Decorate Your Outdoors with…Bus Brakes?
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 06.27.06
We love when designers come up with really cool ideas for outdoor living spaces, better yet, when those ideas include recycled products. Industrial Evolution, founded by Howard Sneider and Will Machin, is a company located in Providence, RI (and even better yet, when they’re in our own backyard) that is dedicated to our environment by making waste products into functional products. As sculptors, Howard and Will say they are overwhelmed by the numbers of any given industrial waste product. While they could use all of it to make sculptures, they’ve decided to put their talents to use by creating products that are functional products. The website states: “We see creative reuse not only as an environmental good, but also to exercise the ability to re-imagine the materials that make up the world around us.” Their specialty seems to be transforming discarded city bus brake drums into long lasting beautiful planters. We imagine these planters can be used indoors or out and are pretty indestructible. Unfortunately merchandise cannot be ordered through their website, however, they do provide an address for ordering information. ::Industrial Evolution
Looks pretty cool. I would be worried about what I might be bringing into my yard,however. Would want to be sure that asbestos from old brakes and other hazards were not present.
Those are really neat looking! I wonder where you can get them, and if they cost money. And, like Jim said, are there any bad things coming into the yard from them. I think you could wash them though and maybe treat them with some sort of coating to keep anything from getting out.
Old high top sneakers and work boots also make very cool, conversation-starter planters anyone can do. Actually you could probably use any shoe that has a few too many holes in it to be of use. It's a great "resuse" idea I learned from a farmer years ago before it was fashionable.