Are you looking for a few unique ways to upcycle otherwise old or unwanted items in an effort to eliminate waste in landfills? Check out this story by Cool Choices sustainability program alum Jeanne from the Kenosha County UW-Extension sent us this awesome story of how she and other Cool Choices program alum (who are also members of Sustainable Kenosha) found a creative way to eliminate waste in their community by upcycling an old satellite dish from the Kenosha County Center and transforming it into a beautiful garden display. We are always impressed and inspired by how our program participants feel Cool Choices impacts them and their decision to continue increasing their daily sustainable actions even after the program ends.
What green activities have you been up to since taking part in the Cool Choices program?
“When the roof at the Kenosha County Center needed to be redone, the old obsolete satellite dish had to be removed and the plan was to send it to a landfill… [we] came up with the idea to repurpose the dish in the All-America Selections (AAS) Display Garden on the grounds of the Center. This ‘dish’ fit the ‘menu’ of the 2017 garden theme, ‘Foodscaping’, and was used as a planter for AAS winning edibles and flowers. It was a ‘recipe’ for sustainable success.”
Upcycling is a great way to give old objects, like this old satellite dish, a new purpose in order to reduce waste.
What is upcycling?
Upcycling is taking an old, often obsolete item, and coming up with a way to add new value to it.
Upcycling versus recycling: what’s the difference?
Recycling requires taking an object and breaking it down into raw materials. Upcycling, on the other hand, is about repurposing an object without breaking it down. For example, a glass peanut butter jar can be recycled by crushing down the glass and melting it into a new shape, thus creating a brand new object. In contrast, to upcycle a glass jar you would instead give it a new purpose by perhaps cleaning out the jar and painting the outside with chalk paint for use as a labeled storage container.
Why upcycle?
Upcycling helps keep items out of landfills and saves the energy that recycling requires. Plus, if you can find ways to use existing items to meet your needs in new ways, you may be able to avoid buying new things, which reduces the need for more products to be manufactured. Upcycling is also just a fun way to get creative! Anything from old clothes, to tires, or glass bottles can be upcycled. Check out sites like Pinterest for tons of ideas to help get you started on your next upcycling project.
Jeanne took part in the 2013 Cool Choices UW-Extension program at the Kenosha County UW-Extension. Is your company, organization, or community interesting in accelerating your sustainability efforts? Contact us to learn more, or register for an upcoming webinar!
Comments are closed.
