13 DIY projects to re-use shipping pallets

Mar 31, 2011 by Ben

I love re-using things to build other things, so this is right up my alley.  Webecoist has a post showing 13 DIY projects from used pallets.

My favorite are these rolling crates, but the accent wall is also very cool.

Check out all 13 at  WebEcoist

Ben…

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Fix it…

Mar 28, 2011 by Ben

I’m a big fixer.   I fix things.  All sorts of things.   Cars, computers, camping gear, I always try to fix something before getting rid of it.  I recently found the Fixers Collective and I’m in love with the idea and wish it was in my area.

From their site:

Fixers’ Collective is a social experiment in improvisational fixing and mending

They get together each week and teach/help others fix their items.  How great is that?  I love the idea of teaching others the lost art of fixing.  Today everyone throws away their stuff just to replace it when they could be saving a lot of $$$ to simply fix the item.   This keeps these items out of the landfills and money in your pocket.  Brilliant.  If you are in the NY area, do check them out.

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Self-Repair Manifesto

Nov 11, 2010 by Ben

I’m a consummate DIY kind of person.  If I had cable, I’d watch HGTV 24/7 (part of the reason why I don’t have cable).

I love to fix things.  I love to take them apart, see how they work and put them back together working as they did or better.

Its why I drive an old truck with over a half a million miles on it.  Its why I’ve remodeled every room of my house.  Its what I do.

That is why I loved when I saw the Repair Manifesto.

Here are the basic tenets of the Repair Manifesto:

• Repair is better than recycling.

Seriously, why not fix the one thing instead of recycling it and having to get a new one, thus creating two things?

• Repair saves the planet.

See above

• Repair saves you money.

This one might be my favorite.  Why buy a new lawn mower when I can fix the one I have for a few bucks on a new part?

• Repair teaches engineering.

No, this one is my favorite.  I love just trying to figure it out.  And if I can’t, the item is still broken and I’m no worse off.

• If you can’t fix it, you don’t own it.

This one is a big one with today’s new electronics and such.  I bought it, I took it home, I should be able to open it up and fix it without voiding any fancy sticker warranties.

Take a look at the manifesto and next time something breaks, check the warranty first, but then if you can, dig it and see if you can fix it.  You just may learn a thing or two and save yourself some cash in the process.

Ben…

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