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Thursday, December 8, 2016

The Science of Upcycle - Prevent Landfill Pollution

Image result for landfill pollution


Preventing the future degradation of the natural environment is an immediate impetus for all of humanity.


Through upcycling, we prevent the cycle of waste that has been the status quo.
Spreading a renewed awareness of upcycling in your community can help create the new norm.


Break the Cycle - Upcycle 


  • The United States disposes more than 1/2 its solid waste in landfills.  This makes the U.S one of the top contributors to landfill waste.

  • Landfills are known to cause a variety of negative health effects including cancer and emit toxic odors through ammonia and sulfide gases.

  • 25 billion tons of invaluable topsoil is lost per year due to landfill use.

  • 80% of items tossed out in landfills are able to be recycled.

So What Can You Do?



Break the Cycle- Upcycle


As you can see from this blog, there are innumerable examples of different resources, methodologies and items that you can use to upcycle.  This is the first step.  Understanding not only why we need to upcycle but also how is critical.  The next step?  Help us spread the word.  Show your friends, share ideas and spread these posts on social media.

In order to create the change we wish to see in the way the world manages its waste, we need to make the change on the grassroots level.  

Help us by sharing these ideas as gifts for the holidays, or by showing your friends interesting ways to upcycle.  





Image result for clean earth




Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Upcycle Gardening

Upcycle Humming Bird Feeder
Old Tires for Herbs
Watering can from plastic bottle
Corks for labeling plants
  • useful free seed raisers and pots.






Tuesday, December 6, 2016

New Years Resolutions 2017-Go Green & Upcycle!

 NEW YEARS RESOLUTION2017

GO GREEN & 

          UPCYCLE!!! 

New Years Resolutions are intended to promote better 

lifestyles and habits come the New Year. With the New 

Year around the corner-It is time for us to get the message 

out there to a wider cross section of the population and 
bringing awareness to this wonderful cause. With 

Resolutions in mind- perhaps this year we can all do our 

part to get involved with going green- and finding out the 

                                                                                                                benefits of upcycling in 2017. 


While recycling is now considered common knowledge these days- many people still have not heard about upcycling 

and the tremendous benefits it has. Not only environmentally- but economically, socially, and personally. Not only does 

upcycling help to minimize and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills each year, but it also helps to reduce 

the amount of raw materials that are produced-conserving global resources.  Along with reducing the production of raw 

materials, this also reduces other pollutants as well- including air pollution, water pollution, and green house gas 

emissions! 


Economically, upcycling has increased the opportunities for new markets to emerge as well. “This new production 

and material sourcing has formed and entirely new industry both in small rural villages as well as boutique niche 

business around the western world” (Upcycle Studio) Environmental, Economic, & Social Benefits of Upcycling This has 

opened the door for designers and craftsman to tap back into a market that has been dominated by the mass produced 

for far too long! Fashion, Jewelry, Furniture, and home decor- all by the actual hands of the artist themselves!  Say 

goodbye to the generic mundane of the mass produced assembly line product and hello to the intricate and unique hand 

crafted!

This new trend has opened the door for economic 

opportunity that has extended into three emerging 

markets: 1.) Creating upcycled products 2.) Reselling 

upcycled products and lastly 3.) Collecting materials for 

future upcycling (Gross 1) Companies are tapping into a 

market where there is money to be made- buying low and 

selling high. They purchasing waste at a low cost and 

turning around and transforming them into aesthetic works of art that they can sell for a much higher price.  Check out the 

article about benefits of upcycling business. 5 Great Benefits of Upcycling Business       

On a personal level, upcycling allows you to have a hobby where you can tap into your creative and artistic side. Save 

money by repurposing items you would have normally discarded or thrown to the curb on garbage day. Turn your own 

trash into treasure, There are hundreds of websites on the internet that cater to upcycling and at home decor and craft 

projects. You tube provided you with easy instructional videos with various upcycling do it yourself projects. Check out 

Pinterest and get inspired! There are endless resources devoted to the craft that you have at your fingertips online. Find 

out what inspires and motivates you and run with it! You will not only feel good about having a constructive, practical 

hobby- but you will also feel good about saving money and doing your part to help the environment. 



