the not for profit business model of magpies & peacocks is worth talking about because it could be the future of the fashion industry if we properly use the power of our paychecks. if more shoppers supported companies who followed sustainable practices, the demand will increase, and companies and businesses will follow that demand. if we come together and expect more of those whom we give our hard-earned money to i truly believe we can help shape a happier humanity and a healthier planet.

if you live in japan, you might have a chance to see top athletes all over the world wear your old phones on their necks next summer.

well, not quite, but close. the tokyo organizing committee of the olympic and paralympic games has been collecting used electronics all over japan, including old cellphones and home appliances. the plan is to extract the metal and make – you guessed it – olympic medals.

“the medal project,” as the committee calls it, is a big part of sustainability innovations ahead of the games. kicked off in april 2017, the project is now near the finish line – march marks the last month of collection, said tatsuo ogura, senior manager of international communications for the committee.

“when we started this project in 2017, we expected it to finish in two years,” ogura said. “we are on the right track and we almost met with the goal.”

the committee fulfilled the 2,700-kilogram goal (that’s nearly 3 tons) of bronze collection last june. in october, it met 93.7% of the target for salvaging gold and 85.4 percent for silver, ogura said.

a total of 1,500 municipalities across japan are involved in the medal project, and they put the signature yellow donation boxes at post offices or street corners for citizens to donate their used devices, ogura said. they can also donate at 2,400 ntt docomo stores nationwide, japan’s predominant mobile phone operator.

“we believe that, by supporting schemes like the medal project which encourage participation by the public, we can draw attention to the importance of recycling and help realize an environmentally friendly and sustainable society,” a ntt docomo representative said in an email.  

ntt docomo began recycling used mobile phones in 1998. the company is dedicated to “urban mining,” the process of “reclaiming raw materials from used products, buildings and waste,” according to sintef, a european independent research organization.

surging demands for electronic devices each year indicate huge market potential in urban mining. the annual production of electronic goods in the world required “320 tons of gold and over 7,500 tons of silver, with a combined value of $21 billion,” from which only 15% is recovered, according to a study by the solving the e-waste problem initiative (step).

as part of its contribution to the medal project, ntt docomo also runs educational workshops to teach school children about the precious mineral resources in mobile phones and other consumer electronics, the representative said in the email.

over the span of the project, japanese municipalities received approximately 47,488 tons of used electronic devices in total, including 5.07 million used mobile phones. people need to be informed on how many resources they have just within their homes, ogura said.

promoting an environmentally friendly and sustainable society is deeply connected to tokyo’s vision for the  2020 olympic and paralympic games. “sports has the power to change the world and our future,” ogura said, and the international sporting event is a great opportunity to send a message to the world.

“we tried to show our stance to the vision and it is really important to leave that intangible legacy to japanese society and also to the world, especially for the younger generation,” ogura said.

the purpose behind this project is twofold, he said. following the sustainable development goals (sdg) set by the united nations, the tokyo olympics committee is dedicated to achieve zero waste through recycling, but it also wants to engage and excite the public ahead of the games.

people usually start engaging when volunteer applications open or ticket sales start, ogura said, but the medal project gave them an early opportunity to take part in the quadrennial event.

“tokyo won the bid in september 2013. at that moment, japanese people are really enthusiastic about hosting the games, but it’s a long way,” ogura said. “we obviously need to retain the enthusiasm and excitement.”

make a pumpkin planter

a hollowed out pumpkin is a great gardening opportunity. just fill your jack-o’-lantern with soil, add your plant of choice, and place the pumpkin in a hole in the ground.

the pumpkin will serve as a great fertilizing alternative for your plant and you will be composting at the same time. for more detailed advice on making a pumpkin planter of your own, look here.

diy face mask

pumpkins are rich in vitamins, so why let them go to waste? pumpkin face masks are simple to make and are great for your skin’s health.

to make your face mask all you need is just two tablespoons of pumpkin puree, half a tablespoon of milk, and half a tablespoon of honey. this mask is best suited for whole, uncarved pumpkins.

there are two options when making your puree. you can make a restaurant-ready puree and use the leftovers to make yourself a treat by following these directions. if you don’t have that kind of time, just scrape out the insides of your pumpkin (sans seeds) and beat it into a pulp.

mix your three ingredients and then you are ready to enjoy all of the vitamins and antioxidants your mask has to offer.

make a snack

if gardening or diy cosmetics are not your thing, there are hundreds of pumpkin recipes available for every skill level. these recipes should be used with pumpkins that have been left whole.

