What would the first ladies of yesteryear say if they knew Michelle Obama has decorated the White House with trash? Considering the "trash" is actually two repurposed whimsical and vibrant chandeliers, beautiful and quirky enough to be selected and sold by Anthropologie, we’re thinking the former queens of the White House, whether design hounds or conservationists, would approve. Placed in the first daughters’ rooms, these colorful and carefully edited amalgamations of found objects, pieces of recycled plastic and everyday junk had their humble beginnings across the Atlantic. Magpie, a small socially conscious art collective in bucolic Barrydale, South Africa, created the Obama chandelier, and many others like it, out of recycled materials, much of which is brought in by Barrydale locals. On our side of the globe, Magpie has made quite a rumble with their inspirational handcrafted home goods and art. We recently caught up with Shane A. Petzer, founder of Magpie and social entrepreneur, to talk about the inspiration behind the art collective and their work. read more

Going green is red hot and can be done in almost every area of your life, including your gadgetry. I've complied a handful of tech that, if used, would help contribute to making the world a much healthier place for, among others, my four-year-old son, Jack. read more