Virtually everyone knows recycling helps promote more sustainable
living. A lesser known but effective way to keep materials out of the landfill
is upcycling.
When
items get recycled, they’re generally broken down and the materials are used to
create other products. For example, glass can be melted to create new glass
containers, milk jugs can become playground equipment and discarded newspapers
are the basis of some kitty litter.
Upcycling
is a little different. With upcycling, the material doesn’t change form but is reinvented.
One popular tact is reinventing thrift store furniture finds into new pieces,
such as converting an old trunk into a whimsical coffee table.
Upcycling
can also be an effective and affordable way for philanthropic organizations to
achieve their missions. One example is Help Heal Veterans (Heal Vets), a
nonprofit dedicated to serving veterans and active-duty military by supplying therapeutic craft kits. In honor of Earth Day, the organization announced it received
and repurposed more than 1 million pounds of upcycled materials.
“Through
upcycling, we are able to responsibly utilize donated materials that would have
gone to landfills to serve veterans who need our support,” said Joe McClain, retired Navy captain and CEO of
Heal Vets.
The
organization repurposes leather, cloth and other materials to create therapeutic
craft kits for veterans and active-duty military around the world. Thousands of
kits are shipped each month to help with long-term support and recovery for
those impacted by wounds of war.
Each
kit is a complete project, such as leatherworking, building models, making
jewelry or another creative piece. While all kits help veterans focus on the
present and build self-worth and self-esteem, many are also customized to focus
on specific needs such as restoring fine motor skills and concentration or
relieving depression and anxiety.
Upcycled materials, such
as leather from old airplane seats, make the kits possible. Together, Southwest
Airlines, Arise Foundation and Duncan Aviation donated 335,000 pounds of
leather from outdated seat covers to support numerous leather kit options,
including wallets, belts, footballs, and bracelets.
Other organizations
providing source materials include The Elks (more than 1 million square feet of
tanned deer skins), La-Z-Boy (469,500 pounds of upholstery), American Woodmark
(112,400 pounds of cabinets) and Magna (40,000 pounds of automobile seats).
Upcycling at Home
Make a commitment to
sustainability with these upcycling ideas you can implement in your daily life:
- Empty tissue boxes can be used to organize supplies,
including pens, seasoning packets and more.
- Instead of discarding an old shower curtain, save it to
use as a drop cloth for messy art projects with the kids.
- Fit mate-less socks over your hand to use as dusting
mitts or to collect and store small pieces of games or other household
items.
- Cut the tops off two empty plastic bottles of the same
circumference. Attach a zipper to the cut edges using hot glue or adhesive
for fun art supply storage.
- Add a backing with chalkboard paint to an old window or
mirror frame for a stylish message board.
Learn more about the
relationship between upcycling, sustainability and supporting veterans at healvets.org.
(Family Features)
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