Construction of the yoga dome in Venice, CA

When I first moved into Yoga House, I was fascinated with all the construction projects going on, especially the yoga dome, which was just getting started at the time. I asked the property manager, Bobbyi Israel (pronounced “Bobby-eye”), to speak with me about how his fascination with reclaimed materials began.

“I got into using reclaimed materials years ago, when I was interested in making largescale art projects and I couldn’t afford the materials,” Bobbyi said. “I noticed back then that especially here in Hollywood, a lot of high-quality materials were being thrown away into dumpsters all the time. Lumber, construction materials, façades… We were building huge shade structures for a festival called Burning Man, to shade and shelter hundreds of people, and I started to look at all these high-quality materials being thrown in dumpsters, and it all kind of just evolved from there.”

The frame of the yoga dome is made of 40-foot bamboo splits, interwoven to form a dome. The bamboo splits are the only thing besides some nails and carpentry materials we had to purchase. I’m not 100% certain where the bamboo originated from. The floors are reclaimed hardwood from two gymnasiums that closed down. It took several months to figure out how to get the floors to piece together, as they’re both different sizes. I asked Bobbyi where the flooring materials came from. I mean, how does one go about reclaiming gymnasium floors?

Bobbyi said, “I saw an ad on Craigslist for a guy who had taken out a gymnasium floor in Long Beach, I went to see him, and ended up buying it at a really good price. I had to haul it from Long Beach back to Venice and figure out how to make it back into a floor. Later, I went to another wood salvage yard I heard about, and they had another gymnasium floor that was cut up. So, I bought that one for a really good price. Now we’ve created this floor here that’s about 24 feet in diameter, and when it’s finished it’s going to be a beautiful, functional floor.”

The dome goes up

It’s not easy using reclaimed materials. It’s much easier to buy new flooring and have it installed in a day. In our case, the gymnasiums that closed down weren’t planning on having anyone reuse their old floors, they just sawed them up in all different shapes. We had to cut each piece to size, and then get a special “tongue and groove” attachment for the saw in order to fit the sections together (one of the few items we had to purchase).

Another part of community life is that we do all the work with our own hands. All of the work being done on the yoga dome, as well as all the other projects around this house, and the other two houses comprising this vibrant and ecclectic community, is being done by community residents. And, at least until a couple weeks ago, none of us were carpenters or had any knowledge about building floors with reclaimed materials.

Bobbyi said, “I can’t afford to hire the real craftsmen at their rates, so I try and find skilled people in my community with whom I can trade rent, or get at a discounted or fair rate. I do this with auto mechanics as well, and bicycle mechanics and chefs… With this floor here, I found a guy who was experienced with flooring, he was driving through town, needed a place, we helped him out, put him up and he worked at a really great exchange rate, and we got our floor built in just a couple [of] days.”

I’ve been on yoga-teaching hiatus for a while, and one of the things that drew me to move here was having a yoga dome on the property. I’ve been wanting a home studio to practice yoga in every day, and to teach workshops and special classes, but I never imagined when I moved in that I would get such a quick education on how to build a structure like a yoga dome. We’ve had several work parties, including moving and setting the foundation, weaving the bamboo dome and protecting the floor from the rain.

Inside the yoga dome

We had a cover installed on the dome, also made from reclaimed materials — panels of different colored fabric, some breathable, some waterproof, which Bobbyi found in dumpsters outside a movie studio — only the cover wasn’t attached securely enough before storms hit Los Angeles. The resulting flood not only soaked the floors, but also damaged the bamboo splits when the fabric cover between each bamboo split filled with rainwater, creating weighted water bombs, and ultimately burst.

It’s now up to us to fix the damage and find a solution to complete the yoga dome project. We’re committed to using reclaimed materials, even when setbacks cause delays. We think we’ve come up with a solution for finishing and protecting the floors without the need for a yoga dome cover. We’re thinking of putting down some kind of design with copper and other metals, and then covering the floor with a protective coating, making it impervious to the elements. At the moment, since we’re stalled by seasonal rains, we’re taking this time to look into the most eco-friendly options.

The result will be worth the wait. It may not be as easy as buying things new to fit, and certain instances such as finishing the floors may require additional investments, but the completed yoga dome will enhance our community and neighborhood, and using reclaimed materials is our way of helping protect our planet. Our goal is to have the yoga dome up and running sometime in the spring, if the weather plays nice.

