Why upcycling? / Changing the game
› soil where they can be used again by the tree or even by other plants. The flowers of the tree contain sweet nectar that attracts pollinators and keeps the gene pool diverse. The natural sugar content and flavour of the tree’s fruits are specially designed for birds to eat. The bird’s digestive system helps germinate the seeds contained within the fruit and ensure that they are spread far and wide. Fact text box: - We take about 8% of global oil or gas production to make plastics - We make 2 million plastic bags every minute - The verage useful life of a plastic bag is just 20 minutes - Once in the waste bin 97% of plastic bags never get recycled
There is no waste in this intricate system because everything is a resource. Although a tree’s leaves, flowers and fruits may fall to the ground, their role in nature’s cyclical system ensures that nothing is without value. This system has evolved over time and is beautiful, useful and adds value wherever it grows. Unfortunately we do not have the luxury of endless time within which to change the game. We cannot follow the tree’s example and wait for the trial and error approach of evolution to create the perfect system. However, we can learn from nature. We can harness the limitless potential of human creativity and design waste out of our systems. You might believe that this is only design thinking and wonder what practical action you can take in your daily life to fight pollution and manage your waste responsibly. Fortunately there are many things you can do to help. Read on to explore some 37