In a dumping ground alongside the Paraguay River where over 1,500 tons of waste enters everyday, polluting the waterways which are also the area’s drinking supply, are where around 500 recycling workers and their children hunt through castoffs and refuse, continually digging and sorting.

Often referred to as a sea of garbage, the murky slum of Cateura, Paraguay is one of the poorest zones in the region, causing the polluted landfill the area is built upon to be the main source of available livelihood for many.

The stories that emerge from the landfill community are even more than the layers upon layers of trash, and go deeper than the workers’ hands that toil and rummage daily to support their families.

Resonating from the rubbish, one particular event that has turned into an ever evolving, astonishing story was unearthed by Nicolás Gómez, a junk forager locally known as “Cola”.  With an innovative eye, he took a tossed out object that was similar to a violin to a musician friend, Favio Chávez. This initiated a course of  motivational actions, resulting in possibly one of the most unbelievably produced orchestras to date.

Starting with the one piece of trash that was turned into a fully functioning violin, the ingenious duo unearthed and reworked other finds into exquisitely sounding musical instruments. The recycling adventure could have stopped at this point and still be incredible, however the two communally offered their inventions to nearly 30 resident students, many of which are children of recycling workers, to form the world renowned Landfill Harmonic Orchestra.

Transforming reusable objects like oven trays, paint cans and any other salvageable materials, enough instruments have been skillfully crafted to arm the group with enough pieces to perform.

And these children did not master their recycled instruments in an air-conditioned studio, but as their perfectly entitled ensemble refers to, in the landfills where they live.

Though hearing about it is remarkable in itself, actually seeing the handcrafted works of art so masterfully played by members is truly inspirational.

And just because one video clip isn’t enough, watch and listen to this one courtesy of the guardian.

The truly talented orchestra is beginning to explode worldwide, and currently a documentary is in the works as a Kickstarter project called: Landfill Harmonic: Inspiring dreams one note at a time!

A proactive endeavor to lift up deserving children from the literal garbage they are continually in the midst of is a recycling venture like no other. Those who provide opportunity for others from seemingly nothing should be commended, and those who see true beauty and potential, and strive to attain their best when their surroundings are less than optimal, are rightfully celebrated.

Image Source: Landfill Harmonic

Many are non-profit organizations that are available to the public for shopping, although some are only open to specialty customers, such as schools, construction industries or other particular businesses.

In order to keep perfectly good items from local landfills, reuse supply centers generally operate by collecting and then offering materials at affordable prices, thus providing the community with needed, reasonably priced products. The inventory is continuously changing as new merchandise and contributions are received, but some available items usually include fabrics, furniture, construction and office supplies, woods, wires, tiles and tons of other things.

These are great options for finding many basic and unique supplies, which are ordinarily much cheaper than buying new products. For artistic talents, warehouses frequently have lots of inexpensive art supplies, as well as educational materials for local families and teachers, schools and community centers.

Reuse Alliance and Lancaster Creative Reuse have directories of reuse centers in the U.S. as well as some international listings, including nearly 100 scrapstore postings for the U.K.

Habitat for Humanity International has 825 ReStores in Canada and the U.S., which offer gently used furniture, appliances, housewares and building supplies. Profits go back to local associates that help build affordable homes and perform housing renovations.

Interested in opening your own reuse center? Check with local business development centers. These are usually available through government entities and at some universities. Additionaly, the U.S. Small Business Administration provides information on opening a non-profit organization.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also has an overview on reasons that reuse and recycling focused areas offer practical business opportunities.

Reusing on this scale keeps a large amount of still functional objects in circulation, giving them another useful go around.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

However not all of those are so committed to the green process that they earn the highest available rating from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), producing many of their products with 100% FSC certified materials.

Forms + Surfaces, a California based business that specializes in doors, recycling bins, fencing and elevators, has accomplished this with their wood slat benches and other creations.

Additionally, they either meet or exceed many other sustainable certification standards. In business for 40 years, their products are made from a high amount of recycled materials and are also responsibly obtained.

The steel they use is made from 80% recycled content, and items like doors contain ethically gathered wood cores. Finishes are made from recycled products and are either low in or contain no volatile organic compounds.

Their interior elevator panels are made with a lightweight designed polycarbonate that is constructed from only about 40% recycled resources; however the material used actually lends to less energy required for operation, thus they are more economical than standard elevators. This is due to the decreased weight of the panels, which weigh at least 1/3 less than a typical elevator design.

Most of their merchandise can also be recycled after the end of its use, but they state that their products are built with the intention of lasting. Since they are durably made, less energy is required to churn out new products. This saves consumers money, but also reduces energy consumption and landfill waste from improper disposal.

