Ask SuperForest: SuperForester Frank Needs a Carbon Fiber Tank!

Good Morning SuperForest!

We just got in a question from SuperForester Frank, who writes:

"(Dear SuperForest,)

Where can I obtain carbon fibre bottles as on Jem Stansfield's bike? Please
see attached photo.

-Frank"

(This appears to be Frank himself astride his own homebrew compressed air motorbike.)

Dear Frank!

What a marvelous question!
We had nearly forgotten about good ol' Jem Stansfield and his miraculous air-bike. Thank you for jostling the memory.

Firstly, where can you get the tanks?

Here are some we've found:

New: Remote Medical
Used: A bunch on ebay

We think ebay should have you covered and provide a significant discount, however, it's not everyday that you purchase what is essentially a potential explosive, especially one that is lovingly cradled between your legs.

Maybe you wanna go with the full warranty on this item and scrimp on everything else. Think of the future.

And what of Mr. Stansfield? What of his wonderful vehicle?



As you can see, Jem is up to a great number of compressed-air-related shennanigans, (and how many folks can one say that about?)

Jem is using his powerful intellect for more than just vehicle design, he's also working on ways to feed and cook for large numbers of people using only the sun.



So, as you can see Jem's become a bit of a TV star. Good for him, because he's a massive celebrity to us here at SuperForest.

Here's is Jem's "Planet Mechanics" show site.

Good luck to you, Jem Stansfield, wherever you are and whatever you're up to.

And thank you to Frank, for his thought provoking question.

Got a question you need answerin'?

Ask SuperForest.

Ask SuperForest: Christine's Question!

Good Morning SuperForest!

We've just received a question from SuperForester Christine:

"Dear SuperForest,

Hello! How are you? I love your blog!

So, I've got a bit of a dilemma and hope you can help. I'm a busy working single mom who is in need of streamlining my dining. I'm a dutiful recycler and re-user, but am finding that I'd like to eliminate the need for that by simply using smarter products. So, I'm in search of something that can allow me to store food in batches that can be easily reheated. Here's wherein my challenge lies because I'd like in this food container:

1) no plastic, I'm tired of so much of it around

2) lightweight, for on the go

3) varied sizes, for different yummy things

4) freezer-capable, to use later

5) oven-capable, I don't own a microwave

I reuse my plastic take-out containers, but then have to scoop that food into oven-ready dishes, then serve onto our dish ware, and that's just a lot of dishes and wasted energy! My poor hands! Anyway, my desire is to be able to cook and prepare nice healthy foods for myself and my daughter, which I can then store (be it a couple days or weeks), pop in the oven, serve or sometimes eat from, then wash and repeat!

Hope you can help!

Your biggest fan,

Christine Norrie
New York, New York


PS. Is it also too much to ask that it be designed nicely as well?"

Christine!

Thank you for your question. I'm sure that by now a lot of folks have heard about the potential for plastic packaging to introduce some interesting chemicals into ones body, and are wondering about the safety of their food storage containers.

We think we have an elegant, long lasting, and beautifully designed solution:







Sanctus Mundo is a Korean company that makes a wide variety of glass and stainless steel food containers. Yes, they are manufactured and shipped from Korea, but once here, they will last a long time and mitigate the use of many plastic containers.

Here's the pdf of the entire line.

Sanctus Mundo's products are imported by lifewithoutplastic.com and are available through their website.

U haz questionz? We haz anserz! Ask SuperForest

Ask SuperForest: Carolyn's Question!

Good Morning SuperForest!

We have received a question from SuperForester Carolyn:

"Hi Jackson and Co.

I'm Carolyn and I read your blog multiple times a day... admittance is the first step to recovery, right? However, I don't wish to recover from reading Superforest anytime soon.

Let's get down to business. I'm in dire need of a costume idea. In the past I've had some pretty stellar homemade Halloween costumes, but for some reason I'm having a brain-block this season...

So, details... Ummm, I'm in college so naturally I have little money to spend on extravagant's. I don't play the half naked costume game. And I'd really like to be the most eco-friendly trick or treater on my block.

Any ideas ya'll have would be much much much appreciated. Thankssssss!

