Category Archives: Recycle

The Juries Out

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The Garment Submission Deadline passed last Friday, April 4th at midnight. An exciting and stressful time for designers who hope to feature their artistic expression and personal statements about Transforming Trash, Inspiring Community for a Sustainable Earth on the Rubbish Renewed Runway.

This year we have more submissions than space available, with student designers from 17 Central Oregon Schools! These designers range in age from 3rd grade to a college sophomore. We have a wide array of adult submissions from several designers new to Central Oregon, a few designers back to Rubbish Renewed after a long absence, and some of our favorite material manipulator, trash fashion designers in the area.

You’ll see some of the traditional trash manipulated year after year on the runway – plastic bags, jeans, candy wrappers, drink cans, produce mesh, mailers… Some materials that are new this year to the Rubbish Renewed runway – political signs, retired chainsaw chaps, and raft parts salvaged from the Colorado Bridge wave cleanup…

Rubbish Renewed is just 1 month away! We can’t wait to see you for our 13th event and showcase designer creations that celebrate the actions we can take to elevate the sustainability of our Central Oregon communities.

Scan QR code below for Tickets or link from the button in the sidebar

Sustainability Intelligence

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I recently arrived back in Bend after several months of traveling abroad, hiking, visiting family, and teaching. Spending time in other countries stimulates my sustainability intelligence.

We walked 100+ miles in northern England of the Coast-to-Coast trail and observed the lack of trash along the way. In the UK “The Right to Roam” is embedded in the culture, and these pathways, even more broadly accessible in Scotland, have been used for centuries. There is a code of conduct to preserve these public accesses environmentally and culturally. And people follow it.

In Brussels, we spent Sunday, September 22nd, World Car Free Day, cycling miles throughout the car-free boulevards from Watermael-Boitsfort to the Grand Place and beyond. A city of millions freeing all streets of cars for 1 day a year!

And in Reykjavik, Iceland all people and businesses are obligated to sort their refuse into 5 categories: food waste; paper; plastic; cans/bottles; and trash. In fact, it won’t be picked up if you haven’t complied. What they do with it after that I’ll save for another conversation.

These experiences inspire me to think in new ways about what we can do here at home, in our Central Oregon communities. It’s time to take action.

More on the Right to Roam:

Fi Darby – What is the Right to Roam in England

Gov.UK – Use Your Right to Roam

The Guardian – The Long Legal Fight for the Right to Roam England’s Countryside

More on World Car Free Day:

UN Environment Programme – World Car Free Day

Brussels Times – Most Beautiful Brussels Car Free Sunday in Pictures

Portland.Gov – Sunday Parkways

More on Iceland’s Waste Plan:

Recycling International – Recycling in the Land of Ice and Fire

The Reykjavik Grapevine – Making Sense of Recycling in Reykjavik

Umhverfis Stofnun – A New Law on Waste Takes Effect

Green by Iceland – Recycling Plastic with Geothermal

Community Action: 2024 Business Challenge Gallery Posted

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In Bend, we have the power to create a holistic sustainable community. More than just action around waste, it’s about access to affordable housing, supporting local farms and food production, prioritizing employee well-being, creating green-spaces and access for recreating and habitat in these, shifting status quo policies surrounding waste and distribute items for reuse, establishing safe routes for biking and walking… The 2024 Rubbish Renewed Business Challenge participants are making a difference through local, community focused practices, that empower people, and ultimately contribute to a better world. It’s more important than ever to step up and get involved.

That’s why we love the Rubbish Renewed Business Challenge! We get to highlight the sustainable work of local businesses who take community action. Link to 2024 Business Challenge Garment Gallery.

Pictured: Bend Anesthesiology Group “AETERNUM”, ReStore “AMPED-UP EVERYDAY HERO”, Lonza “SCIENCE WEATHERS THE STORM”, Humm “TIDE TOGETHER“

This year ReStore, Gear Fix, Lonza, Humm Kombucha, and Brave Collective returned to the competition and Bend Anesthesiology Group, Jackson’s Corner, and Oregon Adaptive Sports joined for their first Business Challenge. They came together to celebrate sustainability, support Realms education, and compete for the Coveted Trash Trophy.

Celebrate environmentally conscious businesses by experiencing the 2024 Business Challenge Garment Gallery through the diverse photos from Joe Kline, Kimberly Teichrow Photography, and Melissa Dholakia.

Local Libations, food carts, and mason jars for beverages this year!

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Graphic Design: Allison Murphy Printing by Dan Wellisch; Owner of Flash Ink

Rubbish Renewed is a truly local event!  A fundraiser for a local charter school rooted in Bend since 2001, REALMS Charter School, artists and models from Central Oregon, local food carts (The Pizza Cart, Bethyln’s Global Fusion, Shred Town), and even down to our beverage service, beverage choices and newly branded Rubbish Renewed mason jars printed by a local company, Flash Ink.  When it comes to beverages, we know that everyone has their loyalties and favorites.  We can ensure, with the diversity of local businesses supporting this event, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

We are thrilled and thankful to welcome back many businesses that have supported this grassroots endeavor since 2010.  We have Velvet back for the 5th year, providing our drink service for both shows.  They will be serving Boneyard Beer, cocktails made from the finest vodka, Crater Lake Vodka produced by Bend Distillery , wine from Naked Winery, Far Afield Cider, the newest Bend cidery, and Humm Kombucha.

