Disposing of Debris for Recycling

As much as we tried we had to get rid of some stuff like partition walls and broken floor tiles. When clearing materials like this it’s important to dispose of them correctly. Here in Barcelona they have a bag service system where you buy 1 m3 bags, fill them with your waste and the company will come and pick them up to dispose of it properly. The price of the picking-up is included in the price you pay for each bag. It has the phone number printed on the bag so all you have to do is call them up for them to collect it. This avoids people dumping rubbish in illegal places. When looking for debris bags, make sure they reuse their bags, minimizing waste. Also check with them what they actually do with the waste they collect. We found ‘Los Sacos Marrones’ (The Brown Sacks), a company that reuse their bags and recycle (in construction for example) most of their waste.

Debris deriving from construction generates 136 million tons of waste per year, which is 1 kilo of debris per person per day, making it one of the biggest environmental problems of the planet. [via TreeHuggerTV]

(images from Ecologístas Valle de Alcudia)

Reusing what we have

Reusing is one of the 5 Rs in eco-design, so before we chuck everything out we are trying to use as much as we can from the flat or find second uses for certain materials.
Here the things we can reuse:

• the bathtub as bathtub
We managed to take the bathtub out of its previous location without breaking it and will now relocate it to where we will put the new bathroom. There was a risk that the bathtub will crack especially when it sits in a lot of cement but try to convince your builder that it’s worth a try, not just for the money but to avoid unnecessary landfill.

• the floorboards as shelves
The floorboards from the previous bathroom turned out to be quite nice wood (in need for some loving care) and we are thinking of using it as shelving.

• interior doors and windows as furniture
The little window belonging to the previous bathroom can be easily restored and used as cupboard doors for example on self-made furniture. Big doors and be made into tables, shelves,…

• wooden french windows and doors
These we will restore, fit with double glass and add insulation. This way we keep the original aesthetics and save the material.

SOUL Solar Oven available for the Rull3 Community

SOUL = Sun | Oven | Ultra | Light

Last weekend we took part in the Foundation Terra’s SOUL solar oven workshop and built a solar oven which will live in our flat but is available for everyone in the building to borrow and cook delicious meals with the sun on the communal and very sunny terrace. The idea is to bring friends together and make time to cook and eat together whilst using alternative energy. For more information on the SOUL solar oven visit TreeHugger or the maker’s web site directly: Cuisine Solaire (in French only). Many thanks to Pierre-Jacques for helping building the solar oven and to the Terra Foundation for their collaboration once again.

The Eco-Move

Yesterday we moved our boxes to the new flat and managed it without any CO2 but had a lot of fun instead.
For an eco-move you need: reused cardboard boxes, a pulley, a rope, gloves, drinking water, a super-bike, friends & beers.

Check out the video of the Eco-Move here!

Special thanks to:
EspaiBici for lending us their fantastic transporter-bike and to Manolo and Jordi from the Terra Foundation for driving it across old Barcelona; to Sergio for helping with the organising and getting the pulley system working and squeaking, to Leonora for taking the pictures, to Anna, Pierre-Jacques, Ben, Luis and Richard for their hard work and to Albert and Abel from TV3 for their interest… we’ll be on TV! Their series A Ritme de Pedal (to the rhythm of the pedal) the bike as way of transport) starts June 10th every Saturday 8.30pm on TV3.
EspaiBici's Super-Bike





from the old flat to the new flat with TV3

Big day for Triodos, big day for us!

This morning, Triodos Bank celebrated the opening of their second branch in Spain, after Madrid, in Barcelona. An informative organic breakfast was called upon where the press was received by the general director, Esteban Barroso and the director of Catalonia, Joan Antoni Melé.

It is not without pride that we can tell you that they finished just on time to make it down to the solicitors and sign with us the mortgage for our flat! We archived an ethical mortgage thanks to Triodes who took time to listen to what the R3project really is about and who decided to collaborate with us. Thank you Isabel, Esteban and Joan. We now have the key and the flat is ours, let’s make it happen.

Triodos Bank is a pioneering force in the world of sustainable banking.
It aims to help achieve a more decent, dignified and kinder society and a world that respects people, the environment and different cultures.
Triodos Bank finances companies, institutions and projects that add cultural value and benefit people and the environment, with the support of depositors and investors who want to encourage the development of socially responsible and innovative business.
Triodos Bank's approach takes account of people, planet and profit to deliver a positive return over the long term. This social, ethical and financial approach is expressed in the Triodos name itself. Triodos - 'tri hodos' - is translated from the Greek as 'three-way approach'.
In essence, Triodos Bank aims to offer its customers both sustainable financial services and products and a good service. [From Triodos]