consider making some pumpkin pancakes. all it takes is your average pancake recipe, just add some pumpkin puree — you can even use leftovers from your face mask. a recipe can be found here.

if you are looking for a more savory snack, roasted pumpkin seeds are a simple option as well. just add some salt, butter, and cinnamon to your pumpkin seeds and put them in the oven for about an hour. real simple’s recipe goes into more detail here.

according to the epa, an american produces a daily average of 4.5 pounds of solid trash each day, pushing us to the top of the list for greatest annual per capita trash generation. these statistics mean more than needing extra muscle to take out trash in the u.s. compared to other countries. it means that we are suffocating our earth and are far from living as sustainably as we should. we’ve all heard the words “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” but what exactly can we as college students do to lighten our trip to the trash chute and give mother earth a breather?

as college students, we have the power to change the world for the better. with a few minor change-ups in your weekly routine, you can help start this change and prove that living sustainably is achievable for even those stuck in a dorm. 

here are a few tips and tricks for college students to reduce their waste (and save some money)!

1. ditch the paper towels. we all need these to clean up the spilled easy mac in our microwave and to wipe up the coffee spilled on our laptops. but, paper towels will fill up your trash cans fast and at around $1.50 a roll, they’ll empty your pockets even quicker. pick up some wash cloths or kitchen towels at a nearby store for $5 and throw them in your weekly wash once they’ve cleaned up all your spills. bonus points if you let them air dry instead of using the drier!
2. ask your bartender to hold the umbrella. going out to get drinks with friends or to happy hour with coworkers is something we’ve all done. your regular fruity drink might come with umbrellas, a straw, and a plastic sword plunging through a maraschino. ask your bartender to hold the decorations and i promise that your drink will still taste the same. bonus points if you’re using a cloth napkin instead of a paper one!
3. pass on the plastic. if you typically grab a dasani for $2 in between classes to stay hydrated, this is your wake up call! you’re not only wasting money on water that is extremely similar from what you would get from your tap, but you’re also contributing to the approximately 19 billion pounds of plastic that clog our landfills. if you switch to a reusable water bottle, you’re saving yourself a lot of money and doing the oceans a favor. if you’re one of those people who likes to keep their water cold, there are reusable water bottles that insulate your beverage and prevent condensation from occurring outside of your bottle. “you’re welcome” in advance for saving your textbook from water damage!
4. fill your own box. each time you go to the dining hall to fill up a disposable container with food, mother nature sheds a tear. try bringing your own tupperware to the dining hall for your next meal. since it’s airtight, you can bring extra food home and save it for some midnight snacking. additionally, speak to the manager if you’re planning on doing this – many stores and hot food bars offer discounts if you use your own containers!

by taking these little steps and working on reducing your waste every day, you are inspiring others to do the same and making a world of change. good luck!

we have an easy suggestion for you — and it’s not a new concept by any means, but it’s one we all should really make an effort to do: make it a goal to always have a reusable bag on hand. carry at least one in your book bag, purse, backpack, car or bike pouch at all times. most are foldable and some pack up in their own carrying case, which means you really have no excuse.

why bother to make the (very small) effort? 

these days, some stores charge you a small fee for bags, while some give you a credit of a few cents for bringing your own. in most of the country, these fees are optional and at the discretion of retailers. but some counties, cities and states have passed laws mandating fees, like in the nation’s capital, which has had a bag tax in place since 2010, and hawaii, which is the first state to ban plastic bags — granted, at the county level, not by the state legislature. (oahu became the last populated island in the state to ban the bags as of july 1. though apparently there’s a bit of a loophole there.)

if a few pennies here and there is not enough motivation, take a look at the great pacific garbage patch. it’s a giant swath of plastic trash — literally too large for scientists to trawl to measure, according to national geographic. not all of this, obviously, is plastic bags. but it’s certainly part of the problem. beyond pollution, the danger extends to marine animals as well. 

bottom line? it’s way past time to ditch the plastic bag habit. solutions include:

• purchasing a reusable bag. some are made of recycled plastic bottles. (is that the “inception” of recycling — reusing a bag made of recycled materials?)
• making your own bags out of recycled materials. got an old t-shirt or 20?
• skipping a bag altogether. think about it: if you carried it up to the register in just your hands, do you really need a bag? 

another bonus of reusable bags is they are much sturdier than the disposable options from stores these days. so, save your expensive eggs from disaster.

just remember: reuse widely and wisely. and give those reusable bags a wash every now and then to avoid the risk of cross-contamination, too.