The environmental, financial and personal benefits of upcycling cannot be underestimated. The planet is becoming polluted by the amount of rubbish the human population produces and reducing this means that less raw materials are needed, greenhouse gas emissions become lower and more natural resources will be preserved.
Environmental Advantages To Upcycling
It is becoming fashionable to make cool new stuff from old items rather than dumping them in the bin. There are even brands and designers who specialize in this and they are producing goods that have become very popular. The trend seemed to start some years ago when upcycled paper hit the market, but now there are not many things you cannot buy that will have been manufactured from upcycled materials by someone.
This means the amount of rubbish that is being sent to landfill is reducing, which is a good thing in itself. As things rot at these sites, they start to produce gases that are not good for the environment.
The problem is that consumers have become used to things being mass-produced and being there on demand. Things get thrown away as easily as they are bought, but peoples mindset on this are changing. The more items you can upcycle, the more you will help to reduce the amount that goes to landfill.
However, one of the biggest environmental advantages to upcycling is the reduction in the amount of the earth’s natural resources that are needed. The lower this becomes the more the planet can start to heal and that is vitally important for future generations.
Financial Advantages Of Upcycling
Next time you are about to throw clothes you have not worn for a long while, stop and take a good look at them. If you are handy with a needle and thread you could alter them to change their appearance and save money on your wardrobe. Alternatively, find a seamstress or tailor to help you and this will cost a lot less than replacing them.
The same applies to furniture, especially things made of wood. Tables, chairs bookcases and anything else can be given a new lease of life with sanding and a new coating of paint, varnish or oil. You can learn the simplest way to do this with a video online, many of which will tell you all the tricks of the trade. Just think how expensive a new table can be and you will soon realize the financial benefits of upcycling the one you already have.
The financial advantages of upcycling have far more reaching effects than in the home. Manufacturers can also benefit from the lower cost of upcycled materials, and with the large amount they sometimes use, it results in less natural resources being taken from the planet.
Upcycling also encourages rural and local businesses who are often the first to take advantage of its benefits. This is particularly the case in countries such as India, Vietnam, and Mexico where whole communities have been build on making goods from upcycled materials. The quality of their workmanship is so good that often unless the label told you so, you would not realize they had been made in this way.
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