First Act Makes First-Rate Bamboo Guitars

Photo via First Act

Bamboo. It’s not just for cutting boards anymore. Seems like everything these days is made from this fast-growing, renewable plant – even guitars!

First Act’s Bambusa guitar is the first and only bamboo guitar, and it’s arguably the greenest option if you’re in the market for a new instrument (besides buying second-hand, of course). Specifically, the body and neck are made of densely laminated bamboo and sealed with a water-based natural matte finish. It’s all held together with food-safe glue. So when you get hungry in the middle of a jam session, just turn it over and chop up some fresh veggies. (Not really….)

Since a lot of guitars are traditionally constructed from old growth hardwoods, substituting bamboo instead helps preserve ancient forests and promote biodiversity. It can even defend against climate change, as old-growth forests store large amounts of carbon that are released into the environment when logged.

I think we can all agree on the Bambusa’s eco merits. But can it carry a tune? Actually, when processed bamboo is harder than maple, making it a great, tree-free alternative to high quality tonewoods.

According to Craig Small, Director of Product Development:

It’s a guitar you can rock out with, and feel good about playing. It feels so good, like you’ve played it a thousand times, but it has a ‘sizzle’ to its tone that you’re hearing for the first time.”

At $300, this guitar is a steal. If you live in Boston, you can try out the Bambusa for yourself by visiting First Act’s Guitar Studio.

Get it here: First Act ($300)

Phish and Fans are “Traveling Light”

Photo via MySpace

My brother’s been raving on Phacebook about how phantastic the Phish show was at Phenway last week. Okay, this whole “ph” thing is getting annoying. I’ll stop now while I’m ahead. ..

Anyway, I heard some phabulous, errr… fabulous, things about Phish’s latest greening efforts for their summer tour and decided to check it out. And boy does it check out.

The Waterwheel Foundation (the nonprofit organization that oversees Phish’s charitable activities) and Reverb have teamed up to help not only Phish, but also their fans, go green.

The band is doing all sorts of cool stuff like fueling up their buses and trucks with biodisel; stocking their tour bus with eco-friendly cleaners and supplies; eating food from local, organic farms; composting waste and recycling; and using reusable water bottles. To top it all off, Phish plans to purchase carbon offsets to neutralize the CO2 emissions from their touring fleet, air travel, hotel accommodations, and venue energy use.

Phish has also created an online guide for fans – Traveling Light: The Green Guide to Phish Touring – that lists green resources specific to each show in the following categories:

• Food. Farmers markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food.
• Lodging. Green hotels and campsites.
• Transport. Carpools, bike routes, public transit options, and biodiesel fueling stations.
  
• Side Trips & Volunteering. Eco-friendly side trips and community service projects.
• Inspired Readings. Resources to keep the green momentum going at home.

Carpooling is getting a big push, with Phish giving away a free download of  the show each night of the tour to 20 random fans that sign up for PickupPal’s Phish RideShare Service. Phish fans have a reputation for following the band from show to show, so reducing the environmental impacts from travel has the potential to have a big impact.

Interested in joining in the phun (there I go again…), uh… fun? You can find Phish’s summer tour schedule here.

Piano Hair Sticks & More

Photo via Etsy

If you’ve ever taken a peek inside a piano, you were no doubt impressed by how complicated an instrument it is. All those strings and tuning pins and dampers and hammers… In fact, your average piano has over 10,000 moving parts. No wonder these things are so big!

When properly maintained, pianos can last decades. But even the most cared for pianos will eventually age beyond repair. What happens then?

Melsville is giving retired pianos new life by reusing the “action” – the parts that work together to produce sound – to make jewelry and accessories. She states in her bio:

There is excitement in discovering “new” parts and imagining their possible uses. I have an appreciation for the simple mechanics, detailed architectural shaping, and the warmth and antique quality of the wood that makes up the inner workings of the piano.

After removing and disassembling the action, Melsville cleans, sands, reshapes, and stains the individual pieces to create her designs. Her piano hair sticks, pictured here, were once “stickers” from an upright piano. Each one is adorned with a colorful glass or metal bead. Also check out her equally charming pins, pendants, and earrings.

Get it here: Melsville’s Etsy Shop ($10-$35)

Reverb Helps Artists and Fans Green Concerts

Logo via Reverb

There’s much to think about when planning a tour: booking gigs, transportation, lodging, advertising, whether or not including a cover of Loverboy’s “Working for the Weekend” on the set list is really a good idea… How do you make a tour environmentally friendly on top of all that? Wouldn’t it be great if there was a green fairy that could wave her eco wand and take care of it all for you?

