Adorable baby gorilla wants you to recycle your phone

The first lowland gorilla born in the Los Angeles Zoo in 20 years is building her fan base while raising awareness about the connection between cell phone manufacturing and critically endangered gorilla populations.

Baby Angela was born last month to mom N’dijia and dad Kelly. Along with Rapunzel and Evelyn, the LA Zoo is now home to five western lowland gorillas. This species is native to Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Because only about 100,000 western lowland gorillas still survive in the wild, any new baby is cause for celebration.

Related: Hope for mountain gorillas — new census results reveal the population is increasing

Female lowland gorillas typically give birth every six to seven years in the wild. But the stress of captivity often short-circuits normal breeding habits. So far, mom and baby seem extremely bonded, zookeepers told the Today Show. N’dijia carries Angela around constantly, and Kelly shows affection by sniffing the baby and sometimes putting his lips against her.

Gorillas in the wild face many dangers, including poachers, diseases, such as Ebola, and mining operations. While these threats may seem far away from the life of the average city dweller, most humans have a direct tie to gorillas through their cell phones. The Congo Basin is rich in coltan, a black metallic ore used in mobile phone manufacturing. Not only do miners disrupt gorilla life and ruin habitats, the miners — who are often there illegally — hunt wildlife, including gorillas, for food.

Recycling your old cell phones is an easy way to help gorillas. A recycling company called ECO-CELL partners with primate conservation groups including Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE), the Jane Goodall Institute and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Many zoos in the U.S. and Canada collect phones for ECO-CELL. So far, the company has recycled about 1 million cell phones. Phones that still work are sometimes reused by gorilla care staff and in veterinary labs.

“ECO-CELL’s focus is squarely on the informed consumer piece,” Eric Ronay, founder of ECO-CELL, told Mongabay. “If we can reach consumers en masse, especially young consumers, and inspire them to demand ethical, gorilla-safe products, then the entire electronics landscape will change dramatically.”

+ LA Zoo

Via Mongabay and Today

Image by Jamie Pham via LA Zoo

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Tackling sustainability in sporting events

At the recent Super Bowl, the NFL focused on sustainability more than in past years with its Ocean to Everglades (O2E) initiative throughout South Florida. Efforts included education on invasive species, beach cleanups, food recovery and recycling initiatives. These conservation efforts are part of a larger trend internationally to shrink the carbon footprints of major sporting events.

“Sports is one of the few avenues which can unite people of all different races, creeds and social status,” Matt Jozwiak said in an interview with Inhabitat. Jozwiak was a chef at swanky New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park before founding Rethink Food NYC. His organization feeds 2,000 New Yorkers a day by repurposing leftovers from restaurants and food companies in the tri-state area. Jozwiak is a big proponent of more sustainable sporting events. “The industry literally has the power to make drastic sustainability changes. When a sporting team comes out in favor of a cause, people listen.” He acknowledges there may be growing pains when adopting unfamiliar behaviors. “But eventually, fans will go along with the new changes.”

Sporting

events step up to sustainability

Fans traveling to one European Cup match can generate almost 5,600 tons of carbon dioxide, according to the World Economic Forum. But now, many sports are taking a closer look at how to be more responsible. Tokyo’s 2020 Olympic Games are a leading example of organizers prioritizing sustainability in their planning. For example, builders will use locally sourced wood to construct the athletes’ village, and hydrogen fuel cells will power the event vehicles. Organizers plan to generate solar power onsite and recycle 99 percent of everything used during the event. With the exception of drinking water, they’ll use recycled rainwater for all Olympic water needs. Paris is hoping to be even more sustainable during its turn to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

Related: Tokyo’s Olympic medals will be made from recycled phones

Some European cities have given their football (soccer to Americans) stadiums an eco-makeover by installing seats made from recycled plastic. In Amsterdam, fans bought the old seats as souvenirs. The stadium in Pontedera, Italy boasts seats made using plastic from local waste. Meanwhile, in England, the Forest Green Rovers have won the title of world’s greenest football club by powering its grounds with solar, recycling water and serving an entirely vegan menu to players and fans.

At the 2019 Helsinki International Horse Show, 135 tons of horse manure powered the electricity. A company called Fortum HorsePower enlists 4,300 Finnish horses to generate energy for electrical grids.

