RePurpose with MSU Surplus: DIY coffee mugs

Coffee mugs are the perfect holiday gift for the coffee or tea lover in your life. But instead of buying one that is already decorated, why not personalize it for your loved one? There are always tons of plain white mugs at the Surplus Store waiting to be turned into a treasured gift.

What you need: Coffee mugs
                         Tape (I used duct tape, but masking tape would work fine)
                         Oil based markers
Level of difficulty: Easy
Time: Less than 30 minutes

Step 1: Wash your mugs. You want to get all the dust and grime off so the paint sticks well to the mug.

Step 2: Choose your design. I decided to use a holiday themed design. It is easier to buy scrapbook stickers shaped in letters for this design but I cut mine out of duct tape I had laying around. I cut out the word "joy". You want to place your word wherever you think is the best spot and make sure the stickers are secure.

Step 3: Pick your colors. I originally wanted to use just red and green but I figured gold accents would make the colors pop.

 

Step 4: Time to decorate! This is the easy part. Just fill the entire mug with small dots of your colors. Once you are content with the way the mug looks, let it dry for 24 hours. Take the tape off, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Check out some other mugs I have made with the same technique, just different designs!

Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

Electric vehicles have been around for over one hundred years, starting as early as the mid 1800's. 


The first use of electric motor power was a "small drifter" with a mini electric motor and was built by Thomas Davenport in 1835. In 1838, Robert Davidson built an electric locomotive that could travel at four miles an hour. Meanwhile, some time between 1832 and 1839, Robert Anderson invented the first electric carriage. These three men contributed greatly to the electric vehicles we have today.  

Electric cars give a significance decrease in air pollution, greenhouse gas and less dependence on foreign oil. They don't have tailpipes and therefore don't emit pollutants. 

Miles Electric Vehicles was founded in 2004 by Miles Rubin. These vehicles were all-electric and primarily low-speed vehicles.  We have two 2007 Miles Electric vehicles for sale at the Surplus Store - one runs and one doesn't. One is a parts car because it can be difficult to find parts needed. 

HEV refers to hybrid electric vehicles, which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. Hybrid vehicles can reduce air emissions of smog-forming pollutants by up to 90 percent and cut carbon dioxide emissions in half.

We have a 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid for sale a the Surplus Store as well. 

Driving these environmentally friendly vehicles will serve a constant reminder about contributing to the earth's sustainability. 

Construction and Demolition Repurpose Ideas

            Michigan State University is always updating and improving campus buildings and grounds. So what happens to the construction and demolition waste materials when these jobs are completed? Fortunately, MSU Sustainability strives to recapture value from waste materials through various recycling and reclamation efforts, even going as far as sorting out dumpster bins to divert materials from the landfill.

The Surplus Store and Recycling Center takes sole responsibility for sorting and processing these materials to ensure maximum landfill diversion rates. Materials are sorted in hopes that the Surplus Store will be able to find good homes for the items. If no repurpose possibility is found, we try recycling the items, or worst case scenario, we are able to at least condense the materials by 60% capacity, saving on transportation costs and landfill trip charges. 




Some people may ask, "What are we supposed to do with the construction and demolition materials, like scrap wood, offered at the Surplus Store?" To which we would answer that there is an abundance of projects for which these types of materials can be used.  For instance, scrap wood can be used to create pallet furniture, raised bed gardens, lawn art, and much more. Let your imagination run wild!



For more ideas on what to make using MSU Surplus Store’s construction and demolition materials, be sure to check out our Pinterest boards exhibiting a wide selection of crafts and DIY projects.

          

          

Make Your Halloween Green!

Halloween is quickly approaching and here at the MSU Surplus Store, we encourage you to have a green and safe Halloween!

DIY costumes:

Costumes will be one of a kind; you could even incorporate your favorite shows characters as your kid’s Halloween costumes. Making your own costumes can help you reuse materials, save money, and make memories with your kids.

Use what you already own:

Those reusable shopping bags, pillow cases, or baskets you have laying around are perfect to collect Halloween candy in during Trick-or-Treating. The $3 pumpkin bucket at the store might seem like a good idea, but why not save money and use your resources when you can?

Arrange a costume swap in your community:

Costume swaps allow fewer resources used to make new costumes. It also means less packaging, less transportation of the product and less waste! This once again can save money and allow items to be reused.

Use those fall items in your composting pile:

Throw those leaves in your compost pile! You can also use your whole pumpkin this Halloween. Save the seeds for roasting as a great snack, use the pulp in pies, soup, or other recipes, and when the holiday is over, use them in your compost!

After the holiday is over, donate your costume to the Surplus Store! Instead of letting it go to waste, let other people reuse those fairy wings or pirate costume. If not, save them to be reused next year, just don’t throw them away. 

Bonus Friday Find-its

Good luck! --Joel

Friday Find-it for 5/30/14

Thanks for participating in the final Friday Find-it! This one is a little different from the last, but it promises to be just as fun.

The goal: Find Jabber Jaw in the pictures to win a prize!

Find him in any one (1) picture to earn a special Michigan State University sticker, or find him in any three (3) pictures to get a free cup of Dairy Store ice cream and get a picture with JJ during Public Sale hours on Friday, June 6, before he is retired for good. Here are the full instructions, if you're new to the game or need a reminder.

Entries are due by 6pm on Thursday, June 5. Send us a Facebook message with your submission (or questions). Good luck!

Image 1:

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Image 2:

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Image 3:

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Image 4:

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Image 5:

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Book and Clothing sales every month!

UPDATED with summer sale days!

Clothing Sales

Tuesday, May 13, 7:30am-5:30pm

Friday, May 16, 7:30am-3:30pm

Tuesday, Jun. 10, 7:30am-5:30pm

Friday, Jun. 13, 7:30am-3:30pm

Tuesday, Jul. 8, 7:30am-5:30pm

Friday, Jul. 11, 7:30am-3:30pm

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 7:30am-5:30pm

Friday, Aug. 8, 7:30am-3:30pm

A special selection of clothes will be prepared near the Customer Pick-Up area (through the bay door) for the prices below on Tuesday, and then reduced prices on Friday. After the Friday sale day, all remaining clothes will be donated to a nonprofit, and a new selection will be prepared for the next month's sale.

T-shirts $.25

Sweaters $.50

Hoodies $2

Skirts $1

Dresses $2

Pants $1

Shoes $1

Coats $3

Blankets $3

Book Sales

Tuesday, May 27, 7:30am-5:30pm

Friday, May 30, 7:30am-3:30pm

Tuesday, Jun. 24, 7:30am-5:30pm

Friday, Jun. 27, 7:30am-3:30pm

Tuesday, Jul 22., 7:30am-5:30pm

Friday, Jul 25., 7:30am-3:30pm

Tuesday, Aug. 19, 7:30am-5:30pm

Friday, Aug. 22, 7:30am-3:30pm

On Tuesdays, a special selection of books will be prepared near the Customer Pick-Up area (through the bay door) for $.50 per book. On Fridays, the same selection will be $.25 per book. After the Friday sale day, all remaining books will recycled, and a new selection will be prepared for the next month's sale.