Enter Reverb, a Portland, Maine-based organization that does just that. Reverb offers a menu of greening services for artists and their managers including providing biodiesel for buses, sourcing eco-friendly merchandise like organic t-shirts and reusable water bottles, and coordinating local, organic catering.

Reverb was founded by environmental activist Lauren Sullivan and her musician husband Adam Gardner, guitarist and vocalist for Guster. They’ve worked with an impressive roster of artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Stars, Phish, Andrew Bird, and Kelly Clarkson. So far they’ve greened 70 tours and 1,120 events, reducing 62,608 tons of CO2 in the process. Not too shabby.

And they haven’t forgot about the fans, whose commute comprises over 80% of a concert’s carbon footprint (!). Reverb has made it easy for folks to reduce the environmental impact of their travel by partnering with the online ridesharing system PickupPal and selling carbon offset credits at shows.

Reverb also promotes environmental awareness at concerts, highlighting green causes, technologies, and businesses. They’re always looking for volunteers to help out with this, especially at festivalas and larger events where they set up an entire “Eco Village.” And volunteering wil get you a free pass. Not a bad deal, if you ask me. Just remember to carpool. And show some love for the Loverboy cover, no matter how bad it turns out.

Thom Yorke Wants You to Help Fight Global Warming

Photo via Friends of the Earth

Recently on Radiohead’s website, Thom Yorke urged his U.S. fans to show their support for the fight against global warming by joining the Stop Global Warming Virtual March.  Here’s what’s  on Yorke’s mind:

“currently there is talk of a climate change bill in the US similair to the one we have passed in the UK.
thats a BIG deal.
but i have been reading how the oil industry is investing millions of dollars in a PR campaign against it!
how utterly dumbass is that? how do these people look their children in the eye?”

In case you’re wondering what the hell Thom is on about, let me fill in the blanks. Back in 2005, Thom Yorke helped launch Friends of the Earth’s Big Ask Europe, a campaign to convince European nations to cut their greenhouse gas emissions yearly. The ultimate goal? A 40% emissions reduction within Europe by 2020; 100% by 2050.

Thanks in part to pressure from Big Ask Europe, the UK passed climate change legislation in November 2008, the first of its kind in the world, that legally commits the UK to reduce their emissions by a whopping 80% by 2050.

Those clever Europeans…always a step ahead of us on these matters of environmental importance.

Anyway, it looks like similar legislation could be in the works for the U.S. So what are you waiting for? When Thom Yorke asks you to do something, dammit, you better do it.

Pop Rock & Roll Earrings

Photo via BTC Elements

I am having a hard time believing that that these Pop Rock & Roll Earrings by designer Millie Hilgert are made from recycled records and not from those tasty lollipops you got at the bank as a kid.

However she achieves their candylicious color and shine, you gotta admit these earrings are pretty darn cute. And like other stuff crafted from vinyl featured on this blog, no rare LPs were harmed in the process.

Speaking of process, Millie Hilgert hand-cuts and hand-crafts these earrings herself. You can see more of her rock & roll-inspired repurposed handiwork at Etsy.

Get it here: BTC Elements ($18)

The Klaxons Go Solar

Photo via MySpace

For a country that’s not exactly known for its plethora of sunny days, those Brits sure are excited about solar energy. Hundreds of individuals, companies, and nonprofits – including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and 200 MPs – have already endorsed the U.K.’s We Support Solar campaign.

And the roster of solar groupies just increased by plus one, with “nu-rave” band the Klaxons’ recent announcement that they too have joined the campaign.

The We Support Solar campaign wants solar power to play a key role in helping the U.K. achieve its goal to source 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

The Klaxons are doing their part by recording the follow-up to their 2009 Mercury award-winning album – Myths of the Near Future – at the Premises in London, Europe’s first 100% solar-powered recording studio. Other artists who have recorded sun-fueled albums include Lily Allen, Block Party, and Hot Chip.

I am tempted to make a “the future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades” joke here, but I won’t. Even though I just kinda did.

Recycled Cassette Portraits

Robert Smith by iri5 via Flickr

Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is.  Self-taught artist iri5 has ripped out the innards of cassettes and molded them into the likenesses of musicians. The original cassettes remain intact, serving as vessels not unlike Aladdin’s magic lamp.

