Every single thing that you do matters, including what you do with your trash. When enough people honestly care about the environment, sustainability, and ecology, things start to change in society as a whole. Not to mention that by reusing what you already have or what’s been thrown out, you can push the boundaries of your imagination!
Today, our team at Bored Panda wanted to motivate you to do a bit more to be eco-friendly, so we picked out some of the coolest and most creative upcycling, recycling, and reuse photos from all over the internet. Scroll down for some inspiration, upvote your fave pics, and be sure to share your own upcycling projects in the comments if you’re a fan!
#1 Clever Cat Napper From Vintage Luggage
#2 Awesome Inspiration For Framed Art Using Sea Glass Pieces And Cork! This By Sandra Mckie Of #barbadoseaglass On Instagram
#3 Got Our Little Free Library Finished! We Retrofitted An Old Pay Phone Booth With Shelves, A Door, And Re-Did The Top To Say Library
Tomra reports that the top countries when it comes to recycling include Austria (with a recycling rate of 59%), Wales (also 59%), Taiwan (53%), Germany (52%), and the Netherlands (51%).
Next up are Denmark (also 51%), Slovenia (50%), Northern Ireland (45%), and South Korea (also 45%).
#4 Brian Robitaille Turned An Old Boat Into A Storage Shed!
#5 Beautiful Repurpose Of An Old Piano To A Desk!
#6 Someone Got Really Creative With A Few Strips Of Auto Trim And A Vintage Auto Logo!
In the meantime, the Environmental Performance Index notes that South Korea has a recycling score of 67.1, meaning that it recycles over two-thirds of all recyclable post-consumer materials, such as metal, plastic, paper, and glass.
In second place is Samoa with a score of 57.6, followed by Benin (56.9), Iceland (55.5), Vanuatu (52.9), Singapore (51.7), the Philippines (49.9), Germany (49.8), and Vietnam (46).
#7 London-Based Artist Josh Gluckstein Is Motivated To Produce Art That Helps Protect Endangered Animal Species By Reusing Discarded Materials For His Life-Like Sculptures!
#8 This Holstein Created From An Old Propane Tank, Some Horseshoes And A Shovel Head Then Hand Painted!
#9 I Don't Know Who Did This But They Sure Did One Heck Of A Job!
According to The Sustainable Agency, based on the data from OECD, a whopping 91% of the world’s plastic waste is not recycled. In 2019, just 9% of plastic waste was recycled.
That year, 19% was incinerated, 50% went to sanitary landfills, and 22% was mismanaged. In the latter case, it was disposed of in uncontrolled dumpsites, burned in open pits, or leaked to the environment. As per the OECD, global plastic consumption has quadrupled over the past three decades.
#10 Broken And Damaged Old Hard Cover Book Bindings Can Make Beautiful Book Marks!
#11 Old Armoires/Entertainment Centers Can Be So Transformed! Here's One Inspiration, A Hot Beverage Bar! Tis The Season!
#12 Love The Ladder! Plants To Grow In Your Bathroom!
The Sustainable Agency notes that if nothing changes drastically and current trends continue, as per a report by the Nordic Council of Ministers and Systemiq, the amount of mismanaged plastic waste is set to double by 2040.
Meanwhile, the predicted global plastic recycling rate is likely to stay very similar. However, things might not be so grim. In a scenario where global policies shift, around 43% of the world’s plastic waste could be recycled in 2040.
#13 Awesome Inspiration! An Old Citroen 2cv Door Is Turned Into A Unique And Funky Cabinet
#14 Turn An Old Suitcase Into An Awesome And Unique Shelf!
#15 An Old Guitar Case With Added Legs Makes A Cool, Eclectic Coffee Table With Storage!
Heal the Planet explains that one of the easiest ways to reduce the amount of waste you produce is to reduce your consumption.
Upcycling is the process through which you can use waste or unwanted items and turn them into actually useful products or art. As various items’ lifespans increase, you end up buying fewer new things.
#16 If You Can, Zoom In And See The Description At Bottom...erin Clark's Mom Made This For Her As A Present...and All Of It Hand Placed!
#17 We've Got The Beat! Awesome Snare Drum Turned Bedside Table By Schlagartig Recycling On Pinterest!
#18 Pat Congleton Creates Amazing Designs From Repurposed Clothing. This Coat Is Made From A Men's Sport Coat And Various Sweaters!
Some of the benefits of upcycling include the fact that you’re reducing the strain on resources such as fuel, forests, and resources.
