This book is dedicated to Claudia, my wonderful wife and partner in

upcycling for introducing me to the art and continuing to inspire me

every day to create new things.

2015 Replantea Press. No copyright.

Introduction
Objectives
Materials & Environmental Impacts
Aluminum
Plastics
Paper
Glass
Hazardous Materials
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
What is Upcycling? Eco Arts?
Tools Needed & Safety
Easy Upcycling Project Ideas
Bigger Ideas
Glossary
References

Introduction
One mans trash is another mans treasure. What is waste, really? When we throw something away, where is away,
anyways?
There exists a problem we share as human beings on planet Earth: Too much pollution from disposable products.
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse change. Generally, we
can think of two classes of materials on our planet- those which are organic and those which are inorganic. In nature,
organic materials degrade naturally over time with air, water, and sunlight. Inorganic materials are man-made by
synthesizing, concentrating, and processing natural materials, and will not degrade naturally over time under normal
conditions. All living beings, from the smallest microbes to the largest plants, animals and humans consume resources
and create wastes. In the natural circle of life there exists constant cycling and recycling of energy and nutrients from
the soil into more complex organisms and then back again into soil. Disposable products are designed for only a single
use, and generally will not degrade naturally. Therefore, consumption of disposable products always creates wastes,
which if not dealt with properly will become a waste problem.
This is a new problem to our planet as prior to the modern age all materials were unchanged from their natural form
and mostly biodegradable. Technological advances in the past 200 years have allowed for huge economic growth and
development across the planet we truly live in a mechanized world, and one result of this has been more disposable
products produced. The convenience of using metal, plastic, glass, and paper materials in practically all aspects of the
human life have led to their ubiquitous use today in the 21st century. More goods can be produced more quickly, more
cheaply, and distributed at a much greater scale than ever before. The use of locally available and biodegradable natural
materials (earth, stone, wood, etc) for fuel, food, fiber, and construction prior to the modern age has generally been
replaced by synthetically produced, inorganic materials. Throughout the 20th century the solution has been to
concentrate these new solid wastes- in our homes and landfills. In the 21st century the cumulative effect of so much
accumulated waste is becoming more visible in our daily lives. Every major ocean now has at least one giant, floating
garbage patch of plastic debris which oceanic currents have carried from land. Another factor to this growing problem
is the steadily increasing human population on planet Earth- which is estimated at over 7 billion! All of us require water,
food, and shelter to survive. Our collective problem as human beings on planet Earth in this new century is of pollution
and overconsumption, where more natural resources are extracted from the Earths natural systems than are replaced
to maintain healthy ecological function.
Ecological footprint is a calculation of how many planets would be required to sustain humanitys current rate of
resource consumption. Factors are consumption of energy, food, forests, and freshwater, among others. In 2007, it was
calculated that it will take one and a half planets to meet the current consumption needs of the planet as a whole. By
keeping in mind your ecological footprint while making decisions as a consumer you realize a very simple, yet powerful
action for creating a cleaner and healthier planet.

Objectives
Our intention with this practical guide is to examine our patterns of consumption of disposable products and their
impacts on the environment, and to offer simple examples of how to upcycle wastes into more valuable products.
What we want is to support healthy systems in our relationships, in our homes, communities, and planet Earth as a
whole. While we protect the external environment we see outside we must not forget to also support the health of our
body and mind, our internal environment. We wish to re-examine the whole idea of what waste really is, and in the
process change our patterns of consumption to better reconnect with our natural world. We recognize that clean air

and water are absolutely essential to our collective health and wellbeing, and that these precious resources are
threatened. Therefore, the primary principles generating the creation of this guide are to support and restore healthy
ecological, economic, and social systems.

Materials and Environmental Impacts

In this section we explore various materials that are common in our daily lives as humans living in the 21st century. At
the industrial level, materials are processed into products, and products are what we deal with at the individual,
consumer level. After being used, these products can be recycled and reprocessed again to recover their materials, or
they may end up in a landfill. Materials we will explore are Aluminum, Plastics, Paper, Glass, and Hazardous Materials.

