<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>WebEcoist &#187; Tricks &amp; Hacks</title>
	<atom:link href="http://webecoist.com/category/tricks-and-hacks/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://webecoist.com</link>
	<description>Green Design, Sustainable Technology and Environmental Oddities</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:30:51 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Art of Upcycling: 20 DIY Wood Pallet Reuse Project Ideas</title>
		<link>http://webecoist.com/2010/04/07/art-of-upcycling-20-diy-wood-pallet-reuse-project-ideas/</link>
		<comments>http://webecoist.com/2010/04/07/art-of-upcycling-20-diy-wood-pallet-reuse-project-ideas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Elizah</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Art & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home & Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tricks & Hacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crafts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DIY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[furniture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[projects]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webecoist.com/?p=15058</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Not quite a fan of the unsustainable design clones that fight for elbow room in today&#8217;s furniture and big box stores? Anyone with a crafty bone in their body knows full well that entirely original household staples and all around practical lifestyle accessories with major wow factor can be cobbled together with minimal budgetary impact, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15272" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Assorted-Wooden-Pallet-Project-Ideas2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="600" /></p>
<p>Not quite a fan of the <em>unsustainable design clones</em> that fight for elbow room in today&#8217;s furniture and big box stores? Anyone with a crafty bone in their body knows full well that entirely original household staples and all around practical lifestyle accessories with major wow factor can be cobbled together with minimal budgetary impact, all thanks to humble yet <a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/03/29/10-surprising-reclaimed-recycled-building-materials/" target="_blank">highly customizable wooden shipping pallets</a>. Even if you&#8217;ve never before dabbled in the <a href="http://webecoist.com/2009/02/17/green-it-yourself-15-innovative-eco-friendly-diy-projects/" target="_blank">fine art of DIY</a>, a little elbow grease and repurposing inspiration is really all you need to get your <a href="http://webecoist.com/2009/01/13/creative-strange-sustainable-furniture-design/" target="_blank">eco-design</a> train in motion. <em>Allllll aboard</em>!</p>
<p><span id="more-15058"></span></p>
<h4><strong>No-Sweat Shoe Rack Ensures Fanciful Footwork!</strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15292" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Wooden-Pallet-Shoe-Rack1.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="508" /></h6>
<h6>(Image via: <a href="http://www.junktion.co.il/page%2006/products%20html/shoe%20holder.html" target="_blank">junk+ion</a>)</h6>
<p>Here is a phenomenal way to launch into DIY territory without chewing up a whole day attempting to make sense of hammers, nails or any of the other traditional accoutrements fitting of a craft enthusiast. Simply knock on the door of any major tile retailer and offer to take one or several wooden pallets off their hands (which will surely make them smile from ear to ear since they normally have to pay a fee for proper disposal). Upon returning home with your freebie treasure, merely prop it up against a wall and <em>tah-dah</em> &#8212; behold an instant shoe holder which should easily accommodate 8+ pairs of footwear depending on its size and construction. Those who are itching to customize it should definitely bear in mind that the wooden surface is instantly ripe for paint, decoupage or whatever additional decorative concepts can be conjured up.</p>
<h4><strong>Put Glitzy Dishware Out On <em>Pallet-Parade</em></strong></h4>
<p><strong><em><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15299" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/dish-rack.jpg" alt="" width="459" height="296" /><br />
</em></strong></p>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/look/look-a-pallet-plate-rack-088356" target="_blank">re-nest</a>)</h6>
<p>This <em>&#8220;why didn&#8217;t I think of that</em>?<em>&#8220;</em> organizational project makes good use of the simplistic features of a <em>garden variety pallet</em> without requiring that the DIYer exercise any real fuss or muss. Merely swinging a hammer will take a pallet from <em>yawn to yowza</em>, imparting an edgy, urban feel to a kitchen or dining room that will have even well-heeled admirers scurrying off to the home improvement store in search of a jumbo pack of nails. If you think dishware looks good in a vertical pallet arrangement, the same concept could easily apply to cookbooks, <em>tchotchkes </em>or spices (with the addition of a few strategically placed planks of recycled pallet wood).</p>
<h4><strong>Sled Your Winter Cares Away On a Modified <em>No Frills</em> Pallet</strong></h4>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15281" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Wooden-Pallet-Sled.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="600" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_make_a_sledge_out_of_wooden_palette/" target="_blank">Instructables &amp; stiffey</a>)</h6>
<p>How about another minimal effort project for the DIY newbies out there? Requiring slightly more elbow grease than the previous two ideas above, <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_make_a_sledge_out_of_wooden_palette/" target="_blank">this wooden pallet sled</a> makes child&#8217;s play out of snowy hills and dales with the addition of curved rails on the underside of the craft. If you don&#8217;t already have a sledgehammer, claw hammer, chisel and saw in your arsenal, rather than purchasing them (which will definitely hurt when you saddle up at the cash register), borrow them from friends or neighbors who fancy working with their hands and sweeten the deal by letting them in on your cheap <em>snow-worthy secret</em>!</p>
<h4><strong><em>Green</em> Your Pedaling With a Carbon-Free Bike Trailer! </strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15282" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Wooden-Pallet-Bicycle-Trailer.jpg" alt="" /><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15285" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Wooden-Pallet-Bicycle-Trailer-final.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="414" /></h6>
<h6><strong>(Images via: <a href="http://www.instructables.com/image/FDYV7IFG0AMH2WX/Make-a-bike-trailer-for-less-than-10-.jpg" target="_blank">Instructables &amp; cmachia</a>)</strong></h6>
<p>Tooling around town via bicycle to square away groceries as well as other shopping pit stops can end up being a whole lot easier and greener with this clever and relatively simple <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-bike-trailer-for-less-than-10-/" target="_blank">wooden pallet scavenging project</a>. In three simple steps, one pallet can be disassembled using either a circular saw, a hammer or pry bar, a recycled wheel assembly as well as a hitch assembly can be created using a total of $7 of hardware and the whole kit-n-kaboodle can be attached to a separate <em>fully intact</em> pallet. The final result is a dandy looking DIY trailer, enabling any biking greenie to once and for all be able to carry more than a few carefully selected purchases home. Finally, <em>welt-free arms</em> are within reach!</p>
<h4><strong>Sit Pretty On a Mini Adirondack-Style Pallet Chair! </strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15297" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/wooden-pallet-chair-copy.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="294" /></h6>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qcXzdXnOQg">[youtube=7qcXzdXnOQg]</a></p>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/palletecrop.jpg" target="_blank">Inhabitat</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11461247@N02/3087409297/" target="_blank">flickr</a>, <a href="http://www.refashinoso.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSCF2517-rid.jpg" target="_blank">Nina Tolstrup of StudioMama</a>)</h6>
<p>Are you one of those people who longingly eyeballs the latest patio furniture offerings but never quite gets around to plunking down the necessary ka-ching? Aside from enjoying the view outside by sitting on a curb &#8212; which is free, but not so comfy &#8211;<em> taking a load off</em> shouldn&#8217;t require shelling out a small fortune. Fortunately, shooting the breeze with a friend, enjoying the fruits of your organic gardening labors or indulging in a thirst-quenching libation can now be done with a relatively minimal 4 hour DIY investment by following this straightforward pallet chair tutorial courtesy of Mikey Sklar.</p>
<h4><strong>Cool Your Heels On an Outdoor Sectional Pallet Couch </strong></h4>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15296" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Recycled-Pallet-Sectional-Couch1.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="404" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/10/100_reuse_industrial_pallet_se.html" target="_blank">Craftzine &amp; Wendy Tremayne</a>)</h6>
<p>Repurposing guru Wendy Tremayne offers up a <a href="http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/10/100_reuse_industrial_pallet_se.html" target="_blank">seriously hardcore DIY project</a> that, while requiring a great deal of time, patience and creativity, will take the heat off your wallet since the majority of the materials are reclaimed. Involving a framework of industrial pallets supporting reupholstered foam cushions rescued from someone&#8217;s curb, the result of her efforts is a seating arrangement that is both utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h4><strong>Accent Your Rooms With Whimsical Pallet Furniture</strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15301" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/whimsical-pallet-decor-items1.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="477" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.palletart.com/" target="_blank">Pallet Art &amp; Mark Dabelstein</a>)</h6>
<p>Co-creator of <em>Recycle Santa Fe&#8230;a Festival of Recycling</em>, Vermont-based repurposing artisan Mark Dabelstein constructs uniquely designed <a href="http://www.palletart.com/" target="_blank">pallet wood furniture and household decor pieces</a> accented with organic paints. From flags and picture frames to clocks and cabinets, the artist has proudly been diverting landfill waste since 1998! You could easily pay homage to his resourceful style by following suit or tinkering with the arrangement of your pallet planks to devise entirely original designs.</p>
<h4><strong>Harness Your Unruly Belongings With an Earthy Yet Stylish Shelving System</strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15346" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Claire-Terry-Wooden-Pallet-Shelf.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="496" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/08/diy-project-claires-pallet-shelf.html" target="_blank">Design Sponge &amp; Claire Terry</a>)</h6>