I have become an Amazon reseller and I have been making money by “recycling” (selling) my old CDs and books. It’s not a lot of money per unit, but if you have a lot of books and CDs to sell, the pennies add up.

Recycling CDs by selling on Amazon is a win-win-win. It’s good for the environment, because when someone buys a used CD they aren’t using new materials. It’s good for you, because instead of keeping old stuff around gathering dust, you can have money in your bank account while making someone else happy with your old media. How great is that? And, it’s good for everyone, because when we buy used CDs and books from each other, we help each other make money in this struggling economy.

Just don’t come into the reselling business thinking it’s easy. It takes a lot of work — simple, but time-consuming work. Listing each item requires plugging in the ISBN number or other bar code number, locating the exact item you’re selling in Amazon’s database and listing any unique qualities or imperfections. Then it’s about setting the price point. On any Amazon product page, on the right where the “Add to Cart” button is, you’ll also see underneath some prices for “New” and “Used” items from Amazon resellers. If you ever happen to see books or CDs available from Green Media Consulting, that’s me!

My live Grateful Dead CDs have been selling like hotcakes. I’ve also asked my friends and family for any books I can sell if they’re just collecting dust, and have been surprised at how many are willing to just give me the stuff to help them reduce clutter. In the first month, I’ve managed to clear over $500 after calculating in my costs for shipping materials.

In short, CDs and books can be enjoyed actively or they can take up dust on a shelf. And, in today’s economy, why not find money wherever we can, and practice the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) at the same time?

The digital world has opened up endless opportunities for everyone, including turning trash (CDs) into treasure (money) while not even losing the underlying content (music and cover art). Talk about a win-win-win.

Fortunately, 1-800-RECYCLING has the assurance that at least our portable bottles won’t be adding any chemicals to the system… if Brad Schulman has anything to do with it. Schulman, founder of Green Planet Bottling, has created a 100% plant-based water bottle that could change the way we think about bottles. 1-800-RECYCLING talked about the future of Green Planet Bottling and water bottling as we know it.

Brad Schulman of Green Planet Bottling

1-800-RECYCLING: First things first, what do you have to say to skeptics who don’t believe that any type of water bottle is good for the environment (no matter how reusable/recyclable)?

Schulman: I think it’s a tough argument if you look at it from a tap water option perspective. I think you’re talking about an attitude. It’s an absolutely neccessary drink to live. The consumer needs to drink water to live. It’s how bottled water is treated that is wrong. I think it’s a crime that big companies like Nestlé are keeping it competitive [using low prices]. There just isn’t enough money to clean it up. The lobbying is so strong, recycling barely gets done. By default, petroleum bottles take a huge part of the marketplace. This is a big health issue.

1-800-RECYCLING: Your bottles are made from a NatureWorks bipolymer. Can you explain this product, known as Ingeo™?

Schulman: It’s been a five-year journey so far for me to make a bottle out of 100 % plant starch. I ran across an opportunity where the technology to make this bottle with that material seemed within reach. It was a healthy, alternative choice. I just couldn’t believe how much petroleum was out there, and I thought, “Ah ha! Maybe I can provide this option.” Here we are with a fantastic team of branding and design. One hundred percent plant starch, it comes from a corn plant (from the stalk). We take the dextrose and ferment it, turning it into a polymer. It is similar to the polymer process used for petroleum.

1-800-RECYCLING: How did you find this niche in the over-packed water bottling industry?

Schulman: We’re the leader, because we’re 100% plant based. We’re a beverage company [first and foremost]. We just came out with a liter size, and I thought to myself, “I can put iced tea, milk, juice in it.” Green Planet is a great name, our statements are great and people will be happy to pay more for it if they know why. We are going to do a big campaign. It’s really up to us to chose a better option. Everybody wants to do it, but they haven’t seen us yet. We have seen a lot of growth and are very confident about our 100% plant-based bottle. We are already on the doorstep of a lot of schools, Nike, Visa, Apple, corporate campuses [and] national parks. Where anybody wants to stop buying import and buy local [that's where we'll be].

1-800-RECYCLING: Where do you see the bottling industry in 10 years? Will all bottles be sustainable?

Schulman: I think so. I think we’re there [as a company]. There is $12-billion market for for water. The big number also confirms that it is the most difficult. The market size also means that people want the option to switch.

1-800-RECYCLING: What do you think about competing bottles that are ‘biodegradable’?

