Make Art and Save the World!

This can be done with Upcycling! What is upcycling?  Upcycling is the process of taking any produced item and re-purposing it for some other use in a way that increases its value.  Whether that increased value is aesthetic or just functional or even both is up to you!  This helps the environment by keeping objects out of landfills and often replacing items that would normally have to be purchased.  That way the items that were replaced don't have to be made so less resources used.  Or items that are upcycled become art which betters the world in its own way.

One of the ways people can facilitate this process is donating to creative reuse centers like Scrap.

Places like this take items from people who aren't going to use them anymore and sell them to people who will use them for upcycling.  Scrap has been very successful in this way diverting over 140 tons of materials from landfills just last year.  They have locations throughout the U.S.  Things like materials for arts and crafts school, office, and party supplies. It's amazing how often things like pens and papers get thrown out simply because people don't know what else to do with them when they don't want them. Once these items have been donated Scrap sells them back to the public at a steep discount. Some other great benefits for donating to places like Scrap are:

• Educators can stretch their budgets by purchasing affordable and unique materials
• Kids can learn about reuse in a fun, playful and diverse environment
• The local creative community will have access to inexpensive, quality materials
• Thousands of pounds of useable materials will be diverted from the landfill
• Households, manufacturers and businesses will have a hub to donate unwanted materials (that otherwise get dumped)
• Centers can create green collar jobs and volunteer opportunities—and support grassroots economic development

So for these reasons and so many more make sure to donate any used art supplies or other things you might have.  Or start upcycling your own things and make the world beautiful!

sources:

http://scrappdx.org/