<p>One of the greatest inventions known to mankind, a simple multi-tiered organizational rack can beat books and random knick-knacks into submission, but the price tag can often be hard to digest. Claire Terry from New Zealand&#8217;s<em> Madame Fancy Pants</em> has conjured up a spectacular DIY recipe for a <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/08/diy-project-claires-pallet-shelf.html" target="_blank">pallet shelf</a> is both tasty and <em>oh-so-doable</em> with its perfect melding of style, structure and simplicity. Do you know anyone who <em>doesn&#8217;t need</em> an extra handy-dandy shelving system for the wonderful price of <em>practically free</em>?!? Didn&#8217;t think so!</p>
<h4><strong>Scare the Living Bejeezus Out Of Trick-or-Treaters!</strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15305" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/wooden-pallate-Halloween-decoration.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="531" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.virtualplacebo.com/halloween/props/coffin.htm" target="_blank">Virtual Placebo</a>)</h6>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>Why spend full retail price on seasonal Halloween props that aren&#8217;t designed to last beyond the next full moon when you can whip weathered pallets into shape by making this <a href="http://www.virtualplacebo.com/halloween/props/coffin.htm" target="_blank">creepy semi-buried coffin</a> instead? You&#8217;ll definitely get the desired reaction from neighborhood kiddies who happen to saunter on by this piston-activated crypt that springs to life (or death, as the case may be) with its perpetually restless skeletal resident. Perhaps it could also double as an organic root cellar for the remainder of the year?!?</p>
<h4><strong>Deck The Halls With Palletized X-Mas Decor Ideas!</strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15306" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Wooden-Pallet-Christmas-Decorations.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="338" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/green-ideas/wooden-pallet-christmas-tree-wreath-072138" target="_blank">Apartment Therapy</a>)</h6>
<p>Visual merchandiser Dann Boyles teamed up with Nashville&#8217;s Nouveau Classics to brainstorm these <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/green-ideas/wooden-pallet-christmas-tree-wreath-072138" target="_blank">crafty yuletide treats</a> using slabs of reclaimed and artfully arranged pallet wood. Aware of the challenges that consumers face in a continually depressed economy, they devised this festive yet frugal <em>decor duo</em> consisting of a rustic wreath and a 13 foot Christmas tree using nothing more than a brad nailer, proving that <em>cheap can still be chic</em> when you add an ample dose of creativity to the formula. Who knew that hunks of wood could be so easy on the eyes?</p>
<h4><strong>Bring Music To Your Ears With a <em>Finger-Pickin&#8217; Good</em> Pallet Guitar!</strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15307" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/wooden-pallet-guitars.jpg" alt="" width="458" height="341" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.plantops.umich.edu/PlantExchange/2003-winter/1.html" target="_blank">Sarah Archer</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.laguitarsales.com/pages/3157/Taylor_Custom_Shop_Pallet.htm" target="_blank">LA Guitar Sales</a>)</h6>
<p>While difficult to imagine, several enterprising individuals have taken on the seemingly full-blown challenge of transforming typical softwood spruce and pine pallets into musical instruments that can genuinely hold a tune. <a href="http://www.plantops.umich.edu/PlantExchange/2003-winter/1.html" target="_blank">John S. Sargent&#8217;s</a> smooth, knotted pine wood version &#8212; riddled with nail holes and an S-shaped pallet nail insignia emblazoned on its peg head apparently possesses a mellow sound as does <a href="http://www.laguitarsales.com/pages/3157/Taylor_Custom_Shop_Pallet.htm" target="_blank">Bob Taylor&#8217;s</a> limited run of weathered pallet oak and pine guitars. The latter craftsman initially embraced the project to prove to naysayers that truly fine musical instruments can be created with any conceivable material and today, with just a handful of them floating around, collectors snap them up at several thousand dollars a pop.</p>
<h4><strong>Green Thumbs Rejoice: 4 Outdoor Decor Projects Ripe For The Picking!</strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15308" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Garden.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="399" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Maison-Grenouille-et-Chez-Crapaud-vegetable-plan/" target="_blank">Instructables</a>, <a href="http://blog.makezine.com/palletplanter.jpg" target="_blank">Makezine</a>, <a href="http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/graphics8/backwoodshome-birdhouse.jpg" target="_blank">Woodworker&#8217;s Woodshop</a>, <a href="http://www.homegrownevolution.com/2009/01/make-garden-work-table-from-pallet.html" target="_blank">Homegrown Evolution</a>)</h6>
<p>From a quick-n-easy <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Maison-Grenouille-et-Chez-Crapaud-vegetable-plan/" target="_blank">flower/veggie planter</a> using two pallets to a <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Pallet_Compost_Bin" target="_blank">latched, four-walled pallet compost bin</a>, there are several surprisingly slick outdoor helpers that can assist the green warrior within all of us. Fancy crafting a <a href="http://www.homegrownevolution.com/2009/01/make-garden-work-table-from-pallet.html" target="_blank">potting station</a> that won&#8217;t cost you an arm and a leg? Homegrown Evolution&#8217;s graduated design is practical while also being stylish, and with plenty of built-in tiers, you can stash gardening implements with the greatest of ease. Interested in encouraging the fine feathered friends <em>flittering about</em> to make a feast of excessively hungry insects that continue to plow through tender shoots and buds? Truly chemical-free gardening can be achieved by setting up various <a href="http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/brentlinger53.html" target="_blank">bird-worthy accommodations</a> using recycled pallet wood, and the best part is that they can then feast to their heart&#8217;s content and keep returning to the scene of the crime day after day!</p>
<h4><strong>Bring Out Your Inner Child With a Painted Pallet Playhouse </strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15309" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/wooden-pallet-childrens-play-house.jpg" alt="" width="460" height="533" /></h6>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Pallet-Playhouse/" target="_blank">Instructables &amp; jkratman</a>)</h6>
<p>Whether you have a family of your own or neighborhood children tend to habitually flock to your property in search of entertainment, this <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Pallet-Playhouse/" target="_blank">repurposed pallet playhouse</a> will definitely hit the spot. It&#8217;s safe to say that this comprehensive project is best suited to the intermediate to expert DIY enthusiast, but as newbies acquire experience, it&#8217;s definitely something worthwhile to aspire to. With its use of impressive craftsman-like details such as framed windows, a <em>built-in porch</em> and customized roofing, children lucky enough to call this their <em>home away from home</em> might not ever leave!</p>
<h4><strong>&#8230;Or Construct a Very <em>Adult-Friendly</em> Reclaimed Pallet Abode</strong></h4>
<h6><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15310" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/wooden-pallet-houses.jpg" alt="" width="453" height="473" /></h6>
<p>[youtube=pa5bB-2_3mw]</p>
<h6>(Images via: <a href="http://www.i-beamdesign.com/projects/refugee/refugee.html" target="_blank">I-Beam Design</a>, <a href="http://www.tinyfreehouse.com/about/" target="_blank">Michael Jantzen</a>, <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/04/02/pallet-haus-an-efficient-affordable-modular-house/" target="_blank">Inhabitat</a>)</h6>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>Architectural firm <a href="http://www.i-beamdesign.com/projects/refugee/refugee.html" target="_blank">I-Beam</a> creates emergency or transitional structures for war/climate refugees as well as other individuals who through unforeseen circumstances are faced without the prospect of shelter. What makes their 16 x 16 $3000 concept particularly brilliant is that &#8212; in addition to being erected in just one week &#8212; it can be adapted to become more permanent when concrete, plaster, stone or other substantial materials are incorporated. Michael Jantzen, on the other hand, is the brainchild behind the <a href="http://www.tinyfreehouse.com/about/" target="_blank">Tiny Free House</a>, which is a 100% pallet-constructed abode fitted with modern amenities, proving that we can all achieve the American Dream with a little resourcefulness and DIY action. Interested in making one of your very own mini Thoreau-like pallet dwellings? The designer <a href="http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/ebook/" target="_blank">sells plans</a> on his website! Last but <em>certainly not leas</em>t, the multi-award winning <a href="http://www.palettenhaus.com/" target="_blank">Paletten Haus</a> is reportedly simple to erect, energy efficient and could conceivably become a viable, low-income housing structure for individuals with compromised financial backgrounds. In fact, its designers Andreas  Claus Schnetzer and Gregor Pils are currently in the process of modifying the structure as an 80 square foot home for a Johannesburg, South African social building project at a cost of just $11 per square foot.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>



          <div id="relatedPostsOutput">
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />
          <h3>Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebEcoist:</h3>
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2009/03/08/reuse-recycled-lights-lamps-designs/" title="Illuminating Reuse: 15 Recycled Lights and Lamps">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/recycled-lamps-thumb.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2009/03/08/reuse-recycled-lights-lamps-designs/" rel="nofollow" title="Illuminating Reuse: 15 Recycled Lights and Lamps" style="color: gray;"s>Illuminating Reuse: 15 Recycled Lights and Lamps</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
Egg cartons, Legos, ballpoint pens, blenders and plastic spoons: these are just a few of the items that have been transformed into awesome light fixtures by creative DIYers. Why buy new lighting or l...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2009/03/08/reuse-recycled-lights-lamps-designs/" title="Illuminating Reuse: 15 Recycled Lights and Lamps">47 Comments - Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/03/21/clever-concealment-wood-facade-makes-modern-log-cabin/" title="Clever Concealment: Wood Facade Makes Modern Log Cabin">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/log-house.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/03/21/clever-concealment-wood-facade-makes-modern-log-cabin/" rel="nofollow" title="Clever Concealment: Wood Facade Makes Modern Log Cabin" style="color: gray;"s>Clever Concealment: Wood Facade Makes Modern Log Cabin</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
