One of my favorite places to scavenge in Berkeley is Urban Ore, 3-acres full of well-organized used goods. Whether its vintage, old or just plain rubbish, you can find it here. Well this trip, I not only found a great chair for my place, but a time machine! aww suki suki. (sold as-is of course.) If you’re in the area, you definitely need to stop by, its a photographer’s and pack rat’s dream.

With the holiday season in full effect, its time to get serious about gifting. So while you’re at it, why not do something good by purchasing sustainable gifts? RenewPurpose is an online retailer of recycled rice bag wallets, messenger bags and purses that not only look great, but support a great cause. Each product is handmade by the locals in Cambodia that have been taught by organizations to make a living for themselves instead of putting their children on the street to hawk books, drugs, etc. The workers creating the products are often paid well above the local average for their services. And the products don’t come from sweat shops or massive factories on the outskirts of town. Its about helping parents develop the skills to provide for their families to ensure their self reliance. Do good. Feel good.

Thanks to the kind folks at RenewPurpose, I got a rice bag wallet and think its just peachy. They also come in candy wrappers and khmer newspaper prints. Neat! See more here. And shipping is free until 1/1/2009.