Kindly,
Carolyn"

Dear Carolyn,

Thank you for your excellent question.
Thanks to our friend, the internet, the "sweet recycled Halloween costume" meme is in full effect.

A quick search reveals some very tasty morsels!
Morsels like this cardboard crocodile:



Or Umbrella Bat!



Oooooo! Or the CloroxBot!



Cardboardy Lego Overlords! Kachoowwww!




Between MAKE, instructables, and a google search, there is a world of recycled costume opportunities at your fingertips.

Here's a gallery of recycled costumes from dailygreen.

Papier-mache is also very cheap and easy to do, and most grocery stores and bakeries have old flour that they would otherwise be throwing away.

Here's a amazingly brief video showing how to make a very sophisto-looking wolf mask:



I really love papier-mache! You can do anything with it. It is remarkably strong and forgiving, and you can finish the surface any way you like.

Give it a spin.

Here's a very cool Joker mask made using air-dry clay and papier-mache together:



We hope that this inspires everyone at home to give making their own costumes a try.
Fun, easy, and good for the environment.

Thank you for your question, Carolyn.

Have a safe and happy Halloween everybody!

Love,

Team SuperForest



Got questions? Ask SuperForest!

Ask SuperForest: Iman's Question!

Yay! Our second question for Ask SuperForest, this one from SuperForester Iman:

"Howdy Superforesters!
I just realized you guys had an advice column. Its really perfect that the universe threw your email my way because oddly enough, I need advice.

I'm really involved in an Environmental club at my school and we recycle every Friday, but for some reason, I guess high school kids aren't that into recycling on their Friday afternoons. So I really have two questions, first, do you have any suggestions for methods of luring kids into recycling? (haha) And second, do you have any suggestions for an environmental club in general? Anything goes! I just want to make the club as radical as is humanly possible! Thanks a lot friends.
Keep it funky,

-Iman"

A truly great question.

Needing a bit of clarification, we wrote this to Iman:

"Iman,

We have a huge number of responses to your question!

But first, we need to ask a few things:
How does the club work? Who runs it? How many members does it have?
Do you make any money from recycling?
Is any sort of credit given for taking part in the club? Is that a possibility?
What is the club currently called?

Let us know.

-Team SuperForest"

Iman replied:

"That's so wonderful!

1. We meet up every Friday afternoon to recycle but we do meet often during lunch; It is run by us students and our leader is open to any ideas we come up with; We have about ten at the moment
2. We make about 100 dollars a week from recycling
3. Well...as for "credit" we get listed in the yearbook and we get t-shirts, I'm not entirely sure if that answers the question...
4. We are simply called the "Environmental Club", a little boring so if you have any ideas that'd be great! I really want to start a branch of the club that refers to "What we're saving!" Because we tend to focus so much on trying to save our forests that we never get out there and enjoy them. So if you're all in a sort of naming mood, we also need a name for the branch that would direct hikes and those sort of outdoor activities.

Thanks very much Jackson and all you lovely SuperForesters, I know that this will make the club even better than it already is, nonetheless generate interest in it. This happens to be "club week" at my school so the timing could not have been better. The Universe never ceases to amaze me.

Keep it funky,
Iman."

Okay, let's get answerin'!

Iman,

Firstly we'd like to congratulate you on your energy and involvement in the "Environmental Club." It is a great and noble thing to give your time to building a better present.

All of Team SuperForest recieved a copy of your question and our answers vary from person to person. (Iman will receive the full email chain of our compiled answers.)

Our many answers had a few points of convergence and here they are:

"How to "lure" kids into recycling?"


Step One: Sell it.

Firstly, sometimes people have negative reactions to words like "environmental," "recycling," and the like. Fine, call it something else.

"Environmental Club" could just as easily be named "Future Resource Captains" or "Materials for Profit," or "Trash for Cash" or something that appeals more to people's sense of worth. Be creative. If Environmental Club whiffs too strongly of "green" or "hippie," then call it something else.

This is a great opportunity to be flexible and rethink your branding!

I mean, you're taking something that people have designated as worthless (trash) and you're sifting through it and "revaluing" it. Their trash becomes your profit. A name that plays on this sense of rediscovery is great. You're practically treasure hunters!