When one builds a home (or any other structure) in the woods, it&#8217;s difficult to make the man-made building appear to belong there. This amazing &#8220;log cabin&#8221; uses somewhat tongue-in-c...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2010/03/21/clever-concealment-wood-facade-makes-modern-log-cabin/" title="Clever Concealment: Wood Facade Makes Modern Log Cabin">3 Comments - Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
            </div>
            ]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://webecoist.com/2010/04/07/art-of-upcycling-20-diy-wood-pallet-reuse-project-ideas/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>10 Surprising Reclaimed &amp; Recycled Building Materials</title>
		<link>http://webecoist.com/2010/03/29/10-surprising-reclaimed-recycled-building-materials/</link>
		<comments>http://webecoist.com/2010/03/29/10-surprising-reclaimed-recycled-building-materials/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steph</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Art & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home & Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tricks & Hacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[architecture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green building]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycled]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[upcycling]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webecoist.com/?p=15091</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sheet rock and brand new lumber from the hardware store seem awfully boring – and incredibly wasteful – when you see the beautiful homes and other structures that can be built from recycled materials. An entire Buddhist temple made from glass bottles, modern modular shipping container homes, houseboats perched on land and resort lodging in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15095" title="recycled-building-materials" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/recycled-building-materials1.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="400" /></p>
<p>Sheet rock and brand new lumber from the hardware store seem awfully boring – and incredibly wasteful – when you see the beautiful homes and other structures that can be built from recycled materials. An entire Buddhist temple made from glass bottles, modern modular shipping container homes, houseboats perched on land and resort lodging in a vintage ‘60s airplane are just a few of the awesome buildings that make use of unconventional and sometimes offbeat recycled junk.</p>
<p><span id="more-15091"></span></p>
<h4>Bottles</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15096" title="beer-bottle-buddhist-temple" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/beer-bottle-buddhist-temple1.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="530" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://greenupgrader.com/4262/one-million-beer-bottles-later-and-its-a-buddhist-temple/">green upgrader</a>)</h6>
<p>Don’t throw those empty glass beer bottles in the recycling bin – use them to build a house! Or, perhaps, an absolutely amazing Buddhist temple in Thailand. It took one million beer bottles to create this temple, which stands not only as proof that recycled and reclaimed building materials can be truly beautiful, but as a reminder of the waste that we generate.</p>
<p>Because of their translucency and ability to hold thermal mass, glass bottles are also often <a href="http://unusuallife.com/2008/05/01/building-with-bottles/">used in cob buildin</a>g to enhance natural daylighting for a stained glass effect.</p>
<h4>Silos</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15097" title="silo-hosue" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/silo-hosue.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="600" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://dornob.com/grain-silos-converted-into-contemporary-rural-home/">dornob</a>)</h6>
<p>Who would have thought that grain silos could be so luxurious? Ubiquitous sights in rural pastures, disused grain silos can often be purchased and moved to create unusual circular homes. Some people use them for quick, upcycled eco-friendly dwellings on the cheap, while others have given them a remarkably modern makeover. Grain silos even have potential for <a href="http://dornob.com/house-in-a-can-prefab-metal-off-the-shelf-grain-silo-homes/">durable, inexpensive prefab housing</a>.</p>
<h4>Cans</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15098" title="beer-can-house" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/beer-can-house.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="340" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.beercanhouse.org/">beercanhouse.org</a>)</h6>
<p>When John Milkovisch retired, he got bored – but he didn’t turn to golf for entertainment. He began adding ‘aluminum siding’ to his Houston, Texas home in the form of flattened beer cans “for both practical and decorative reasons”, he says on his website. The house is now covered in 50,000 cans.</p>
<p>Of course, Milkovisch’s home isn’t the only building made from this rather random junk material. Aluminum cans are <a href="http://earthship.org/begin-here/beer-can-bungalows-garbage-warrior-michael-reynolds-first-earthships ">often used as ‘bricks’ in earthship building</a>, stacked and mortared with lime or earth.</p>
<h4>Shipping Containers</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15099" title="shipping-container-homes" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/shipping-container-homes.jpg" alt="" width="490" height="620" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://dornob.com/diy-used-cargo-homes-shipping-container-house-plans/">dornob</a>)</h6>
<p>When piled high on a barge, shipping containers aren’t exactly fertile inspiration for recycled architecture – but creative thinkers have managed to turn these boring rectangular boxes into s<a href="http://dornob.com/shipping-container-homes-modern-simple-sleek-design/">urprisingly beautiful homes, offices, apartments and dorms</a>. Like giant modular metal Legos, shipping containers can be stacked into <a href="http://dornob.com/cargo-container-house-plans-continue-to-expand/">all sorts of configurations</a> with a crane – and of course, they’re really easy to transport.</p>
<h4>Tires</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15100" title="tire-building" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/tire-building.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="600" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.globalgiving.com/projects/build-a-school-from-recycled-materials-for-50-maya/photos/">global giving</a>, <a href="http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/05/27/earthship-tour-aka-tire-house-tour/">making this home</a>)</h6>
<p>Millions upon millions of tires end up in landfills every year in the U.S. alone – but many are salvaged for creative uses like – drumroll please – building houses and other structures. Packed with rammed earth, tires make an incredibly solid building material that helps retain heat in winter and keep the building cool in the summertime. <a href="http://earthship.net/materials/the-offgassing-non-issue-tires-are-hazardous-in-piles-not-earthships ">Off-gassing is said to be a non-issue</a>, and tires work especially well when built into the earth as earthships often are.</p>
<h4>Ships</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15101" title="ship-residence copy" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ship-residence-copy.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="600" /></p>
<h6>(image via:<a href="http://sea-fever.org/2007/11/09/the-ship-residence-put-in-bay-ohio/"> sea-fever.org</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr38/490328912/">MR38</a>)</h6>
<p>Boats aren’t just for the water – as proven by numerous ‘house boats’ seemingly stranded on land, which people actually use as a primary residence. And how better to recycle a ship that’s no longer seaworthy? Huge ships like the Great Lakes Shipping Boat (top) – now known as The Ship Residence on an island in Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay, Ohio – make incredible seaside mansions that are quite a sight when seen from the water.</p>
<h4>Wood Pallets</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15102" title="wood-pallet-building" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/wood-pallet-building.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="470" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://dornob.com/worlds-greenest-cargo-container-wood-pallet-homes/">dornob</a>)</h6>
<p>Wood pallets are plentiful, thrown out every day by companies that no longer trust them to keep merchandise safe during shipping. So how could they possibly be reused as a building material? Well, wood pallets are often still in great shape and can easily be nailed back together. And while they may not be a great load-bearing material for anything other than <a href="http://summerville-novascotia.com/PalletWoodShed/">a shed</a>, they do make a fantastic addition to building exteriors to filter sunlight.</p>
<h4>Cardboard</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15103" title="cardboard-house-building" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/cardboard-house-building.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="232" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2005/08/26/the-cardboard-house/">inhabitat</a>)</h6>
<p>A cardboard building may sound like the most temporary of structures – something you expect to find in a shantytown, not a suburban neighborhood. That it is, but imagine how such a material could be put to use for inexpensive emergency shelters that set up ultra-fast. Architects Stutchbury and Pape developed a $35,000 flat-packed prefab cardboard house made from 100% recycled materials with a waterproof outer membrane made of HDPE plastic.</p>
<h4>Scrap Metal</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15104" title="scrap-metal-house" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/scrap-metal-house.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="312" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.dwell.com/articles/scrap-house.html ">dwell</a>)</h6>
<p>Surrounded by industrial scrap metal every day for years, a former scrapyard owner saw a lot of potential for reuse – and put those ideas to work in his own home, a modern metal masterpiece 90 minutes northwest of Toronto. A rusted metal gate made from an old truck chassis, old galvanized steel siding and I-beams rescued from a demolition job are just a few elements of the mostly recycled home. And what will happen to this recycled home when it’s finally due to be demolished?</p>
<p>“With most houses, when they’re torn down, everything goes into a bin,” <a href="http://www.dwell.com/articles/scrap-house.html ">homeowner S. J. Sherbanuk told Dwell</a>. “When this house gets pulled down 60 or 80 years from now, they won’t even need a bin. It’s all gonna get reused.”</p>
