Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials of better quality or a higher environmental value.
When you upcycle, your reduce the consumption of new raw materials when creating new products. Reducing the use of new raw materials can result in a reduction of energy usage,
air pollution, water pollution and even greenhouse gas emissions. — Preserve our oceans
& reduce waste!
The process of recycling — or “downcycling,” as some people refer to it — breaks down high-grade materials into lower-grade ones (such as computer paper into newspaper), upcyclers take worn out materials and re-craft or repurpose them into items of equal or greater value.
Outsource Your Waste
Companies are popping up all over that allow you to ship off your used items and get back a new. Take a look at TeraCycle, this innovative company creates bags, bows, flower pots and even kites from, well, trash. TerraCycle will pay you to mail in empty pouches, potato chip bags, energy bar wrappers and other packaging waste for them to upcycle into brightly coloured products that definitely won’t end up in a landfill anytime soon.