People are becoming increasingly aware of the importance to protect and preserve the environment for future generations. In the fast paced atmosphere of living in the large cities and metro suburbs we are more conscious of excessive waste.
This has become a throwaway society. It is time to stop tossing everything and become examples to our children by recycling, reclaiming, and repurposing anything we can in order to preserve a quality of life and save our environment.
Upcycling is the new repurposing
Upcycling should not be confused with recycling. William McDonough and Michael Braungart coined the term Upcycling in their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. They compared “upcycling” to the “downcycling” of recycling a plastic.
- Recycling is “downcycling” and involves chemical transformation procedures that takes an item and targets it for reuse as something else; old plastic bottles can be turned into a fabric, metal can be melted down to be made into metal tiles. When plastic bottles are recycled, they usually cannot be turned back into food or drink containers since contaminants can seep into the plastic during the process. These plastic bottles will be recycled into items like carpets and toys; things that will eventually also become trash. This returns it back to the cycle of daily contribution to society prolonging the time that it will eventually end up in the dump.
- Repurposing is “upcycling” and involves no chemical transformation; it is a process that can be eternally repeated, continually returning materials back to a usable form keeping them perpetually out of the dump. Upcycling is taking waste and making it into something that has equal or greater use or value, maintaining or improving the quality of the materials.
Use your imagination to Upcycle items to decorate the abode with
- Books can actually be upcycled and made into an attractive shelf, stacked to be used as an end table, or used to build a bar or counter.
books simply stacked to use as end table
- Old boots, shoes, tea cups, and tires can be upcycled into pretty planters.
- A bench can be upcycled into a coffee table.
a bench repurposed as a coffee table
- Upcycle an old luggage rack into a new end table.
luggage rack and vintage suitcase as end table
- Metal trays can be upcycled into magnetic memo boards hung on the wall.
- Use old luggage upcycled into a pet bed or table.
- Old crates look cool upcycled into an end table.
- Make a shelf from an upcycled skateboard.
skateboard made into shelf
- Old Doors are upcycled into desktops and dining tables.
an old wood door repurposed as a tabletop
- Use books upcycled as an attractive headboard.
- Wine bottle corks are popular to upcycle into a cork board.
wine corks upcycled into a cork board
Upcycling can be fun and challenging. Except the challenge and enhance the abode’s décor while helping the environment. Challenge everyone in the household to come up with their own upcycled piece. Life can be exciting when you think outside of the box so never be afraid to dance!
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