Earth Day Upcycled Tips

[Former_Member]

Looking for tips to share on our team blog!

Let's hear some great green living tips from our team! How are you celebrating Earth Day this year? How did you give back to the environment?

[Former_Member]

I'm not celebrating differently than any other day. I try to be very mindful of being green.

I'm planning seeds for my vegetables and herbs. I plan on growing a large herb garden this year.

I compost. My chickens and pet rabbit are my chief composters. They also consume most of my kitchen scraps which is mainly vegetables. I also bring home coffee grounds from work to put on my compost. Sorry if that grosses some people out but every little bit helps.

I recycled office supplies I collect at work through Terracycle. I recycle sharpies, highlighters, tape dispensers, and pouch packaging.

[Former_Member]

Oh coffee in the compost is so beneficial! I LOVE to garden as much as I LOVE to upcycle wood. ;) I dream of having chickens one day! How many do you have? Here's our gardening blog: www.backyardFLgardening.com Do you garden online anywhere? lol

By celebrating I mean creating awareness. I want Upcyclers to share what we do all year in honor of this holiday.

I like to set goals each Earth Day, and see if I can reach them by the next year. Last year I had a goal to replace (repurpose & recycle) all my plastic tupperware containers. I replaced all but two with glassware I found at thrift stores. :)

[Former_Member]

I'm taking biodegradable trash bags with me on walks around our neighborhood to pick up trash. I take one with me in the fields behind our house as well to collect trash and recyclable items. Now that winter snows seem to be finally melted, a lot of trash is being revealed.

I've also purchased a composting barrel and I've begun to compost our vegetable waste!

[Former_Member]

Very nice Linda! I saw a couple driving around and picking up trash today! Made my heart happy. Since we live by the beach we spend one morning at the beginning of beach season picking up trash. We should do it more though! It is amazing all the bottle caps (and cig butts) we find. Good luck composting! I have a composting tumbler and we love it.

[Former_Member]

I have 8 chickens. It's been so wonderful having them. We got them as chicks last spring and hand raised them. They don't mind being picked up and they like to be petted on their chests and head. I don't free range them but they have a really large pen. I hardly have any garbage as I give them most of the kitchen scraps or it goes to the compost. I give them a large 5 gallon bucket of grass, dandelions, and clover daily which gives them Omega 3 in the egg. It's a joy to have them.

[Former_Member]

That is awesome! I read clover was great for chicks. Sigh. Hopefully we can have them one day. Until then I will follow everyone else's efforts and learn. Thanks for sharing. :)

[Former_Member]

We always join the local clean up effort: https://www.facebook.com/events/299766740175752/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Maybe people could look for an event locally or start one?

[Former_Member]

Great idea Stephanie! I am organizing a beach cleanup with the girl scouts for the end of summer this year. I am super excited to get the kids involved.

[SweetSomeday]

I've been trying to replace plasticware with glassware as well! A lot of my plastic containers are being used to organize hardware and other "junk drawer" stuff now. I've also been trying not to waste as much paper as I used to - use both sides for lists or notes, and recycle even the small scraps when I'm done with them, instead of throwing them in the trash. Hoping to start composting this summer, too!

[Former_Member]

Great ideas Sarah. Hope you find the time to give composting a try this summer. It took me sometime to get the hang of it, but it was worth it.

[Former_Member]

Does anyone participate in the Terracycle programs? Now that I have kids, I have a lot of juice bags and snack bags that I'm collecting and recycling through them. It doesn't cost me any postage to send in because I print a label that's prepaid. I also collect Bic pens, highlighters, sharpies and the plastic tape rings for Terracycle. I created bins for my coworkers to throw in the supplies when they dry up.

[RecastGlass]

I've been teaching my roommate the importance of recycling. He was horrible and always had the mentality...I won't be around for it to affect me!? He drinks loads of various drink types (both aluminum cans and plastic bottles) so bought a dual canister for both trash and recycling and bought a water purifier to start eliminating plastic bottles from our home.

[Former_Member]

I have a growing network of people who collect "garbage" for me to use in my jewelry and artwork. In exchange for them keeping a "Jane Jar" to collect things like beer caps, bread tags, candy wrappers etc. for me, I give them a 10% discount on all purchases.