Aluminum
Aluminum is a very useful metal due to its lightweight, strength, and
recyclability. Beverage can production worldwide has been
estimated at over 450 billion, annually. Aluminum mining is very
toxic to the environment, often causing severe habitat loss. As a
material, aluminum is exceptional in its recyclability, as products can
easily be recycled post-consumer use. Cans made from recycled or
post-consumer materials require up to 95% less energy to produce
than one made from virgin aluminum. In the United States it is
estimated that about half of aluminum beverage cans are recycled,
leaving over 40 billion cans ($900 million worth!) in landfills every
year.

Plastics, Plastics, Everywhere

Plastics are malleable materials made of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids. A relatively new phenomenon,
industrial plastic production began in the 20th century. The low cost of manufacturing plastics, along with its adaptability
for packaging has led to the current state of its global ubiquity in the 21st century. Instead of breaking down over time
by natural biological forces, plastics photodegrade, with solar radiation slowly breaking the chemical bonds creating
smaller and smaller fragments of plastic. There are many different types of plastics, and rates of degradation vary, but
plastic bags may take from 20 - 1000 years to fully degrade. Plastic bag production worldwide has been estimated at
over 1 trillion, annually. (The average USA consumer uses more than 300
annually!) Plastics are recyclable, and many products can now be
recycled after consumption, creating post-consumer plastics.
Unfortunately, most plastics never arrive to be recycled, and currently it
is estimated that less than 1% of plastic bags are recycled worldwide.

Although plastic pollution on land is certainly more visible, the

accumulation of plastics in the worlds oceans is an ecological
threat much greater. The oceans act as giant recyclers for
planet Earths resources (>70% of the planets surface area is
covered by ocean!), and the phenomena of persistent plastics in
our ocean waters is an increasingly visible example of human
waste and environmental pollution. In the 21st century more
than 80% of pollution in the ocean is plastic (plastic bags,
packaging, fishing nets, plastic bottles, etc). A recent study
estimated 260 million tons of plastic are currently floating in the
worlds oceans, made up of more than 5.35 trillion individual
pieces. The buoyancy and durability of plastics cause them to
become evenly distributed across every major ocean as they photodegrade into smaller particles. The same study found
small plankton sized plastics (<2.5 mm) to be ubiquitous in plankton samples in the eastern Pacific, even at times even
outnumbering plankton.
In 1988, a classification system was established by the plastics industry to make sorting and recycling of the different
classes of plastics easier. At their core, plastics are resins that consist of smaller compounds known as polymers. On
every piece of plastic in the products you consume today you should find the recycling symbol, a triangle made of
arrows, with a number 1-7 inside of it. It is often found on the underside of plastic products, and very small. The
following is a brief description of each class of plastic polymer, some examples of common products, its recyclability, and
safety for human use.

#1 Polyethylene terephthalate PET/PETE

Products: Water and soft drink bottles, polyester fiber, cooking oil bottles, peanut
butter jars. Recyclable: Yes
PET bottles are clear and rigid, and used for storing beverages for their lightweight and strength. Recycled PET
fibers are used to make tote bags, carpeting, and clothing, among other uses. PET is generally considered safe for
humans, but designed for a single use as bottles do not clean well. Therefore, the reuse of plastic bottles in this
category may increase exposure to leaching chemicals and harmful bacterial.

#2 High Density Polyethylene HDPE

Products: Laundry detergent bottles, household cleaning product bottles, grocery bags,
milk and juice jugs, agricultural tubing, plastic lumber. Recyclable: Yes
A hard plastic used in a variety of consumer products, including the common plastic
grocery bag. HDPE is considered to be the safest of the industrial plastics. Recycled HDPE is used to make plastic
lumber, crates, and fencing, among other items.

#3 Polyvinyl Chloride PVC

Products: Tubing, garden hose, fencing, food trays, non-food plastic wrap, packaging.
Recyclable: Yes

PVC is a versatile class of plastics, made into many rigid and flexible industrial products. PVC is a known
carcinogen due to the release of phthalates and other toxins which cause endocrine disruption and hormonal imbalance,
and therefore should be avoided. Recycled PVC is used to make flooring and other industrial grade materials.