This New Year get involved with environmental sustainability and the all the benefits upcycling has to offer. It is a much 

more improved version of recycling, where instead of breaking down materials- we are reusing them in there original 

form- creating something  beautiful and something better, all while helping the environment and keeping our wallets 

padded. It is a way to give back and to receive in a practical manner.  What other resolution will help you save money, 

save the earth, and tap into your artistic and creative side? This New Years- resolve to go green and up cycle!



Take a look at this years featured New Year’s Eve Upcycle Project: DIY Upcycled Party Ball for the stroke of midnight! 



                                                      





Check out this site for instructions for this DIY project and others for New Years Eve!

                               HAPPY NEW YEARS 2017!!






Upcycling in Popculture

We know that alot of the times there are messages that can be spread effectively using the media as its main platform. We also know that a person is more likely to think about something, or apply something to their lives, if a famous figure is endorsing this topic. People began doing things like "contouring" in their makeup routine because a famous figure like Kim Kardashian uploaded a photo of herself doing it, even though this method of makeup was done before. Celebrities have a have impact on endorsing to the consumers, and when they do so, the product instantly become more popular. This study done about celebrity endorsement researched throughout the years for certain celebrities, and the pattern of consumers by the influence of the celebrity. They also looked at the differences with and without the celebrities as their control.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282211655_Impact_of_Celebrity_Endorsement_on_Consumer_Buying_Behavior


As a group of students we are looking at tutorials or DIY projects regarding upcycling, and are posting it on the internet as our platform and are hoping to allow you all to apply upcycling in your everyday lives. But pop culture limits us because of who people depend on regarding their knowledge. What do we do in this case to spread the knowledge of upcycling to that population? Using platforms like youtube or social media to make quick and easy videos that people can enjoy. While researching on this topic, there is a famous facebook page called "Tasty" that make quick and easy cooking videos that is very popular now. They now also have DIY videos that link with upcycling, and now DIY projects are now becoming more popular throughout the internet. Since this is becoming more popular, there are some celebrities that might begin endorsing upcycling because of the Nifty facebook page. Popular youtubers, like Jenna Marbles, have videos where they make their own products in an entertaining way while also influencing their viewers to begin doing the same.

Here's the link to their Nifty page: https://www.facebook.com/buzzfeednifty/


Being able to connect with pop culture to spread the message of upcycling seems the best way to connect with the the population that depend on famous figures to endorse new ideas, or just like simple videos that explain the creative side of upcycling. 

Monday, December 5, 2016

Unexpected Upcycling


Admittedly, Professional Wrestling right off the bat this a pretty niche example of upcycling, not meant to be emulated, but to inspire creativity!


In the world of Professional Wrestling the look and the image can often be as important as skill and talent, you might think that is too important of a place to practice upcycling, but you would be wrong! Many people take this opportunity to reuse or upcycle things they already have while making their wrestling gear, the outfits that are worn while wrestling. All of these great examples of upcyclers in wrestling are from the Pacific North West!

Unexpected places like professional wrestling gear can be a great opportunity for upcycling for many reasons!

The character that you represent while wrestling is not permeant and changes overtime, especially early on in careers while people are still figuring it out, it’s hard to spend hundreds of dollars on brand new gear that you’re almost guaranteed to not wear again, so many people find ways to upcycle when they’re first starting out:

Rebel Kell
Assembled from clothing she already had! The top was alerted and dyed to work for her first match, and the jacket she wore to the ring was painted to fit the character!


The Bowlers (with a bonus outlaw)
While Kingpin Jonny Flynn’s gear was made entirely from things he owned already, adding only embroidery, this tag team parters found their gear at thrift stores adding his own touches instead of having new clothes commissioned.


Darby Allin
This wrestler wanted a very VERY unique look something that would be hard to order from someone used to traditional wrestling gear, so he turned to his closet and found the closet things he could find and then to complete his unique look took a paint brush to it all (as well as his face, but that is another subject)!