One of my goals in being an upcycling artist has been to bring other people into the process and broaden awareness about what and how much we throw away. I've met some wonderful people who collect "Jane Jars" for me, and many of them have gotten their families involved as a way of teaching their kids to be thoughtful about what they throw in the garbage. The coolest thing for me right now, is that a Grade Six class at a local public school collected a jar of garbage treasures for me, and their teacher asked me to make an art piece from the contents. (You can read more about it here: http://www.janekoopman.com/1/post/2014/03/collaborative-upcycling-sixth-grade-style.html) I hope to have the piece complete soon so that I can show it to these awesome sixth graders and their teacher close to Earth Day. I just love it that art and upcycling have so much potential for collaboration and community.

[Former_Member]

I live in NYC, and the amount of boxes I see on the sidewalks every day to be thrown out is crazy. I plan on asking businesses to give me their boxes, which I can then use to ship out my sold products on Etsy.

Not only will it help the environment, but it is also a cheap way to get perfectly good shipping supplies! Large boxes are expensive! :)

[Former_Member]

@NatureTouch, I will have to look into Terracycle! Sounds awesome. I have two little girls. :)

@RecastGlass Yes, awareness! We can't have change without it. Our dual trash can makes recycling much easier for everyone in our house.

@JaneKoopman, isn't it great to have a network. We love all the people that help us save the wood and wine corks. It's amazing how many beautiful things are unwanted. I love how you give them a 10% discount. That's an awesome idea. Jane, I shared your link on Upcyclers FB and twitter! What a wonderful thing you are doing.

@Sarah! Yes large boxes are expensive. I also ask our local Michaels for their old boxes when I am shipping extra large frames. You can also turn food boxes inside out. I keep all our cereal boxes for shipping. I got the idea from fellow Upcycler Tricia from UpcycledStuff.

[Former_Member]

Thanks, Bee! :)

[Former_Member]

I'm taking ALL my plastic bags and bottles to recycling - they add up! That's not any different than most days but I try to be green all year :)


And yes even I accumulate plastic bags, it's nearly impossible to avoid.

[Former_Member]

Hi!
I try to avoid waste before it enters the house. Shop in bulk, use homemade over store-bought, transported and wrapped for many things (bread, snacks, soap and shampoo, clothing if possible, etc), and compost/feed to the chickens what we can. I love that several others have mentioned chickens!
We raise the kids to not expect every trinket out there, and that our family doesn't use certain commonplace products (paper towels, packaged drinks/snacks, etc).
We garden - expanding a little every year. This year I'm going to try to grow Chinese Noodle Beans for the first time, wish me luck :-)

[Former_Member]

Great idea @Paige! I still collect a few plastic bags as well, but I am getting better at it. ;)

@ThreeChicksMama - more great thoughts on eliminating waste. Thanks. I love gardening with my family. Our backyard garden grows every year. Isn't it fun. Good luck with Noodle Beans! Never heard of them.

[Former_Member]

Ok, get excited....
I posted a blog post on love2upcycle.com full of some of your tips and thoughts. I couldn't featured everyone, but I did feature 7 of you with one of your shop's items. Thank you for participating with Team Upcyclers. Happy Earth Day!!!

http://love2upcycle.blogspot.com/2014/04/earth-day-thoughts-from-team-upcyclers.html

~Bee

[RecastGlass]

Bee - Just made my day! Thank you for your response and for featuring my item in your blog :).

[Former_Member]

I think it's the little things that count most...

For example:
*Bring your own coffee mug to the c-store to get your morning joe, instead of using one of the disposable paper cups.

*Make your own grocery bags out of old t-shirts! (which are surprisingly strong!)

*Donate old toys, clothes, books etc., instead of throwing them out.

*Compost what you would normally throw away or put down the garbage disposal.

*Turn off lights when you leave a room.

*Unplug electronics when they are not in use.

*Walk or ride your bike when you can!

I think every day should be Earth Day, and we should all do our part to minimize our individual carbon footprints! :)

[Former_Member]

HAPPY EARTH DAY! Use code: EARTHDAY14 to receive 20% Off musically inspired, eco-friendly & Earthen adornments- Today Only!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/113080219/aqua-bliss-guitar-string-bangle-bracelet?ref=pr_shop