<h4>Airplanes</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15105" title="airplane-homes" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/airplane-homes.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="600" /></p>
<p>They’re not exactly known for comfort when you’re flying the friendly skies, but take out all those seats and airplanes are really roomy. Just take a peek inside the <a href="http://www.costaverde.com/727.html">727 Fuselage Home</a> at the Costa Verde resort in Costa Rica, a two-bedroom suite made from a refurbished vintage 1965 Boeing 727 airframe. Retired from its former hectic life as part of South Africa Air’s fleet, the salvaged airplane serves as a cozy and unique lodging perched atop a 50-foot pedestal for the feel of being in the air.</p>



          <div id="relatedPostsOutput">
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />
          <h3>Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebEcoist:</h3>
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/03/15/eco-homes-from-the-earth-7-ways-to-diy/" title="Eco Homes from the Earth: 7 Ways to DIY">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/natural-building-DIY-thumb.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/03/15/eco-homes-from-the-earth-7-ways-to-diy/" rel="nofollow" title="Eco Homes from the Earth: 7 Ways to DIY" style="color: gray;"s>Eco Homes from the Earth: 7 Ways to DIY</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
Wouldn’t it be nice to own your own green dream home, made with recycled and natural materials and packed with custom features? Whether you’re an experienced builder or have never picked up a pow...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2010/03/15/eco-homes-from-the-earth-7-ways-to-diy/" title="Eco Homes from the Earth: 7 Ways to DIY">1 Comment - Click Here to Read More 
                  &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2009/10/14/message-in-a-bottle-a-village-made-of-recycled-bottles/" title="Message in a Bottle: A Village Made of Recycled Bottles">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/bottle-village-simi-valley-california.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2009/10/14/message-in-a-bottle-a-village-made-of-recycled-bottles/" rel="nofollow" title="Message in a Bottle: A Village Made of Recycled Bottles" style="color: gray;"s>Message in a Bottle: A Village Made of Recycled Bottles</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
You can always count on your grandma to make wonderful crafty things, but Grandma Prisbrey&#8217;s Bottle Village in Simi Valley, CA has to be the ultimate in granny creativity. It was built by Tress...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2009/10/14/message-in-a-bottle-a-village-made-of-recycled-bottles/" title="Message in a Bottle: A Village Made of Recycled Bottles">5 Comments - Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
            </div>
            ]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://webecoist.com/2010/03/29/10-surprising-reclaimed-recycled-building-materials/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>14 Offbeat Green Cleaning &amp; Personal Care Recipes</title>
		<link>http://webecoist.com/2010/03/22/14-offbeat-green-cleaning-personal-care-recipes/</link>
		<comments>http://webecoist.com/2010/03/22/14-offbeat-green-cleaning-personal-care-recipes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steph</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food & Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home & Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tricks & Hacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recipes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weird]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webecoist.com/?p=14824</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If putting laxatives on your face and vodka in your laundry sounds like something you’d only do when you’ve had a few too many alcoholic beverages, you’re not alone – yet these bizarre tips might actually serve a purpose. For all the goofy, oddball cleaning and personal care recipes passed around the internet, there are [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14825" title="weird-cleaning-recipes" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/weird-cleaning-recipes.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="400" /></p>
<p><!--wsa:gooold-->If putting laxatives on your face and vodka in your laundry sounds like something you’d only do when you’ve had a few too many alcoholic beverages, you’re not alone – yet these bizarre tips might actually serve a purpose. For all the goofy, oddball cleaning and personal care recipes passed around the internet, there are a few that actually work – like polishing silver with aluminum foil, shining shoes with banana peels and even putting cheese whiz on fabric stains.<br />
<span id="more-14824"></span></p>
<h4>Vodka Laundry Freshener</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14826" title="vodka-laundry" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/vodka-laundry.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="352" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenfernandez/2397445954/ ">john steven fernandez</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysza/3721281486/ ">mysza831</a>)</h6>
<p>If you somehow find yourself with a surplus of vodka that you don’t want to drink, put it in a spray bottle and spritz it onto your clothes <a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/tips/fresh-laundry-vodka-460808 ">to freshen them up between washes</a>. It will kill the bacteria that cause odor, but the scent evaporates so you don’t walk around smelling like a liquor cabinet.</p>
<h4>Beer Hair Rinse</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14827" title="beer-hair" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/beer-hair.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="348" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8363028@N08/3028317639/">deusxflorida</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/s-a-m/298580998/ ">s-a-m</a>)</h6>
<p>A friend left some beer that you don’t particularly care for in your fridge again. What to do with it? Perhaps you’d like to pour it over your head. No, really. Beer actually <a href="http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/beerrinse.htm ">gives hair a glossy sheen</a> if you work it through after shampooing and then rinse it out. Some people even use it as a styling tonic.</p>
<h4>Polish Silver with Aluminum Foil</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14828" title="foil-silver" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/foil-silver.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="343" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/basykes/2784084681/">basykes</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/2048679774/"> muffet</a>)</h6>
<p><a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/organizing/clean-silver-flatware">According to Good Housekeeping</a>, this method doesn’t work as well as regular old silver polish, but it seems sort of amazing that it even works in the first place. Tarnish on silver has some sort of reaction with aluminum foil, causing it to “jump” to the foil. You simply line a plastic bin with foil, place your silver inside, sprinkle in ¼ cup of washing soda and pour in a gallon of boiling water. Let it soak for 15 minutes, then remove the silver, rinse, and buff with a clean, soft cloth.</p>
<h4>Shine Copper with Ketchup</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14829" title="ketchup-copper" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ketchup-copper.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="361" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/a2gemma/448472522/">a2gemma</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tymcode/2215201623/"> tymcode</a>)</h6>
<p>Some people put ketchup on just about everything, from eggs to macaroni and cheese. But ketchup is more than just America’s favorite condiment. Thanks to the acid it contains, <a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/ketchup-uses-catsup-460409">smearing ketchup onto copper</a> will actually dissolve stains.</p>
<h4>Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Conditioner</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14830" title="cider-vinegar-hair" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/cider-vinegar-hair.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="314" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aroberts/2416411306/">andyrob</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/metaldoll/4131641607/">metaldoll</a>)</h6>
<p>Vinegar seems like one of the last things you’d want to put in your hair, but it actually <a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/fashion-beauty/cider-vinegar.html">makes a great conditioner</a>. After shampooing, rinse with a solution of 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a pint of water and you’ll find that your hair is super-soft without the weight that conventional conditioners often leave behind. Bonus: it fights dandruff.</p>
<h4>White Bread Wallpaper Shine</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14831" title="white-bread-wallpaper" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/white-bread-wallpaper.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="342" /><br />
(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/benedykt/2409239587/ ">arkadiusz benedykt</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/houseofsims/3134753083/ ">house of sims</a>)</p>
<p>When little Timmy smears his Wonder Bread sandwich across Grandma’s dining room wall, it’s not so cute. But that same bread can actually be used to <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/how-to/how-to-clean-wallpaper-of-fingerprints-075297">clean dust and grime off wallpaper</a>. This trick, used at least since the 1800’s, reputedly removes marks without damaging the surface – just remember to cut off the crust first.</p>
<h4>Cornstarch Deodorant</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14832" title="corn-starch-deodorant" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/corn-starch-deodorant.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="289" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.argostarch.com/index.html ">argostarch</a>, <a href="http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/03/quick-stick-deodorant.html">little house in the suburbs</a>)</h6>
<p>For those seeking to get away from parabens, aluminum or other potentially harmful ingredients in conventional deodorant, a homemade recipe may be the way to go. But would you ever have thought of cramming some cornstarch into an old deodorant container? <a href="http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/03/quick-stick-deodorant.html">A tutorial by Little House in the Suburbs</a> details a recipe that combines the moisture-absorbing properties of cornstarch with antibacterial essential oils and coconut oil as a binder.</p>
