Okay I admit it, newspapers are dead. But maybe in China they aren’t. Or are. Because in a local bargain shop I discovered a cache of wastebaskets in three different sizes made entirely out of newspapers: Chinese newspapers to be exact. And that started me thinking.
It seems probable that in China, or somewhere near there, an active recycling program is taking place. Instead of shredding or burning them for landfill, some sort of manufacturing facility is turning clean, bright and seemingly unread newspapers into functional everyday objects. Does this mean that the newspaper industry is suffering in China? Is there a surplus of printed newspapers? Are more Chinese people getting their news from digital media than print? Who can say. My phone calls to the Chinese embassy consulate in Toronto about these pressing issues were not returned.
The irony of wastebaskets made out of, well, waste, is not (ahem) wasted on me.
These products are powerful “green” metaphors produced in one of the most polluting nations on the planet. The industrialization of China is full steam ahead and damn the torpedoes. Consumer goods? They want everything we have, so it’s hard to claim any moral high ground. Anyway, there is an environmental statement here, intended or not. I’m just not sure what it is.
On the other hand, they are just really fun and handy wastebaskets that feel great when you pick them up by their long, soft handles. I kind of want one.
Supplemental:
In Jennifer Baichwal’s film Manufacturing Landscapes, about Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky, we learn there are whole towns in China dedicated to breaking down and “smelting” the useable metals out of discarded electronics. When you choose to buy a new DVD player because it’s cheaper than repairing your old one, this is likely where your old one goes. Apparently you can smell these towns a mile off. The Chinese government sure knows a thing or two about recycling. But what would it cost to do this kind of metal recovery safely? What would it cost to make baskets out of the millions of unread, discarded and obsolete print newspapers in Canada?
Basic income, or guaranteed annual income, is a payment to eligible families or individuals that ensures a minimum level of income. Ontario will design and implement a pilot program to test the growing view that a basic income could help deliver income support more efficiently, while improving health, employment and housing outcomes for Ontarians.
“Ontario is taking a leading role in piloting a modern Basic Income, and we are thrilled that the Honourable Hugh Segal will be lending us his considerable expertise in this regard. We want to ensure that we are developing a thoughtful, evidence-based approach to test the idea of a Basic Income, and we look forward to Mr. Segal’s advice as we begin this work.”
Due to rapid advances in technology, the quality of smartphone cameras is now on a par, if not better, than some point-and-shoot cameras and entry-level DSLRs. With the increasing demand for smartphone accessories to maximize users’ photographic potential, Limelens offers superior quality smartphone lenses at a price within reach of the masses. Limelens lenses capture intricate detail that a smartphone camera could not achieve on its own.
Everyone from trendy teens to famous fashionistas can begin exploring the infinite uses this easy-to-follow guide provides to making handbags so fashionable, you won’t actually believe they’re made of duct-tape. Part art-piece, part usable accessory, Fabian Morgan shows how each of these gorgeous handbags can be recreated one manageable section at a time.
Dorothy’s trip to celebrity fame began after she inherited $12 million in 1916, the equivalent of about $275 million today. The first thing she did with her money was divorce her British aviator husband, Claude Grahame-White, and embark on a long party in Europe’s best circles. In 1923, she married Italian Count Carlo Dentice di Frasso, many years her senior. On the outskirts of Rome, the new countess acquired and restored one of Europe’s most famous homes, 
It’s been 35 years since Save the Manatee Club was created by Jimmy Buffett, the renowned singer/songwriter, and former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator, Bob Graham, to raise public awareness about the threats to manatees and their aquatic habitat. With support from you, we can continue to make a big difference.
The manatee has been listed as an endangered species since 1966.
Buchanan has previously written to the Fish and Wildlife Service to emphasize that any push to weaken protections for the manatee would be “misguided and premature.” In 2014, following a three-year period in which 1,600 manatees died of cold weather or red tide, Buchanan called on FWS to maintain federal protections for manatees.
The Better Bungee is excited to officially launch into the US and CANADIAN market, available at GRAINGER and AMAZON, The Better Bungee, made in the USA of a new high tech material; that will not crack, break or become brittle and is virtually weightless, allowing The Better Bungee to safely stretch twice its original length but still retain its stretch. The Better Bungee is great for organizing the garage, hauling, storage and more! A great life hack for organizing, saving space in small rooms or uncluttering your garage.
Building a better and more cohesive environment through collaboration
The Holocaust was a time of devastation, hate and corruption and is considered one of the most terrible events in human history.
Digital Habits presents Bouquet at Fuorisalone 2016, revolutionary IoT multi-aroma diffuser that blends physiology and olfactory scenarios. A new humanism of industrial projects: technological products become essential and sensitive, able to transform the perception of the environment in which they are placed.
Is the Alien(s) franchise overdue for an official day of recognition and fan celebration? I think so. Fans of the original 1979 movie and the sequels and prequel that followed are a loyal bunch. They spend money on toys, posters, t-shirts, Blue-ray box sets and some like me, shelled out big bucks in 1987 for a pair of Reebok’s Bugstomper shoes. That’s dedicated fandom.
“Citizens vote, not corporations,” says Schreiner. “Government policy should be focused on what’s good for the public. Even the perception that big money might have influence in securing special deals or driving policy decisions is bad for democracy. What about the 100 companies being given a free ride under the new cap-and-trade plan? Are any of them donors to the Liberal party?”
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/star-trek-continues#/
Space.com staff artist Karl Tate came down from New York. His reaction to walking standing sets was typical. “I’ve been aboard the USS Enterprise. That’s all I can say. When you’re walking down that corridor, and the stage lights are lit, and all you see is Enterprise…I’m there,” Tate says. “It’s truly an achievement and I look forward to what Star Trek Continues comes up with next!” The one-day event was filled with special presentations on prop-making, and an opportunity for prop fans to show off their collections and hand-made treasures.