Upcycling is defined as reusing a discarded material in a way that its end product is of a higher value or quality than the original. It is also usually integrated with creative innovations as to have it stand out. One can say it is recycling but more appealing and even more sustainable. In our modern day, both emerging and professional entrepreneurs are looking at this concept for the benefit of the environment but also the imagination.

Recycling is already a common topic to many and in short, is the conversion of discarded materials into usable ones. It has many benefits in reducing waste, conserving the planet?s natural resources and its creatures. Let?s take newspapers for example. Nearly every household has a one or two subscriptions, but after a day?s worth of reading, they head straight to the bin. Staticians estimate that if we all recycle them, we could save 250 million trees each year. This statistics would be even higher if we take into consideration printing paper, etc. Though paper makes up 34% of all waste, other common materials easily recyclable consists of textiles (16%), plastic (12%), metals (8%), and glass (5%). The average disposal of trash is at over 4 pounds per person every day, computing to 29,600,000,000 (twenty nine billion, six hundred million) pounds each day. Recycling, and even upcycling, is imperative therefore to have obtained, because when trash is dumped on landfills, which is the majority of how it is disposed all over the globe, materials take long to decompose. An aluminum can takes 80 years to do so, a glass bottle 500 years, and styrofoam can?t decompose. They harm us as humans in the process, toxins such as lead are released (though mainly found in e-waste). Therefore, we have to take action, and especially with upcycling, this can be more easily obtained.

In doing so, not only do we reduce the amount of trash at landfills or waste in general, we can target so many other aspects. In terms of the economy, companies seek to purchase recycled materials for use in their own products. They also require a higher amount of staff as demand increases and 1.1 million workers all over the world are given this opportunity. Global warming is another factor where every ton of waste can convert to an elimination of 3.6 million metric tons of carbon emissions. Surrounding biodiversity is the final major factor. Waste can usually end up in the habitats of animals harming them in the process while extraction of resources for manufacture can also be avoided. Recycling seems so easy yet it is overlooked by many. We can encapture this attention with unique implementations, ending up in the form of upcycling.

This trend is notably one of the most popular in the Philippines, where companies have turned a damaged piano into a bench, glass bottles into lamps, industrial container drums into seats, car tires into tables and bags, jeans into handbags, rolled up newspapers into jewelry, chairs out of baseball bats, scraps of paper and glass, into paintings, among many others. This trend, however, is for a reason. As of 2012, the local furniture?s economy has skyrocketed, having a 30 million Peso increase compared to the previous year. However, the environmental industry in connection to it has suffered greatly, as forests have to be cut down and emissions are produced. With upcycling, both the economy and the environment can see a bright future.

What will you upcycle? There are so many opportunities waiting, but the only thing that can stop you is the lack of willpower, creativity, and passion for the environment. Let your imagination bring you forward.