This week, we’d like to share with you a little project we’ve come across: Ikea Hackers. As the name suggests, Ikea Hackers is about the modification and repurposing of mass produced Ikea products. There’s a real trend in this kind of behaviour at the moment (you might remember our post about repurposed furniture last month) and we love the idea of challenging the Ikea assembly code to create something unique and personal.

The reasons for using reclaimed materials go beyond simply being ecological. If you’ve done any renovating lately, you’ll have noticed how expensive certain building materials have become. It’s also much easier now to source reclaimed materials with many companies and websites now supporting the trade.

The warmer weather is a signal of many pleasant things to come - backyard barbeques, long walks at night, flowers blooming in the garden… And then of course there’s the spring cleaning. Even though it’s a chore, you can’t deny that it feels pretty good to dust away the cobwebs of winter and begin spring with a clean start. When you do your 2012 spring clean, aim for a healthy, eco friendly approach with some of the products we recommend below.

As convenient as it may be to simply drag your old furniture out to the curb on garbage day, it’s hardly ecological and you may even be missing out on a profit, or the opportunity to help someone in need. There are countless options available when it comes to getting rid of your old junk, and yet that sometimes makes it all the harder to know where to go. The range of stuff we have and all the environmental, health and safety restrictions on off-loading can make it seem all too complicated. However, it really is worth taking a few minutes to scan through your list of options before you resort to the dump. Check out our breakdown of options in Ottawa below.

Are you feeling the chill right now? Chances are, there’s at least a few things you can change in your home to help keep the heat in, and your energy bill low. If you’re not ready to invest in any home improvements just yet, there are a number of changes that you can make without spending any money upfront. So cozy up with a blanket, and check out our list below.

I was recently surprised to discover that on average, the appliances and electronics that we think are “off” are actually costing each of us hundreds of dollars a year in energy consumption. All those standby modes on your oven, kettle, microwave, digital box etc., are squeezing more juice than you think. This triggered me into thinking about the energy consumption of my home and what else I could improve. If you’ve been thinking lately about improving the energy consumption of your home, there’s never been a better time to do it.

When working on a kitchen, bathroom or basement renovation, LindenCraft will try to take discarded items which a family no longer wants to a needy family, or to Habitat for Humanity or to an appropriate recycling facility. In doing this, the amount of renovation garbage is greatly reduced.

A Family in Need

For an appliance which still works, or a window, a door, or a patio door, etc., LindenCraft will take this item to a family whom we know has a need. In many circumstances, we then install the item at no cost to the family as our way of giving back to the community. Any scrap metal which is not of use for the renovation will go to a company with whom we deal with regularly.

Habitat for Humanity

LindenCraft will take most other gently used items to Habitat for Humanity because they will be resold at the Re Store to fund their building of affordable homes. This store has various items available. Many of the donated items are either new or gently used. People planning on making just a few changes in their home may find what they need at the Re Store. Flooring, paint, doors, counter tops, cupboards, counter tops, fixtures, windows, seasonal products are just a few examples of the items which are available.

The Ottawa Area Recycles

The city of Ottawa and surrounding areas pick up numerous items at the end or your driveway for recycling. Ottawa does not accept refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, air conditioners, freezers, hot water tanks, dryers, or washers. Instead these items can be taken to a local appliance recycler. LindenCraft can help with this as part of a renovation project.

Window or glass can be recycled by the city. It is recommended that the glass items should be packaged and labelled “glass” so that the workers picking up your recycling are not placed in danger of cutting themselves.

If you are outside the boundaries of Ottawa, you and your renovator will need to investigate to determine what is acceptable for recycling in your area.

Landfill....The Last Resort

When it is not possible to reuse or recycle then LindenCraft will place these items into the garbage or take them directly to the waste depot or landfill. Some requirements may need to be met before certain items can go to the depot. For example, a certified technician must remove the coolant from air conditioners, fridges, and freezers. Then the technician must place a sticker on the appliance indicating that the coolant has been removed. When this is done the appliance may be taken to the appropriate landfill site.

Accumulating trash is the very last resort for LindenCraft but for some items it is the only choice. Our preference is to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Are you interested in having LindenCraft do your next renovation? Call us at 613-226-2057 or send us an email. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it