The Professional Edition 6 July 2022 | Page 34

Boost your

creativity ... with upcycling

By Jaynashree Ellary , PPS Senior Communications Specialist

Reuse , reduce and recycle has long been a slogan to encourage people the world over to think twice , or maybe thrice , before throwing away something . As much as these are great concepts to lessen waste , a fourth option is to see if an object cannot be used in an entirely new way .

Standing in the office canteen and trying to decide what is the more appealing option for an afternoon snack allowed me to notice the packaging units of the nibbles a bit more closely . These are most definitely very similar to the crates that were used to package and sell fresh produce in markets . I remember as a youngster we were able to buy our prepacked tomatoes and other vegetables in these instead of in the plastic bags and plastic containers that we find more commonly today . The crates were , however , disposed of when we were younger and not much thought was given to them thereafter .
However , the environmentally-conscious time we live in today , afforded someone with a stroke of creativity and a bit of wellmanaged time to use some sandpaper and “ elbow grease ”, a coat of paint and varnish and these crates are now display units .
This makes me look a bit further on and I see vinyl records – that once upon a time with a record player used to fill rooms with music – have now become decorative elements . Glass bottles are the holders for plants on the table , instead of laying in the refuse bin . These are just a few of the examples where an old item or object has been refashioned into something new and functional in a canteen . The definition of upcycling from Oxford Languages is “ re-use ( discarded objects or material ) in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original ”.
“ Upcycling ” was first added to the dictionary in 2011 when the editors noticed an increase in Internet searches for the word . So , definitely not a new concept but becoming more of a trend featuring in homes and businesses . Some entrepreneurs are also making a living from upcycling as it features in the fashion world . This differs from recycling in that recycling would involve the breaking down of material to make something new ; upcycling turns that material in its current state into something new and usable . Upcycling is not limited to just one type of space . With the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the world into isolation by staying
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