When you can’t recycle or repair, consider upcycling…
The intent of upcycling is to reuse something that would otherwise be thrown out. Upcyclers make old or discarded items into something useful, saving them from the landfill. It’s hip, it’s art, it’s eco-friendly; What more could you want?
Check out these upcycle examples:
This is just the tip of the iceburg! See the full list at greenmoxie.com and get inspired to turn ordinary stuff into radical and useful everyday items.
One thing I’ve found is that when you build something yourself you also take much more pride in it and you actually enjoy it more. And when you value stuff more, you waste less!
This effect is actually a real phenomenon and we can use it to our advantage as we sculpt our habits to help us become more eco friendly. Learn more about adding value to your stuff in this TED talk.
So next time you feel the need to buy something for your home, take a sec to browse the web and see if there’s a DIY upcycle tutorial that could help you repurpose an old bike into a towel rack or an office cabinet into a hip bookshelf. (I’ve provided a few resources to get you started below.)
And if you’re not a hands-on person, or just don’t have the time, check out an upcycle store near you. They’ve been popping up lately so there’s a good chance you can find one in your neighborhood.
Your Action Item
Add upcycle to your eco tool box along with reduce, repair, and recycle.
Start the cycle:
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Resources:
Check out this TED Talk about why we value cheap Ikea furniture more than other brands. Hint: it has to do with how difficult it is to put together.
From cork gnomes to shipping container houses, this site has upcycling covered.
Browse and shop upcycled products.
The title says it all…
upcycling is rather addictive….once you figure an alternative self-designed solution its quite satisfying. We often know what we need and will work in our lives better than store bought gadgets (I fittted/sewed basic small pouch pockets on the inside right front of my jog pants which hold keys and mp3 player if I run) My husband asked me one year was there anything I particularly needed/wanted for christmas and I had mentioned that I was half on the look out for some speakers for my mp3 player. and I nearly fell over when I got this. I love them. There were made from old speakers discarded in a shed, as well as a part of a brokden computer (volume control) and a 2nd hand suit-case. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/81401ccaf8b3bf5f190e67f9d33b309148bd327847ccc5e5bba5029f09715560.jpg
That is awesome!