As we continue to work towards “zero waste” with the help of Rethink Waste, we have Rubbish Renewed branded mason jars to purchase for $8 at the event. People will get $1 off each drink with a jar purchase.  From the talent behind the show, the artist’s marketplace, the local food and drink, we sought a local company to brand our new drinking jars and couldn’t be happier working with Dan at Flash Ink.  His responsiveness and desire to beat any online company made it an easy sell for us to once again go local.

So why local?  We all know that it has become increasingly cheaper to buy distantly produced goods, despite the increased costs of packaging and transport.   Here are some shocking stats & quick facts about buying local goods.

  • Aircraft transport has greater fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions per mile than any other mode of transport.
  • Transportation by shipping produces emissions of 1 billion metric tons of CO2 and uses 11 billion gallons of fuel per year internationally.
  • The EPA reports that trucks spend 3,221 of their 6,816 hours on the road each year at an idle. 1.2 billion gallons of fuel and about 200,000 tons of nitrous oxides are expended each year by transport trucks idling at rest stops.

We hope to see you at the show next week!  Remember to come early to grab a seat, drink, food from local food carts, shop in our local marketplace, and enjoy our eco-silent auction.

 

 

Re-Think Waste – Debris Demolisher

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Today I’m sitting in my off the grid 9 foot by 12 foot cabin. A kindling fire generating sauna-like temperatures on this drizzly morning creates a cozy atmosphere. When I’m here, my impact is low. It’s like camping – go to bed when it’s dark and rise with the light. There’s a lot of time for reflection when the world slows down. So I think, or re-think my impact on the world . . .

header-image-homelogoRubbish Renewed is all about re-thinking waste. In fact our tag line is Transforming trash, inspiring community for a sustainable earth. The purpose of trash fashion is to inspire individual and community thinking to shift and more importantly to motivate people to action.

Set an intention. What shift can you make from now on to lessen your impact on the earth?

P1040041-265x185The Rethink Waste Project helps Deschutes County residents and businesses make a difference through reducing, reusing, recycling and composting. Get all the info you need to rethink your waste at rethinkwastep roject.org. At the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show, use our refuse stations to minimize your impact on our planet.

Boneyard Beer – Debris Demolisher

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Skull and wrench guy tee templateThe biggest way I lessen my impact on the environment is to focus my purchasing power locally.  This makes my carbon footprint significantly smaller, especially if I ride my bike or walk to buy it.

Lucky for me, Boneyard Beer is walking distance from my house. An afternoon stroll in the hood often ends in a visit to the tasting room, a hole in the wall in a neighborhood industrial building.  A growler only spot, no bottles, no cans, less impact.

Boneyard was started with one goal I mind: Make a great beer!  To overcome the hurdle of making large quantities without large sums of money, they forged the brewery from beer rendering rubbish, a perfect fit with our Rubbish Renewed mission.

Boneyard 1Lucky for Rubbish Renewed they have supported us since our beginning.  Year two, when we ran out of beer, they hurried home to the warehouse and snatched up another keg.  All the proceeds benefited REALMS!  Thanks Boneyard for your generosity.

This year Boneyard is not only supporting us with beer they are entered in the Business Challenge vying for trash fashion glory!  Check out Boneyard Beer at the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show. It’s local, uses repurposed equipment, and it’s delicious.

ReStore – Refuse Remover Sponsor

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2012 Business Challenge
Materials: Leather from de-constructed chair, tire chains.creativity.

Transforming trash, inspiring community for a sustainable earth.  Some might say this tag line is a little grand for a fashion show motivated by trash creativity.  But in fact our goal is to educate, inspire,entertain and take action to help create a more sustainably minded community.

Our first year, when we started planning Rubbish Renewed, we searched for like-minded organizations to collaborate with.  We immediately encountered The Bend Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Like us their mission is to engage the community, not just thinking about their impact on the environment, but acting on it.

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Shop. Donate. Volunteer.
ReStore: 740 NE First Street, Bend, Or

If you’ve never been, the ReStore is the ideal place to find treasures of used and surplus home improvement items.  Donate your no longer needed building materials, appliances and home furnishings or discover that special object you were looking for.  All proceeds benefit Bend Area Habitat for Humanity, providing home ownership, home repair & weatherization services for hard-working, low-income local families and individuals.

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2011 Business Challenge
Materials: Blinds, Screening & Plastic Light Covers

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Treasures

With an eye on the environment and the support of an important community cause, ReStore is the go to place for all your home improvement needs.  Check out their offerings including a new “line” of up-cycled merchandise.