People who wrestle for a living will likely have more than one match every weekend, that much use is hard on clothing, not to mention the constant aborbstion of sweat and possible absorption of blood, it’s great to have something easily replaceable, which can always been done when you're doing from things you already have!


Chelsea Green
For a while she was wearing purchased gear(pictured right), then custom gear but as she began to wrestle more and more frequently she began instead taking bras/swimsuit tops and recovering them in the fabrics she liked to wrestle in (pictured left). Giving her more options to work with on the road as well as assurance that they would be well fitting, not always a guarantee when ordering online like many people do.


People can find avenues to upcycle in many parts of their life that you would never expect. Consider taking a page out of the book of these young creative folks and look for inspiration in the places around you.

Upcycling For Your Body


It the massive empire that is gym memberships, workout DVDs and programs, and expensive home gyms it’s easy to overlook one of the best ways to get a good pump going: at home, with your own gym of upcycled equipment (and/or household things doing double duty)! 

Broom
That broom you’ve been meaning to replace because it doesn’t sweep well anymore? Replace it! But save the old one and unscrew the head now you have a bar that can be used for shoulder, back, oblique, and abdominal stretching like you find in many gyms. As a bonus practice your deadlift form with no weight and no risk of injury. 

Towels
Not every ratty towel needs to be turned into rags, they can have multiple purposes in a home workout as well. keeping them intact you can use them like a resistance band, holding constant pressure will create resistance in your muscles while you do other exercises. You can also use smaller towels to reduce flood friction and resistance under your hands and/or feet to do all kinds of abdominal and body workouts like mountain climbers or to make your planks more challenging, not too mention you can stack them under various parts of your body like hips to elevate them and add a little more to things like sit ups. 

Food Cans
I always buy beans and soups I think I’ll eat but never do, these are a great size to grip well in your hands for overhead workouts with little danger of dropping them, and nearly all cans weigh about a pound so they are good for lower weight higher rep workouts, at least until the next food drive. 

Laundry Basket/Duffel Bag
Any sturdy container, low to the ground, with equidistant handles that ahas fallen out of use, can serve double duty in this upcycled workout. It can be the home for all your new found workout equipment and once full can be used to up the weight on those deadlifts
OR
Backpacks
like the Laundry Basket/Duffel Bag option these can also whole your equipment however instead of deadlifting you can wear it as added weight for body weight workouts like squats and lunges without having to worry about holding oddly shaped household objects. 

Water Gallon
My personal favorite as when you’re done with your work out, you can drink it down, and refill it for next time. In my house our well water is pretty icky so we have all sized of water bottles around the house all the time, while we do recycle them, this is even better! A full gallon weighs about 8 pounds, so if you’re a lighter lifter they can be a great sun for kettle bells and if you want to go heavier bra one for each hand and use them as dumbbells! 

There has been a huge uptick in home workouts lately, often by people who are unaware they are even upcycling! The beauty of this means that there is a near endless about of information of the workouts that can be done with all of these objects at home. 

Like all upcycling and reuse, it’s beneficial for the health of the planet, but this is also beneficial for your health! Win-win! 

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Upcycled Advent Calendars

I remember being a child and getting my first advent calendar. I was so excited at the prospect of opening a compartment every day in December, always finding chocolates with surprise seasonal images. As the years passed, however, I grew accustomed to the tradition and it began to feel a bit repetitive. I'm never one to refuse chocolate, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there must be a way to spice up the flimsy cardboard calendar.  Well... 'Tis the season for creative reuse!

Advent calendars don't have to conform to the typical perforated cardboard medium. In fact, it's fun and easy to construct advent calendars for your own friends or family members with a wide variety of salvaged materials. 


This gorgeous piece by Alex from North Story consists entirely of bath tissue rolls, mix-and-match ribbons, and small ornamental tags. Every piece of this project is either recyclable or reusable, and each parcel feels like a miniature christmas gift to the recipient. 


This advent calendar functions both as a daily treat system and as a decorative wall piece. Each small envelope is made from recycled roadmaps, and is hung from twine by reusable clothespins. 


