National Upcycling Day
Believe it or not, we have been upcycling since the dawn of time. But only in the last 30 years has the term "upcycling" been popular. Upcycling is all about taking something old, like objects and furniture, and putting your own creative spin on it to make something new and unique.
In addition to being fun and resourceful, it's also a practice in sustainability. With this buzz word, the motto "reduce, reuse and recycle" easily comes to mind! By repurposing something to have a new function, that item doesn't end up in a landfill. At the same time, a brand new version of that item is not needed so by not purchasing it, we reduce the use of materials, labor and transportation to produce, ship and sell that item.
Here are a few examples of upcycling.
- Refurbish unused or outdated furniture like dressers, chairs, sideboards and curio cabinets with modern colors, hardware, ceramics, textiles and more
- Make handbags, pillows or memory blankets with old t-shirts (memory blankets are a great use for high school t-shirts!)
- Save and reuse glass jars from the kitchen for new uses like nail or screw storage, cotton balls, cotton swabs, homemade dressings or sauces, leftovers, and craft supplies
- Turn used coffee grounds into a homemade body scrub with a couple of additional ingredients you have in your pantry
- Save paper egg cartons or plastic bottles to plant seeds for transplant into larger pots later
Let your imagination be your guide to create something out of "nothing" today!
