apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Over at Re-nest, we've been fascinated with Yale grad student Elizabeth Turnbull's tiny little house. How is she going to live in it? Does it have plumbing? Where is she going to put it? And could something like this work for us?


Our new team is up and running. This week, Trent shares a great tip on where to find quality used filing cabinets (hint: it's not craigslist); Amber spots a birdbath made from a light fixture and broken china; and Rachel's got news of an upcoming kit to convert any toilet to dual flush. Links below the jump...

This week at Re-nest, we’ve gotten into re-use. Wooden shipping pallets, it turns out, can be used to make entire buildings, storage sheds—even the chair seen above. We also re-colored a duvet cover with $10 of Rit dye, and we learned that certain stores love to take packing peanuts back for re-use.


Trent has uncovered a crazy futuristic milk container—are you ready to buy milk in plastic bags? And Stephanie, who long ago rebuffed her electric dryer, is looking for space-friendly ideas to supplement her overloaded drying rack in her cozy apartment. Links below the jump...

We're awestruck by the modern and minimal renovation of an iconic mid-century Rummer home in Portland, Oregon. Those of us who want to capture runoff and have an attractive yard will be thrilled by Stephanie's discovery of a well-designed alternative to the typical ugly and space-wasting rain barrel.


We also ask you to join us in welcoming three new bloggers—Trent, Rachel, and Amber—to the Re-nest team. Our theme this month is escapes: Rachel's got a post on finding green destinations; Trent suggests bicycle touring; and Amber's got more than a few good ideas for escaping the heat of summer if you can't get out of town.

Pop over to Re-nest via the links below the jump, then leave a couple of comments to let our newest bloggers know they're off to a great start!

In response to this Good Question—one of our readers is wondering if she and her partner can live in 400 square feet—we're taking a closer look at strategies for living green in small spaces this week.

Sadly, a house we toured under construction was the victim of arson earlier this week. We also spotted something good and green at Wal-Mart, and we come up with a simple (admittedly unstudied) proposal to boost Houston's lousy recycling rate...

Re-nest reader Kristin is looking to replace this chandelier in her entry. She wants it to be green, and able to use CFLs. Our first idea was paper lanterns. Other readers have suggested grouping pendants, or choosing a well-made fixture from Rejuvenation. What would you choose?

We're also making progress on our quest for lightweight, portable containers for packed lunches. We've got a great DIY on how to reduce odor from your cat's litter box. And don't miss the latest two installments of our inspiring Green People series, which profile architect Eric Corey Freed and consultant Aaron Winer.

Malena and Graham have a different approach to green: they haven't done an intensive renovation, or put down bamboo floors, or built from scratch. They invested time in finding the perfect house for them. All it needed was a bit of cleaning, polishing, and paint. And now it's green and gorgeous.

Also this week, Re-nest readers chipped in with opinions on their favorite reusable bags. Stephanie took us through a 7,000 square foot (?!!) green house. We met Jay Hasbrouck, who blogs over at Verde Vista, and we went through step-by-step how to get a good finish using zero- or low-VOC paint. Also, remember Ian and Raedia's house? We saw it while it was still under construction, and now it's (almost) all done.

  

Architect Matt Baran is building a new house in West Oakland. It's his first project, and we'll be following along as construction progresses. So far, he moved the house that was on the lot closer to the street, making room for another house in what used to be the backyard. Check out the green tour, and stay tuned for updates.


In other things green: we've had a creepy moment recalling our Girl Scouts/CFL/Scientology experience. You've got us wondering if we're being too harsh on Home Depot and their new CFL recycling program. And we just can't get enough of Knoend's Bean rocker.

  

We've never been fans of vinyl, although we did grudgingly use vinyl windows in our house. But vinyl shower curtains? Turns out they pollute the air in your bathroom.On the other hand, maybe we were hoodwinked.

This week, we're on a hunt for the best free or low-cost e-waste recycling resources across the country. Stephanie suggests biodegradable plates for your Fourth of July picnic, and we find a great video how-to guide for novice gardeners like us.

Below the jump, we're pondering whether crockpots actually save energy... and amidst all this serious green stuff, we think it's high time for a laugh.

  

We've been busy moving in to a new place, and, as always, been looking for ways to re-use what we already have. For example: wood window blinds -- they're always a bit too wide. Here's how to shorten them for a custom fit.

We've also got a how to with five easy ways to save your local bees (the good kind), and a round up of the best Re-nest reader comments from June.

We're looking for good, green solutions for carpenter bees (the bad kind). And one of our favorite bloggers finds out that you can end up with a yard full of edibles without watering at all.

  

Stephanie found an investigation into dish soap at Grist. Meet the newest chemical villian: 1,4 dioxane. Unfortunately, this suspected carcinogen is lurking in some of our favorite dish soaps, including Method and Ecover.

We also take a look at urban homesteaders in Pasadena, check out simplehuman's $15 gadget to keep plastic bags sorted for re-use, and admire SMEG's new energy efficient, retro refridge. And after all that, you'll definitely have an opinion on the New York Times' recent article on green fatigue, which wonders if all this eco stuff just a passing trend.

We're moving into a new house with a yard. Gardening is new and exciting. There´s a drought. What´s the green thing to do?

And after the jump: Stephanie finds new, good glass food storage containers; we find ways to stay cool without switching on the AC; and we wonder about a new British washing machine that promises to use only one cup of water.

      

This week, we've covered a number of ways to green your life at home at Re-nest, including as Emily Kroll's beautiful new line of sofas made with FSC-certified wood frames and without flame retardants. We've got more, too, including great reader ideas for lower-impact moving. A few of our favorite posts from this week below...