Calling your club "Treasure Hunters Inc." would do a lot more to fire people's imaginations than Environmental Club. You get what we're saying? Make it appealing.


"Any suggestions for an environmental club in general?"


Step Two: Advertise it.

You know what is free right now? Starting your own blog.

Treasure Hunters Inc. The Blog!

Go on blogger, or wordpress, or any other blog-hosting site and get your blog started ASAP.

This will serve a huge variety of functions. It will allow you to get info about your club into the world in a searchable manner. It will let you keep tabs on your members, and allow your members to communicate amongst themselves. It will start a snowball of networking and information generation that you can use to your benefit.

This blog can last and last and last. Imagine handing down the reigns of the Treasure Hunters blog to a younger generation of students, who in turn can use it to generate influence and change. Very powerful stuff. Then it wasn't just a club, but rather, the beginning of a LEGACY.

Start a blog, let people know what you're doing and how they can play along.

This will also be a great asset if you decide to team up with local businesses and get into some serious environmentalism, as they can check you out online, see who you are, email you, etc.

Which leads us to...


Step Three: Redefine Environment.

As an environmental club, it is imperitive that you retake the meaning of the word "environment." As we say in the SuperForest Humanifesto, the environment is everything that disappears when you close your eyes.

It would send a powerful message to your fellow students if one focus of your club was on your school itself. Particularly it's grounds and buildings!

Look around you. That squeaky step? Talk to the janitor or maintenance staff about getting it fixed. Blog about "Mission Squeaky Step." Take pictures. Interview the maintenance crew. Post it all. Most importantly, get that step fixed.

Take the responsibility of the look of your school onto yourselves and see what happens.

All of a sudden you go from a fringe group who digs through trash to the amazing Treasure Hunters who fixed the step, painted the walls, planted those new apple trees in the quad, worked with other students to make cool new recycling bins, got the principal to make detention about sweeping the front walk, etc.

And your new blog will allow you to reach out to local hardware stores or nurseries and perhaps convince them to donate goods or services. Stores always have surplus, and giving that surplus to a needy cause (i.e. you.) is a win for everybody.

Set yourselves a list of things that you don't like about the environment of your school and one by one work to make them better. And blog, blog, blog! Let the undecideds check you out online and follow your exploits, thrill at your progress.


Step Four: Celebrate.

One of the best quotes I've ever heard about revolution is this: "If there isn't going to be dancing, then count me out of your revolution."

So, we must have some dancing!

You say that Friday is the day you meet up to recycle. That's kind of a game killer. Who wants to stay after school on Friday?

What we suggest is this: If it's possible, can the recycling component of your activities be handled on a "little bit each day" basis? As in, can you recycle a bit each weekday and save your
Fridays to meet up, discuss the weeks adventures, and hopefully celebrate your successes?

You're making money from your efforts. Make sure that you're using it to encourage your team. Get some movies! Pop some corn! You've worked hard all week, and you should allow yourselves to blow off steam. Watching the Planet Earth documentary series while you take turns blogging is a grand and fine way to pass an afternoon.

We here at SuperForest would very much like to see your blog up and running by the end of Oct. if not sooner. (Then we can link to it! And you to us! The snowball continues rolling!)

Furthermore, we pledge to help in any way we can. Whether it's blogging tech support, or further questions you may have, or just a compassionate ear to listen to your woes, SuperForest will be there to help support you and ensure that you succeed.

You have the tools and the talent.

Good on you, Iman.

Love to you and your club.

Sincerely,

Team SuperForest



p.s. Got questions? Trust in the genius of the collective!
Send your questions to asksuperforest(at)gmail(dot)com.

SuperForester Spoon Presents: Daughtry - What About Now

Hey Yo!

A few weeks back, we started Ask SuperForest, our very own advice column.
Our first (and currently only) question came from SuperForester Spoon in Florida.

(You can read his question and our answer right here.)

Today, Spoon sent in his first post!

Hey everyone!

My name is James but most people refer to me as Spoon. I stumbled across Superforest a few months ago through Jason Mraz's site (not unlike some other folks out there) and have been hooked ever since.