<h4>Black Tea Furniture Polish</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14833" title="tea-furniture" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/tea-furniture.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="332" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/prudencebrown/3547665862/">prudencebrown121</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/clab4design/4189610755/ ">clab4design</a>)</h6>
<p>There are all sorts of homemade cleaners and polishes that can bring wood floors and furniture back into their prime, and one common folk remedy often repeated on the internet is simply black tea. The claim is that tannins in the tea make the floors shiny, while the pigment enhances the wood grain. <a href="http://prohowtos.ipower.com/content/cleaning-wood-floors-black-tea">Wood floor pros warn</a> that while this method may well work, it could also void your warranty if your floors are new.</p>
<h4>Fade Scars with Potatoes</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14834" title="potatoes-skin" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/potatoes-skin.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="331" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37884983@N03/3724217408/">la grande farmer’s market</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37873897@N06/4234296680/">flavio@flickr</a>)</h6>
<p>Does applying raw potato to the skin really help fade scars from <a href="http://www.beautyfitnessonline.com/acne/acne-scars.php ">acne</a> and <a href="http://anaturalday.net/todays-tip-raw-potato-for-burn-scars/">burns</a>? If people who have tried this treatment have noticed tighter skin and more even pigmentation, it may be due to the astringent and cell-healing properties of this vitamin and antioxidant-packed vegetable. <a href="http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ph_beauty.html ">The National Potato Board (no surprise there) recommends</a> applying a mask of grated raw potato or even washing your face with potato juice.</p>
<h4>Remove Water Stains with Mayonnaise</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14835" title="mayo-water-stains" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/mayo-water-stains.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="303" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/livegym/4355385267/">live-showtime</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lamnatos/2677927178/">antonis lamnatos</a>)</h6>
<p>If you’ve got some unsightly water stains on a wood surface, just <a href="http://www.charlesandhudson.com/archives/2009/11/how_to_remove_water_stain_circles_from_wood_furniture.htm">cover it in mayo</a> and let it sit overnight – by morning, the stains will be significantly reduced. This method supposedly works because the greasy oil-and-egg concoction pulls moisture out of the wood.</p>
<h4>Treat Oily Skin with Milk of Magnesia</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14836" title="milk-of-magnesia-face-mask" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/milk-of-magnesia-face-mask.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="294" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Stomach-Remedies/Geniune-Milk-of-Magnesia/ID=prod2750&amp;navCount=1&amp;navAction=push-product?V=G&amp;ec=frgl_&amp;ci_src=14110944&amp;ci_sku=sku302750 ">walgreens</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jesuspresley/118876870/">presley jesus</a>)</h6>
<p>Smearing laxative on your face seems like a positively crazy thing to do, but Milk of Magnesia can actually help control oil. Many people use it as a face mask or even <a href="http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemID=10870/Milk_of_Magnesia/Unlisted_Brand/Masks/">apply it as a primer before applying makeup</a> to keep breakout-causing sebum in check.</p>
<h4>Banana Peel Shoe Shine</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14837" title="banana-peel-shoe-shine" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/banana-peel-shoe-shine.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="317" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/298250527/">darwin bell</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hectoralejandro/4350343442/">hectorir</a>)</h6>
<p>The next time you eat a banana, don’t toss that peel – the sticky inside part can be used to <a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Shine-Your-Shoes-with-a-Banana">buff your shoes to a shine</a> worthy of the military. It’s pretty self-explanatory: just rub it on your shoe in a circular motion and then do the same with a soft cloth.</p>
<h4>Peanut Butter Face Mask</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14838" title="peanut-butter-face-mask" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/peanut-butter-face-mask.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="331" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/doc18/149758674/">doc18</a>)</h6>
<p>Peanut butter isn’t just for toast. Some people advise massaging it into dry spots or <a href="http://do-it-yourself-beauty.bellasugar.com/DIY-Beauty-Unusual-Ingredients-540461">using it as a face mask</a> to combat dryness. Leave it on for about 15 minutes, then wipe it off and rinse with water.</p>
<h4>Cheez Whiz Stain Remover</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-14839" title="cheez-whiz-stains" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/cheez-whiz-stains.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="375" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/velkr0/3673523/">velkr0</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennycu/4021814982/ ">jencu</a>)</h6>
<p>This tip isn’t exactly green, but perhaps a warning to watch what you eat: it’s a far better idea to smear that goopy, food-like substance known as Cheez Whiz on your laundry than to put it in your mouth. <a href="http://www.thelmagazine.com/TheMeasure/archives/2010/03/17/how-to-wash-your-clothes-with-cheez-whiz-and-other-gross-things ">Cheez Whiz contains trisodium phosphate</a>, an industrial-strength cleaner sometimes added to processed foods, hence its reputation for getting out tough fabric stains.</p>



          <div id="relatedPostsOutput">
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />
          <h3>Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebEcoist:</h3>
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2008/11/21/vegetarian-vegan-thanksgiving-recipes-meals/" title="15 Deliciously Simple Veggie Thanksgiving Recipes">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/vege-thanks-thumb.png" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2008/11/21/vegetarian-vegan-thanksgiving-recipes-meals/" rel="nofollow" title="15 Deliciously Simple Veggie Thanksgiving Recipes" style="color: gray;"s>15 Deliciously Simple Veggie Thanksgiving Recipes</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
(source: mionismarion)
Today Thanksgiving, also referred to as &#8216;Turkey Day&#8217; is largely considered a meat-lover&#8217;s holiday. After all, a 20-pound turkey sitting in the middle of the d...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2008/11/21/vegetarian-vegan-thanksgiving-recipes-meals/" title="15 Deliciously Simple Veggie Thanksgiving Recipes">5 Comments - Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2008/10/28/14-quick-vegetarian-recipes-for-the-hopeless-cook/" title="14 Quick Vegetarian Recipes for the Hopeless Cook">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/tomato-soup-mini.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2008/10/28/14-quick-vegetarian-recipes-for-the-hopeless-cook/" rel="nofollow" title="14 Quick Vegetarian Recipes for the Hopeless Cook" style="color: gray;"s>14 Quick Vegetarian Recipes for the Hopeless Cook</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
Occasional vegetarianism &#8211; flexitarianism &#8211; is a great way to do something green for the planet. Vegetarian meals are delicious, healthy for you, and many of them are very easy to make. B...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2008/10/28/14-quick-vegetarian-recipes-for-the-hopeless-cook/" title="14 Quick Vegetarian Recipes for the Hopeless Cook">28 Comments - Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
            </div>
            ]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://webecoist.com/2010/03/22/14-offbeat-green-cleaning-personal-care-recipes/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Super, Man! How to: Recycle 100s of British Phone Booths</title>
		<link>http://webecoist.com/2010/02/12/super-man-how-to-recycle-100s-of-british-phone-booths/</link>
		<comments>http://webecoist.com/2010/02/12/super-man-how-to-recycle-100s-of-british-phone-booths/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Delana</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Art & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tricks & Hacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[england]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmental art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce reuse recycle]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webecoist.com/?p=13969</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The iconic red British telephone box is recognized just about everywhere in the world. It&#8217;s been a symbol of British culture and traditions for generations. But today, with the rise of mobile phones and the inflated cost of caring for these public calling booths, BT has decommissioned thousands of red call boxes. But they offered [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13976" title="british-telephone-boxes" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/british-telephone-boxes.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="187" /></p>
<p><!--wsa:gooold-->The iconic red British telephone box is recognized just about everywhere in the world. It&#8217;s been a symbol of British culture and traditions for generations. But today, with the rise of mobile phones and the inflated cost of caring for these public calling booths, BT has decommissioned thousands of red call boxes. But they offered towns a way to keep their telephone boxes even after the telephones inside were removed: for £1 and a great idea, communities were given the opportunity to give these proud red icons new life.</p>
<p><span id="more-13969"></span></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13970" title="westbury-sub-mendip-lending-library-phone-box" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/westbury-sub-mendip-lending-library-phone-box.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="261" /></p>
<p>When BT (British Telecom) decided to do away with the red phone box that&#8217;s recognized all over the world, they gave councils a chance to keep their booths without the phones. Their <a href="http://www.btplc.com/news/articles/showarticle.cfm?articleid={79551b96-86fb-4431-87b1-b3e0207bd1d7}">Adopt a Kiosk program</a> called for suggestions on what to do with the booths, and BT received thousands of entries. The village of Westbury-sub-Mendip in Somerset came up with the above solution: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/somerset/8385313.stm">a micro lending library</a>, where residents can borrow books, CDs and DVDs 24 hours a day. They simply leave one item for each item they take, and the entire village gets to enjoy both the presence of the iconic phone box and the convenience of a well-stocked lending library.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13971" title="gallery-on-the-green-seattle-north-yorkshire" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/gallery-on-the-green-seattle-north-yorkshire.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="313" /></p>