This creative piece by OhSoSavvyMom disguises daily treats under cloth-covered mason jars. The jars themselves are both reusable and recyclable, and the fabric on top could come from any used tablecloth or T-shirt with a seasonal color palette. In addition to repurposing discarded materials, this piece also functions as a holiday decoration in the shape of a fir tree. 

These are just a few examples; really, you could put together a beautiful and unique advent calendar with just a few recycled materials and a bit of creativity. Advent calendars exist to give children and loved ones something to look forward to during each cold day leading up to the new year, and these home made projects are much more engaging and memorable than a store-bought cardboard box. Wouldn't you say so? 






Buy Bulk and Reuse Containers



When you head to the grocery store for snack food or recipe ingredients, do you head first for the isles full of brand name goods? Many of us are accustomed to buying a certain version of each of our groceries; boxed organic pasta, trademarked Oreo cookies, a sealed bag of white rice... But how often do you check for that item in the bulk food section?

While some grocery stores are still limited to packaged goods only, more and more locations now offer bulk food isles. The scoop-and-label shopping system has numerous advantages over buying pre-packaged goods, and nowadays, you can find everything from dehydrated fruits, breakfast cereal, grains, pasta, chocolates, and spices in any specific portion you need.




If this option alone isn't enough to convince you to try shopping in bulk, here are some statistics that could sway you!


FACT: Organic bulk foods on average cost 89% less than their packaged counterparts. Bulk foods also prevent a significant amount of packaging from entering landfills.

FACT: Bulk goods require less overall transportation to deliver to consumers. Bulk foods do not require the packaging components that must be produced and transported prior to being filled. And the transportation of bulk product to retailers is efficient because it can be packed more densely on a truck."

FACT: The manufacture of paper and cardboard pulls trees from our forests, dumps contaminated water into our streams and uses enormous amounts of energy resulting in grotesque levels of CO2 emissions pumped into our atmosphere.

FACT: Food packaging may limit a consumer’s ability to buy in quantities desired which can result in food surplus and ultimately waste.

FACT: Although most natural food companies sell their food products in recyclable packaging, there are still some food companies that use non-recyclable materials. And some consumers choose not to recycle which creates additional burden in our country's landfills.

FACT: Packaging often limits a consumer’s ability to actually see the product they are buying.

FACT: In a grocery store, packaged products require more labor to ensure fresh product. Shelves must constantly be rearranged.

FACT: With bulk, product density at the store level can be significantly higher. So stores can provide a wider variety of foods in the same space.


(List compiled from http://www.bulkisgreen.org )


In addition to reducing waste and offering custom quantities, most bulk food sections now include nutritional information at the front of each bin. By doing this, grocery stores allow you to read up on what exactly you're taking home, while also eliminating disposable nutrition labels on packing that would usually go straight into your trash or recycling.




If you ask me, one of the best things about bulk food sections is that they eliminate waste entirely by allowing you to bring your own container. Most Co-ops and health food stores provide scales and label-makers that weigh your container beforehand and then calculate the amount of food you fill it with. You could easily combine this system with an upcycling project by salvaging sealable containers like mason jars, and using them to store ingredients in a convenient and aesthetically pleasing way.

If you've never explored the bulk food sections in your local grocery stores, take a moment to check them out! By switching a portion of your grocery shopping to bulk foods, you'll certainly save money, lighten your trash load at home, and have an excuse to store your cooking supplies in stylish and sustainable containers. And who knows; you might even find a new snack or ingredient that's not available elsewhere.

Second Hand Style: Extending the Life of Your Used Clothing

By now, you’ve likely heard about the environmental damage and poor working conditions on the manufacturing end of the tech industry. We in America are drawn to glossy new gadgets, and as soon as they break or become outdated, it’s usually cheaper and easier for us to discard the item completely and replace it with a new one. While it is nice to equip ourselves with new smartphones, computers, and small appliances whenever we can afford an upgrade, we tend to put little thought into what happens to those goods before and after we own them. A new iPhone might serve it’s purpose and bring us joy for a year or two, but rarely do we take into account the hazardous work and lasting environmental effects involved in the production and discarding of that same iPhone.