I am a student as well as a musician and employee. I love anything that has to do with music, reading, films and especially things that have to do with Florida.

I was born and raised in the Sunshine State, which is still hurting in some areas because of the recent Tropical Storm Fay. So when I found Daughtry's "What About Now" video I was personally touched because of what is happening to thousands of people across this state, several of whom I personally know.

If you ever find yourself asking, "What can I do to make a difference?" The answer is simple: You ARE the difference. You ARE the change.

Get out there and create some good vibes, you will be surprised to see just how many you get back in return :)

I hope everyone is having a happy Monday and may the sun shine down you all!

Sincerely,

Spoon

Sadly, the video has embedding disabled. No matter, click on any above picture to see it on youtube.

Awesome!

Great first post, Spoon!

And if you've got a question you'd like Team SuperForest to answer, email asksuperforest@gmail.com. Yes, do!

Ask SuperForest: S's Question

Good Morning!

Last week we started our very own advice column: Ask SuperForest.

Our first question has come in!

"Hey guys!

First let me say that since I have discovered your site (through Jason Mraz's, as is the case with other people), I have been, taught, entertained, and inspired to try to be more "Superforesty". I have recently become a vegetarian and try only to buy local food and products. I have also make an active attempt to eliminate unnecessary waste from my day-to-day living. So far, things have been going great and I cannot wait to tell others how to be more conscientious of their decisions.

Which leads me to my question: Do you know of any local groups or sites that are similar to yourselves? I live in Orlando, Florida and would like to help contribute to a group in my general area. I recently joined my local farmer's co-op and plan on volunteering with them but I would also like to find a blog or something similar that I can help with. Have you ever thought of local branches of SuperForest? I think something like that would be a great way for individuals across the country to help contribute to their local communities. It is something I have been thinking of since visiting your blog and would like to know your thoughts since you all have been doing this a lot longer than I have.

Thanks for your time and effort in everything you all are doing, and good luck on all future endeavors!

Sincerely,
S."

S's question came in and Team SuperForest has spent a week discussing it, and here is our reply:

Dear S,

Firstly, let us say thank you so very much for your kind words about SuperForest.
Sadly, we don't really know of any local groups in the Orlando area who are doing exactly what we do here at SuperForest.

So here is our solution.

We cordially invite you, S, to join Team SuperForest!

We would love it if you joined our Team, learned to speak SuperForest, and then began the Florida arm of SF.

This past year has been one of extraordinary growth. SuperForest has gone from a one-person blog to a many-person site, with writers and contributors all over the world.

What we'd very much like to see is for the "Home Office" to remain what it is, but for every state in the U.S. to have it's own local SuperForest where sustainably-minded folk could meet, post news about local events, makes each other laugh, fall in love, grow and thrive, find happiness, etc.

So S, join our Team, learn and grow with us, and then sally forth into the great wild world with our full support to start superforest.org/florida. Create your own local Team SuperForest, organize events, celebrate ingenuity and promote inspiration and communication among your fellow Floridians and the rest of the world.

This would make us beyond happy.

For you've come to recognize a need in your neighborhood for some SuperForest-style thinking and if it doesn't exist, you must create it yourself.

We'd be very excited to help you do that.

Think about what we've said and we will post you the email chain/discussion that lead up to our reply.

Cordially yours and hoping this finds you well,

Team SuperForest.

Ask SuperForest!

Hello All,

Do you ever find yourself in a situation, and start thinking: "I wonder what SuperForest would do?"

You have questions! We have answers!

No question is too big, no query too small.

Simply send your questions in to: asksuperforest(at)gmail(dot)com. (Replace the "at & dot"with their punctuational counterparts)

Here's what will happen:

1.) Team SuperForest (Jackson, Niki, Taylor, Jaell, Julius, April, Spoon, Jordan, Carla, & Iman) will each receive a copy of your question.

2.) Each Team member will provide a solution, a potential reply.

3.) All replies will be collected and distilled into a single answer.

4.) You will receive your answer.

Trust in the collective genius of the collective.

Send all questions to: asksuperforest(at)gmail(dot)com

(All questions will be posted along with our reply. Names will be anonymized. If you do not want your question posted, simply say so.)