<p>Would you believe this phone box is actually a miniature art gallery? The <a href="http://www.galleryonthegreen.org.uk/">Gallery on the Green</a> in Settle, North Yorkshire is thought to be the smallest art gallery in the world. It features postcard-size works of art from individuals, groups and schools. The idea behind the project is for residents and tourists to share thoughts and images from their travels, putting them in a public forum where everyone can see.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13972" title="waterperry-oxfordshire-telephone-box" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/waterperry-oxfordshire-telephone-box.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="181" /></p>
<p>Residents in Waterperry, Oxfordshire took a different approach. <a href="http://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/4804003.Waterperry_phone_box_wins___1_000_prize/">Their phone box</a> is a landmark for their town, especially since the main road is unnamed and most directions to anywhere in Waterperry include &#8220;go past the telephone box.&#8221; The town adopted their phone box from BT and turned it into a community center of sorts. Its use varies with the season: in the autumn it&#8217;s a fruit and vegetable exhange; in the summer it&#8217;s been used for poetry readings; in the winter it hosts a jolly Christmas display complete with carolers.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13974" title="loppergarth-cumbria-phone-box-information-center" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/loppergarth-cumbria-phone-box-information-center.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="244" /></p>
<p>Loppergarth, in Cumbria, uses <a href="http://www.loppergarth.co.uk/bbc.php">their adopted phone kiosk</a> as a visitor information center. Visitors have only to step inside to view maps and learn about the area. The town also uses the phone box to display the crown for the town&#8217;s drag carnival queen.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13973" title="great-shelford-cambridgeshire-telephone-box" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/great-shelford-cambridgeshire-telephone-box.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="257" /></p>
<p>Great Shelford, in Cambridgeshire, was the big winner of the competition. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambridgeshire/8398756.stm">Their phone box</a> is a changeable art installation featuring a (somewhat creepy) mannequin. The children of the local primary school make suggestions for the mannequin&#8217;s next persona, and its costume is change regularly. Guy Fawkes was the first historical figure to be honored in this one-of-a-kind public art installation.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13975" title="warwickshire-telephone-tree-sculpture" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/warwickshire-telephone-tree-sculpture.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="542" /></p>
<p>Even before BT offered councils the chance to save their telephone boxes, they were removing them from locations all across Britain. Some of them ended up in the rubbish tip (garbage dump) and just screamed out to be saved. That&#8217;s just what Warwickshire artist Barry Robinson did when he pulled these three phone boxes from certain destruction and <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2284475/Telephone-box-tree-art-or-eyesore.html">created &#8220;Telephone Tree,&#8221;</a> a 20-foot-tall sculpture that he mounted in a field in his rural village. His neighbors weren&#8217;t quite as in love with the idea as Mr. Robinson, though, and called for it to be removed.</p>



          <div id="relatedPostsOutput">
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />
          <h3>Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebEcoist:</h3>
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/04/02/puddle-jumping-welcome-stunning-stormwater-park-concept/" title="Puddle Jumping Welcome: Stunning Stormwater Park Concept">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/rotterdam-water-squares.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/04/02/puddle-jumping-welcome-stunning-stormwater-park-concept/" rel="nofollow" title="Puddle Jumping Welcome: Stunning Stormwater Park Concept" style="color: gray;"s>Puddle Jumping Welcome: Stunning Stormwater Park Concept</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
In most cities, the storm water overflow infrastructure is costly and complicated. It usually involves a series of pipes and basins that hold water after sudden or prolonged rainfall until the standa...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2010/04/02/puddle-jumping-welcome-stunning-stormwater-park-concept/" title="Puddle Jumping Welcome: Stunning Stormwater Park Concept">1 Comment - Click Here to Read More 
                  &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/06/11/worshiping-nature-breathtaking-seed-cathedral-in-shanghai/" title="Worshiping Nature: Breathtaking Seed Cathedral in Shanghai">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/uk-pavilion-seed-cathedral.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/06/11/worshiping-nature-breathtaking-seed-cathedral-in-shanghai/" rel="nofollow" title="Worshiping Nature: Breathtaking Seed Cathedral in Shanghai" style="color: gray;"s>Worshiping Nature: Breathtaking Seed Cathedral in Shanghai</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
The 2010 World Expo in Shanghai is well underway with some of the most wondrous sights ever seen at any World&#8217;s Fair. It&#8217;s the largest and most expensive World&#8217;s Fair ever, with ove...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2010/06/11/worshiping-nature-breathtaking-seed-cathedral-in-shanghai/" title="Worshiping Nature: Breathtaking Seed Cathedral in Shanghai">Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
            </div>
            ]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://webecoist.com/2010/02/12/super-man-how-to-recycle-100s-of-british-phone-booths/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>55 Fantastic &amp; Mind-Blowing Health Benefits of Sex [NSFW]</title>
		<link>http://webecoist.com/2010/02/11/55-fantastic-mind-blowing-health-benefits-of-sex-nsfw/</link>
		<comments>http://webecoist.com/2010/02/11/55-fantastic-mind-blowing-health-benefits-of-sex-nsfw/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:00:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Angie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food & Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Science & Research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tricks & Hacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bizarre]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecosex]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex facts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sexual health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webecoist.com/?p=13806</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sex is oh so good for your health. Getting it on is about more than pleasure. Good sexual health can improve your physical health. It certainly puts you in a positive frame of mind. Conserve electricity, turn off the lights and light a candle. Save water, share a shower and soap each other. Go green [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://xkcd.com/316/"><img src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/loud_sex.png" alt="" width="468" height="270" /></a></p>
<p><!--wsa:gooold-->Sex is oh so good for your health. Getting it on is about more than pleasure. Good sexual health can improve your physical health. It certainly puts you in a positive frame of mind. Conserve electricity, turn off the lights and light a candle. Save water, share a shower and soap each other. Go green between the sheets. Ok who needs sheets or a even a bed for that matter, but sex is eco-friendly. Au Naturale is the most earth-friendly packaging there ever was! This is more than a lifehack for mating, more than an excuse to have sex. Here are 55 fantastic health benefits and legitimate reasons to be having lots of sex.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Safe sex is wise. This is not advocating sex, but instead listing the overall potential health benefits of hitting the sheets.</span></p>
<p><span id="more-13806"></span></p>
<h4>Sex Relieves Stress &amp; Eases Depression</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13828" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/antidepressant.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="500" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://techtunes.com.bd/internet/tune-id/13733/">techtunes</a>,<a href="http://gorod.tomsk.ru/index-1199877058.php">gorod.tomsk</a>,<a href="http://blog.libero.it/Ricercatrici/view.php">Nord_Sud</a>,<a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/black-and-white-passion.html">amolife</a><a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/love-is-in-the-air.html">amolife</a>)</h6>
<p>Treat your partner as if you&#8217;re dating is a lifehack <a href="http://health.discovery.com/centers/sex/marriage/marriage_04.html">strategy</a> for keeping the spark alive. As romantic as a fairytale castle is, it&#8217;s unrealistic for most of us to plan a &#8220;date night&#8221; there. When dating, couples are generally more sexually adventuresome than after a couple has been together or married for a long time. Stress is a killer for both sexes. The health benefits of having sex to <em><strong>relieve <a href="http://stress.about.com/od/generaltechniques/tp/toptensionacts.htm">stress</a></strong></em> and to <strong><em><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5263250">ease depression</a></em></strong> have been proven. For men, their release calms them and sends happy chemicals to their brain. For women, absorbing semen works as a <em><strong><a href="http://dir.salon.com/story/sex/feature/2002/06/19/semen/index1.html">natural antidepressant</a></strong></em> and helps get rid of stress. So plan that romantic night out together in nature or light the candles for a special date dinner. Depressed and highly stressed individuals tend to have less sex. It&#8217;s a trap! Don&#8217;t fall into it.</p>
<h4>Relieving pain</h4>
<p><img src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/waterenhances.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="462" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=567187">skyscrapercity</a>,<a href="http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=567187">skyscrapercity</a>,<a href="http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/katrusya55/view/21780/?page=8">atyunchik</a>)</h6>