Stadium

food waste

Jozwiak takes a special interest in food wasted inside stadiums. He’s found that stadiums are among the hardest places from which to rescue food, because they tend to only have games periodically and throw the food away afterward. Much of that food quickly spoils or gets soggy and unappetizing, like hamburger buns and pretzels.

Stadiums should rely on freezers more, Jozwiak said. “Instead of purchasing food all the time, bulk purchase and immediately freezing can cut down a lot on the waste for sporting arenas. Proper refrigeration strategies can expand the lifecycle of food and reduce food waste.” 

He also recommended a fire sale strategy for avoiding waste. “Implement a plan where spectators can purchase the remaining food to take home,” he advised. “A lot of food ends up in landfills. So if sporting arenas can provide the options for the fans to either buy or provide for free the remaining food, it would cut down on waste drastically.”

One by one, stadium directors of operations need to craft individual action plans to become more sustainable, Joswiak suggested. In addition to avoiding food waste, he recommended conserving water and offering healthier food options with more vegetables and less meat. Stadiums should only contract with vendors who can manage recycling. New buildings should work to be LEED-certified. Joswiak suggested hosting a climate-related event for fans to explain and support all of these green changes. If fans could be convinced to bring their own reusable utensils, that would be great, too.

Eco-travel to sporting events

Of course, while the football match or the golf tournament is the main event, fans and players still have to travel to the game and may require overnight housing. According to Solar Impulse, 5 million people converged on Russia in 2018 to watch the FIFA World Cup. Their travel and accommodations generated about 85% of greenhouse gas emissions from this event, totaling about 1.6 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Related: Green-roofed Copenhagen sports center is open to the public 24/7

Some major governing bodies in sports are embracing carbon offset projects around the world to atone for their contribution to emissions. FIFA managed to offset 1.1 million tons of carbon emissions since the 2014 World Cup. The governing body for European football is promising to offset fan-generated emissions for the EURO 2020 competition. It has also collaborated with the 12 host cities to offer free public transportation to fans with tickets on the days of the matches. This should cut down on emissions and road congestion.

Via World Economic Forum and Solar Impulse

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This modern furniture collection is made from manufacturing waste

After doing some research, Byounghwi Jeon, founder of Studio Pesi, quickly noticed the massive amount of leftover materials going to waste in a furniture factory. After each tabletop was cut to size, much of the linoleum board and even solid oak that remained was not being used. Inspired to repurpose this manufacturing waste, Jeon designed a sleek, modern furniture line, called the DOT Collection, made with linoleum and oak that would otherwise be sent to the landfill.

Studio Pesi was ready to give a new life to the wasted, yet completely usable, materials, all while creating something fashionable, minimal and highly functional. The resulting Dot Collection includes a chair, bench and side table, all of which would complement nearly any interior design scheme thanks to a minimalist aesthetic and solid, durable construction.

Related: Designer Sophie Rowley creates marbled furniture from denim scraps

The pieces in Dot Collection were made using solid wood cylinder and linoleum board leftovers, with the signature joints used to fashion together the two materials becoming the inspiration for the name. The collection comes in earthy colors that combine cool and warm tones for an overall organic look. The simple, contemporary design works well in any room, adding additional surface area or seating that is both stylish and functional.

Studio Pesi is based in Seoul, South Korea. The name stands for “Possibility, Essential, Standpoint, Interpretation,” and was founded in 2015 by Jeon. The studio is also aimed toward “Vivid Industry,” delivering “sensitive and emotional experience through creative attempts based on industrial design process.”

Other collections by Studio Pesi include a combination of a pet house and a shelving unit called Ground Floor; AA, a collection consisting of a shelf, hanger, bench and stool made from sustainable aluminum and ashwood; and Timber, a flat-pack, self-assembly side table crafted from processed cardboard and PVC.

+ Studio Pesi

Via Yanko Design

Images via Studio Pesi

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Startup creates compostable, single-serve coffee bags for your busy mornings

Worried about the environmental costs of single-use coffee pods? Steeped Coffee has a game-changing solution for that. The startup has innovated coffee brewing by making it as convenient and simple as steeping a tea bag, only it’s coffee you’re tasting. And once you’ve finished your mug of coffee, you can simply compost the bag and recycle the packaging, which is already made from recycled materials as well.

Steeped Coffee’s coffee grounds are nitro-sealed in bags. Because they are nitro-sealed, the coffee grounds stay fresh for months. What’s more, these bags are sustainable, plant-based and dressed in recyclable, compostable packaging. Rather than starting up an energy-intensive machine to brew one cup of coffee, you can steep a Steeped Coffee bag, like one does with tea, to get a quick cup of Joe. The bag needs to steep for just 5 minutes.