Schulman: How do you know who is really green or not? You’ve got to do your own research. There are new bottles, called ENSO biodegradable. They biodegrade, but there is such a strong chemical in there — it is chemically riddled. They are telling people that it is a green option because the bottle goes away. They are using all of the goodwill techiques without the heart.

1-800-RECYCLING: What do you think about Coke announcing a future plan to make 100% plant-based bottles?

Schulman: [Laughs lightheartedly] They are a good company, I’m a stockholder. I don’t have any enemies.

• Both bottled and tap water come from the same sources, such as lakes, springs and aquifers.
• More than 25% of bottled water comes from municipal supply — with filtration and flavor added.
• Bottled water that is transported across state lines is regulated by the FDA to be bottled under sanitary conditions. When it’s shipped within the same state, the water is only required to follow that particular state’s regulations.
• Bottled water plants are required to be tested for coliform bacteria once a week, while city tap water is tested 100 or more times each month.
• Tap water must meet specific standards for toxic and cancer-causing chemicals, but bottled water companies were exempted of similar requirements by the FDA.
• The manufacturing and distribution of bottled water can consume as much as nearly seven times the amount of water that the bottle actually holds.
• About 72 billion gallons of water are used, more than 17 million barrels of oil are consumed and 2.7 million tons of carbon dioxide is produced in making 900,000 tons of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles.
• More than 22 million tons of bottled water is shipped between countries each year, consuming roughly 15 million barrels of oil (or enough to generate electricity for 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for one year).

So, what is the more environmentally conscious choice? When you purchase gallons of bottled drinking water, you can always take the plastic bottles to a recycling facility when you are done with them, but consider all of the resources used in getting that water to your home, then back to a recycling center.

A home water filtration system — which can remove chlorine, carbon, boron, iron, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, benzene, fluoride, bacteria, viruses, parasites and other harmful chemicals and minerals found in tap water — would use up fewer resources because all you would need to purchase is a replacement filter about once every six months, while you keep the housing for the system. We also have the opportunity to recycle used filter cartridges (at present, not all brands are recyclable). Brita has a program that recycles filters that are used to create recycled tableware for Preserve Products. TerraFlo has a similar program to recycle its old filter cartridges by separating and sending parts off to other vendors to be reused. Some Whole Foods stores will take used filters for recycling, but only accept those made by Brita.

You can also check with your respective water filtration company to find out if it has a take-back program for used filters, which is something to consider even before you make your purchase. Recycling water filters is still in its infancy and hopefully more effort will be put into making all brands 100% recyclable.

If you are interested in learning about what’s in your water, you can get a water quality report on the tap water in your area by going to the EPA’s website.

1-800-RECYCLING: How did you get started building with shipping containers?
Wolfswinkel: My partner and architect, Jason Anderson, and I met in college at University of Arizona in Tucson. When he moved up here to Phoenix, he started working on a design-build project for a client in north Phoenix in spring 2009. He spent some time in Europe, where upcycled architecture is more commonplace, so he had a few ideas up his sleeve. The client wanted to do a master suite addition, but he just didn’t have the budget to do it. So, Jason pitched the idea of using shipping containers. We attached three containers to the main house — bedroom, his-and-her closet and bath — about 1,000 square feet of living space.

Inside the Upcycle Living model home

1-800-RECYCLING: Weren’t you a bit skeptical? Sounds like it could be a hard sell.
Wolfswinkel: He pitched me the idea, and I sat on it for a couple of days, then said, How do we do it? Let’s go.

1-800-RECYCLING: How did it blossom from there?
Wolfswinkel: The initial idea of his was to do this in a more manufactured setting. The client in north Phoenix was more of a traditional build. We found a space where we now do the manufacturing. We build 95% of it in the space, then ship it wherever and button up the seams at the marriage line.

1-800-RECYCLING: So, why modular housing?
Wolfswinkel: The benefit to modular housing is building in the controlled location — all your equipment and supplies are already there. You can control the quality easier in that one central location where everyone is working. This process takes conservatively six to eight weeks, ideally four weeks. If we can build one of these in three to four weeks, that’s really good. We put each container on a flatbed truck, ship it and drop it in place. It’s about a two- to three-day turnaround install, assuming the foundation is there — which are 18-inch piers that sit on the corner of each box. Then you just hook up electrical and sewer, and with a little tape and texture, you’re ready to go. Two or three days, and you have a house.

