August 22, 2008

i heart cleveland

i heart cleveland

Green Patriot

On July 4th, more than sixty buses hit the streets of Cleveland encouraging “Green Patriotism” with posters designed by native designer Michael Bierut. The posters, which are visible on buses across the city, promote the use of mass transit and valorize buses as sound for the environment as well as for the vitality of Cleveland. Interior bus ads promote the development of green jobs in the manufacturing sector.

Bierut says, “Back in the 30s and 40s, folksinger Woody Guthrie had a slogan on his guitar: ‘This machine kills fascists.’ I was looking for a similar kind of statement to turn every bus ride into a blow for the environment.”



The project was organized in conjunction with The Canary Project: Landscapes of Climate Change, an exhibition on display through 10 August at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Canary is using the project to inaugurate a nationwide program with posters from a wide range of designers. Pentagram also developed the program’s emblem, a green silhouette of a Revolutionary War Minuteman. I think its darling!

by Charity at7:34 AM under art, eco, free, outdoors


June 6, 2008

jeffschuler.net

JeffSchuler.net

re-users, re-claimers

Susan Miller linked to an inspiring video on Recycled Houses. Building communities by training those in-need/in-want to construct their own homes (re-)using salvaged materials. Fantastic.

I met someone, Friday, at the recycle bins behind the West Side Market. He was sorting for metals as I was making a drop-off. We talked; I have some things he might want. He showed me a few spots to leave him aluminum, brass, copper: toss it over this fence, cover it with these boxes, leave a bag as a signal under the corner of this dumpster's lid...

They have a bad name from the start -- "Scrapper" having a pejorative connotation -- and they've developed a worse one, as many are catching attention by stealing from and dismantling houses and buildings.

The profession, itself, though, is indispensable by nature, for nature, for all. I can't think of a much more admirable but undervalued pursuit than sorting others' trash to reclaim and reuse -- particularly considering our society's overconsumption, energy inefficiency, and pollution :: material abuse!

What if we started with a new, positive, name for the scrapper: Re-user? Re-claimer?
Help!

We could clean up our land, cut material costs, decrease waste, and employ many, if we would better codify the process and bring it out from underground. Formalize the networks of people and organizations involved: connect re-claimers with builders, deconstruction agencies, materials businesses, waste management. (Integral industry!)

It starts, though, with respect for and the re-naming of this pursuit and those that occupy themselves with it.

by Jeff Schuler at1:26 PM under cleveland, eco