The Splash
NOVEMBER 2013 • 29
COMMUNITY
The art of upcycling Brenna Holland
WAVE CONTRIBUTOR
Upcycling is the act of using old or discarded materials to create objects of higher quality or usefulness. Upcycling can also mean using common objects to create new items with a different purpose. It’s reducing, reusing and recycling with a fun twist! Old mason jars is one example of how an item can be upcycled and repurposed. Here are a few ideas: • Paint the jars to store crayons in a new creative way. Match certain hues with the correctly painted jar—you’ll never have to worry about losing an essential crayon color again! • Print letters of different fonts or select some cool images to insert into upside down jars to create a lovely message for all to see. • Create your own terrarium and bring the outdoors indoors for colder months. • Store your Legos in decorated
mason jars, and there will be no more stepping on painful Lego pieces! You can even paint the jars to resemble a Lego man’s yellow head. Here is some further inspiration for creative crafts involving upcycling: • The simplest craft that incorporates upcycling is some oldfashioned finger painting. Use an old cardboard box as a canvas, and have fun getting messy!
• Create fun insect friends with recyclable egg cartons. Use paint, googly eyes, glitter, pom poms and other decorations to create a variety of bugs buddies! Follow the instructions at http://www.firefliesandmudpies. com/2013/04/12/recycled-eggcarton-insects/ • Make shorts out of worn pants (maybe add a little bling?) by following these instructions: http:// www.sewsnbows.com/summerdenim-refashion-for-girls/
WAVE PHOTOS BY SARAH BURK
Ordinary household items such as egg cartons, mason jars and soup cans can easily be upcycled. Decorate them with ribbons, papers or other craft items, and then use them to store buttons, beads, pencils or paintbrushes.
America Recycles Day America Recycles Day, celebrated on Nov. 15, is the only nationally-recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled goods. Spokane Regional Solid Waste System will host a variety of activities, including the America Recycles Day annual student poster contest and a recycling day at Mobius Kids. The top 30 finalists of the poster contest will be featured in Riverfront Park Square in downtown Spokane Oct. 28 through Nov. 15. On Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mobius Kids Museum will offer fun recycling activities. With paid museum admission, kids can make recycled paper, explore the world of compost and worms, play “Trash Grabbers” by sorting recyclables and nonrecyclables, use magnets to test metals and more. For details, go to www.mobiusspokane.org. You could consider adding to the festivities by hosting a recycling lesson or special assembly at your school. If you would like to join the 42,000 Americans who have taken the pledge to recycle more, go to www. americarecyclesday.org. And be sure to not just celebrate on Nov. 15, but do your part to help the earth for the rest of the year as well!
DID YOU KNOW? Check out these fun facts about recycling: • A variety of different materials can be recycled including paper, plastic, glass, metal, textiles and even electronics.
Don’t let your money scatter in the wind. We can teach you how to gather a big pile of cash for saving, spending and sharing with the STCU Money Jar and Journal.
• Powerful magnets sort through metals at the recycling plant.
Order your Money Jar and Journal today at www.stcukids.org (click on “Free stuff ”) or call (509) 326-1954.
• Glass recycling is usually separated into colors because glass keeps its color after recycling.
(800) 858.3750 | www.stcu.org
• A glass bottle can take 40 centuries to be broken down if not recycled. • When a tree is cut down, only a quarter of it will actually be turned into paper. • The first year that more paper was recycled in the U.S. than dumped into landfills was 1993. • If Americans recycled all their newspaper, that would translate into 250 million trees a year.
Sources: www.sciencekids.co.nz/ sciencefacts/recycling.html and www. greenenergysavingtips.com/recyclingfacts-for-kids/
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