1-800-RECYCLING: Where do you source the containers from?
Wolfswinkel: A bunch of different ports: Seattle, Long Beach, Oakland, Houston. Businesses in those ports have been supportive of the reuse of the containers. They don’t really have anything to do with them. They just sit in storage yards.

1-800-RECYCLING: Are you focused on marketing the sustainability aspect of your product?
Wolfswinkel: Our whole mantra is “affordable, conscious living.” By not pouring the foundation, we save money. The steel structure is the bones, and we save money, time and materials there. We can transfer some of the saved costs to do green fixtures: dual-flush toilets, bamboo floors, Energy Star appliances, steel staircases, recycled carpets, recycled countertops, low-VOC recycled cabinets, etc. There is also a system that can separate black water from gray water. This allows for water reuse for landscaping with gray water. Just like any house, you can do anything you want to the inside or outside. If you want to leave the steel exposed, we can paint the exterior with a ceramic paint that reflects the heat. On the inside you can put tile, carpet, concrete… whatever you want. The containers are like building with Legos. You can add on, move them around — play around with them. That’s the beauty.

1-800-RECYCLING: What are the price points?
Wolfswinkel: We’re in the process of figuring out what the base price is. This model (at about 1,200 square feet, with two bedrooms and two baths) would go for $85-90,000.

1-800-RECYCLING: Have people who have taken a look at the model given positive feedback?
Wolfswinkel: The reaction has been really positive. It’s opened a lot of eyes. And, a lot of people have already known about shipping container construction and they’re excited someone’s doing it. We’re trying to build for the normal person. Yeah, it’s built with shipping containers, but once you get inside, it feels like a normal home. We’re keeping it simple – green and affordable.

Upcycle Living can ship houses anywhere in the country. For more information, contact Ashton Wolfswinkel at ashton@upcycleliving.com or 602.989.8162.

“Neither,” I said, hoping to wake him up.

It worked. That day, I brought my own bag to the grocery store. I have to admit that not only was my previous excuse of not having a “big enough bag” lame, but it was also simply untrue. I had the notion that bringing your own bag took more time, planning and inconvenience. That is, until I decied that sustainability was worth the extra effort. My mindset change happened right along with many consumers who simply couldn’t sleep after watching Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. Several companies, spotting a consumer trend, set to work on providing eco-friendly food containers. From corn to sugar, here are some of the innovative products:

Compostable corn cups

Coffee shops have taken a public hit for being as far from eco-friendly as possible, so they have done a lot to combat it. Many coffee shops are using cups that look and feel like pastic, but are actually corn. The green stripe across the cup tells the world that that they are committed to safer disposable products.

The compostable cups are just $6.99 for 50.

Biodegradable bagasse clamshells

Clamshell boxes made from sugarcane are starting to catch on.

Dubbed “the newest trend in food packaging,” traditional takeout containers have supposedly met their match with an unlikely, renewable, natural resource: sugarcane.

“They won’t soak up grease and liquids, so they’re perfect for burgers, fries and other to-go food,” EcoProducts.com says.

Compsoting in just 45-60 days, they work well for eco-friendly foodies everywhere.

Get 500 small containers for just under $7.30.

Compostable utensils

It would be silly to suppose that that sustainability focus has only affected the containers of the food that we eat, according to BiodegradableStore.com, a site that focuses on everything from plates to forks.

“Excellent for both hot and cold foods,” the site says. “Plan your next party with these forks in mind!”

That might not be a bad idea; made from corn, the items can still be heated up to 200º — all while cutting and holding your favorite foods.

Buy 1,000 utensils for just about $48.

Affordable and sustainable, local food has found its match: sustainable containers at affordable prices for every food lover.

Corn-based dishware

A common, eco-friendly way to go is to purchase dishware that is made from corn. These utensils, plates and plastic cups are made from corn byproducts, making good use out of what would otherwise be thrown away. They will break down easily in landfills, many within six months. They are very sturdy and strong, putting many conventional plasticware to shame. If you’re having a difficult time finding these types of products in your local stores, check out cornplasticstore.com.

Recycled dishware

Another type of dishware comes from 100% recycled materials. You can find plates, cups, napkins and utensils in this category. Many paper plates and napkins come from recycled paper and the cups and utensils come from recycled plastic. The best part of this type of dishware is that it can be reincarnated again and again. These items won’t ever make it to a landfill. They continue to be recycled over and over again as various plastic and paper products.