Not only that, but by upcycling, you’re also helping safeguard wildlife habitats, reduce air and water pollution, and end up producing less hazardous waste than companies and factories. Plus, you save money!
#19 A Beautiful Piece Of Driftwood, Some Jars And Flameless Votives And Trailing Succulent Plants Create A Unique And Lovely "Chandelier"
#20 An Ornate Vintage Bed Is Given New Life As A Beautiful Bench!
#21 Awesome Inspiration! These Old Metal Wagon Wheels Turned Exterior Step Railings Is A Great Vintage Farmhouse Style!
Heal the Planet suggests that if you want to get started with repurposing certain items, you should spend some time doing online research and for some inspiration. In the meantime, everyone’s encouraged to care for their items and maintain them so that they serve their purpose for far longer.
#22 Awesome Inspiration! A Table Made From Vintage Sewing Machine Drawers!
#23 Night Stands And Small Dressers Can Be Repurposed Into Adorable Pet Nappers!
#24 Gorgeous Succulent Garden Using An Old Chair!
Some other ways to reduce your impact on the planet include shopping at secondhand or used goods stores, going to garage sales, etc. You can also barter with your family and friends for things you need with what you have. Maybe someone’s throwing out a piece of furniture that you could use.
Or they have some clothes that no longer fit them that you’d be happy to take in. It all depends on our open-mindedness and perspective: not everything that gets thrown out is ‘trash.’
#25 This Is Interesting! A Vintage Sewing Machine Is Turned Kitchen Island! Beautiful For That Rustic Cottage Kitchen!
#26 A Great Idea For That Rusty Old Toy Truck!
#27 Inspired Recycling! A Jean Jacket Is Given A Transformation Using A Vintage Embroidered Daisy Fabric! Unique And Chic By French Sugar On Re.statement
What’s your relationship with the environment and sustainability like, dear Pandas? What do you do to reduce your impact on the planet and produce less waste? What are your recycling, reusing, repair, and upcycling skills like? We’d love to hear from you! Do you have a moment? Tell us what you think in the comments. And remember—everything you do really does matter.
#28 Another Fabulous Fairy/Gnome Home From A Tree Stump!
#29 Incredible Vintage Sofa Redo
#30 A Kid's Wooden Place Horse From A Cable Spool!
#31 A Salvaged Piano Is Turned Into An Amazing Entryway Table!
#32 I Am Not A Big Fan Of Snakes But I Love The Creativity Here!
#33 There's Something So Cool And This Unique Repurpose Of A Microscope Turned Into A Table Lamp!
#34 Clever Coastal Design! This Sailboat Was Created From Driftwood, Some Twine And Sea Glass! Would Be Beautiful In A Sunny Window
#35 Those Old Flannel Shirts Make Adorable Tote Bags!
#36 Amazing Bar Created From A Toboggan!
#37 A Barrel Is Recycled Into An Eclectic, Almost Mid Century Modern Coffee Table! This One Is By Basicinterior On Etsy
#38 This Lamp Started Out As A Very Dirty Old Brown Lamp Base. The Shade Was From Another Thrifted Lamp
I cleaned it thoroughly then hand painted both sides of the base. I cut fabric into strips, turned edges and glued to the lamp shade. This took a few weeks of work to get right but it turned out so well!
#39 An Old Trike Is Turned Little Table/Plant Holder!
#40 I've Seen This Done In Old Windows But Never In A Glass Top Table! This Is By Leslie Levecque-Boothby On Pinterest
#41 Create A Craft Crate For Your Supplies! Two Cutting Boards, A Little Crate, A Dowel And Some End Caps!
#42 Well Done Wall Decor Using Picture-Less Frames!
#43 For Those Who Like To Sew, This Is A Clever And Pretty Way To Update A Jean Jacket!
#44 Awesome Woodwork! Cable Spool And Reclaimed Wood Chair!
#45 Re-Scape Loves Horseshoes! Metal Worker Inspiration! Little Dog From Horseshoes And A Hammer Head! (This One By Secondnaturemetalart On Etsy)
#46 A Beautiful Table From A Vintage Sewing Machine Base And A Natural Edge Wood Top!
#47 An Old Suitcase Is Give A Beautiful New Update As An Ottoman! I Love The Matching Pillow Fabric To Bring It All Together
#48 Clever Way To Repurpose Old License Plates!
#49 Awesome Inspiration! Two Hand Saws Joined Together And Decorated With All Kinds Of Repurposed/Broken Jewelry Bit, Buttons And Chains!
#50 Clever Repurpose! Would Be Awesome For A Lodge! Vintage Skis Turned Handrails!
