The summer gardening season may be coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean you should stop composting, especially when you could easily divert more than half of your trash into a free source of soil. And with all of the fun and seemingly crazy things you can actually compost – from condoms to masking tape – you’ll certainly have no shortage of things to throw in the pile.

Latex Gloves, Balloons & Condoms

(images via: pink moose, joost j. bakker, trec_lit)

It’s easy to forget that latex is a natural, biodegradable material. So if after a party you’ve got tons of droopy balloons, latex gloves and used condoms sitting around (we’re not asking any questions), just toss them in the compost pile – they’ll be gone within six months.

Wine Corks

(image via: dawgbyte77)

Many wineries may have switched to plastic corks, but natural is still better for a number of reasons – not the least of which is that by purchasing cork, we help protect cork forests in Portugal. But unlike plastic corks, natural corks are compostable – though they do need to be broken down into smaller pieces first, since they take a while to biodegrade.

Toothpicks & Matchsticks

(images via: backpack photography, nerissa’s ring)

It’s far too easy to just toss little things like toothpicks and cardboard or wood match sticks into the trash, but they do add up over time, and both are easily broken down in the compost bin. Just be sure to avoid the cocktail skewers with the little plastic frills on one end (unless it’s real cellophane, which is compostable too!)

Loofahs & Natural Sponges

(image via: vanessa yvonne, gregory moyne)

Loofahs – a type of vegetable – and sponges from the sea are both biodegradable, renewable natural resources that can be used until they’re utterly spent and then composted for a veritably zero-waste product.

Dryer Lint

(image via: accent on eclectic)

As long as you’re washing mostly natural fiber clothing and other textiles, composting dryer lint is no problem. But there’s something else you can do with it, too: it makes fantastic tinder! Keep it in little zip-lock baggies for camping and other outdoor fires. Or, you know, you could leave it out for a homeless opossum.

Natural Fabrics & Fibers

(image via: boliston)

Holey socks, t-shirts, baby booties – any clothing or textile item that’s made of natural fabric including cotton, wool, linen, flax, hemp and bamboo will break down in the compost pile. That even goes for sheets, throw rugs, tatami mats, baskets and rope.

Stale Chips, Crackers & Cereal

(image via: oskay)

Don’t you hate it when you leave a box of crackers unsealed, and it’s totally stale by the next morning? No need to throw it in the trash, however: while some people debate whether stuff like this should be composted, it’s typically okay as long as it’s well buried (it can attract rodents and other pests.)

White Glue & Used Masking Tape

(images via: debs, xcorex)

Masking tape is handy for all kinds of things – including creating rich garden soil. The paper type (without silicone) is fine to compost, as is white glue including Elmer’s brand. Papier-mache and wheat paste are usually compostable as well.

Feathers and Fur

(images via: lara604, davidgsteadman)

Anyone with dogs or cats in the house knows about the gigantic fur tumbleweeds that can develop on the floor if you don’t sweep often enough. Gather these up, along with excess fur from grooming, and compost them. Pet hair in the garden can actually repel unwanted visiting animals. And feathers, of course, are biodegradable too – so whether you have a pet bird or randomly find them strewn about your yard, toss them in.

Paperback Books

(image via: ron brinkman)

They might take a while to fully decompose if composted whole, but you can always rip paperback books that are no longer fit for reading apart first (removing any glossy covers or inserts).

Liquid from Canned Foods

(image via: zebrashatehail)

Whether it’s that weird slimy sludge from a can of beans or the sticky syrup from some preserved peaches, the liquids from canned foods can be a great addition to the compost pile, adding lots of nutrients.

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Summer means more time spent outdoors in the sun, but the National Trust of Great Britain found that British families are spending an average of 43 hours per week inside and on the sofa. That’s a grand (or not-so-grand) total of 13 weeks per year. To get people out of the house and into nature, the National Trust has unveiled ten huge grass sofas in locations all across the UK. There are no TVs, no laptops – just unique spaces for quality outdoor family time.

The massive furniture was grown in about a month using all natural materials: straw bases covered with blankets of green, growing grass. These peculiar outdoor living rooms all consist of a sofa and a coffee table, letting British families get out of their homes but still spend time together in a familiar setting.