<p>Romance your spouse outside the bedroom is a <a href="http://health.discovery.com/centers/sex/marriage/marriage_04.html">strategy</a> for keeping the spark alive. Most of us can not take our beloved to a deserted island for a romantic getaway, but that is not required to gain this benefit of sex: <em><strong><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5263250">relieving pain</a></strong></em>. The best painkiller ever created is the mighty O. No, not Oxycontin but Orgasm. It releases natural chemicals like endorphins in the body, both before and during climax. These endorphins have a similar <a href="http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0483.html">chemical structure</a> to morphine. Water is used in many therapies, so why not add the glorious and sensual feel of water to your sex life? It&#8217;s a win/win/win situation without needing to find the time, finances, and location of the closest deserted island. Having sex, win. Having <a href="http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/water-sex-positions">sex in the water</a>, double win. Having orgasmic sex in the water? Oh baby!</p>
<h4>Sex Helps You Forget &amp; Increases Happiness</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13807" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/onthebeach.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="300" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/love-is-in-the-air.html">amolife</a>)</h6>
<p>Credit cards due? Bills piling up? Money trouble causes most couples to fight. Before it gets really ugly and you turn on each other, have sex. Having sex<em><strong> <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/sex_relationships&amp;id=6490668">helps you forget</a></strong></em> your troubles. It also improves intimacy, lifts your mood, and increases your imagination. Regular humping can keep you <em><strong><a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-relationships/sex-benefits-0?cat=9421&amp;tip=9451">happy</a></strong></em>. It might not cure your money problems, but keeping busy with the horizontal hustle was proven to provide the same levels of happiness as a couple earning an extra $100,000 annually.</p>
<h4>Weight Loss &amp; Boosting Cardiovascular Health</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13852" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cardio_weightloss.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="411" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/sexy-kiss-photography-by-michael-creagh.html">amolife</a>,<a href="http://www.existingvisual.com/2009/10/08/yay-hooray-best-use-of-live-journal-official-4/">existingvisual</a>,<a href="http://www.splinder.com/mediablog/LabbraSuDiTe/media/15132308?context=album">LabbraSuDiTe</a>,<a href="http://www.indianpad.com/pics/112421">indianpad</a>,<a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/romantic-underwater-kiss.html">amolife</a>)</h6>
<p>Next strategy to keep the spark hot is: <a href="http://health.discovery.com/centers/sex/marriage/marriage_04.html">Exercise, preferably together</a>. Rambunctious rolling in the hay can burn off as much as 700 calories while less vigorous love making burns at least 200 calories. It&#8217;s surely the best way to <em><strong><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317189,00.html">control or lose weight</a></strong></em>? It&#8217;s definitely the best way to burn calories.</p>
<p>Ladies, your passion can protect his heart. <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-relationships/sex-benefits-0?cat=9421&amp;tip=9420">Shag your guy&#8217;s ticker into shape</a>. Sex <strong><em><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5263250">lowers blood pressure</a></em></strong>, <em><strong>boosting cardio health</strong></em>, and reduces his risk of heart attack. Lovemaking improves strength, flexibility, and muscle tone. It might even might even protect against strokes.</p>
<h4>Organic Orgasm = 10 All Natural &#8220;Medicine Cabinet Cures&#8221;</h4>
<p><img src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/romanticlove.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="481" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://www.codrosu.ro/poze-romantice-pentru-indragostiti/">codRosu</a>)</h6>
<p>Get busy getting frisky since the big O is the all-natural medicine cabinet. If you have a headache, then bonk your way to temporary <strong><em>headache relief</em></strong>. Forget Tylenol, having a headache is an excuse to have sex right away to cure you. It&#8217;s practically the <strong><em>cure for the common cold</em></strong>. Having sex stimulates those wonderful pleasure endorphins as well as antibodies to <em><strong><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317189,00.html">protect you from getting the flu</a></strong></em> or a cold. Once-a-week sex produces 30% higher levels of immunoglobulin A, <em><strong>boosting the immune system </strong></em>and <em><strong><a href="http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/10-surprising-health-benefits-of-sex">fighting off disease</a></strong></em>.</p>
<p>Sex can <strong><em>relieve a stuffy nose</em></strong>; it&#8217;s is a natural antihistamine. It can even help <strong><em>combat hay fever and asthma</em></strong>. After frolicking under the sheets, your hormone prolactin surges and fires new neurons in the brain&#8217;s olfactory bulb. This means after doing the horizontal hustle, you have a <em><strong><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/08/cz_af_1008health.html">heightened sense of smell</a></strong></em>. In fact, after sex all your sensitivities are heightened, including <em><strong><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/sex_relationships&amp;id=6490668">activating your taste buds</a></strong></em>.</p>
<p>Sex can also help protect those pearly whites, so you have <strong><em><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/08/cz_af_1008health.html">better teeth</a></em></strong>. And it doesn&#8217;t get much more all-natural in ingredients than the minerals in semen, such as zinc and calcium, that have been proven to slow tooth decay. Selenium, an ingredient found in semen, might also serve in protection against cancer.</p>
<h4>12 More Reasons Sex Is Good For Her &amp; Protects Her Health</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13857" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/men_women.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="312" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/black-and-white-passion.html">amolife</a>)</h6>
<p>Getting down and dirty with her could help her reproductive health. The more sex she has, the more hormones she will produce that are responsible for <em><strong>increased sexual <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-relationships/sex-benefits-0?cat=9421&amp;tip=9439">desire</a></strong></em>. That&#8217;s right, the more sex she has, the more sex she will want to have. More lovemaking can increase her levels of estrogen, which protects against <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/20-reasons-sex-is-good.html"><em><strong>osteoporosis</strong></em> and <em><strong>Alzheimer’s</strong></em></a>. Sex can also help <em><strong><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317189,00.html">prevent endometriosis</a></strong></em> in women. Ladies who have sex at least once a week have more <em><strong>regular menstrual cycles </strong></em>than those who frolic under the sheets less frequently. All this sex helps <em><strong>promote fertility</strong></em> in women by regulating menstrual patterns. Post romp, a female gets a jolt of natural oxytocin which in turn releases endorphins. This natural painkiller can help <em><strong>alleviate arthritis pain</strong></em> or <em><strong>lessen cramps</strong></em>. Plus all the practice is perfect if you want to hear the pitter-patter of little carbon footprints. After you&#8217;ve made a <em><strong>baby</strong></em>, horizontal dancing can trigger the <em><strong>onset of labor</strong></em> when she&#8217;s at term. Semen in her system may help with a <em><strong>speedy delivery</strong></em>. Yes, sex can maybe even help her to <em><strong>tolerate a natural, <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/02/15-reasons-why-you-should-be-having-sex-right-now.php">drug-free birth</a></strong></em>.</p>
<h4>Sex Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13858" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/prostratehealth.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="322" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/black-and-white-passion-the-feeling-that-absorbs-you.-part-2.html">amolife</a>,<a href="http://th01.deviantart.com/fs24/300W/f/2007/322/5/9/I_show_you_the_scenario_by_cashboxx.jpg">deviantart</a>,<a href="http://www.frenchlettercondoms.co.uk/">frenchlettercondoms</a>)</h6>
<p>Yeppers, sex is also the answer for a happier and healthier prostate. Men in their 20s can cut their chance of getting <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/08/cz_af_1008health.html">prostate cancer</a> by 1/3 by ejaculating more than five times a week. But older men also benefit from frequent sex, as 21 or more orgasms a month are linked to a much <strong><em><a href="http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/10-surprising-health-benefits-of-sex?page=2">lower prostate cancer risk</a></em></strong>. The more he climaxes, the less likely he is to develop prostate cancer.</p>
<h4>Cuts Risk Of Breast Cancer &amp; Gives Better Bladder Control</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13861" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/decreasebreastcancer.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="312" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/love-is-in-the-air.html">amolife</a>)</h6>
<p>Sex can help reduce the risk of breast cancer for women who have never given birth. A study showed that if a female increases the frequency of sex, she <strong><em><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317189,00.html">decreases the risks of breast cancer</a></em></strong>.</p>
<p>Sex strengthens the pelvic floor muscles that control the flow of urine. Kegel exercises occur naturally during sex, giving women <em><strong><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/08/cz_af_1008health.html">better bladder control</a></strong></em>.</p>
<h4>Sex Boosts Confidence &amp; Improves Intimacy</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13868" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/seduce.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="311" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13872" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/selfesteem2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="340" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://keenanevans.com/2009/11/30/seduction/">keenanevans</a><a href="http://www.codrosu.ro/poze-indragostiti-poze-cu-imbratisari-dragastoase-si-de-iubire-sincera/">cod,Rosu</a>,<a href="http://imgfave.com/view/104287">imgfave</a>,<a href="http://blog.libero.it/Ricercatrici/view.php">Nord_Sud</a>)</h6>
