#3 Upcycling

Upcycling creatively transforms or repurposes disused materials into valuable and useful products, giving them a new lease of life.

By focusing on creating demand for materials already circulating in the economy, this can help manage dwindling natural and finite resources.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04350-0

https://www.archdaily.com/916482/upcycling-wood-disused-materials-transformed-into-valuable-and-useful-objects

https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/people/roger-and-sons-furniture-makers-singapore-179226

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/trash-to-treasure-thailand-makes-covid-19-protective-gear-out-of-upcycled-bottles

The root of our staggering waste problem is unsustainable consumption habits, be it excessive consumption or reliance on purchasing all things new.

Upcycling or recycling cannot solve the mounting waste generated by humans or pollution arising from it. Much like the adage, prevention is better than cure, a mindset to reduce waste rather than constantly seeking solutions to a persistent and compounding waste problem is needed.

https://lithub.com/upcycling-wont-save-of-us-from-our-habits-of-consumption/

https://deeply.thenewhumanitarian.org/oceans/articles/2017/08/07/upcycling-ocean-plastic-trash-comes-into-fashion

https://qz.com/1702984/why-upcycling-wont-change-fashions-waste-problem/

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