Related: Biodegradable coffee pods are now available for composting

According to the company’s founder and CEO, Josh Wilbur, “Premium coffee roasters have shied away from offering their specialty beans in single-serve packaging because it’s been nearly impossible to keep ground coffee fresh, which quickly ruins the taste. With our nitro-sealed bags, oxygen is replaced with nitrogen, so the coffee stays fresh as if it was ground moments ago.”

The startup’s signature specialty coffee is also ethically sourced directly from farmers, and the flavor has earned excellent reviews. With Steeped Coffee bags, there is no need for any machines. That eliminates the noise of traditional coffee-making and minimizes cleanup and waste considerably. While it will certainly work for quick cups of coffee at home, the coffee bags could also work well as single-serve options at hotels and offices as well as an easy way to make coffee while camping.

Wilbur was motivated to produce the renewable and compostable nitro-sealed Steeped Coffee bag when he realized that “10 billion unrecyclable coffee pods accumulate in landfills each year — enough to wrap around the Earth more than 110 times if placed side-by-side. Steeped Packs are the easiest way to make a delicious cup of coffee,” devoid of wasted energy and wasted materials.

Headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, Steeped Coffee has been gaining recognition for its revolutionary “brewing” method and sustainable packaging. Last year, the company even earned the Best New Product accolade at the Specialty Coffee Expo, the largest annual coffee trade show in North America.

+ Steeped Coffee

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Airplane fuselage is converted into a minimalist tiny home with off-grid capabilities

While old planes typically get shipped off to aircraft boneyards, one savvy tiny home builder has found a new use for an old part taken from a retired plane. Brisbane-based The Tiny House Guys has breathed new life into a decommissioned Dash 8 airplane fuselage by converting it into the Aero Tiny — a 130-square-foot tiny home fully equipped to go off the grid.

Run by father-and-son team Rick and Mitch Keel, The Tiny House Guys has been creating incredible tiny home designs for years. Not only are its homes practical and beautiful, but they are at the forefront of self-sustaining tiny home living. The company’s latest design is taking this idea even further.

Related: Incredible recycled 747 airplane house completed in Malibu

The Aero Tiny is built within an old fuselage of a decommissioned Dash 8 turboprop plane that was used by Australia’s largest cabin crew training facility. Rick saw the rare item listed for sale online and made the purchase, inspired to turn it into a unique tiny home on wheels.

Once they got it to the ideal site, Rick and Mitch began the process of turning the old structure into a livable home. From the get-go, they wanted to keep as much of the original aviation character as possible, including the curved metallic cladding and fold-out, illuminated stairwell that leads into the interior.

The interior was almost entirely gutted in order to create a minimalist living space; however, certain features were salvaged. Various porthole windows and the main door with the original “exit” decal in red lettering were kept in their original state. The all-white interior features a small kitchenette and a living space with the plane’s original overhead bins. To create enough space for the bathroom, the builders added a special box to the fuselage’s side to insert a toilet, sink and shower. To expand the square footage, the designers installed a collapsible deck, accessible via sliding glass doors.

More than just a pretty design, the Aero Tiny is also intended to be a mobile and sustainable home. The structure sits on top of a wheeled trailer; because of its lightweight and compact structure, it can be transported easily. Additionally, the tiny home runs on solar energy that, along with water storage and pumps, enables the structure to operate completely off the grid.

Rick and Mitch spent over six weeks transforming the fuselage into a gorgeous tiny home on wheels. If you’d like to experience living in a unique tiny home with an interesting history, the solar-powered Aero Tiny is for sale at $37,000 via The Tiny House Guys.

+ The Tiny House Guys

Via Dwell

Images via The Tiny House Guys

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How to properly and safely dispose of these 10 items in your home

Toxic chemicals, e-waste, light bulbs and batteries are just a few common household items that exit our homes and can end up in the landfill, where they may or may not break down or leach into the soil and water. Equally concerning is the potential for broken glass and chemicals to cause problems to sanitation workers, the water system and wildlife. Even when you make the best purchasing decisions upfront, you will eventually find yourself with toxic household waste. Before tossing items in the trash, check out these disposal options for items like batteries and paint that are safer for the planet.