The growing living rooms were placed in a handful of picturesque natural locations, with some even making appearances in town centers. The National Trust endeavor uses humor rather than stern authority to coax families out into the beautiful British landscape this summer.

(all images via: Inhabitat)

Relaxing on a sofa in the sun, in some of the UK’s most beautiful outdoor spots, might be the best way we can think of to spend the summer. With a mug of tea and a plate of biscuits, a family outing to one of these living rooms would make for a splendid afternoon.

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We might tend to think of passive home design and environmentally-friendly cooling methods as qualities of modern “green” construction. But natural cooling techniques have been used for as long as humans have been building homes; after all, the modern air conditioner is a relatively recent invention. These homes were all built to take advantage of simple, natural cooling methods – no air conditioner required.

(image via: Wikipedia)

Ancient desert-dwellers knew better than anyone that the best way to keep a home cool was to keep it from getting hot in the first place. This is why many hot-climate homes were built close together and finished with light-colored exteriors: both of these methods helped keep the heat out. But even more amazing is the windcatcher, a passive cooling device that has been used in Asia and the Middle East for many centuries.

(image via: Wikipedia)

The windcatcher is essentially a tower that “catches” the prevailing wind in its open side, then directs it down into the building to keep the air flowing and thus keeping the home cool. This Persian invention can be seen in many locations around the Middle East and surrounding areas, where daytime temperatures are typically very hot.

(image via: Wikipedia)

Windcatchers are sometimes used in conjunction with underground water canals to cool buildings. Hot air is drawn into the underground canal, where the water is kept cool because it is so far beneath the surface. The air is cooled by passing over the water, then it is directed up into the building. A similar method used in windless environments is the solar chimney, which forces hot air out through the top of the windcatcher and traps the cooler night-time air inside, keeping the home at a comfortable temperature.

(image via: James Ray Polk)

The same type of natural air conditioning can be seen in Western architecture as well. Transoms, or tiny windows above doorways, were used to keep interiors cool and ventilated before air conditioning became commonplace. Trees and shrubs are used for shade to keep the sun from creating too much heat inside homes, and exterior porches are used to keep windows protected from the harshest of the summer rays.

(image via: Inhabitat)

These passive cooling methods and others are used in the most innovative and forward-thinking eco-friendly home designs of today, but they are all based on design elements that were developed long ago. Contemporary passive home designs are using these ancient passive methods in thoroughly modern homes to keep residents cool in the most classical, Earth-friendly way.

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When Native Americans killed a buffalo, they used every last part of it. From the meat to the hide to the bones, not a scrap was wasted. That’s the concept cited by architect David Hertz as the inspiration behind the Wing House: a multi-section house being constructed out of a recycled Boeing 747 in the remote hills of Malibu, California.

The project started with a unique site that was once owned by designer Tony Duquette. Duquette was known for incorporating found objects into the structures on his land, a fact which later inspired David Hertz to search for a novel answer to his client’s requests. The current owner of the property wanted a new home with a curved, feminine roof; after some consideration it was decided that the wing of a 747 would provide the perfect area and the desired shape.

The idea developed from there, with Hertz finally realizing that using the entire airplane was a more cost-effective solution than using only one part. Hundreds of retired airplanes have been resigned to the desert where they languish until they are sold for the price of their principal material: aluminum.

Hertz and his team found that they could purchase an entire 747 for around $50,000, an exceptionally reasonable price for the amount of material contained in the huge airplane. The design team decided to use just about every part of the plane to construct a home in seven different sections.

The home will be comprised of the main residence, a guest house, a meditation pavilion, an animal barn and an art studio, among other features. A fire feature and water element make use of some of the more industrial-looking parts of the aircraft.

The design of the home is ultimately meant to be as eco-friendly as possible. The very act of re-using an airplane rather than acquiring all new materials for the home means that plenty of construction-related waste is spared while a huge amount of previously-discarded materials (namely, a 395,000 pound airplane) is kept from ever entering the waste stream. But additionally, the finished home will make use of natural ventilation, radiant heating and solar power to up its eco-friendly factor.

Even with the recycled components, building a massive structure such as this one in the middle of nowhere is never going to be the most environmentally friendly solution possible. Still, if one is going to build a huge house in the hills of Malibu anyway, they might as well make use of one of the many hundreds of massive airplanes currently sitting unused. The Wing House is expected to be completed sometime in mid-2010.

