material, [...]

Hawaii's Big Island Bans Plastic Bags
The next time you vacation in Hawaii, you might want to bring your own shopping bags. Last week, the Big Island joined its neighbors, Kauai and Maui, in passing legislation prohibiting local businesses from distributing single-use, carryout plastic shopping bags, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports. Taking effect in 2013, the new regulations will allow stores to [...]

World's Largest Solar Boat Travels Across Globe
PlanetSolar’s Turanor, which has already made history as the world?s largest solar-powered boat, is about to accomplish another impressive feat: completing its 18-month journey around the globe. Setting sail in Monaco in Sept. 2010, the solar catamaran has traveled west on a route close to the Equator ? to take advantage of the readily available [...]