They also have a team that assists clients in seeking projects that maintain a highly sustainable level. In addition to manufacturing mindfully based merchandise, they have inspected some of their own business practices and have turned them into more ecologically viable operations.

For example, they found that they received and used a great amount of cardboard. Although this material is recyclable, they developed a way to incorporate an even better effort than recycling it.

By using a machine that recycles corrugated cardboard on-site, they are able to ensure that it is in fact actually recycled, but also can then use the reprocessed content for their business needs, like shipping and storage.

Another way they have restructured traditionally made products to make them more environmentally conducive is by coming up with a new process for etching. Eco etching is a term they use to define the newer way they etch doors and other products.

Metals traditionally have been etched with toxic chemicals. They have cleaned up the customary etching process and only use glass beads and water for engraving. The glass beads efficiently perform with no chemicals creating detailed decorative touches, and moreover they are fully recyclable at the end of their use.

Quality products matched with exemplary sustainable business practices provide the best offer to the consumer and commercial markets. While even common sense practices like recycling cardboard really make a huge difference, comprehensive product and operative scrutiny with the goal of conservation and ecological sustainability should be a model more readily used by other businesses and corporations who have the means.

Source: Real Green TV. 2013. Episode 55.

Image Source: Forms + Surfaces

Through the course of money’s history, it has often developed and adapted around the existing society who needed to use it.

For one example of electronic money, take the Bitcoin, which is in the e-currency spotlight and soring, falling and rising again in value. Surfacing in 2009, bitcoins are online cash in which holders, referred to as miners, can accumulate and spread around coins. Collected bitcoins are ready to be gifted, traded or used for payments by accepting vendors, which are periodically appearing in several countries.

Bitcoins can be spent or transferred to others online via your wallet. However, there are many obvious downsides of internet based money, although on the other side, cynicism over financial banking institutions was probably the spawn of digital currency. A major caution is privacy issues. Since bitcoins are stored in a virtual wallet, skeptics are rightfully wary. Just like a real life wallet can be stolen, so can an online version, so you clearly don’t want to risk keeping your life savings in one wallet.

It probably depends which side you tend to lean towards in forming an opinion of the bitcoin, but from an environmental perspective, is digital cash currently a better choice? Is it a better alternative to plastic, paper or coins? Some say, possibly hesitantly, yes, but is that a correct choice?

Manufacturing money presents a huge energy expenditure, not mention the actual process of gathering materials through mining metals for making coins, the minting process, and plastic-ing credit cards are all practices carrying environmental risks. Additionally, the collection of paper resources for printing money, along with the bleaching and inking procedures required for paper currency, all do have their collective ecological impacts.

Again, there is another side presented. It takes a vast amount of processing to power up a bitcoin mining operation, especially when multiplied across the board. Often quick firing processors are employed to calculate the mining systems, which use up a lot of electrical energy.

While time, earned trustworthiness, legitimacy and pending regulations may be the ultimate deciding factors in the continuance of electronic cash, it remains to be seen if digital currency is a financial fad or is here to stay. Either way, seemingly both sides could green up their production.

Source: Serwer, A. & Liebelson, D. (2013, April 10). Bitcoin, Explained: Everything you need to know about the new electronic currency. Retrieved from Mother Jones

Image Source: 123RF Stock Photos

Their claim to social media and flash mob fame has been to drive a dance fueled party across North America, broadcasting playlists and dispatching a manifesto of global love.

This ever growing group of individuals gathers sporadically in cities by the hundreds for a dancing demonstration of world peace and unity.

The two organizers behind the DDP vision, Tom and Gary, seemingly have formed a party attitude into an interconnected movement. They have begun a self-proclaimed, open invitation social experiment to see if global accord can in fact be achieved through dance, and plan to make it a worldwide mission.

With over a hundred battery powered recycled boomboxes and a main mobile D.J. that diffuses the master broadcast through an FM radio transmitter, the endurance testing dance powers through public areas loudly yet peacefully demanding attention.

The idea of having a dance party for world solidarity does sound diverting, however, some may question whether this undertaking is only a simulated one which lends to an elaborate excuse for a self-promotional public spectacle. Others wonder if the revelry leaves behind more than a message, but question if issues like potential litter from droves of party goers, party favors or other types of pollution come up.

Reportedly, the uncountable amounts of batteries used at events are in fact recycled, and they do seem to encourage using rechargeable batteries as a better choice.

Most everyone loves a party, but no one likes the mess they can leave behind. For some information on hosting sustainable events, visit The David Suzuki Foundation.

Assembly coordinators need to remember that after the fun is over you have to clean up your footprints.

If interested in participating in the DDP’s global community party, learn how to prepare your boombox for a hopeful stop in a city near you.