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Beer, wine and cocktails… they may satisfy our thirst and pacify our anxieties, but the art of alcoholic refreshments has rarely catered to our visual sensibilities – until now. By crystallizing our preferred potables and photographing them through the microscope, heretofore unknown aspects of their essential characters can now be displayed in bold, rich, technicolor hues.

What’s A BevShot?

(images via: BevShots and Fast Pitch Networking)

BevShots are, in a nutshell, graphic representations of your favorite beers, wines and cocktails… but like those delectable drinkables, a nutshell just whets one’s appetite for more. It’s the complex processing BevShots uses to create their alcoholic art that makes it unique, appealing and a tasteful addition to home and business decor.

(images via: Gigazine and iTunes)

As any aficionado of vintage wines, micro-brews or exotic cocktails knows, it’s the minute proportions of various essential ingredients that can make the difference between, say, Dom Perignon and Thunderbird. These differences become visible when BevShots highlights them using a complex process. The full details may be perused at the BevShots website but suffice to say that crystallization, polarization and magnification play significant parts in the journey from beverage to BevShot.

Crystal, Clear

(images via: BevShots and Molecular Expressions)

One of the pioneers in the field of polarized light microphotograpy is Michael W. Davidson. In 1992, Davidson began looking for ways to market his polarized light microphotograpy in an effort to fund his lab at Florida State University. One of the first fruits of this endeavor was the Molecular Expressions Cocktail Collection, limited edition neckties displaying patterns derived from Davidson’s microphotographs. The neckties drew the attention of Lester Hutt, now president of BevShots MicroArt, LLC. BevShots licenses their images from Florida State University and Michael Davidson, giving both men something to raise a glass about.

(images via: Back Reaction, Microscopy UK and BevShots)

It’s been commonly known for some time now that crystallized substances display a fascinating range of colors and patterns when viewed through the microscope under polarized light. While not strictly a diagnostic or statistical tool in the manner of gas chromatography, these images bridge the gap between art and science, helping to bring the cold, hard facts of the latter into the appreciation of those who are of a more artistic bent. Viewed under the microscope and illuminated by polarized light, substances such as (from clockwise above) caffeine, testosterone and DNA display otherwise unknown aspects of their “personalities”.

Art For The Drinking Class

(images via: Flups!, EngineHouse13 and Express Milwaukee)

All well and good, but the market niche for graphic art featuring one’s DNA or testosterone is limited to say the least. The market for art related to cars, sports and other “manly pursuits”, on the other hand, is quite wide.

(image via: 1up)

Beverage art is one way the more macho members of society can get in touch with their artistic side, and the unisex appeal of BevShots’ presentation makes it far more likely to be accepted by spouses who may balk at framed Budweiser posters hanging in their living rooms.

(images via: Gigazine and BevShots)

I don’t know about you, but at this point I could use a drink… so let’s move on to some of the actual BevShots themselves, matched with the beers, wines and cocktails that are their sources. Those of you at home, feel free to mix & match accordingly.

American Amber Ale

(images via: Beer Advocate, Aleuminati and My Beer Buzz)

American Amber Ales, also known as Red Ales, are generally medium in body and level of maltiness with a distinct hue ranging from a light coppery red to pale brown. In most domestic amber ales, American-variety hops are used, resulting in a “hoppy” bitterness, flavor, and aroma. One of the most popular American Amber Ales is Budweiser American Ale, while among the highest rated are Tröegs Nugget Nectar, YuleSmith (Winter) and Red Rocket Ale.

(image via: BevShots)

The BevShot for American Amber Ale looks, at first glance, like a traditional pioneer quilt. Rich magenta, bright turquoise and golden tones are reminiscent of Van Gogh’s final cornfield paintings while feathery structures interact with each other, much like frost on the inside of a Wisconsin window on a chill January morning.

Irish Pale Lager

(images via: Easy Monica’s Bakery, Go Harpos and Quigley’s)

First brewed in 1960 at the Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk, Ireland, Harp Lager is one of the best known Irish Pale Lager. Available on draught (since 1964), Harp typifies the genre of pale lager beers. Legend has it, a master beer brewer by the name of Dr. Herman Muender was commissioned by the Great Northern Brewery to create a new golden lager beer that would meet rising demand in Ireland for a lighter counterpart to Irish stouts such as Guinness. Ironically, Harp Lager today is owned and brewed by Guinness Ltd.

