What is Upcycling?

One of the fun things we like doing at Green Ideas magazine is coming up with upcycling projects. What the heck is upcycling? Well, it's basically the art of turning junk into objects that are more valuable than the original items.

The Concept of Upcycling

You see, recycling is all very well and good, and we should definitely do it more if we want to preserve resources and cut down on waste – but when you recycle, usually the waste item is turned into something with less value. High grade plastics get turned into low grade plastics, and low grade plastics become even less valuable products, and so on.

But by upcycling something you break that cycle and reverse it: you take trash and push it back up the value chain by turning it into treasure.

It's also extremely satisfying! Take our upcycled bicycle (try saying that quickly) for example. We found an old 1950s bike that was heading for the scrapheap, used some waste wood from a packing crate to add a cute little picnic carrier box to it, and hey presto! The end result is something greater than the sum of its parts.

Plus at Green Ideas we're all about being kinder to the environment – and cycling's about the greenest way to get around there is – so we're particularly chuffed to be able to glam up an activity that's really good for the planet (and for you of course). And it kind of adds a breezy retro charm to the simple act of getting from A to B, right? Why rush about when you can pause, smell the roses, and have a picnic where you please…

What do you think? Are you into upcycling yourself? We feature a step-by-step DIY upcycling project in each issue of Green Ideas, so if you're really taken with the bike and want to try building one yourself, you can grab a magazine at the supermarket or buy one online here.

Greg Roughan,
Green Ideas editor