Image Source: DecentralizedDanceParty

Trying to make labeling appear greener may fool some, but smart buyers are capable of being label aware.

Some organizations have attempted to uncover the tendency to use greenwashing to sell merchandise, and it may be surprising how prevalently used one study found it to be.

TerraChoice conducted an initial study in 2007 to uncover whether or not merchandise that was marketed as green was in fact an ecological choice, and that the products reviewed met their claims. What they found was that there were several evident factors which comprised misleading marketing practices.

They directed a 2009 follow-up study which revealed that greenwashing had a major presence in a large majority of retail items. They visited 34 different stores throughout Canada and the U.S. and examined more than 5,000 items finding that many manufacturers used an environmentally friendly focus, even though this may be a deceptive application on their part.

Nearly all products they looked at contained evidence of greenwashing techniques. 95% of the merchandise they investigated was found to have misleading advertising claims. One of the most occurring false assertions were ones in which items were said to be Energy Star compliant. Also, using terminology like all natural and faux eco labeling were among the infractions found.

Their 2010 report lists the findings. This study led to their list of 7 sins of greenwashing which summarizes commonly used illusive marketing strategies.

Consumers are smart and mostly do not need studies to tell them when they are being greenwashed. However, it is interesting to note the emergence of environmentally geared products into the mainstream from a marketing perspective, and at times a not so truthful one.

Though some criticisms of the study and of TerraChoice in general remind that TerraChoice Environmental Marketing is in fact a marketing based company which has a specific interest in green as a category. They also have consulting services available, so some skeptics deem this a bias which may affect their research as well as their intent.

TerraChoice may have their own interests in mind, though there are probably worse promotional practices than trying to make consumers and companies more aware of  unreliable labeling tactics.

Can you be greenwashed? Check your basic knowledge and play their game.

Many companies try to take advantage of the newest trend and use it to disperse their product and fill their wallets. However, ones with real consumer interest in mind listen to facts knowing that trends fade, and rely on their product’s capacity, not the ability of advertising and labeling to deceptively draw in the masses.

Image Source: Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Escalating concerns for ecological awareness in both the personal and political arenas were amplified by many during this time.

A bit of history from The Old Farmer’s Almanac recounted that proactive John McConnell from California and Gaylord Nelson, then Senator of Wisconsin, both opened the gates for exchange in their local areas. They initiated people to gather together in order to demonstrate their unity over environmental issues.

The spring equinox on March 21 and April 22, 1970 both became key dates and now still represent the millions that came together on that initial Earth Day.

Currently, over 1 billion people from nearly 192 countries take part in Earth Day activities which, according to Earthday.org, makes it the world’s largest public display.

Commonly focused on in many places on April 22, this customarily is a day for earth friendly events like volunteering to pick up litter, planting tree parties and recycling exhibits.

Earth Day Network was created by the first Earth Day’s original team of planners and is now preparing for its 43^rd environmental focused event. Their theme this year is the Face of Climate Change on a global scale. Earthday.org is collecting photos from around the world centering on climate change and will digitally showcase them in honor of the reverential day on their site. The images will be shown online as well as at thousands of Earth Day happenings.

For kids and emerging readers, Scholastic has organized a few snapshots of Earth Day celebrations around the world. With a focus on reading and including audio and word pronunciations, children can listen and learn how others participate in environmentally focused events.

While Earth Day is only one mark on the calendar, the grand demonstrations of past events and scheduled future endeavors are a reminder that each day adds up. Though individual efforts may at first seem small, when amplified by many the green movement continues to cultivate.

Image: Scholastic: © Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Image

The sharing economy has been evolving, and it is now more possible than ever to share nearly anything.

As people decide that it is beneficial to them and the environment, more individuals and start-ups are springing forward to foster the new sharing model.

As reported by Forbes, a growth of more than 25% is expected this year across the sharing boards. Though this notion of anti-retail consumerism still has the tendency to be profitable for the consumer and provider, sharing cannot be denied as an environmentally friendly endeavor. Sharing merchandise instead of always purchasing new products that may only be used a few times cuts down on environmental costs like landfill waste and pollution caused from continually manufacturing new products.

There are endless lists of things to be shared or rented, and the digital era is making it possible for people everywhere to find what they need.

Popular sites like airbnb allow people to rent out homes or rooms across the globe for travel or when they need a place to stay. Along with a vast selection of different places to check out there are also some eco-friendly housing options.

Renting travel needs like vehicles is nothing new and used to mostly be done mostly through rental companies, but the way people are now finding rides is an expanding area. Nearly any type of vehicle can be rented or shared from sites like RelayRides. If you don’t need to rent, you can get a ride from lyft. And if you prefer to get around on the water instead of land you can even request an invitation to become a member and share someone’s boat at boatbound.

