While we have not yet embraced the idea of upcycling as a way of life, upcycled art is the growing trend in the United States today. The artistic community has long been a proponent of making “something from nothing.” Today’s upcycling artists create beautiful works from waste with the added benefit of being beneficial to the environment.
Upcycling helps the environment in a couple of ways: Fewer items go to landfills, and there is no need to recycle them. Recycling, while it reduces waste, still requires energy and resources.
Before you start filling bags with items you don’t want anymore or filling your recycling bins with unwanted cans, stop to think about all the possibilities of upcycling them. Also, consider donating the items to local artists.
There are approximately 50 creative reuse centers in 14 states that take donations to divert waste materials and discarded goods to provide low-cost supplies for art and education. For more information on reuse centers around the country visit Reuse Development Organization and Reuse Alliance.
Pamela Chamberlain is the co-owner of Don’t Toss It, a creative reuse marketplace located at 204 N. Union St., Lambertville, N.J. Chamberlain also has an online store, www.ArtfullyReimagined.com, for upcycled art made exclusively in the United States.
