WabiSabi Recycled Fashion Show

In Moab, UT, the WabiSabi Fashion Show is held annually and has become a must see event. Every year promises the most extravagant and extreme outfits. The outfits are auctioned off as a fundraiser for Moab’s nonprofit organizations. The outfits are made entirely out of recycled material and are hand made. These outfits sell for over $600 each.

I found this article extremely interesting. It is an awesome idea. I love how they use recycled material to make these outfits. Basically it costs zero dollars to make, but they sell for much more than the usual cost of clothing. It's interesting to see how creative the designers get. For example, one designer made a "fur" coat made out of stuffed animals. How clever.
http://www.trunity.net/upcycling/articles/view/167065/?topic=10250

Students try to make recycling fashionable

As a way to show awareness about the environment and other global problems, Franklin High School held a fashion show made out of recycled items. They made outfits out of grocery bags, newspaper, checker boxes, and other materials. They asked each attendee to donate $1. The money they raised was donated to help the Superstorm Sandy victims.

I think that what the students did was a great idea. I like how they were able to make outfits out of recycled materials. It makes us realize that the stuff we throw away can be reused rather than completely useless. Charging $1 per attendee was also a great idea. $1 is not much to ask for and it all adds up. I like how they were able to help out the Sandy victims. Overall, I think this was awesome.


http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/09/local/la-me-fashion-show-20121210

Upcycle before you recycle

"What is upcycling? It basically means you reuse something that you may have thrown away. A classic example would probably be tearing up old shirts or t-shirts and using them as cleaning rags. Upcycling is an extension of recycling. Even if you change the use of an item, or customise it, you do not have to physically break down the material. To upcycle is to give something a makeover whereas to recycle is a litte more like reincarnation."

I really like this idea. You save money by upcycling and you have a chance at being creative. You can make a million things. There's really no limit to what you can do with upcycle. It can be something as easy making pots out of plastic or something crazy like wall decorations made out of retro luggages. It looks cool and is inexpensive. I say why not upcycle?

http://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/news/2011/06/29/upcycle-before-you-recycle/

Animals Make a Difference Response

Overfishing is depleting many fish populations, and because of fishers’ preferences for large predator fish and practices that favor the removal of large predator fish, the fish population is starting to become small fish over larger. 

Studies show that with fewer big fish, there is less carbon stored in the ocean which can really impact our climate. "The less fish there are, means less net uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide by surface waters and more greenhouse gases to warm the atmosphere."
http://blogs.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/animals-make-a-difference/

A Tug Would Be Thrilling: Where Are the Fish? Response

This article talks about how studies project  that the planned construction of several hydropower dams on the Mekong’s main stem and major tributaries  will result in a considerable reduction in the fish harvest, jeopardizing the food source of millions of rural people. Fishing is a big part of how people all over the world feed themselves, and without it, there will be a huge surplus of food. 


Just like everything, too much of it can be a bad thing. It used to be that fishing was done for feeding purposes, but is has become people's pass times and hobbies. It is possible that we are slowly killing the fish, not just by fishing them, but by constructing hydropower dams. It seems like we can never win. We build dams to provide water for domestic, industry and irrigation purposes, but by having those things,we're giving up other resources as well. 

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/a-tug-would-be-thrilling-where-are-the-fish/

African lions – the killer kings in mortal danger from man and sham medicine Response

In this article, I read about how the lion population has fallen by 68% in the last 50 years and it is estimated to increase throughout the years. With the expanding human population, natural habitats are being destroyed for more cities, agricultural purposes, etc. With the natural habitats being destroyed, the lion's prey have fallen dramatically causing lions to run out of food.

Lions are being hunted for their bones. Trophy hunters shoot lions for their parts and then ship them to China. To conserve the lion population, we must stop destroying natural habitats and stop the lion's prey from dying.  Lion hunting must be banned or better regulated.

"Long live the king"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/25/lions-africa-endangered-species-medicine-habitat

In Teeming India, Water Crisis Means Dry Pipes and Foul Sludge Article Response

"Your whole day goes just planning how you'll get water." In some cities in India, middle-class people are reduced to foraging for water. With the population growth as high as theirs, water is too scarce in some places, while in other places it is contaminated. These problems threaten India's ability to fortify its sagging farms, sustain its economic growth and make its cities healthy and habitable.

Before reading this article, I never really valued my one hour showers. I never really felt bad for "wasting" water when brushing my teeth. I say "wasting" in quotes because does water really ever run out? Planet earth is mostly made out of water so how is this possible? Well after reading this article, I see that it is indeed possible. It's not that water is going to just evaporate and disappear completely, but it can become contaminated and not usable for drinking, showering, etc.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/29/world/asia/29water.html?ref=water