#4 Low Density Polyethylene LDPE

Products: Plastic food wrap, squeezable bottles, bread and produce bags, 6-pack rings.
Recyclable: Yes
LDPE is not designed for reuse, but generally considered safe otherwise. Plastic
furniture and garbage cans are examples of products made with recycled LDPE.

#5 Polypropylene PP
Products: Industrial fibers, auto parts, opaque food containers, potato chip bags,
dishware, drinking straws, bottle caps. Recyclable: Yes
PP is a durable plastic used in a variety of applications and generally considered safe for human
use. Recycled PP is used to make durable items such garden tools and battery cables, for
example.

#6 Polystyrene PS
Products: Packaging foam, insulated cups, coffee lids, takeaway containers, plastic
utensils, Styrofoam, building insulation. Recyclable: Yes
Polystyrene is a class of plastics which should be very familiar for their use in take away
food containers. While the rates of PS recycling are very low, recycled PS has been used to make
insulation and other items. PS is a likely human carcinogen and hormone disruptor, as it will
leach styrene when heated, and toxic when burned and therefore should be avoided.

#7 Other Polycarbonate (PC)

Products: Baby bottles, reusable sports bottles, miscellaneous toys and housewares,
linings on metal cans. Recyclable: Variable
The #7 classification is used for plastics which are different than the previous six. Many
products contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), which has been classified as a known carcinogen and
neurotoxin to the human body. BPA can leach into liquid when heated, and therefore should be
avoided. Plastics in this category have been recycled to make lumber, but currently has limited
recycling potential.

#0 Bioplastics
A new designation has been given to plastics made from plant materials such as corn oil instead of
hydrocarbons/petroleum. Products with 0 are used to replace plastic cups with #1 designation, and will degrade more
quickly than the other industrial plastics. This class of plastics is generally considered safe to use and may be
compostable.

Many classes of known carcinogens are released into the environment in the manufacture of plastics. In addition, toxic
chemicals in plastics can also be transmitted directly to humans through close contact with our bodies, food, and water.
For example, phthalates are chemicals used in many plastics to make them flexible and have been associated with many
serious effects on human health such as male infertility, asthma, and cancer. The longer term health impacts related to
constant exposure to plastics, as well as the ecological impacts of plastics in terrestrial food chains are still largely
unknown.

Paper
The environmental impacts of paper production are also significant. Trees must be harvested from the forest and then
processed to create pulp from which paper products can then be made. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations estimated in 2005 that 13 million hectares of forest are cleared for human consumption annually, of
which 6 million are primary forest. In the United States studies approximate 54 million trees are cut each year for toilet
paper production alone! Often forests are cleared and replanted as timber plantations, often of a single species, which
is a tremendous habitat change from a productive, biodiverse forest. This entire process causes significant air, water,
and soil pollution, and destroys habitat for wildlife. The pulp and paper industry alone accounts for 4% of worldwide
energy use. In the US, paper products account for over a quarter of all landfill waste, the vast majority of which is
recyclable. Fortunately, paper can be recycled, and the manufacture of paper products using post-consumer material
requires 40% less energy overall than it does to create paper from virgin pulp. In the 21st century more and more paper
products are available to the individual which are made from recycled paper.

Glass
Glass is another very commonly used material in the 21st century. Glass is extraordinary in that
it is 100% recyclable, and can be recycled endlessly without loss of quality. In glass production
raw materials such as sand, limestone, and ash are heated together and molded to create
specific forms. Recycled glass can be used to substitute for 95% of the raw materials needed in
glass production. This means that every time you recycle a glass container it cancels out the
need for additional raw materials to be used to make the next glass container! The recycling
rates of glass vary, and as with the other materials mentioned here there exists a grand
opportunity to increase its recycling, globally.

