SuperForest

Good Evening, SuperForest!

Check out this amazing piece of architecture!

Designed and constructed by German Architect Matthias Loebermann, this temporary pavillion was built in 2005 for the Nordic Alpine Skiing World Championship in Oberstdorf, Germany.

via GBlog

via GBlog

It was made entirely from 1300 shipping pallets and held together with tie rods and pull straps. The pavillion was used as a meeting place and media room for the athletes competing in the championship.  Apparently they dismantled and recycled the structure after the event, however I think this would be a pretty amazing permanent structure if it could survive in a particular climate without any major damage.

via GBlog

Upon further research into this subject, I discovered that there is a lot to read out there on “palletecture”. So search away, SuperForesters! Let’s learn more about sustainable building ideas! Incidentally, SuperForester Julius and SuperForester Jackson have also expressed their love of upcycling pallets:

A social way to upcycle pallets

Pallet sweet pallet

Have a seat

Yours in love with this gorgeous piece of art,

SuperForester Heather

Empty bottles, full life!

via ecoideas.net

“FRU.GAN

of or relating to a frugal lifestyle, therein sparing with regard to the detriment of the wallet, the environment, the climate, society, and one’s general sense of well being. Note: “free.gan”, as used here, means from the trash.”

I ran across Fairfax Wright’s Frugan Living blog on boingboing. Fairfax has decided to live as much as possible on the things she finds in the dumpsters and trashbags on NYC. Unlike most freegan-type situations, Fairfax has the added advantage of being model-hot and taking great photographs. By looking good and creating great marketing, she makes eating out of the trash, dare I say it, appealing?

I don’t mean to sound glib or image-conscious, but quite honestly this whole “let’s all share and get along” sustainability effort will go ever so much smoother and easier if we have really effective marketing. Attractive people doing things helps sell those things as being worthy of imitation. So when the Fairfax Wrights of the world unite to showcase their sleek and sexy selves getting down with whatever eco-friendly innovation they are interested in communicating, WE ALL WIN.

Hear that loud and clear: If you are an attractive person, take pictures of yourself doing karma-friendly, eco-friendly things. Like composting, recycling, installing solar panels, working with the poor and displaced, volunteering… Documenting yourself doing things like this and sharing it online (via blog or flickr set) will encourage others to follow suit. Win. Sorry, I’m getting off topic.

Check out Frugan Living!

Yay, Fairfax!

Cheers to the ever-wonderful Mark Frauenfelder for the continued awesomeness.

(image via flickr user mark carline)

Gooooood Morning, SuperForest!
Here’s a lil’ ol’ thought exercise for you lovely SuperForesters…

Plastic lasts forever, is impervious to insect and microbial damage, and decays at an incredibly slow rate.

Wood lasts a very short time, and just about everything loves to eat it, including termites, and beetles and molds and funghi.

Everything we want to last only a very short while and then break down, we make out of plastic, which is practically invincible.
Everything we want to last for a long time, like our houses and apartments, and buildings, we make out of wood, which lasts an extremely short time, and tends to get nommed by nature and pals.

Why not a hybrid system?

Plastic houses. Plastic on the outside, lovely warm, friendly wood on the inside.
Wooden disposables, made to break down and be composted after use.

If we use the plastic according to its properties and strengths, we use it to build only the things we wish to last forever. We use fragile, vulnerable plant fibers (aka wood) to make those things we only need briefly.

Makes a certain sense, right?

Apply this line of thinking to everything that is causing us grief, or upset. Who are we blaming for our troubles? Plastics, pollution, corporations, government, religion, unemployment…

If we can flip our thinking about these sticky wickets, and use them according to their strengths, we all win.

Plastics are very good at lasting forever, so we use them accordingly.
Pollution gives us an enemy to rally against. When the human race is united, nothing can stand in its way, including environmental collapse.
Corporations are at the mercy of both the market and their shareholders, which means they are dependent on the trends and whims of the human heart.
Governments seem to be good at creating more government, and at starting wars. But a truly representative government (for the people, by the people) could accomplish great things.
Religion gives people solace, and promotes acts of charity, compassion, and empathy.
Unemployment frees people from jobs they probably did not want in the first place.

