The Great Creators... Or Recyclers.

With school about to start for so many young college kids, moving is on the mind of many. Even we here at Bambu Batu are moving in true fall spirit. And of course, with a new space, comes the desire to decorate and make that space your own. As decorating can be expensive, we thought we'd offer a few ways to go green and recycle, while decorating on the cheap.

• "You spin me right round baby, right round!" Records are more than just an audiophile's preferred way of listening to music. Those black discs (or colored, or clear even) are a hip and versatile way to add some flare to your dorm or room. By heating them up and shaping them, you can make them in to a pretty neat fruit bowl. Or simply take the records themselves and pin them to your wall in a pattern pleasing to you. But before you go opening your dad's original pressing of his favorite Glenn Miller record and pinning it or melting it, stop by Boo Boo Records. They often have some colorful and interesting records for free out in front, or go digging through their dollar bin. (p.s. the record covers can make cool wall coverings or great material for stencils.)

• If you don't read magazines, I'm sure you know someone who does. Don't let them throw them away when they're done with them. Instead, snake them, and make them in to a spunky collage to put on your refrigerator or wall. Add some personal pictures or a poem, or strips of fabric. Make it colorful or bland. Whatever suits you.

• Empty wine bottles can be more than just the sign of a fun night. Put an all natural soy candle in one, burn it down a bit, and let the wax drip over the glass for and old school appeal, or simply put some water and a single rose in it. Vincent Price would approve of either.

• Got and old bike that's beyond repair? There are all kinds of ways to make that bike into wall art. From the chain, to the spokes to the wheel, disassemble and play around. Even pictures of bike parts can be pretty artsy.

• Old calendar pages make great posters. (Depending what kind of calendar you have, you may not want to invite your mom over.)

There are a thousand other ways to redecorate while reducing and reusing. Get creative, play, and save the earth. When you run out of ideas, come see us and we'll hook you up with some earth friendly home decor that's already assembled! Until then, good luck moving!

Song of the Day: "Movin' On Up" By Jeff Berry and Ja'net Du Bois

Bamboocycle

"I want to ride my bicycle!!!" (my bamboo bicycle)

Is there a greener form of transportation on this earth than riding your bicycle? The average U.S gas mileage in 2005 was 21 mpg, so theoretically, for every 21 miles you put on your foot buggy, you save a gallon of gas. You put no toxic waste in to the air, and jeez, if you ride 21 m/day, you're bound to get in decent shape. But can you make it greener? YES YOU CAN! CAN YOU MAKE IT GREENER?!?!?!?! YES YOU CAN!!!! CAN YOU MAKE IT GREEEEEEEENER?!?!?!?!? YES YOU CAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!! (whew. got a little too excited.) How? Bamboo bicycles, of course. Cool huh?

As I'm sure you know already, bamboo is a sustainable resource. It grows naturally in great abundance, and requires no pesticides or fertilizers. It provides more oxygen than trees, and prevents soil erosion, amongst other things. This means you're saving the planet when you choose bamboo made products over plastic, aluminum, steel and wood. Additionally bamboo is stronger and lighter than steel, more flexible so as to absorb shocks from riding, sturdy and long lasting, (it isn't going to rust) and can be worked and formed without even using electricity or other such intensive resources, while simultaneously providing job opportunities such as harvesting, building and shipping.

So where can you get one of these newfangled contraptions? Well there's a pretty neat company out there called Bamboosero. The company was conceived in 1995 when the CEO, Craig Calfee, made his first bamboo bike. Since then, it has been a fifteen year journey to get the place they are now. The fine folks there provide job opportunities in several different locations including New Zealand, Zambia, Ghana, Uganda and the Philippines- all places where bamboo is native. This, along with keeping mother earth alive, is the goal of their company. You can opt to buy a frame or a complete shiny new bicycle (with some parts made from other materials) and get to know builders through their online profiles.

Once you get your bike, come on in and see us to get some to-go wear and some locally made sunscreen to take on your cross country trip. Go forth, and put the bamboo fun between your legs.

Song of the day: Pink Floyd's "Bike"