An Inventor (I Know) & Starbucks Recycle

 {The cheerful Starbucks at Forest Heights in Portland, Oregon}

Let me tell you a tale of an inventor I know and a new recycling bin...

(the start of the bin, Ryan to the right}

The inventor is my Brother-In-Law Ryan, and these pics are from my Portland, Oregon trip last month.

{Laura and her mother cleaned all the recycled straws and cups used in the bin}

The recycling bin was the brainchild of Laura Kutner, a barista at Starbucks and a Peace Corps volunteer who worked in Guatemala.

{bottles in a framework of metal and chicken wire, and the finished building}

In Granados, Guatemala, Laura helped build two beautiful classrooms of plastic bottles, adapting a technique started by Pura Vida Atitlan.  The children of the school had to collect the bottles and fill them with plastic trash for strength. They cleaned up so much trash, they had to search in neighboring communities! Here's a link to an ABC News story on her inspired project.

{my Nephew J got in the act}

Laura wanted to encourage more people to recycle their plastic cups at Starbucks, and dreamed up the idea of a recycling bin made of recycled bottles. "I had never built a trash can out of bottles before," Laura said, "but I figured if we could do a school and other structures, a trash can couldn't be too difficult."

{the team in action}

My inventor brother-in-law helped on the project. "Ryan graciously said he would help," Laura says, "and he added so many wonderful ideas, (not to mention his time, tools, and expertise!) that made this recycle bin that much more fantastic.  The idea to cover the threaded rods with straws, as well as the double magnetic lid, was all his idea, and it makes the bin that much more functional and aesthetically pleasing!"

{Ryan, me, and the almost finished bin}

I loved this Earth Day project! Congrats to Laura and Ryan and everyone who helped, and a reminder to all to recycle that plastic!

...and look for GIVEAWAYS on my blog soon of two of Ryan's fantastic inventions!

Loretta