<p>Lovemaking of course builds and continues to <em><strong>improve intimacy</strong></em>. It also <em><strong>increases desire.</strong></em> If one or the other partner does not have much sexual desire, you can see from the reasons above that the more sex you have, the more sex you will want to have. Women often want more intimacy and is it within her reach. According to Family therapist Michael Gurian, author of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Could-He-Be-Thinking/dp/0312311494/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1225686521&amp;sr=8-1">What Could He Be Thinking?</a>, a man&#8217;s oxytocin level matches a woman&#8217;s after his happy ending. Then you&#8217;ll both be more inclined to desire <em><strong>cuddle time</strong></em>. For some people, the more they feel loved, the more their <em><strong>self-esteem will inflate. </strong></em>Both parties, however, get a boost to their spirit. When things are great in bed, your<em><strong> <a href="http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/womens-health/article/-/5934418/56-reasons-to-have-sex/">confidence will increase</a></strong></em>. Sex therapist Sandor Gardos says, &#8220;When things go well in bed, you feel more confident and <em><strong>powerful </strong></em>in other parts of your life.&#8221; This weaves its way into our lovemaking, making us <strong><em>more daring</em></strong> and <strong><em>uninhibited </em></strong>in our sexual endeavors<strong><em>.</em></strong> That, in turn, makes the <strong><em>mighty O even better</em></strong> and makes us <strong><em>want more sex</em></strong>.</p>
<h4>Healing Wounds &amp; Hearts</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13879" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ecosex.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="491" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://gorod.tomsk.ru/index-1199877058.php">gorod</a>,<a href="http://home-biba.blogspot.com/2009/10/away-with-fairies.html">home-biba</a>,<a href="http://www.roomsforromance.com/safarilove.html">Rooms for Romance</a>,<a href="http://elferide.centerblog.net/rub-amours-7.html">elferide</a>)</h6>
<p>Healing can be thought of in many ways. Sometimes a relationship needs to heal. Other times, a person needs to heal. It can be a wound or one suffering from something like diabetes. There have been studies in which evidence suggests that <em><strong><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5263250">sex heals</a></strong></em>. Lovemaking can <em><strong>help rejuvenate</strong></em> to the point of <strong><em>cells regenerating</em></strong> and <strong><em>wounds healing</em></strong> faster. Set the stage right for the romp and anything is possible. Oxytocin from the big O, it does a body good.</p>
<h4>Longevity: Live Long &amp; Hump Often</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13870" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/longevity1.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="313" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://www.codrosu.ro/poze-indragostiti-poze-cu-imbratisari-dragastoase-si-de-iubire-sincera/">codRosu</a>)</h6>
<p>Sex could be the Fountain of Youth. To extend your life and <strong><em>increase vitality</em></strong>, have lots of sex. Most especially this is true for men as the more often he has the big O, the more his <strong><em>risk of death lowers</em></strong>. Guys who climax <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317189,00.html">two times</a> a week have a 50% lower chance of mortality than those who orgasm one time a month. Men who engage in sex regularly <em><strong><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/sex_relationships&amp;id=6490668">cut their chances</a> in half of suffering a stroke</strong></em>. To live a <em><strong><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2005/03/01/cx_vg_0302featslide_3.html?thisSpeed=20000">long life</a></strong></em>, happily hump often.</p>
<h4>Sex Fights Aging &amp; Improves Flexibility &amp; Lifts Mood</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13876" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/longevity2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="400" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/url/i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/robbfrit/1160312672_post771113918541.jpg">stumbleupon</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nanoflux/2576808671/">nanoflux</a>,<a href="http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&amp;q=piggyback%20couple&amp;oq=&amp;um=1&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;sa=N&amp;tab=wi">google</a>,<a href="http://lavenderhill-east.dreamblog.jp/blog/1105.html">lavenderhill</a>)</h6>
<p>All our love hormones after sex help us to bond and to build trust, but also help to <strong><em>fight aging.</em></strong> <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5263250">Use it or lose it</a>. Since sex helps us rejuvenate, the more you orgasm the better it is for you. You live longer, are <em><strong>more flexible</strong></em>, and continue to <em><strong>exercise</strong></em> while making love. So keep giving each other a booty biscuit, improving intimacy, continuing the cycle that increases sexual desire. You&#8217;ll be much happier and more inclined to have fun together when you know you&#8217;re <strong><em>burning hot</em></strong> for each other to be alone again.  Is it any wonder why sex is a <em><strong><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317189,00.html">mood lifter</a></strong></em> and the natural cure to mood improvement?</p>
<h4>Eco-Sex Toys To Improve Sex Life &amp; Your Imagination</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13874" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ecosextoys.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="500" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/sexy-green-eco-lingerie-46012208">thedailygreen</a>,<a href="http://libida.com/">libida</a>,<a href="http://www.simply4lovers.com/product.asp?pid=126&amp;cur=USD">simply4lovers</a>,<a href="http://www.goodcleanlove.com/home.php">goodcleanlove</a>,<a href="http://www.eartherotics.com/">eartherotics</a>,<a href="http://www.lovemenaturally.com/Hathor-Aphrodisia-Lubricant-Pure-Natural-Personal-Lubricant--p-16199.html">lovemenaturally</a>,<a href="http://www.smittenkittenonline.com/green-toys/lelo-bo-vibrating-cock-ring.html">smittenkitten</a>)</h6>
<p>Ecosexuals needs toys too. Get <strong><em>eco-sex toys</em></strong> and <strong><em>improve your imagination</em></strong> at the same time. There are lots of &#8220;green&#8221; lingerie like bamboo jersey shorts and sleeping mask. Sola makes a small bullet-shaped vibrator powered by the sun. Kissable Body Paints come in 8 flavors and are made from organically grown fruit. Soy candles are always a good choice. Yet there are other candles that melt into massage oils and are created from natural ingredients like vitamin E, avocado, and almond. How about a handcrafted spanker made from recycled car and truck tire parts? Or get wet and wild by lubing up with organic formulas, fortified with libido-boosting Chinese herbs like horny goat weed. There&#8217;s even Bo, the world’s first rechargeable erection ring. Keep stirring those creative juices. Sex will help <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/sex_relationships&amp;id=6490668">improve the imagination</a> and ecosex toys will help keep your sex life from becoming boring. Do you need more healthy reasons to see life through rosier-colored glasses and get your organic orgasm on?</p>
<h4>Sex Boosts Energy &amp; <strong>Helps You Sleep Better</strong></h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13877" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/passionateadventure.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="600" /></p>
<h6>(image credits:<a href="http://amolife.com/image/romance/black-and-white- passion.html">amolife</a>,<a href="http://elferide.centerblog.net/rub-amours-4.html">elferide</a>,<a href="http://www.webpark.ru/comments.php?id=36974">webpark</a>,<a href="http://weheartit.com/">weheartit</a>)</h6>
<p>Your passionate adventures can be both reckless and wise. The world is starved for <em><strong>romance</strong></em>. Courtesy and chivalry pay off in the bedroom. <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-relationships/sex-benefits-0?cat=9421&amp;tip=9445">Let go</a>; you won&#8217;t be sorry. For women, the testosterone absorbed from semen can <em><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Happily-Married-Men-Forever/dp/0787994146/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1225686553&amp;sr=1-1">boost her energy</a></strong></em>. For men, the <em><strong>more sex</strong></em> he has, the more testosterone he produces which is the driving factor responsible for his sexual desire. Both parties get an energy boost from sex.  However, sex also helps you sleep better. The oxytocin released during big O also <em><strong>promotes sleep</strong></em>. Insomniacs, regular romps are the all-natural and most assuredly the best way to help you catch that needed shuteye.</p>
<p>Oh yes, sex is so good for you. It&#8217;s a cure-all; not that you needed a reason to have sex in the first place. But for all the 55 mind-blowing healthy benefits you&#8217;ve read here, you better get down to business with the horizontal hustle, do the nasty, go green between the sheets, get your ecosex on, frolic and romp. Forget language barriers or silly slang. Love is the universal language. Nothing gets lost in translation when making love.</p>



          <div id="relatedPostsOutput">
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />
          <h3>Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebEcoist:</h3>
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/08/20/reclaimed-war-bunker-as-museum/" title="Women at War: Reclaimed Bunker Turned Museum">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/women-at-war-thumb.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2010/08/20/reclaimed-war-bunker-as-museum/" rel="nofollow" title="Women at War: Reclaimed Bunker Turned Museum" style="color: gray;"s>Women at War: Reclaimed Bunker Turned Museum</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
An old war bunker in Yorkshire, England sits empty, an unused memorial to the immense cost of war, particularly in lives, land and resources. But if Leeds Metropolitan University graduate Charlotte W...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2010/08/20/reclaimed-war-bunker-as-museum/" title="Women at War: Reclaimed Bunker Turned Museum">Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
          <div class="rssRelatedPosts" style="clear:both;">
            <a href="http://webecoist.com/2009/02/19/genetically-modified-fruits-vegetables/" title="7 Intriguing Genetically Modified Fruits &#038; Veggies">
  						<img width="64" height="64" src="http://webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/gm-food-thumb.jpg" border="0" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;">
  					</a>
            <h3><a href="http://webecoist.com/2009/02/19/genetically-modified-fruits-vegetables/" rel="nofollow" title="7 Intriguing Genetically Modified Fruits &#038; Veggies" style="color: gray;"s>7 Intriguing Genetically Modified Fruits &#038; Veggies</a></h3>
  					<span style="">
Genetically modified food is one of great controversies of our time. Supporters point to wonderful possibilities of nutrient-packed food and solving world hunger, while critics fear unknown effects o...</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://webecoist.com/2009/02/19/genetically-modified-fruits-vegetables/" title="7 Intriguing Genetically Modified Fruits &#038; Veggies">Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
  				</div>
          <br style="clear: both" />
          <hr style="clear: both" width="75%" />  			
        
            </div>
            ]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://webecoist.com/2010/02/11/55-fantastic-mind-blowing-health-benefits-of-sex-nsfw/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
