Eco-Lingo: Upcycling

Eco-lingo is being tossed around left and right these days. We're demystifying common terms to help you figure out which words are the real deal... and which are just green jargon.

Today's word: Upcycling

Definition: Who knew there was something better than recycling? By upcycling a product, you take the middlemen -- the recycling facilities and factories-- out of the equation. Instead of tossing your used water bottle in the recycling bin where it gets shredded, melted, turned into pellets and then made into new products that will be shipped to who-knows-where, an upcycled product sees a new life right in front of your eyes. Erica Domesek of P.S. I Made This created a chandelier out of plastic bottles for Lonny, Etsy seller ArtworkbyKD made a bracelet from a soda bottle and picardcreative has a line of magnets made from tin can lids. TerraCycle even has a whole business collecting trash and recyclables to create new, functional pieces like aprons and cork boards.

Not only does it save energy, it also boosts creativity. And by upcycling things you don't need (say, bottles) into things that you do (chandeliers!) you end up buying less.

Synonym: Reuse. But only kind of. Reuse generally means using a product again for the same or a similar use. Like using a water bottle to store cleaning liquid or using cleaned-out peanut butter containers as storage jars. While reuse is terrific, and also uses less energy than recycling, upcycling is associated more with creative transformations.

The Verdict: The Real Deal.


To read more about recycling, check out these Shelterpop articles:
What To Do With Your Old Electronics
Eight Fabulous Eco Area Rugs