Earth Day DIY Round-Up: Rethink, Repurpose, Recraft!

April 21, 2010June 5, 2013

Earth Day DIY Round-Up: Rethink, Repurpose, Recraft!

We can do more than just Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—we can help the environment and ourselves by “upcycling” things we can no longer reuse. Plastic grocery bags with too many holes become crinkly stuffing for cat toys. A sad, old pillow is transformed into a pet bed. A funky, old candy dish on a pedestal becomes a fancy, raised water bowl. Try using your imagination before you go out to buy new things for your pets. You might already have something around the house that will work as well or better than something new. Save money, help save the planet!

Some of my favorite DIY projects that Rethink, Repurpose, Recraft!

Beds & Furniture:

Clothing:

Poop:

Old trashcan becomes waste digester like Doggie Dooley or Staywell EcoClean
Turn a plastic bin into awesome litter box

April 20, 2010

Earth Day & Our Pets

PlanetGreen has a great post on how to limit your pets’ environmental impact. (Full disclosure: PetProject was included in Planet Green’s list of Top Ten DIY Sites.)

I recommend reading the whole post to see their good suggestions and the reasons behind them, but here are some of my favorite points.

adopt from a shelter
use pet-friendly deicer on sidewalks
compost dog poop
contain your pets

Topped only perhaps by habitat destruction, cats are the biggest, baddest bird killers of all time. Even wind turbines have got nothing on them. …[D]omestic cats do have an unfair advantage. Unlike wild predators, house cats are always well fed, well rested, and in tip-top fighting shape. They’re also present in more concentrated (and rapidly increasing) numbers than say, the San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike.

There are also tons of links to articles and useful websites, so check it out!

April 16, 2010

Friday Fun: Labrador Toboggans

These snow dudes are pretty rad.

April 14, 2010

Corgi Says “No!” To iPad, Calls Apple Users “Sheep”

To be fair and balanced, here’s what dogs think about the iPad. Chloe the Corgi is not a fan of the iPad’s user interface. (via buzzfeed)

April 6, 2010June 5, 2013

DIY: Pet Bed Made From Table

I love this pet bed made from an old side table! It reminds me of the suitcase beds I wrote about previously. More great repurposing of an old object. Depending on the size of the table, you can make one for a cat or a dog.

Ki Nassauer over at Junk Camp shows how it’s done. First you need an old side table—look for one with interesting leg details, flip that sucker over, add some touches (finials, a headboard made from trim, feet), paint, and add a cushion or an old pillow and you’ve got a clever new pet bed. Awesome!

Instructables also has a tutorial inspired by this project. An important tip—use primer before you paint. Your life will be happier! Also, you can make feet for the bed from wood scraps or you can buy feet at a building supply store.