Overly saturated, grainy, light-streaked photos - the 90’s film photos are back! The 90’s favorite disposable cameras have made its glorious comeback as one of many aesthetic trends among millennials. The vibrant colors and the analogue vibes have caught the attention of youth across the world. As these cameras have become popular among millennials, these disposable cameras are often seen as single-use cameras and are thrown away after using up the films. As its name suggests, many people tend to throw them away after use, but the name “disposable” is not the right name for this camera. In fact, it can be recycled with a few easy steps!

According to Lomography’s The Complete Guide to Reloading Disposable Cameras, recycling disposable cameras is actually an easy process that you can do all by yourself. All you need are new film, box-cutter, wooden matchsticks or toothpicks, and screwdriver to rewind the film. You first have to open up the camera using a knife, replace the old film with a new set of film, and then rewind the film so that the film fits the camera. These simple steps can change your disposable camera to recyclable cameras. 

While having fun and enjoying the moment is also a crucial part to one’s well-being, we need to consider more than just the memories. Although the major setback of disposable cameras is the waste created by old disposable films and use of paper and chemicals when printing out each photo, we can at least minimize our carbon footprints by reusing the camera itself. While capturing the raw, candid moments of joy, let’s make sure that we can preserve our environment just like how we hope to preserve our memories of these special moments. Capture that moment, and carry that memory while simultaneously protecting the environment around you. 

Works Cited:

Krolikowski, Alexander. “Lomography - The Complete Guide to Reloading Disposable Cameras.” Lomography, Lomography, 30 May 2020, www.lomography.com/magazine/248878-the-complete-guide-to-reloading-disposable-cameras.

Mahan, Logan. “Youthsplaining: Why Are So Many Young People Obsessed With Disposable Cameras?” InsideHook, InsideHook, 12 Feb. 2020, www.insidehook.com/article/internet/why-are-young-people-using-disposable-cameras.