Swap-O-Rama-Rama

Jahanara Wendy Tremayne

Swap-O-Rama-Rama

“There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness.”

-Gandhi

Swap-O-Rama-Rama is an egalitarian project, a giant clothing swap and series of do-it-yourself (DIY) workshops in which communities explore reuse through the reconstruction of used clothing. Swap-O-Rama-Rama’s are making their way around the world one community at a time.

Everybody brings one bag of unwanted clothing to create a giant pile-the unwanted clothing of all who attend. Everyone dives in and finds their “new” used items-it’s all free. Sewing stations, DIY stations and workshops offer numerous ways to transform the garments. A silk screen station offers many amazing designs that immediately add life to any old garment. A fashion runway features the silly and the sophisticated. All are invited to take a playful spin in their most fabulous finds and creations. Before hitting the street in new recycled clothes from the Swap-O-Rama-Rama, existing branding is covered with a new label, one that celebrates the community’s collective creativity rather than the brand of a corporation. Labels read: 100% Recycled or Modified by Me.

Swap-O-Rama-Rama utilizes the existing surplus of clothing to create new-recycled goods, without consuming raw materials. It helps each individual break down the barrier between consumer and creator and invites all to reclaim the creativity that has been lost to industry. Here objects are imbued with meaning as would-be trash is revivified and saved from being kicked to the curb. Re-branding clothing with self-celebratory labels lets us to see each other through shared creativity rather than through socio-economic status.

DIY work station at NYC event

Swap-O-Rama

Green Tips

Buy Reusable for Parties, Picnics & Holidays

Purchase durable, long lasting reusable items for serving and eating food such as silverware, glasses, bowls, mugs, plates, and cloth napkins. When you choose reusable over disposable, even if it costs more up front, it will save money and be less wasteful. Think about the amount of trash you can keep out of the landfill or the incinerator by choosing to reuse!

Check out our article on How to Plan a Low Waste Event for more ideas!

Start an Organics Recycling Program

Establishing an organics recycling program is a great way to reduce the amount of trash an organization or household disposes. Organics include all food waste and non-recyclable or food-soiled paper products and can make up approximately 25 percent of what we throw away. This article offers tips on how to start your own program.

Get Engaged!

Individuals’ actions are important in setting sound policy, so become an engaged citizen. Whether you call your legislator’s office, testify in a legislative hearing or attend a rally, you can make your voice heard. Still doubt that you can make a difference? This article addresses couple common concerns about whether civic engagement is worth it.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

A programable thermostat can save $100 per year. Set it 2 degrees higher in summer and 2 degrees lower in winter for an additional money and energy savings.

Check out the Home Energy Checklist for more great ideas!

Unplug to Avoid Phantom Load

Did you know that you have electronics in your home leaking electricity—electricity that you pay for—24 hours a day, 7 days a week? The power drain is called “phantom load,” and it is a big problem with a simple solution.

The easiest strategy is to use power strips to cut the power to your electronics. When you turn off a power strip, it stops phantom load leaks. Start with your entertainment center and home office where you can find the biggest leaks: televisions, game consoles and computers. Make sure your power strip is located in an easy-to-reach place so you can easily turn it on or off. Set up a power strip as a charger station where your family can plug in all their cell phones, PDAs and music players. Most importantly…turn it off when you’re not using it!

Green Your Child’s Lunch

Home-packed lunches can be fun, healthy, and green, with very little time or money required. A child’s lunch, including organic fruit, requires less than five minutes on average to prepare and could cost as little as $1.00 per day-compared to over $2.25 for school lunch.

Try these suggestions to green your packed lunches, whether for children, adults, or picnics!

Take the Energy Challenge

The fastest, cheapest, easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is through energy efficiency and conservation. Plus, you’ll save yourself money in the process! Need a little boost to get started? Join the Minnesota Energy Challenge and learn from thousands of Minnesotans who have pledged to reduce their energy use—and are finding fun, creative ways to do it. Read more about the Challenge here.

Start Backyard Composting

Did you know that the average Minnesota household throws 15 pounds of compostable materials into the trash every single week? Composting is an easy and simple way to have an immediate personal impact by diverting trash from the landfill or incinerator. Backyard composting takes leaves, grass clippings, veggie scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, and tissue and turns them into valuable compost that reduces the amount of water and fertilizer required for your yard and garden, improves soil quality and supplies essential nutrients for plant growth.

Learn more!

Think Twice About Bottled Water

If you live in an area with clean drinking water, fill a reusable bottle with tap water and bring it with you wherever you go to avoid buying bottled water. The U.S. sends 2 million tons of plastic water bottles to landfills each year—and producing those bottles requires oil and emits carbon dioxide. Some restaurants in the Twin Cities feel so strongly against bottled water that they refuse to sell it. Learn more.

Recycle Your Paper Products

Most people don’t realize it, but one way to reduce global warming is to recycle paper products. Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees. Each tree helps reduce global warming by capturing and holding carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Remember your bottles and cans, too—any recycling you do means fewer of the Earth’s raw materials are used. Learn more here.

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

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