Tires

Because most automotive, tractor and machine tires are a mixture of rubber and steel, they can’t be recycled without separating those components. As a result, you will likely have to pay to drop them somewhere. The landfill is one option, but you can commonly return them to a local tire center. Regardless of where you take it, the fee typically ranges from $2-10 per tire, so consider upcycling those old radials into a property border or flower bed divider.

Related: EWG warns ‘forever chemicals’ are contaminating US drinking water at levels far worse than expected

Light bulbs

Your local recycling center probably accepts spent CFL light bulbs. Because CFL bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, it’s important that they are properly disposed of. Most large home improvement stores also provide a return option for CFLs and basic fluorescent bulbs. Depending on your local recycling center, LED or incandescent bulbs may be recyclable with your glass items. You can also visit Pinterest for ideas on ways to repurpose bulbs.

Batteries

The best option when it comes to batteries is to make the investment in rechargeable batteries. When they wear out, look for drop boxes at your local home improvement and office supply stores.

For single-use household batteries, you can return them during city household waste collection events, or your recycling center may have a drop spot. Some home improvement stores also provide a drop location.

Car, tractor and motorcycle batteries are easily recyclable at any retailer that sells them. You will likely even get a core refund for returning them. Check with automotive repair locations, car part stores or your local Battery Exchange.

Electronics

When the stereo, computer, TV or cell phone bites the dust, skip the landfill and head to the recycling center. You may need to separate the cords and/or batteries from the laptop or TV remote, but most components are accepted at these locations. Also check with the manufacturing company or service provider. For example, Apple and many cell phone companies will accept old devices for recycling, and some even offer a credit for it.

Medications

Expired and unneeded medications are absorbed into the soil and waterways if flushed down the toilet. They are also a danger to children and pets, so proper disposal is important. Most local police stations accept medications, and they can be returned at city waste collection events. The U.S. DEA also provides an annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies.

Stains and paints

The good news is that modern paints and stains are formulated to last, so you can finish up the can while doing touch ups or other projects, even years down the road. If you’re moving and have to come up with a quick yet responsible disposal method, visit your local Habitat for Humanity reStore, where it will reformulate the paint for resale. Another option is to allow the paint to dry in the can, either naturally or with the aid of a commercial paint-dry product. Once dry, it can be thrown out with the rest of your garbage without a risk of contamination, although we do recommend using it entirely or donating it for resell before turning to the landfill.

Related: 6 of the best places to donate your things

Cleaning products

Between glass cleaner and furniture polish, household cleaners have a way of accumulating. So when you pull out the last of the carpet and no longer need carpet spot cleaner or you make the switch to natural cleaners and need to do away with your old bottles, keep an eye out for that city waste collection event. For cleaners you can still use, try to use them up and recycle the container when you can. Also consider giving away any cleaners you no longer want, but note that most donation centers will not accept them, so offer them to friends, family and co-workers.

Lawn and garden products

Insecticides and pesticides should not be added to the garbage, where they can leak into water systems and soil. The same goes for the old oil and gasoline from your lawn mower and other equipment. This type of pollution will impact plants, animals and humans. Hold onto any lawn and garden chemicals for the next household waste round-up to return them responsibly.

Personal care products

If you find your bathroom cabinets and shelves full of old skincare, fragrances or nail polish you don’t want anymore, it is important to dispose of them properly, especially if they are from your pre-green beauty days. Unused, unexpired products may be suitable for donation. Otherwise, do not dump products in the sink or toilet. Check with your local hazardous household waste facility to see if it can accept your items. If you must, put all of the contents of the containers into one jar and place it in the garbage.

Eyeglasses

Whether you’ve undergone laser eye surgery or upgraded your style, eyewear is another common household item that may no longer be serving its purpose. Fortunately, there are many ways to donate old eyeglasses where they can provide the gift of sight and keep them out of the landfills. Lyons Clubs International, New Eyes (a division of United Way), OnSight and Eyes of Hope are all options. You can also drop eyeglass lenses and frames at most optical centers or local drop boxes, or donate them to a thrift store.

Via Earth 911 and EPA.gov

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Keep your cat safe with these eco-friendly cat toys

Veterinarian Lynn Bahr’s coworkers laugh at her when they see her mouth full of cat toy. “When I’m designing toys, I put everything in my mouth. If my cat is going to chew on it, or my dog is going to chew on it, I’m going to chew on it first. I feel it, I taste it. I just really pretend that I’m a cat.”

