The Beauty of Recycling

Last weekend I went to the Earth Team holiday party where we learned creative ways to reuse things that are usually classified as trash. The speakers showed us amazing techniques like how to make clothes and Christmas presents out of products from recycling stores and dumpster diving. One of the speakers made hot pads out of rice pouches in cloth.  First, they filled an old pouch with rice, and then sewed a pretty cloth over it for decoration.  You can then heat it whenever, and it works as a hot pad.  This great natural tool does not use harmful chemicals, can be made from left over miscellaneous items, and it is reusable unlike the hot pads from the store.

Reusing is something that is always on my mind.  I try to make everything I buy last as long as possible so I could relate to what the speakers were doing. However, what I was really inspired by, was how one of the speakers collected all of her clothing on the street.  Shopping is my biggest guilty pleasure.  I love fashion and am not having much luck with being green about it. I take all my old clothing to the free box when it is too worn out for me and hope someone else will wear it, but that is not satisfying enough for me.  The fact that someone could create his or her entire wardrobe from clothes that have not even made it to the trashcan is incredible.  You are starting the recycle chain from the very bottom and bringing it back to the top.  When you really pay attention, there are all kinds of resources floating in the streets.  Yesterday, I found a sweatshirt that looked the same as sweatshirts name brands sell for 50 dollars, and I got mine free.

By shopping off the street, dumpster or even thrift stores, you are helping your pockets and the environment.  You are giving that article of clothing one more purpose before it is discarded to a landfill.  This is something everyone can do, and once you get started, endless opportunities open up.