(images via: Home Workshop and BevShots)

The BevShot for Irish Pale Lager is not what one might expect: Globules of metallic black stream across a vale of ominous autumnal orange that fades into intense grape. Quite heavy and intense, full-bodied and bold… much like Harp Lager’s fraternal brew, Guinness.

Jamaican Lager

(images via: RTVchannel, Rob Kline Online and Aaron and Frank)

Think of Jamaican beer and what most often comes to mind is Red Stripe Lager, mon. The main reason for Red Stripe’s global popularity is that it’s an easy beer to like – mild in taste and low in bitterness, about the worst one can say about Red Stripe is that it’s inoffensive at least, anonymous at best. Many Americans familiar with Budweiser will not notice much difference when drinking Red Stripe; like Bud it’s an American Adjunct Lager that may be made with rice or corn as the source grain depending on cost and availability.

(image via: BevShots)

If Jamaican Beer is synonymous with ed Stripe Lager, Jamaica itself evokes thoughts of warmth and sunshine. The BevShot for Jamaican Lager does not disappoint, being suffused with golden tones, sky blue and cyan shades, and the overall impression of a sunny, tropical afternoon.

Japanese Sake

(images via: Yellow Sunrise and JFC)

Though colloquially referred to as rice wine, Japanese sake more closely resembles beer – at least, in respect to the brewing process. Sake is usually clear, though it can also be amber (aged), cloudy or even pale pink. Sake has a higher alcohol content than most wines; upwards of 15 percent after diluting with water. Traditionally, sake is served in small cups from a warmed, hourglass-shaped ceramic decanter called a tokkuri, though a cooler way is to drink it from a dried whole squid!

(image via: BevShots)

Japanese Sake’s BevShot evokes the exquisite, complex patterning of the very best silk Geisha kimonos. Deep cherry and jet black flare up into brilliant gold and shimmering Sakura blossom pink. Satisfactory for the sleeping chamber of a Shogun? Sho ’nuff!

Tequila

(images via: SF A-List, Mexico Travel Guide, Head Injury Theater and Ian Chadwick)

One tequila two tequila three tequila floor! Ah yes, tequila, Mexico’s most appreciated drinkable export regardless of what The Most Interesting Man in the World may say. Tequila traces its roots back to before the Spanish conquest when the Aztecs fermented the Blue Agave plant to produce a wickedly intoxicating brew called pulque. The Spanish, to their credit, did not ban this early tequila – likely because they had run out of brandy brought from Spain. By the early 1800s, tequila was being distilled in and around the city of Guadalajara. As for the legendary “worm”… it’s more of a marketing gimmick than a traditional ingredient, and if found at all it would be in tequila’s rougher, smokier cousin, Mezcal.

(image via: BevShots)

Tequila does not contain any psychoactive substances, nor does Mezcal – this is a rumor that grew from the word Mezcal’s similarity to the name of the hallucinogenic drug mescaline. Even so, the WebShot for tequila definitely exudes a psychedelic vibe. Deep sky blues and lush, tropical greens jostle for position with glowing violet, warm tangerine and rich cinnabar over a midnight black ground. Carlos Castaneda, your order is ready.

Vodka

(images via: Spirit Of Metal, Ikon Vodka and Russian Kafe)

One of the world’s most popular libations, vodka is the alcoholic beverage of choice all through the “vodka belt”, which stretches from Norway east across Poland and the Ukraine to Russia’s Pacific coastline. Vodka can be made from a number of fermentation sources but wheat, rye and potatoes are the most common. Clear to the eye and with very few additions or impurities, vodka can contain up to 50 percent pure ethanol (though 40 percent, or 80 proof is typical) and as such makes an excellent mixer.

(image via: BevShots)

This crystal clear drink reveals a surprisingly varied palette of color when given the BevShots treatment. Faded turquoise, grass green and soft khaki reflect the shades of a warm Russian summer while overlying spatters of cobalt blue and rusty vermilion denote the hand of Man as he strives to tame this sprawling land and bend it to his will. Whew, I’m tired already… someone mix me a Screwdriver!

