Daily Tip : September 13, 2007

As an alternative to REcycling your used products, why not try UPcycling and turn them into higher quality goods! A recent article in the New York Times highlights the global community of IKEA hackers who are upcycling IKEA products into functional art. Check out Apartment Therapy's Green Home Blog for ideas.

Receive these Tips in your inbox Monday through Friday by signing up here.

Comments

[Christiana Drapkin]

My son belongs to a bicycle collective in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Volunteers learn how to fix up old bicycles, maintenance and repair, and they build "new" bicycles from scrap parts of discarded bikes. In turn, he teaches others how to maintain their own bikes. AND he's not driving a car here in the city.

[Margie Campaigne]

My mom was totally embarassed when I told her about what I shared in "show & tell" when I was in kindergarten. She had taken a slightly worn out slip cover and made it into a pair of new rompers for me. I thought that was pretty cool! I'm sure lots of parents who went through the Depression and war years did similar things.

[Jim]

Wow, I've re-puposed IKEA and other things for both functional and nonfunctional art uses, and it's good to know there's a community out there to link up with. I periodically will build furniture at home, and while it takes a little time and space to organize, really don't consider much wood to be "scrap wood". Even the smallest pieces can be used for something rather than trashing them

[Harry Symonds]

This Up Cycling idea brings back many fond memories. As a kid I was notorious for “cannibalizing” my toys to make something better. I took the motor out of one toy, the propeller off a rubber band airplane (remember those??) and made pontoons from sections of bamboo. I added a simple “A” frame to hold the whole thing together and the result was a prop-driven swamp boat! I was fortunate, my WWII parents gave me the gift to see what might not be apparent and create something new from it.

Regards

Harry

[sharon Pinsey]

I saw a pile of discarded white bricks and discarded my idea to buy library shelves. I found some boards of appropriate length and width from storage and...voila...a very attractive bookcase and for free!
I needed throw pillows for the living room and took an embroidered Bedhouin dress that was literally falling apart at the seams and truly beautiful and unique throws! A lot of clooth from old clothing could easily be transformed for new use (and still leave plenty to contribute to the poor). Old towels in my home become dish towels and even later, wash rags. :o>
My son's always laughing at me for being a pack-rat. But, I have found further use for so many items that would otherwise contribute to the junkyard/garbage heap, saved a heap of money and been ecologically-minded, too.