We all know the modern mantra of “reduce, reuse, recycle” but sometimes it can be tricky to know what to do or where to start.
The goal is to prevent wasting potentially useful materials by making use of existing ones. This reduces the consumption of raw materials when creating new products. In turn this cuts down on energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and even greenhouse gas emissions.Reusing, repurposing and upcycling are popular ways for people to engage creativity in environmental awareness. A simple internet search will result in thousands, if not millions, of ideas to give disused items a fresh, new, creative use.
The possibilities are endless!
What does it all mean?
Reuse
When you reuse something you are utilising it for its original and intended purpose like using a jam jar for multiple of batches of jam.Repurpose
Repurposing - as the name suggests - means to change something to give it a new purpose. That same jam jar might become, with the easy addition of some wire, a hanging lantern for your garden.Upcycle
Upcycling is taking something and making it better. It’s the reuse of an item that will still be used in the same way – but it looks new and improved. You might etch a beautiful design into the jar or paint it before using it as a presentation jar for gifting home-made jam.Recycle
When you recycle you break down an item that would otherwise be thrown away and convert it into reusable material to make something new. The recyled jar could become anything, another jar or bottle, a kitchen countertop, AstroTurf or even the insulation keeping you nice and warm this winter!What are the benefits?
Reusing, repurposing and upcycling make sustainability an inherent part of the object and the lifestyle it forms a part of. It also stokes the creative fires, making you see everyday things in a whole new way.
Upcycled and reused objects are highly sustainable, cost reductive and often original in design.
Some of the benefits include:
- Saving natural resources
- Preventing the environmental damage done by landfill
- Saving energy
- Preventing pollution
- Saving you money
What can you do at home?
Start with the choices you make when you buy. Consider how each item and the packaging around it will eventually be discarded, and choose the products which will have the lowest impact. Buying bananas wrapped in plastic when their skin creates the perfect natural packaging is, well, completely bananas! The great thing about having your food delivered in a box is that it cuts down on a lot of unnecessary packaging.
Many commonly discarded items — from cardboard boxes to glass bottles — are readily reusable in their current form.
Instead of tossing an item into the bin or recycling it, consider ways it might still be usable to you or someone else. For example our delivery boxes can be returned, reused many times before eventually being recycled.
Give your possessions a second chance at life by holding a car-boot sale, donating items to charity shops or used books to your local library. Contact schools and nurseries to find out if you have any items they reuse for art projects such as egg boxes or plastic milk bottles.
There's nothing to stop you doing a little upcycling of your own too. Even if you're just reviving an old piece of furniture with some paint or sticking bits of broken glass around a mirror. Upcycling on a small scale can still make a big difference. The results might just surprise you!
Have a go
Here are some ideas for reusing, repurposing and upcycling the small amount of packaging that comes with our products:>
- Repurpose an egg box as presentation packaging for home-made mince pies or cupcakes. It will keep them still and separate. For extra impact try painting the box.
- Reuse jars to do your own preserving. If you want to give the jam or chutney as a gift try tying circle of scrap material over the top with a length of twine for a vintage twist.
- Remove the label from a clean tin of tomatoes or coconut milk and paint with blackboard paint for funky and functional storage pot.
- Reuse a plastic tomato container as a seed tray.
- Repurpose an old plastic bottle into a bird feeder to keep the birds well fed until spring (see below).
- Egg boxes, plastic bottles and tin cans can all be turned into planters.
- Reuse the FSC approved wooden crate from our preserves gift pack as a windowsill box for your herbs or a rustic desk tidy.
- Return the box your Community Farm produce arrives in – simply leave it out for our driver when we next deliver and we’ll reuse it.
Our thanks to Money Matters for this infographic
This article is part of our Do 15 series.