Robert Smith, pictured here, is joined by Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and others in a series entitled “Ghost in the Machine.” The collection, which also includes a few portraits of Hollywood icons made from old film reels, can be viewed at iri5’s Flickr gallery.  Iri5 explains the inspiration behind her art:

The idea comes from a philosopher’s (Ryle) description of how your spirit lives in your body. I imagine we are all, like cassettes, thoughts wrapped up in awkward packaging.

I’ll end with some good news and some bad news. The good news: she accepts commissions! The bad news: completely out of my price range (prices start at around $700). But if you’ve got the cash, visit iri5’s website and get yourself one of the most interesting pieces of art made with reused materials ever, music-related or otherwise.

How To: Get Rid of Old CD Jewel Cases

Photo by Mulad via Flickr

There comes a time in every music lover’s life when your CD collection reaches maximum capacity. No longer able to be contained by your available shelf space or easily transported in a few milk crates, you are inevitably forced to transfer your CDs to (gasp!) binders.

What do you do with all the CD jewel cases left over from your little project? Separation anxiety sets in and you start to panic. Maybe you should keep them, “just in case.” As someone who stashed over 500 of the aforementioned cases in my parents’ attic for over a decade, trust me, you’ll never need them. It’s time to let go.

Whatever you do, don’t toss them in the recycling bin. CD jewel cases are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a petrochemical-based plastic mixed with a variety of toxic additives, which makes them particularly difficult to recycle. Most municipal recycling programs won’t accept them.

Don’t throw them in the trash either! They’ll sit in a landfill forever (PVC doesn’t biodegrade) where all those toxics can seep into the ground and water. Or else they’ll burn in an incinerator, releasing cancer-causing dioxins into the air. Fantastic.

Now what? Although you may not need those CD cases anymore, there are many folks that will take them off your hands for reuse or recycling. Here’s a few ideas:

1. Post them on Freecycle or Craigslist. Crafty people use CD jewel cases to make all sorts of crazy things like picture frames, birdhouses, and even chandeliers. If you list them for free on Freecycle or Craigslist, chances are they’ll be snatched up by a grateful artiste in no time.

2. Donate them to libraries, schools, or nonprofits. Remember libraries? Well, in addition to books, they also loan CDs and DVDs. Bet they could use some old jewel cases to replace broken ones. Schools and nonprofits may have similar use for this kind of stuff. Of course, you’ll have to do a little research and calling around to see if you can find an interested organization.

3. Offer them to indie labels or bands. Old cases in good condition might be a budget-friendly resource for indie labels or your favorite band. Who says new releases can’t be packaged in reused CD cases? A little scrub with some vinegar and water and they’ll shine up quite nicely.

4. If you can’t give them away, recycle. Your helpful city or county solid waste office can tell you if there are any local options for recycling CD cases. If not, there’s always Greendisk. Send up to 20 lbs of your old jewel cases (and/or related techno-trash) to this Washington-based company for $7 (plus shipping), and they’ll reuse or recycle them.

Now you’re armed with all the information you need to responsibly part ways with those old CD cases. I promise it won’t hurt…

Stylish and Sustainable Vers iPod Sound Systems

Photo via Vers

I have grown tired of dragging my laptop around or fumbling with my iPod and headphones whenever I want to rock out somewhere that is not within earshot of my home stereo. After taking a look at Vers’ portable, stylish, and sustainable sound systems, I may have found my solution.

Vers has two models: the 2x, pictured here, and the 1.5R, which doubles as a radio alarm clock. Each system is hand-crafted and is encased in your choice of wood veneers: Cherry, Natural Walnut, Dark Walnut, or Bamboo. The 1.5R is also available in a glossy Piano White. And don’t fear – the wood comes from locally-sourced plantations (no old growth here).

What’s on the inside is just as impressive. Vers sound systems are compliant with the European Union’s RoHS (Restriction on Hazardous Substances) Directive, which means they are free of toxics like lead, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium as well as the nastiest of flame retardants such as polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Thanks to an efficient Class D amplifier, they also run on significantly less energy than traditional amplifiers.

As if I needed another reason to be in love with this product, it all comes minimally packaged in 100% postconsumer recycled materials.

Get it here: Vers (2V $180-$200; 1.5R $200-$220)