Hazardous Material! Keep It Out ...Of Your Trash

Hazardous waste is a special class of wastes that pose specific and significant risks to human and
environmental health. Historically, hazardous wastes were discarded with normal household
trash, which has led to contaminated soils and groundwater. Hazardous wastes are those which exhibit one or more of
the following characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and/or toxicity, and may appear in a gaseous, liquid, or
solid state. Included are common household chemicals, paints and solvents, among
others. Hazardous wastes should be disposed of properly, and this is best done by
waste management services.
Waste from electronic devices and hardware (e-waste) presents new challenges for
waste management systems in the 21st century. Used computers and other
electronic devices and their batteries are dangerous to handle, and should be
treated as hazardous wastes not to be mixed in with normal household waste. By

having a knowledge of what hazardous waste is, how to store it, and later how to dispose of it, you are doing a valuable
service for the health of your family and local community.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The reduce-reuse-recycle model is a useful tool for applying sustainable practices into your daily life. Every day we are
faced with situations where we must decide what to do with the wastes associated with the products we consume.
Recycling saves energy! In 2012 recycling and composting of municipal solid wastes in the United States saved the same
amount of energy that is used by 10 million households in a year. We can lower our ecological footprint and save
money when we consume intelligently, choose to decrease how much waste we create, and to separate our wastes
efficiently from what we do consume. For example, when you stop into a store and purchase a soft drink and bag of
chips you will soon have plastic waste to deal with:
o

You may choose to reduce your consumption of such products which are
meant for a single use, by simply changing your patterns of consumption.
You may reduce your consumption to zero and choose not purchase
disposable products at all, given the amount of energy that was
required to produce them, and their lasting negative impact upon the
planet.
You may choose a reusable product instead, such as a reusable coffee
mug, water canteen, or a reusable shopping bag made of cloth or recycled
materials. You may also choose to reuse an otherwise single use product after its first initial use,
such as reusing plastic shopping bags for another, non-food use. Reusing a product does not change
the original intended function, and therefore the product may still be recycled at a later time.
You may recycle, which is an industrial process which effectively breaks down the product into its
base materials, which can then be processed into new consumer products. In most areas around
the globe glass and aluminum are recyclable and even have redemption value when returned.
Recycling is a simple practice which is useful for maintaining a healthy home, community, and
planet.

Clearly, reduction will have the most immediate, effective, and direct impact on the issues of overconsumption and
disposable waste pollution facing our planet. We of course admit that it can be difficult to change your lifestyle, habits,
and patterns of consumption. Just remember, although changing your patterns of consumption may seem difficult at
first it is most definitely possible and worthwhile never underestimate the power of yourself and other humans to
evolve and adapt! Also, by supporting and participating in recycling programs in your city you become part of the
solution by helping divert waste from landfills.

What is Upcycling? Eco Art?

Upcycling is the process of crafting using products and materials which have been discarded. Eco-art is the result of
creative upcycling using whatever resources or methods available. Upcycling is the process; eco-art is the result!

7 Reasons why you should practice upcycling:

1. It is a practice of transformation; taking something which has outlived its present use and creating something
NEW.
2. It is a practice that requires imagination; to create something unique and personal when there ARE NO RULES. It
is especially useful practice to share with children, who are full of imagination and creativity, as it focuses more
on the process of creation and transformation, than on the final product itself.
3. It is an earth-friendly practice. It gives another use for products and materials which would otherwise be
considered trash, reducing pollution in landfills.
4. It is an empowering practice. It turns around the consumer-producer relationship for an individual to produce
for themselves from commonly available products and materials.
5. It is economic. When we upcycle and craft eco-art we spend little or no money on materials. Instead we spend
our time- which is valuable too!
6. It is proactive. For many of the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century upcycling can be a simple but
powerful practice to take control of your livelihood and become more self-sufficient.
7. It is positive. Upcycling waste into eco-art can be an excellent example for family, friends, and neighbors. It
sends the message that you have hope and vision for the future beyond the superficiality of the current high
consumption, disposable popular culture.