BYO

This last solution is one that is a no-brainier. It will cost you nothing, cost your guests nothing and cost the earth nothing (except a bit of water to clean them). When you send out your invitations, explain your mission to save the planet while celebrating this holiday season and ask your guests to bring their own dishware and cups. Why not? People get a kick out of this. You can even have a contest where your guests can vote on the best dishware brought. At the end of the party, fill the sink up with hot soapy water and wash all the dishes, cups and utensils in one sink-full of water. Sustainability for all!

Your holiday party doesn’t have to add to the accumulating landfills. You can do your part by encouraging your guests to remain earth conscience even while partying.

This holiday season, why don’t you throw a party and trade used gifts with your friends? In the words of Jerry Garcia, “One man gathers what another man spills.”

Book swap party

Instead of driving to the store and buying a gift for the person that has everything, invite your friends over for a get-together. Have them bring a good book that they don’t need or want anymore. Tell them not to worry about wrapping the books, since you can play a fun holiday game with the books instead.

At my book club’s holiday meeting, we each brought a used book from our bookshelves, put them into a large bag, and drew numbers to see who got the first pick. We picked books blindly from the bag, and then the book that was chosen would be introduced by the person who brought it. From there, we played a Dirty Santa (or White Elephant)-type game.

Everyone goes home with a new (used) book without wasting wrapping paper, spending money, buying a new book or emitting greenhouse gases driving to the store to purchase a gift.

Clothing swap party

Trade that unwanted clothing for something you'll wear.

The clothing swap party works best with more people. Everyone should bring clothes they no longer want, including shoes, scarves, jewelry and belts. The host or hostess can facilitate the party by having everyone separate their items. Put shoes in one corner, tops in another corner, dresses all together, etc. The clothing swap is a great way to find a treasure and get rid of items you don’t wear.

Items that no one wants fall in the hands of the host. The host or hostess can them donate the remaining items to a charity or shelter of his or her choice. Your used clothing can be recycled and given to others in need.

Greener than before

Now sending electronic invitations for parties is quicker, cheaper and less wasteful than sending paper invites (and usually free!). Skip the disposable plates and utensils all together and use plates and silverware from your home. If you don’t have enough wine glasses or reusable napkins, ask friends to bring some to take the load off. In this case, less really is more.

The printing process is by its very nature somewhat wasteful — you’re creating something that will be looked at a few times and then discarded. But, if you’re dead set on avoiding e-vites this holiday season — or anytime, really — here are some ways to make your paper invitations a little better for the earth.

• Choose recycled paper. Look for paper that’s at least 50% post-consumer recycled; the higher percentage post-consumer, the better. Sometimes 100% post-consumer recycled paper is referred to as “tree-free.”
• Explore other eco-friendly paper options. For instance, some companies will print on hemp paper, cotton paper, paper that isn’t processed with chlorine and even paper that contains seeds so your friends can turn your invitation into a beautiful potted plant!
• When it comes to ink, look for places that use soy- and/or vegetable-based inks, which reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds released into the air during printing. These inks have become more popular than you might think; newspapers like The Los Angeles Times have even switched to soy-based ink.
• Consider including a polite note on the back of your invitations urging your friends to recycle the invitation rather than just throw it away.

Here’s a helpful roundup of companies that offer all of the above products from Conservatree.

Above all, have fun with your invitations! That’s why you’re having a party in the first place, right? Tis the season, folks!

With a brand that has such a history of having to match increasing demands in mass quantities, it makes sense that the recyclability of its cups has come into question.

It’s all a numbers game. In small numbers, paper cups wouldn’t be a problem. When someone drinks from a Starbucks cup and throws it away, it is a small space occupying a tiny trashcan. But, add every cup, per person, per store, and there are massive amounts of Starbucks cups taking up landfills every day.

Starbucks cups, after all, currently can’t be recycled. But, seven stores in Manhattan are trying to change that.

According to GreenBizBlog.com, 3 billion Starbucks coffee cups end up in landfills every year. Composting or recycling simply isn’t an option, because a thin polyethylene coating, the same layer that prevents liquid leakage, currently can’t go through either process in most areas. (For more information, see a past 1-800-RECYCLING article about plastics for a further explanation of types of unrecyclable plastics.)

Starbucks may be small on a global scale, with around 1% of the global coffee market, yet it impressively influential, according to the GreenBizBlog story.

Recently, Global Green USA’s Coalition for Resource Recovery (CoRR) realized Starbucks’ power for helping to reduce the waste from 58 billion paper cups used in the United States every year. According to a November QSR story, “How Starbucks is Changing Packaging,” Starbucks has made a lofty goal to make 100% of its cups recyclable by 2012.