Red Wine

(images via: Scarletbird, Hawkhurst Wines, One Jerusalem and Brightest Young Things)

Red, red wine… celebrated in song and the center of celebrations, this ancient spirit of the grape has played a pivotal role in the affairs of God, gods and men. Produced today in dozens of nations and in hundreds of varieties, red wine ranges from humble plonk to rare vintages named for romantic chateaux and legendary women. From the wine-dark sea of Homerian odysseys to the lunar crater that bears the name of the classical Greek god of wine, from magenta Merlots to purple Pinot Noir, red wine isn’t just a drink – it’s a way of life.

(image via: BevShots)

The BevShot for Red Wine reminds one of Monet’s more abstract Impressionist works. Burnished gold and malachite blue-green stand out from a ground of blush violet and deep serpentine. Crystalline manifestations though they may be, the evocative patterns displayed provoke a Rorschachian response – one sees what their conscious and subconscious minds conspire for them to see… ideally while enjoying a glass of fine red wine.

Rosé Wine

(images via: BW & W, The Dieline and Sans Dosage)

The term “Rosé”, as pertains to wine, can describe a product ranging in hue from pale pink and orange to rich purple, making some Rosé wines nearly indistinguishable visually from their red relatives. Though Rosé as a genre of wine has a European origin, the style exploded in popularity when California winegrowers unleashed a bevy of sweet “blush” wines into the American market in the mid-1970s. Though today Rosé wines are trending back to their historic light, dry taste, these pinkish wines retain a huge, loyal following among those whose tastes rebel at the dark, tannin-y bite of red wines.

(image via: BevShots)

Perhaps the most “California” of the BevShots, Rosé wine’s image explodes with dayglo shades ranging from blushing pink to Navajo turquoise to seafoam green. Contrastingly colored crystals rear up like a monster wave off Rincon. Fancy this image hanging in your Malibu beach house? Get the house first, then we’ll talk.

Piña Colada

(images via: Raspberry Magazine, Home Made Grits and Evelyn McCullough)

Legend has it that the Piña Colada cocktail was invented by a Puerto Rican pirate in the early 1800s. Supposedly his crew was feeling down in the dumps, perhaps as a result of not getting any booty – of any kind. To cheer them up and possibly distract them from thoughts of mutiny, the pirate captain concocted a cocktail containing pineapple, coconut and rum. Can’t you just see those toothless, eye-patched, scurvy dogs now, singing Yo Ho Ho while hoisting Tiki Mugs topped with those little folding umbrellas? No? Have another Piña Colada…

(image via: BevShots)

The BevShot for Piña Colada is a riot of rainbow hues resembling the tail of a peacock in full courtship display. Tropical sunsets have got nothing on this… well, except for the sun, sand and bikini-clad cuties. At least you’ve got your imagination; and this gorgeous BevShot.

Margarita

(images via: SWFlorida4U, Cooking Chemist and HostessBlog)

Wasting away in Margaritaville… that Jimmy Buffett really gets around. Or maybe I’m confusing him with Rupert Holmes, he of ear-grating “The Pina Colada Song”, remember that one? Sorry… moving on to the Margarita. This classic cocktail features, in its most basic iteration, tequila mixed with triple sec and lime – and of course, the glass must have a salted rim. Variations include the Texas margarita (with orange juice), Raspberry margarita, Strawberry margarita, Peach margarita, Mango margarita, Melon margarita, Banana margarita, Apple margarita, and the Margarona, which features a mini Corona beer turned upside down and set in the center of the glass.

(image via: BevShots)

The beautiful BevShot for the Margarita cocktail looks like a field of prairie wheat treated with multiple color filters and processed as a reverse negative. You could go through all the trouble but hey – life’s too short as it is. Kick back with a Margarita ( a classic, not one of those pastel girly versions) or two and admire this bodacious BevShot!

Need a little motion to enhance the emotion? This video will guide you through a variety of BevShots with a mellow Miles musical soundtrack to help keep the beat:

Alcohol As Art, via Dravreh

(image via: Exotic Excess)

Need something to hang on your wall and you’ve already got a flat-screen TV? BevShots hit the spot. After all, the average guy, gal or couple is confused enough about exactly what “art” is, and what should (and should not) be featured at your main room’s focal point. BevShots look great, match more home decor schemes and have that essential inner meaning that makes real art worth owning. Best of all, now you can have your art and drink it too!

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