Tools Needed & Safety

The upcycling projects that follow are specifically intended to be made from easily available products and materials, and
they should be free, saved from the landfill. There should be plenty of cans, bottles, and bags available to you, but if you
cannot find any materials in your household, call a friend or head over to the nearest shopping center and you will find
trashcans overflowing with great material. Soon your friends and family will be saving their recycling just to give it to
you!
Tools needed are also those which are commonly found in the household. A basic set of crafting tools should be
sufficient to get started. Scissors, pocket knives, and razor cutters work for cutting materials. Tapes and glues will serve
well for adhesion and attaching materials together. Many of the following projects also include painting, and what paint
type you use will be your decision.
Safety should be a top priority when undertaking any of these or any other upcycling activity! If you cannot find a way
to do it safely, do not do it. Clean all materials before upcycling them and if they cannot be acceptably cleaned (from
rust, molds, etc...) use a different piece. When cutting aluminum or other metals, plastics, and even paper products,
sharp edges are exposed and pose a hazard. Be safe, use personal protection gear, such as gloves, safety glasses, shoes,
long sleeves, and pants when necessary. Be smart, no project is so important that you should risk your health to
complete it!

Easy Upcycling Project Ideas

In this section we would like to share some of our favorite upcycling projects that are easy to do-it-yourself. We invite
you to be creative, think outside of the box, and most importantly- have fun! In this manual we have included several
upcycling projects which you can do at home using aluminum beverage cans, plastic bags and bottles, paper products,
and even old tires. We have not included any projects using glass but remember these examples are just scratching
the surface so dont hesitate to experiment and create your own!

Metals
a. Aluminum Flower Tray

Materials

Materials: Aluminum beverage can. Scissors.

Pocket knife or cutting razor.
Step1: Cut the off the top of the can, just below
the neck.
Step 2: Cut vertical strips from the open
end to ~1-2 Centimeters from the bottom
neck.
Step 3: Pull strips until they are parallel
with the floor,
folding strips downward to create pattern.

Aluminum Flower Tray

Step 3

Step 1

Step 2

Remember: Be careful when cutting into the can. Both the initial cut needed to remove the top and the cutting
of the strips with scissors will expose you to sharp metal and there is a serious risk of cutting yourself!
Also: This simple project has many potential uses. This flower could be a piece of art on the wall. Other uses could be
an ashtray, small waste bin, candle holder, or storage for small things such as seeds or jewelry. Remember that any
extra aluminum scrap can be recycled. Most importantly, use your imagination!
b. Bottle Cap Earrings
Materials: Bottle caps like those from glass bottles. Hammer. Laminating plastic. Small wire (for earring
attachments). Images to use as decoration.
Step 1: Place bottle cap top facing down and use a hammer to flatten out the wavy edges.
Step 2: Place images/stickers etc. on the inside of the cap.
Use plastic to laminate the inside of the cap, covering the
decoration. Step 3: Use a nail with the hammer to make a
small hole at top of desired side. Step 4: To create the
earring hook you may choose to: reuse hooks from old
earrings, buy new earring hooks, or use any other wire that
you have available and is comfortable!
Remember: This low cost and easy to make earring is
great for yourself or friends as gifts, especially for a beer
Bottle Cap Earrings
lover!
Also: Be Creative! Instead of earrings, make it a necklace or refrigerator magnet.

Additional upcycling ideas with aluminum

Picture Frame Mirror Begin by cutting aluminum cans into many small pieces. Next use
double sided tape (or glue) to fasten the pieces to a picture frame or mirror!

Plastics
a. Weaving with plastic
Materials: Plastic shopping bags (Clean all plastic bags prior to upcycling)
Scissors. Crochet hook.
Step 1: Cut the bottom and handles off of plastic bags,
and roll the remaining bag. Step 2: Cut 1-2 centimeter strips, leaving a
2 cm strip remaining. Step 3: Unroll the bag, and cut diagonally from
the outside of one strip to the inside of the next, creating a continuous
string from the single plastic bag. Step 4: Roll the plastic yarn into a
ball for easy storage- it is now ready to use!
Remember: After creating your plastic yarn/string it may be used for
any number of crafting projects, in this example we use a crochet hook
to create handbags, bracelets, and hot pads in the same manner as you
would with regular yarn. Be creative and experiment, make something
which has never been made before!

