Why is Upcycling so important?

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This week we discuss the importance of upcycling old belongings into something brand new and how this positively affects the environment. As well as some examples for you to become inspired and try out upcycling for yourself!

We approximately dump 2.12 billion tons of waste a year with 99% of new items being thrown away in the first 6 months of their life span. Therefore it is now more important than ever to take control of our actions and ask the question ‘do I really need to throw this away or can it be repurposed?’

What is Upcycling?

Upcycling is defined as the reuse of discarded objects or material in such away as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original.  The environment is benefited by upcycling as it reduces the amount of new goods being processed. Less greenhouse gas is released and numbers in landfills reduce. Furthermore, these alterations could benefit biodiversity. By turning an egg carton into a planter and growing flowers you can increase pollination by attracting bees as well as upkeeping a beautiful little garden to bring you joy!

What should I upcycle?

Use your imagination! Anything from plastic water bottles to old clothes can be used. Here is a list of some ideas that we came up with:

  • Turn an old jam jar into a terrarium
  • Make homemade wrapping paper with an old piece of fabric
  • Experiment with lemon or orange rind to make homemade soap or a scented candle
  • Make some cute jewellery out of spare buttons and beads

And if none of those strike your fancy, here are some websites for you to explore even more ideas:

Happy Crafting!

https://www.floraandfauna.com.au/blog/top-10-upcycling-ideas 

https://paguroupcycle.com/blogs/news/101-upcycling-ideas-the-ultimate-list

https://www.loveproperty.com/gallerylist/71768/86-upcycling-ideas-to-transform-your-old-stuff