The notable efforts towards sustainability started in 2006, when Starbucks introduced a paper cup that contained 10% post-consumer recycled fiber.

The final step would be to get Starbucks cups certified for recycling into corrugated cardboard.

According to QSR’s quoting of Annie White, the Director of the New York office of Global Green USA and CoRR, achieving such a feat would be a huge step forward for the company.

“If food packaging like Starbucks cups can be recycled into corrugated cardboard, it can essentially get a free ride to the recycle mill and be a cost-neutral program,” she says.

So, the heat is on to test the feasibility of this type of recycling.

Pratt Industries in Staten Island, NY, agreed to be the test recycle mill, and started recycling cups in seven different Manhattan Starbucks locations. The goal is to start the program in at least 130 stores by the second quarter of 2011.

For more news on CoRR’s role in helping other companies spread their sustainability as one of many efforts, see its site, which is quite uplifting as far as the effort being put into making sustainable business practices much more commonplace.

Make it yourself

The best way to use less plastic is to make personal care items yourself. In this day and age, making these types of items may seem like a daunting task, but they are surprisingly easier than you might expect. If you get a small co-op going among friends, you can make laundry detergent, your friend can make bar soap and your mom can make a facial cleanser. Check out Simply Cooking and Cosmetics at Home to gather information on how to make it yourself.

Buy eco-friendly products

There are countless storefronts and websites selling eco-friendly products. These products pay special attention to ensuring the reduction of plastic usage in packaging. For example, many eco-soap companies will package their products in recycled paper or cardboard, eliminating plastic all together. Some eco products still use plastic, but reduce the amount needed in the packaging.

Buy in bulk

Buying in bulk will save on the over usage of plastic. For example, if every time you need new shampoo you have to purchase an 8-ounce bottle, you will have gone through eight bottles, compared to the single 64-ounce bottle you can buy at a wholesaler. Buy in bulk and simply reuse bottles you already have.

Using less plastic in your personal care items is very easy. It may take a bit more time, but in the end, you’ll know what’s going into the products and how much plastic you’re preventing from being manufactured and filling landfills.

“What happened?” I asked, expecting to hear an excuse along the lines of “not having time to clean.”

“It’s an art project,” he said. “I’m going to make something.”

I asked, “Make what kind of art project?” and we went to the drawing board. Well, actually, we both grabbed a Starbucks cup and sat with it in our hands. Our intense stares into the cups made me think that an onlooker might wonder if the former latte container may currently hold the answer to the mysteries of the universe.

We chimed in with our ideas at the same time.

“A planter!” I said, pointing to the liner as a surefire way to know that the soil would stay in the cup.

We Googled the idea. While no one had done the small flower planter that I had in mind, someone did use the Frappuccino bottles sold at the grocery store. With milk bottles and spray paint, they made cute alternatives to an expensive flower shop vase.

“Soundproofing,” he said, standing up and looking at the wall.

My boyfriend’s idea had a pretty interesting theory behind it. He reasoned that people often use egg cartons to soundproof a room, and thought that perhaps the plastic polyethylene from Starbucks lid may actually work.

A Google search of that one, though, made us step on the breaks. If we wanted to soundproof anything, it’d be a floor, and we’d have to use polyethylene in thick foam form. Green Depot did make it sound superior for squelching the sound of footsteps on floor though.

I wanted my next idea to be great, so I Googled “Starbucks lids” and “art.” It turns out that 130,000 in Sydney, Australia, had beat me to the punch in finding the most spectacular piece of art that you can possibly make with Starbucks cups: a replica of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.”

According to Telegraph.co.uk, attendees of the Rocks Aroma Festival in Sydney, Australia, got to see a painting created with 3,604 cups of coffee and 564 pints of milk.

A staff of eight people spent eight hours putting various amounts of coffee into cups. It measures to 20 feet high and 13 feet wide — an impressive and inventive throwback to an iconic piece of art from the Italian Renaissance.

So, what is the moral of the story? Always Google before brainstorming.

Just kidding.

By being creative, I realized that there are many ways to reuse just about anything. In that way, sustainability is really something that anyone can do. I think it’s just a matter of knowing what is reasonably implementable for you at your stage of life. I know that, for now at least, I don’t see myself hiring an eight-person staff to reconstruct an iconic classic — but hey, maybe someday.