Picture Frame Mirror

Materials

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

Step 4
Plastic Yarn!
Finished bag!

b. Bottle Planter/Mini Huerto

Materials: Plastic bottle of any size
(1 Liter or less would be best, depending on what you plan to grow in your
mini-huerto). Scissors and/or razor. Paint (optional)
Step 1: Cut the top off of the plastic bottle. Step 2: Cut parallel strips of ~4 cm
length down from the top of the bottle, at this point you make additional cuts
to each strip for style if desired. Step 3: Cut a small slit below for each strip to
fit into tightly. Also put several holes at the bottom and sides for drainage.
Step 4: Paint the outside of the bottle. Step 5: After acquiring plants and soil
for substrate plant it! Place mini-huerto indoors or outside in a site where it
will receive adequate sunlight, and water according to the plants needs!
Remember: The plastic bottle planter can be a great medium for growing small plants, Mini Huerto
such as succulents or cactus in the home.
Also: A fun way twist on this project is in the collection of the plant(s) and soil for the planter. Ideally
the plants can be propagated from another plant, such as a succulent or herb such as mint or thyme.
Placing quartz crystals or other stones, sticks or other natural items can also enhance the quality of your
mini-huerto!
c. Bottle Holder
Materials: Plastic Bottle (PET). Scissors/Cutting Razor. Zipper.
Hot Glue.
Step 1: Completely cut off the top of the bottle with a razor.
Step 2: Glue the zipper on the inside of both pieces of the plastic
bottle.
This is a simple project which only requires the purchase of a
zipper, which can be found at most craft supply stores. The
resulting pen holder is a very useful storage for school or crafting
supplies, or any other type of treasure!

Bottle Holder

PAPER
a. Paper roll art
Materials: Paper rolls. These can be from toilet paper or paper towels. Scissors.
Glue. Paint (optional).
Step 1: Cut paper rolls 1-2 centimeter rings.
Step 2: Choose a design (or create your own!)
Step 3: Firmly glue paper roll rings to each
other. Step 4: Paint or add any other
decoration to the final design.
Materials & Step 1
Step 2

Remember: It is important to make sure that rolls are securely glued to each other.
A favorite eco-art project has been the flower catcher, a flower of life made of
paper rolls that hangs in your bedroom!

Step 3

Flower Catchers

b. Egg Carton Flowers

Materials: Egg Cartons. Scissors. Glue. Paint
(optional)
Step 1: Cut the carton into individual egg holders.
Step 2: Cut each egg holder several times to create
petals. Step 3: Combine to create unique designs
and glue it together.
Remember: You can make your flowers any shape you like! For
added color and texture paint each layer before gluing it together.
Egg Carton Flowers Materials and Step 1

Step 2
Step 3

Additional Projects with Paper

Cardboard Wallets Another project idea that we have been successful with are
wallets using cardboard boxes, such as those that cereal comes in. You can
choose pictures from magazines or your own photos to cover the wallet, then
use a laminating plastic to cover and protect the outside. We have seen many
various designs for upcycled wallets, and each one inspires us to be more
creative!
Gift Bags- From using newspaper to wrap presents to creating gift bags from
newspaper complete with handles, there exist many possibilities to create your

Cardboard Wallets

own unique packaging from used paper in your house! We have found that whenever you give a gift that you have
wrapped (or created entirely!) by yourself it will always be well received.
Square/Box Planters (with newspaper)- As we also are big fans of home gardening, we have found that we can use
newspaper as small planters to start seeds in. By creating your own planters from paper you are saving money and
becoming even more self-reliant. You can even place a newspaper planter directly into the soil and it will degrade as the
roots break through, reducing the need for more transplanting!

