story by Felicia Brower
The amount of waste generated and put into our landfills each year is alarming.
What’s even more alarming is the amount of that waste that could be used again in a
new and different way. Upcycling, a phrase coined over 15 years ago, is the practice
of using materials generally looked at as waste and turning them into something
of equal or greater value. While this may sound a lot like recycling, it isn’t. When
things are recycled, they are sometimes “downcycled”, meaning they are made
into something of lesser value. For example, when plastic is recycled it is made
into lesser grade plastic; it’s still usable, but the value has decreased. When things
are upcycled, they are made into better products than their original materials.
This reduction of waste can result in a decrease in pollution and energy use for
raw material production. William McDonough and Michael Braungart popularized
upcycling in their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. The
book stressed the importance of using waste products for something else instead of
throwing them in the landfill.
One company taking upcycling by storm is TerraCycle. They have several products
on the market including reusable bags made from old plastic bags, juice pouches,
cookie wrappers, and t-shirts. The company pays smaller organizations to collect
these waste materials and also purchases post-industrial packaging from some
larger companies.
Rebagz is another company that has learned how to make a profit from upcycling.
Like TerraCycle, the company creates stylish handbags and purses from things like
candy wrappers and recycled rice sacks. The bags and purses are waterproof and
can last an extremely long time if taken care of.
Upcycling changes the way we think about waste by exemplifying the phrase “one
man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. By using what was once looked at as trash,
one could create something useful and prevent waste from reaching a landfill. One
of the best things about upcycling is that anyone can do it. Think you’re ready to
turn that trash into treasure? Here are some ideas to get you started.
Easy As Pie
Turn old CDs and DVDs into coasters.
Use empty glass bottles as fresh flower vases.
Organize your desk with empty aluminum cans as pencil holders.
A Little Elbow Grease Never Hurt Anyone
Turn old records into bowls.
Make new crayons from old broken ones.
Create frames from old jewel CD cases.
Ready to go pro?
Make a bathmat from old t-shirts or towels.
Use some old books to make “Invisible Bookshelves.