Now, consider the clothing industry; how often do you buy new school clothes, a summer outfit, or pajamas with the intention of holding onto those garments all your life? If you’re like most of us, you probably plan to replace at least some of your wardrobe as soon as the items feel worn or out of style. Companies with the most affordable clothing—H&M, Forever 21, Zara, and Target, to name a few—produce clothes to be current and inexpensive, and often only carry a line of clothing for weeks at a time under the assumption that we’ll be back for more soon. Manufacturers have found ways to produce the fits and styles we want at a low price, and that’s made it much easier to maintain a stylish wardrobe that rotates according to what’s “in.” So, rather than settling on an expensive, high quality garment and wearing it for years, many of us Americans have fallen into the habit of buying cheap clothes with the intention of cycling through them quickly. To quote comedian John Oliver, “trendy clothes are cheaper than ever, and cheap clothes are trendier than ever.”




You might be wondering, how do companies make money selling such inexpensive clothing?
The simple answer is, the majority of the clothing industry now profits by way of volume rather than quality. Many companies can afford to sell astonishingly low-priced items because production is faster and cheaper than ever. Only 2% of the clothes in major American retail stores are made in the United States, and the rest are shipped here after being produced overseas.


It’s become much cheaper to outsource apparel manufacturing to developing countries like Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, India, Turkey, and China, and many of these manufacturing locations are classified as sweatshops. While the detrimental effects of sweatshops are numerous and complex, here’s an abbreviated list of how they operate (sources for each statistic below post):

1) A study showed that doubling the salary of sweatshop workers would only increase the consumer cost of an item by 1.8%, while consumers would be willing to pay 15% more to know a product did not come from a sweatshop.

2) Sweatshops do not alleviate poverty. The people who are forced to work must spend the majority of their paycheck on food for their families to survive.

3) Child labor is especially common in agriculture (98 million, or 59% of child laborers work in agriculture), followed by services (54 million) and industry (12 million).

4) The majority of child laborers are found in Asia and the Pacific. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence, with one in five children in child labor.

5) According to one survey, more than 2/3 of US workers experienced at least one pay-related violation in the previous work week. Assuming a full-time, full-year work schedule, workers lose an average of $2,634 annually due to violations.

6) A study showed that doubling the salary of sweatshop workers would only increase the consumer cost of an item by 1.8%, while consumers would be willing to pay 15% more to know a product did not come from a sweatshop.

7) Sweatshops do not alleviate poverty. The people who are forced to work must spend the majority of their paycheck on food for their families to survive.

8) Child labor is especially common in agriculture (98 million, or 59% of child laborers work in agriculture), followed by services (54 million) and industry (12 million).

9) The majority of child laborers are found in Asia and the Pacific. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence, with one in five children in child labor.

10) According to one survey, more than 2/3 of US workers experienced at least one pay-related violation in the previous work week. Assuming a full-time, full-year work schedule, workers lose an average of $2,634 annually due to violations.

11) Because women make up 85 to 90% of sweatshop workers, some employers force them to take birth control and routine pregnancy tests to avoid supporting maternity leave or providing appropriate health benefits.
In addition to supporting sweatshops, buying cheap clothes and cycling through them quickly produces a significant fraction of the landfill contents produced by the U.S. Many clothes made from synthetic fibers aren't sustainable and don't easily break down once they become waste.

So, how can you stop the perpetuation of this unsustainable system?



Buying clothing second hand tends to have a negative reputation due to worries regarding cleanliness and fashion trends, but there are dozens of reputable shops that provide unique and high-quality clothing to people of all income levels. Plus, since the recent spike in popularity of vintage style, it's easier than ever to salvage special clothing you might not find anywhere else. Buying lightly used clothing ensures that your money goes solely to the shop owner, and plays no part in perpetuating unsustainable manufacturing behaviors by brand name corporations.



If you're in the position to upgrade your wardrobe and are looking to get rid of clothes you don't need, there are many programs you can donate to. Programs like Goodwill, Dress for Success, and local shelters near you will not only to provide necessary clothing to homeless and low-income individuals, but also help keep your wearable garments out of landfills. By buying used clothing and donating items you no longer wear, you give each item a chance to live longer and avoid becoming trash.

