This Upcycling Thing is Actually Good for You!

Better Come UP with a Better UPcycling Idea!

There’s two ways to recycle: Downcycle and Upcycle. Downcycling is recycling materials or products into materials of lesser quality and upcycling is recycling materials or products into materials that are of better quality. Though these are the two main ways of recycling, most to all recycling involves converting or extracting the more beneficial parts of a product to create a different product for better usage instead of waste. There’s even something that exist where glass can be crumbled into cement and thicken the consistency to make cement bricks for home. Even the smallest of small and largest of things can be changed and better used. It doesn’t take much to paint, add buttons, or refurbish furniture or cut clothes – but thicker more raw materials take a little bit more work. Either way it can be done. Countries like Europe are looking forward to the future of “waste recycling” by crumbling parts of wasted concrete and mixing it with other handmade brick to create new and elongate the use of concrete. In short the use of new materials from old ones can reduce the amount of energy used, air pollution, water pollution, and even greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Not only is this a great way to contribute to the health of the Earth, this is a step in the right direction in order to create a healthier and cleaner culture where products can have a cycle of life and not just end after one use. Just like plastic bottles, many of those bottles and other plastics are mixed together with other to make a new hybrid. This new plastic can also be used lumber applications and other new materials. The only thing is the new plastic is made more limber which can make it weaker. In the same light, richer countries have welcomed upcycling where poorer ones have not taken the initiative so quickly. Poorer countries are those that need to reuse/recycle products that are discarded more often and would benefit from upcycling.

It’s said that people in developing countries have been upcycling for years and intend to continue to upcycle and spread the uses and alternatives. “If upcycling is going to become mainstream, then the corporate world needs to see that it can be profitable,” said Albe Zakes, spokesman of U.S. company TerraCycle which specializes in finding new uses for discarded packaging. A growing number of companies are focusing on upcycling although the trend is still in its infancy with industry-wide figures yet to be produced.^[2]

Upcycling has shown significant growth across the United States. For example, the number of products on Etsy or Pinterest tagged with the word “upcycled” increased from about 7,900 in January 2010 to nearly 30,000 a year later—an increase of 275%.^[3] As of April 2013, that number stood at 263,685, an additional increase of 879%. The need and want is out there, we just have to overturn it into something that is more widely known.

There are numerous things you can do with products in your own home or thrifty things you find on te side of the road. Check out https://www.upcyclethat.com/ they offer an array of idea for old bicycle tires to picture frames turning into calendars. “Tin can pencil holders are a great way to keep your desk and stationary supplies organized and on point. Save your tin cans and clean them well. Then glue on some decorative paper. This is a great project for reusing wrapping paper, old maps or magazine cuttings. This idea also works well for holding makeup brushes.” Your everyday vegetable can will turn into a decorative pen, pencil, scissor, or whatever holder. With a little work and investing is some creative covering paper or paint will give old products a new and effective change of use. 

Most of the time it takes a bit of effort and work to be re-create something that looks useless into something that can be repurposed. In the end, it will be helpful to reduce waste in your home, in your neighborhood, and even the World. One less tin can or plastic bottle that end in the oceans will save a life you will never know. What will you do today to change the impact you have on the world? 

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