Additionally, renting out clothing is another alternative to buying new. Sites like RenttheRunway allow people to borrow clothing that might not otherwise be an affordable option. Another practical idea is from TieSociety, who rents out ties, cuff links and other related accessories.

There are also a number of miscellaneous objects and services that are up for sharing. Shareable is a compilation of information revolving around the concept. Another example of a sharing site where you can rent or share nearly anything is snapgoods.

There is another aspect of the sharing boost that has less to do with the economy and more to do with community. Though not for sharing material goods, there are a number of sites focusing on collaborative projects or offering resources for individuals to work on theirs.

The HUB is an online global cooperative that helps connect people with motivational material revolving around business projects and services. UnitedPlanet has a virtual interactive bulletin board, the Voices of Earth Project, in which people can share their cultural experiences with others including information like historical aspects, travel tips and languages.

Though some companies may not be pleased to see people exchanging and renting from others instead of having to buy new products, reusing when it makes sense is a good option to have.

This innovative spin on spreading around goods and support reminds us to share and be more globally communal, which is a practice good for people of all ages to employ.

Image Source: WikimediaCommons

Gary Gagnon was one such entrepreneur who appeared last year and pitched his special sneaker. Previously named REMYXX, REKIXX aims to change an industry and the world.

With more than 300 million pairs of shoes thrown away last year, in the U.S. alone, REKIXX is taking matters into their own feet.

The sneakers properly named REKIXX are the only sneakers from laces to sole, that can go back into the recycling process for zero-landfill impact.

REKIXX are unique sneakers that are 100% recyclable.

REKIXX is a brand that represents awareness and sustainability. The brand promotes and demonstrates good recycling and a green lifestyle. Gary Gagnon made a sneaker with a purpose.

REKIXX may look and feel like they are made of canvas and rubber but they are actually made using 100% recyclable materials. All worn and beaten REKIXX shoes can be recycled to make new products and materials, including a new pair of REKIXX. The shoes designs are not the prettiest, but they are still like any other.

When the worn out REKIXX sneakers have absolutely no kick left, send them back to the manufacturer who will guarantee that every part, from laces to sole, will be recycled. When you send your shoes back to REKIXX with your email address, they will even give you a special discount on your next REKIXX purchase.

Next time you need new shoes, consider REKIXX as a safer, smarter alternative.

The shoes are good for your feet and even better for the planet.

One area, though, that may not be as publicized for doing so is the music industry.

An original study done in the UK found that around 540,000 tons of greenhouse gasses are released annually from the music trade.

When investigating the various sectors involved in bringing music to the masses the analysis found that 43% of this was from viewer travel, 26% was caused from recording and publishing and 23% occurred as the byproduct of live shows.

Along with these statistics, the Huffington Post offers 9 captions of example efforts to make music greener in recent years. From ecologically minded musicians to festivals and merchandise, greening up music is an inventive process. One big endeavor with a bigger payoff is scrutinizing the actual production of a music show.

To make festivals and events better places to enjoy music there are things in place like the non-profit organization Reverb and its associated project the Green Music Group.

Reverb is the matrimonially inspired creation and story of environmentalist meets musician. The goal is to green up the music touring business, but Reverb doesn’t just sell green ideas to clients. With a practical theorization that when everyone works together big things can happen, they provide a sustainable answer to music’s quest for greener ways.

The company works directly with bands to make every aspect of their tours more environmentally friendly, taking a hands-on approach and even providing outreach services to fans. Some offerings for the fan base include a carbon offsetting program, website with information describing all green aspects of particular music tours and online carpooling resources for shows.

Green Music Group is a collaborative of ecologically like-minded musicians, business executives and fans who seek better music ventures. Tours and locations are given a green makeover but the group goes further, reinventing label standards to meet environmental concerns, providing information and developing innovative resources for areas like mentoring and grants.

In addition to examining the actual touring and what it entails, music professionals are also looking closer at practices to ensure that only sustainable products, like wood, are used in making equipment. Several companies have been onboard with this common sense concept for a while, and only buy legitimately collected, certified music gear, products and regulated woods that are obtained with viable means in mind. Using only natural selections that are attained through ethical practices with others as well as respectful and lawful land observances are fundamental requirements. Some are even looking into recycled woods and products made from quality wood alternatives in order to meet changing demands.

Music has always held the influence to convey powerful messages, and the role it has played in furthering attention and action to environmental issues is no exception.

For an interesting read that discusses music’s historical relationship with Greenpeace, check out the article Music Plays a Vital Role in Greenpeace Activism. The topics pursued years ago still hold relevant today, and music continues to be rooted as a powerful voice for inspiration and environmental change.

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