Tires
Used vehicle tires are another great product to reuse, easy to come by, and ripe with upcycling potential. Once cleaned
and sharp edges are removed rubber tires can be made into elements for playgrounds, furniture, footwear, and as a
building material, among other things. Working with tires does require the use of power tools, such as electric drills to
make holes through each tire at the point where they will be fastened. We fasten tires together with screws and bury
them into the ground to create unique forms. To cut through the tire walls a stronger knife is required, such as a cutting
razor or machete, an electric saws all type tool also works. When painted with oil paint, creations made from tires are
incredibly durable and will last a long time exposed to the natural elements.
a. Tire Planter
Materials: Tire, Razor cutter, oil paint (optional)
Step 1: Cut patterns into the one sidewall of the tire. Step 2: Turn the tire inside out. This is a difficult step!
Step 3: Paint the outside of the tire with oil paint if you wish, and then locate the tire with the patterned edge
facing upward. Bury the base of the tire a little bit and fill in the bottom with stones and pack in soil so that the
planter is secure in place. Step 4: Fill in the top half with fertile soil and plant ornamental plants.

Tire Planter 1
Tire Planter 2

b. Tire Furniture
Used tires can also be used to create furniture and other housewares. We have
seen great tire chair designs!
Materials: Tires, Cutting Razor. Nuts and Bolts. Oil Paint
Creating chairs, tables, or other furniture from tires does require more work,
but is well worth the effort. Tires can be cut and fastened together to create a
variety of forms, your imagination really is the only limit! Be careful working
with tires, as burning rubber is irritating to the lungs and skin, so personal
protective equipment is essential.

Tire Chair 1

Tire Chair 2

BIGGER IDEAS
For each of the material groups covered in this book; plastics, metals, glass, and paper, a significant opportunity exists to
increase the amount of material recycled. Also there exists a great market for products made with post-consumer
materials. Increasing the amount of disposable products that are recycled is a very realistic goal and one where we can
all participate. Every person has the ability and opportunity to consume less, consume smarter, and recycle more.
Anybody can be an example to their family, friends, and community of what is possible for humans committed to living
in better harmony with the planet in the 21st century.

Composting
Composting is another wonderful technology we have at our disposal for reducing the amount of household waste we
send to the landfill by turning organic wastes into soil. Green or organic waste should not be mixed with plastics and
other inorganic wastes, instead it should be left to break down and return into dark, nutrient rich soil. In 2012, more
than a quarter of landfill material was kitchen and garden waste, most of which could be effectively dealt with and
recycled at home. When we practice composting, we simply set the stage and conditions for microorganisms to break
down organic matter into soil, with nothing more than air, water, and time. Composting truly is a simple, cheap, and
effective technology that can reduce landfill waste while creating soil as a product, a valuable resource made entirely
from waste materials.

Sustainable Architecture
There are many organizations and indeed a growing movement worldwide towards building using upcycled materials
and methods. In most areas of Earth today, fresh water, clean air, and healthy soils are natural resources which are
becoming increasingly limited and increasingly polluted, and the modern household is often inefficiently designed to
protect them. In addition, many of the materials used to build and insulate our homes are actually toxic to the human
body if ingested or inhaled. Earthship Biotecture is a model designed to create homes that use resources and recycle
wastes in an efficient manner, while using locally available and upcycled building materials to create a comfortable,
functional home at a much lower cost to the homeowner and local environment.
There have been many other projects designed to bring light to the degree of worldwide plastic pollution to the public
consciousness. Plastiki is one such project that has been created to raise awareness about the problem of persistent
plastic pollution in the worlds oceans. To do so, they have built a boat out of 12,500 2-Liter plastic bottles and sailed it
across the Pacific Ocean.
Other groups have chosen to integrate upcycling into humanitarian projects. RiseNow is a group from the United States
which among other things creates playgrounds using recycled materials,
primarily used vehicle tires. Their model is an example of community building
where locally abundant and discarded materials such as used tires are upcycled
to create an area for children to play, something every child deserves! RiseNow
creates eco-parks in places where no playgrounds exist, bringing together
volunteers and the community to create functional and beautiful public spaces
for children and their families to meet and play.