The pet product industry has long thought that dog owners would shell out for products, but cat owners were stingier. “Cats have always been sort of a second-class citizen and not much thought has been put into products for them. Now, that’s changing,” says Bahr, founder of Dezi & Roo pet product company. As cat product lines become more robust, people are growing more concerned about exactly what’s in those toys. The demand for safe, eco-friendly products is growing.

Dangerous ingredients for cat toys

Unfortunately, no US regulatory body is responsible for tracking toxins in pet toys. This means manufacturers are expected to self-regulate. With many pet toys made overseas, it’s even harder to rely on any standards.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used to make auto parts, pipes, polyvinyl flooring, raincoats, shower curtains, shoes and pet toys, among other common products. And while you probably wouldn’t chew on your shower curtain, your cat may be chomping PVC toys. Manufacturers often use phthalates — linked to liver and kidney troubles — to soften toys and make them more flexible. PVC is nicknamed “the poison plastic” for its unfortunate tendency to leach ingredients. Bisphenol-A (BPA), another common plastic ingredient, has been linked to cancer and endocrine disruption. Lead, a neurotoxin, is still used in some imported toys, especially those that are painted.

Eco-friendly, non-toxic cat toys

So, what should you look for in the ultimate cat toy? Something safe for cats and that won’t cause environmental harm or clog a landfill for the next millennium.

Instead of a plastic ball, check out Billy Bob the Cork Ball. Made by From the Field pet product company, these balls are marinated in primo catnip.

Dharma Dog/Karma Cat toys from Distinctly Himalayan are handmade by women’s collectives in Nepal, crafted from Himalayan and New Zealand wool and non-toxic dyes. Their packaging is also eco-friendly. Choose from adorable toys shaped like octopi, dolphins, snakes and starfish. Strictly Himalayan also manufactures cute pet beds and baskets. The baskets are made from seagrass and water hyacinth sourced in Vietnam. “Being sustainable and fair trade is actually very serious for us, and has been for decades,” Jennifer Neufeld, co-owner of Distinctly Himalayan, said. “We’re members of the Fair Trade Federation and Pet Sustainability Coalition.”

Etsy has a whole department of green cat toys. This is the place to get something really special to express your cat’s personality. You can get handmade fabric sushi rolls, zombie sharks and pot leaves stuffed with catnip here.

About half of Dezi & Roo’s line is eco-friendly. You can choose little felt clouds with stuffing made from post-consumer and BPA-free plastic bottles, or paper ring toys. The Hide and Sneak — which resembles a rectangular tube made from paper sacks with cardboard entries at each end — is a top seller. Bahr recommends dusting toys with silver vine, a catnip alternative. Dezi & Roo processes the silver vine in the US, then tests it for mold, yeast, salmonella and E. coli to ensure your pet’s safety.

Making your own cat toys is another excellent option, allowing you to reuse and recycle things around the house. Holly Tse and her cat Furball wrote Make Your Own Cat Toys so other cats could have endless entertainment while reducing their carbon paw prints. Their cat crafts use old clothes and items from your recycling bin. Bahr says a good homemade toy can be as simple as wadding up some paper, dusting it with silver vine, and throwing it across the room for your cat to chase.

DIY cat toy concerns

Before you get too creative with your recycled toys, remember that cats often swallow things they shouldn’t. Part of the reason is just how they’re made. Those adorable sandpaper tongues are covered with backward-facing barbs designed for grooming. But those barbs can act like Velcro, forcing Kitty to swallow something before they — or you — know it. This can lead to illness, expensive vet visits, and death. So, tempting as it is to let your cat play with fun and inexpensive things like dental floss, rubber bands and hair ties, keep these easily-swallowed items away from them.

Also, if your cat seems low-energy or has diarrhea after eating catnip, you might have got a moldy batch, or catnip treated with pesticides. Find a reliable source of regular, US-grown catnip.

Play with your cat

Cats love to play. “I think the thing that really propels me is how many owners say their cats don’t play,” Bahr says. She blames a lack of good products, rather than your cat being too mature. This is especially tragic if you have an indoor cat. Instead of dooming your cat to life as a couch potato, try buying or making some new, environmentally friendly toys for them. Also, supervised play is best. It bonds you with your cat, and if Kitty starts chewing up something they shouldn’t, you’ll be there to intervene.

Via Lynn Bahr, Earth Easy and Pet MD

Images via Teresa Bergen and Distinctly Himalayan

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