Even torn or damaged clothing can be donated to art stores like Scrap. When you throw an old piece of clothing in the trash, you guarantee the end of it's lifecycle. When you drop it off at a recycling center or creative reuse organization, however, you're giving your old garments the chance to be converted into something useful or decorative by artists and homemakers.

Flannel pillows sewn from second-hand Menswear
Custom upholstery made from salvaged XL jeans.

Next time you're buying clothing, take a moment to consider how long you're likely to own that item. Are you buying the T-shirt because it's a valuable addition to your wardrobe, or merely because it's on sale? Consider whether or not it might be wiser to hold off and invest your money in a nicer shirt; one that could potentially have a longer life in your wardrobe, and go on to provide comfort for someone else when you're finished with it. Even if you gravitate towards used and sustainable clothing choices half the time, you're likely to save tons of money down the road.

Sources

1: United States General Accounting Office. "Sweatshops in the U.S: Opinions on Their Extent and Possible Enforcement Options." GAO, 1988. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

2: United States General Accounting Office. "Sweatshops in the U.S: Opinions on Their Extent and Possible Enforcement Options." GAO, 1988. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

3: International Labor Organization. "Global Estimates on Child Labour." International Labour Conference, 2013. Web Accessed March 2, 2014.

4: Bernhardt, Annette, Ruth Milkman, Nik Theodore et al. "Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers: Violations of Employment and Labor Laws in America’s Cities." National Employment Law Project, 2009. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

5: Bureau of International Labor Affairs. "List of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor." US Department of Labor, 2014. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

6: Robert Pollin, Justine Burns, and James Heintz. "Global apparel production and sweatshop labour: can raising retail prices finance living wages?" Cambridge Journal of Economics, 2004. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

7: Elliott, Kimberly Ann and Richard B. Freeman. "White Hats or Don Quixotes? Human Rights Vigilantes in the Global Economy." National Bureau of Economic Research, 2003. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

8: Miller, John. "Why economists are wrong about sweatshops and the antisweatshop movement." Challenge: The Magazine of Economic Affairs, 2003. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

9: International Labor Organization. "Global Estimates on Child Labour." International Labour Conference, 2013. Web Accessed March 2, 2014.

10: Bernhardt, Annette, Ruth Milkman, Nik Theodore et al. "Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers: Violations of Employment and Labor Laws in America’s Cities." National Employment Law Project, 2009. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

11: Clarren, Rebecca. "Paradise Lost: Greed, Sex Slavery, Forced Abortions and Right-Wing Moralists." Ms. Magazine, 2006. Web Accessed February 19, 2014.

Saturday, December 3, 2016

UPCYCLE DIY: CANS AS PLANTERS

Upcycle That made a blog post back in 2013 with instructions for how to make some DIY upcycled can planters using BOS Ice Tea cans! BOS Ice Tea, originating in South Africa, have sustainability as one of their core beliefs. For every 2000 cans sold, the company plants 1 tree.

Recycling Clothes!

Clothes lifespan, on average only last about 3 years before being discarded. However what happens once they have left your closet? Do they get trashed? Or donated? What about recycled or rather upcycled?! 

Some people prefer turning them into new rags for at home use. Click the link below the images for the instructions on how to make 4 rags from one shirt.






Others have the ability to turn them into fashionable attire for the outside world! The link below takes you to a site where it reveals 7 different fashion companies who promote upcycling clothes. Please take a look because this is becoming the new fashion! Get ideas for your own clothes or potentially find a new store to purchase "new" clothes from. If you need more reasons on why to upcycle your wardrobe then listen up!

It's Sustainable for our Environment,
It's Cost Effective,
AND It's Creative!


So why not jump in?  






Or for even inside the house use. 

 

                                       

Regardless of what you chose, upcycling clothes helps to prevent extra garbage going to the landfills. In fact, the amount of garbage at landfills has nearly tripled since the year 1960! The amount that is consumed has increased throughout the years however the most shocking part (yet not shocking) is  that between the holidays of Thanksgiving and New Years Eve, the amount of products consumed nearly doubles compared to the rest of the year. 

Oh Dear Santa, we need to start saving the environment!