Individual and Industrial Pollution

With this guide we encourage everyone to do their part to reduce their ecological footprint to improve the quality of life
for present and future generations. It is important to understand the difference between pollution which originates
from an individuals consumption of products and that which is created by the industrial consumption of natural
resources. As individual consumers in the 21st century we create much more waste from disposable products and
synthetic materials than people did last century, and this is especially true in the industrialized economies in the global
north. At the same time industrial pollution is on a much greater scale, and capable of causing much greater damage to
Earths natural systems, and more quickly. It is well documented that more than half of the worlds economic wealth is
held by just 1% of the world population, and much harm is needlessly caused to Earths ecosystems in the name of
generating money. As consumers we are always making choices on what we buy, when we buy it, and from whom. By
choosing to support products, companies, and ultimately industries with ethical business practices we hold great power
for deciding the future health of our planet. When we choose not to support companies and industries that carelessly
pollute the earth we have realized a simple means to have an effective impact on such a large and complicated problem
as global pollution.

Ecological Justice
Ecological Justice is a movement which works intentionally towards creating harmony between Earths economic,
ecological, and social systems. Ecological Justice aims to give a voice to traditionally voiceless populations on Earth the
plants, animals, water, air, and soil, the natural resources that sustain all life as we know it. Classic economic theory
does not fairly value the services that ecological systems provide in monetary terms, which often leads to the
unnecessary damage to ecosystems in practice. Ecological economics operates within the current global
economic/capitalist system to quantify the services that nature provides to humans in definite, monetary terms.
Ecological health, economic health, and social health are equally important, and sustainable when balanced. Therefore,
as you go forward think about how your actions as a consumer will impact the health of the environment and the other
people in your community, in addition to your wallet.
Now you are ready to start upcycling. Take your time, use your imagination, and most importantly, have fun!

Glossary of Terms
Consumer- The individual who purchases and uses products and materials, creating wastes.
Degradation The natural process of materials breaking down into simpler materials over time, due to sunlight, air, and
water.
Ecological Footprint The amount of land required to sustain a certain individual or groups current consumption.
Industry Organizations composed of individuals which as practice consume natural resources and materials, create
products, and create wastes.
Landfill The location where solid wastes are accumulated and buried on land.
Material Basic components derived from virgin, natural resources which are processed by industry into products.
Overconsumption A situation where more natural resources are removed from a system than are replaced.
Pollution The introduction of contaminants into the natural environment (soil, air, water, etc..) by industry and
individuals.
Product The resulting items manufactured from one or more materials which are consumed by individuals and
disposed of.
Recycle The collection and processing of products into their unique materials, in order to make new products.
Upcycle The process of crafting using common consumer products after their usable life has ended, for purposes other
than their intended use.

References
1. Global Footprint Network. Footprint Calculator.
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/.

2. Leigh County, Pennsylvania. Aluminum Recycling Facts.

http://www.lehighcounty.org/departments/solidwastemanagement/recyclingfacts/aluminum/tabid/520/defaul
t.aspx.
3. Alcoa. Recycling: Our Position On Recycling. http://www.alcoa.com/recycling/en/info_page/position.asp.
4. Eriksen, M, et al. (2014). Plastic Pollution in the Worlds Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing
Over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea. PLoS ONE. 9(12): e111913. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111913.
5. Robbins, Noelle. (2010). Flushing Forests. World Watch Magazine. 23(3) http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6403
6. Glass Packaging Institute. Glass Recycling Facts. http://www.gpi.org/recycling/glass-recycling-facts.
7. Earthship Biotecture. http://earthship.com/Systems/.
8. Plastiki Expedition. http://theplastiki.com/.
9. Rise Now. http://www.rise-now.org/.
10. American Chemistry Council. Position on Recycling. http://plastics.americanchemistry.com/Sustainability.
11. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in
the United States: Facts and Figures for 2012.
http://www3.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/2012_msw_fs.pdf.
12. Quality Logo Products. Different Types of Plastics and Their Number Classifications (Codes).
https://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/lib/different-types-of-plastic.htm.