Our thinking has gotten totally pessimistic. Watch the news or read the papers and you’ll see how much hope and enthusiasm are lacking.

The solutions to our problems are there. Not waiting to be discovered, there right now. We have the tools and the talent to fix every problem we can conceive of. Every single one.

The answer lies in each of our heads, and the way we treat the world around us. With proper training and support, we can all look around and see the world as a place of abundance, and incredible opportunity, not as a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

It isn’t plastic’s fault that it gets used for trifles, when it is made to sustain. It is our fault.

Heck, it is my fault.

I can’t speak for anyone but myself. I’ll happily take responsibility for my mis-use of wonderful plastic.
I have been guilty of treating plastic like wood and wood like plastic.

I will flip it in my mind, and make it right.

One by one, we must flip the scenario in our minds, and see the abundance all around us.

Love to all,

Jackson

Aren’t these rad? All made from recycled materials and photographed/shopped together. Remember the name Brandon Jan Blommaert, this cat is one to watch.

Plus, check out his magically confusing site: Pandaclock

(via lovely, lovely coilhouse!)

The lovely cats at After Ed TV made this delightful little video doc about Meg Wachter’s insanely successful Brooklyn Skillshare. The very same Brooklyn Skillshare where SuperForester Jackie and I taught upcycling glass bottles into cups and vases.

Skillshare ruled. I wonder if I can coax Meg out to the West Coast to throw one here? Psssssst, Meg!

Thanks to the swell folks at After Ed TV!

Goooood Morning Lovely SuperForest!

I hope this finds everybody well this fine day, October 26th…
On the 10th of October, SuperForester Jackie and myself taught a class on upcycling for Meg Wachter’s amazing Brooklyn Skillshare.

Jackie and I showed an amazingly friendly (I hadn’t yet had any coffee) group of people how to safely and easily turn glass bottles into cup, bowls, and vases, lovingly handmade and gorgeous to the eyes.

I will post a video on how to do it in the comfort of your own home very soon.

SuperForester Mark was on hand and sent me these lovely photos:

(this image and three following images via flickr user edlabdesigner)

The class went really well. At one point in time, I had everyone raise their hands and repeat: “I, state your name, understand that there is treasure everywhere. And I promise to find it.” Like sixty plus people all did it. It was grand.

Cheers to SuperForester Mark for sending in the photos, to Meg Wachter for throwing the event, and of course, to the incredible SuperForester Jackie for teaching the class with me.

-Jackson

A few weeks back Superforester Carla posted about Charles Guan’s LOLrioKart.

SuperForester TJ was kind enough to point out that gocollege.com has tracked Mr. Guan down and conducted a tasty interview…

Here’s a mere morsel:

“Just so we know, what in your eyes is the difference between a geek and a nerd – does it have anything to do with the desire to strap technology to something that moves?

I have never really discerned between ‘geek’ and ‘nerd’. The running joke between my friends years ago was that a geek was someone skilled or passionate in a specific, tangible field of interest or hobby – computer geek, band geek, robot geek, etc. the list goes on. We sort of chose to designate “nerds” as being the underclass – those who are incredibly, almost frighteningly smart, but in a purely academic sense.

This definition is clearly not the universal one, some may argue it’s the exact reverse, but you know what? I don’t really care. Labeling me as one thing or another doesn’t really impact how I do things, and it shouldn’t affect you either.”

Here’s the full article, via gocollege.com.

Go, Charles Guan! Shopping Cart upcycling win!
And thank you to SuperForester TJ and gocollege.com.

Here’s the full gallery.

Reminds me ferociously of Clash of the Titans, (which is a really great movie.)

Thanks to SuperForester Harry for sending this in!

I just saw this on boingboing and had to put it up, as it reminded me of SuperForester Chris’ excellent circuit bending post…

Repurpose is…

“A documentary film by Jack Oatmon.

A look into the hardware hacking community in Montreal, including the Foulab collective. Why are more and more hobbyists experimenting with hacks and circuit bends? What relationship does this imply about consumer society and technological advancement? Is this a real-world analog of ‘user generated content’?”

So these cats started a group that shares a space, tools, and knowledge to make cool new swag out of old useless swag.

Tastycakes!

Nice going, Jack Oatmon!

Make for fun! Make for profit! Make make make for Making’s sake.