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BlogThink About Upcycling Before You Toss That “Treasure” Into Your Recycling Bin

Think About Upcycling Before You Toss That “Treasure” Into Your Recycling Bin

September 3, 2013

So many of us today are looking for ways that we can be more environmentally conscious, especially if that is possible without a complete lifestyle change. Now that many students are returning back to school, going green through reusing is a great initiative to start off the beginning of the fall season. If we could help reduce the amount of garbage that we are putting into our landfills, wouldn’t you like to take part in that effort?

We are starting to think about the 3 R’s more often these days, and many of us are Recycling by sorting our household garbage. We are Reducing the amount of waste we contribute by purchasing products with less packaging or by Reusing things we might have thrown out in the past.

What would you think about making something really beautiful or functional from something old or ready to be discarded? If you are a creative person and enjoy making things, we’d like to introduce you to the world of Upcycling.

Different Than Recycling

When we recycle metal, glass, plastic and paper, the materials are broken down and remade into something completely new. With Upcycling you are recreating and making something completely different with the material, without breaking it down. Upcycling is often more beneficial than recycling because you don’t need the added water and energy necessary to break down the material.

Upcycling Is Not New

Jelly Jars for coffee “Upcycling” is not a new concept as our grandparents were often “upcyclers” just by the ways in which they lived. The idea was to reuse everything and avoid throwing anything away. Many times old sheets or other fabrics were refashioned into clothes. Many of us can remember the jelly jars that were upcycled into drinking glasses when we were kids.

The Creative Aspect

Upcycle Jewelry While Upcycling is a great way to practice the 3 R’s, it is also an excellent outlet for the creative side of us. Items can also be remade into something really useful, like the old door that is sanded down and made into a dining table. In 3rd world countries, Upcycling is a normal way of life with much of their art, jewelry and woven baskets being made from reused materials.

The next time you start to toss something into your recycling bin, give it a second look. Perhaps it has a second life, just waiting for you to create it.