If you are like me, you already recycle and you probably consider yourself an expert. And if you are like me, you may enjoy buying things from a thrift store. So if you are like me, you consider Earth Day, April 22, just like any other day. You are reducing, reusing and recycling just fine. But is fine good enough? [...]
April 22 should be my favorite day of the year, but it’s really no different than any other day for me. April 22 is Earth Day, but I am one of those people that believes Earth Day should be every day. And while I don’t consider myself to be a tree hugger, I also believe that going green should be [...]
It doesn’t take more than a quick click on Google and a disheartening public service announcement to realize we have created pollution issues for our poor planet. Unfortunately for many, this has become a political hot-button, but whatever side you happen to fall on, no one can deny the existence of the continent-sized trash heap that’s floating in the Pacific [...]
You have probably embarked on the journey of green living, especially if you have been reading this column. Living green is more than just media hype. It has become integrated into our lives through local businesses, transportation, and our education. I feel like everywhere I turn, there is someone, somewhere advertising their living green pride. From local businesses promoting energy [...]
How many electronics do you have at home? The average U.S. household owns about 24 electronics and spends more than $1,100 a year on these products, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. Electronics include televisions, cell phones, computers, DVD players, MP3 players, microwaves, small appliances, and even clock radios. The new iPhone 5 has arrived, even though most locals can’t seem [...]
An unfortunate camping trip marred by rain and a broken boombox helped to form the foundation for a unique company with the purpose of repurposing portable sound systems. DomeCandy Lab, founded in 2011, is a North Myrtle Beach-based creative electronics company that takes vintage suitcases and speakers and creates portable sound systems. All of
Pallets are considered to be temporary packaging solutions; wooden frames used in the shipping and transportation of products. According to the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association, more than 1.2 billion pallets are used every day in the U.S. by markets such as automotive suppliers, the U.S. Postal Service, and the beverage container industries. After shipping, pallets become a burdensome [...]
You won’t find Deana Vail of Myrtle Beach hesitant about going to work. She steps out of her kitchen and into her office, the garage. She is surrounded by hundreds of empty wine bottles and feels inspired to create something new and different every time. “I love it. I love being in the shop with just a bottle and an [...]
Her paintbrush touches all assortments of trash from discarded lumber and old windows to automobiles and guitars. Kimberly Dawn Clayton, who believes her art can be a tool for helping others, has been a fulltime artist since 1993. “Ever since I can remember, I have always had a paintbrush in my hand,” said Clayton. Growing up, she spent her summers [...]
Self-taught artist Terry Brennan of Artist Tree Studio in Little River creates sculptures with an eco-edge out of discarded pieces from our everyday life. He brings items back to life in a way that is skillful and captivating. Brennan has been a fulltime artist for eight years creating his 3D mixed media assemblage for four years. He has created more [...]
When is the last time you used a real phone book? By real, I mean the kind made of paper that you can touch and open with your hands. I cannot remember the last time I did because I typically use the computer or my cell phone to look up everything. I actually don’t have any phone books in my [...]
For Christmas I received $50 cash, so my plan was to visit some second-hand stores and see how far I could go with it. I shall call it my “50 Dollar Quest” mini-series and it will span into multiple posts until my money has been spent. The first store was Treasures of the Heart in Conway, SC. Store #2: Recycled [...]
The holidays are just about over. You are probably in the process of taking down decorations, while wrestling with the time you don’t have. I will confess that one year, I kept my Christmas tree up until Valentine’s Day. Yay, it was just easier that way. Anyway, one of the major issues during the holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year’s [...]
We visited Walt Disney World for our family vacation during Thanksgiving, but, of course, my “green glasses” were on searching for all the Green Mickeys. The Recycling Bin Hunt During our visit, I was hunting recycling bins, most of which were in regular traffic paths for the public. The bins were plentiful and easy to find. However, there was NOT [...]