Second Chances
There is an old saying, “If you’re lucky enough to get a second chance at something, don’t waste it.” This statement has multiple meanings and it could be applied to giving old items a second chance at a new life. Charlene and Jim Agan love breathing new life into old pieces of wood and giving it a second chance. “Jim and I began working together 1987, which made us good partners together, and we have turned our love for the look of wood into items people could use,” Charlene said. The couple started a wood working/upcycling business called 2nd Hand Life. “Because of our working together in the construction field, we saw all the wood going back into landfills,” Charlene said. “That’s is how 2nd Hand Life started. Saving our landfills of wood that can be turned into items we can use.” 2nd Hand Life is unique in the fact that the business incorporates the historic art of wood working and the latest trend of upcycling. Wood working has been around since the dawn of time. According to the website Wagner Meters (www.wagnermeters.com), “Throughout ancient history, until our modern era, every civilization in the world has used wood to create useful, as well as, beautiful and decorative objects. We see examples of woodworking by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese. Many other ancient cultures around the world also practiced woodworking, employing many different styles and techniques. Primitive weapons, used for defense and hunting, and simple tools for building shelters, have been used throughout the ages. Archaeologists discovered a wooden club and digging sticks at the Kalambo Falls, on the Kalambo River, on the border of Zambia and Tanzania. As man developed his woodworking skills, he became better able to kill animals for food, clear land with his axe to grow crops, and build boats, buildings, and furniture. Woodworking thus became an important process that led to the advancement of civilizations.”
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Upcycling became very popular in the 90’s and it’s a trend that is here to stay. Back in 2002, William McDonough and Michael Braungart released their book, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, which brought the term “upcycling” into the public eye, and solidified its use in today’s culture. They were pioneers in the field of upcycling, encouraging that we should all strive to extend a products life. Today, that idea is interpreted as meaning we should create from
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2017
By Libby Hopkins
what is being discarded whenever possible. According to Upcycle Magazine (www.upcyclemagazine. com), “Upcycling has become so popular because it increases awareness of environmental responsibility and a slow economy has led to a major increase in upcycling. Home owners are looking for ways to renovate with salvaged, and in some cases, free materials. The green mom on a budget may upcycle her old clothes into clothes for her children. This innovative spirit and environmental consciousness has led to upcycling in nearly all areas of life.” What makes 2nd Hand Life different from other wood working/upcycling business out there is that they go the extra mile to make sure their customers are pleased with their products. “We are different because we go that extra mile to make sure our customers are happy, not just now, but a year from now,” Charlene said. “All our clients know, if an item happens to break, even if they break it themselves, we will do our best to fix it.” This guarantee is why they are one of the popular vendors at the Lakeland Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market. The couple became one of the vendors at the market after their family and friends thought they should sell their beautiful wood creations to the public. The couple loves being a part of the market because of their customers. “We love meeting all the great people at the market and now some have become very dear friends of ours,” Charlene said. “Plus the added bonus is, when meeting new people, you get to hear their stories, and sometimes those stories becomes our next inspiration for making a new item.” Charlene and Jim are also very supportive of shopping local and keeping things local. “This is very important to us and we’ve even made some products for other vendors to use at the market,” Charlene said. If you would like to learn more about the products offered by 2nd Hand Life, you can visit their Facebook page at www. facebook.com/2ndhandlife. If you would like to learn more about the Lakeland Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market, you can visit their website at www.downtownfarmerscurbmarket.org. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM