Redesign for reuse
Over the last year at the forefront of all of the new eco gadgets and products, there is a collection of products that have broken a few boundaries.
From a credenza unit that uses old cassette tapes for the carcass and the doors, a washing machine drum made into a coffee table, a partition wall made with old books and Perspex, old carpet tiles from offices used as a screen and even an old colander made into a clock. Some of these items are not recognisable as their old function, as you are looking at them with a different pair of eyes.
Most products when they are recycled are ′downcycled′ into lesser grade materials, it′s rare for products to be recycled into the same product. So with a little imagination, old can become new but in a much more stylish way and with less stigma. The new phrase goes ′rethink, reuse and upcycle′. Post consumer waste of products and materials that cannot be recycled is a huge problem in Ireland. Landfill sites area at a critical stage and now as a nation we are faced with huge fines from the EU if the amount we throw away isn′t reduced.
This is where creativity can step, to reduce the amount of things you are buying from new and to reduce the amount you are throwing away. An all round better choice for the environment. So the next time you throw something away, stop, think and upcycle.
Related posts:
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and now……. Review
- Less recycling please!
- Holistic Interiors – Points to consider
