Imagine elegant plastic paper packaging.
What happens after it is disposed of?
There are three possible options…
First, it might be possible to convert it into a cheap straw…
It could then be reused to make another paper bag…
Finally, it can be converted into a computer case.
These three scenarios may look similar, but the differences are quite different.
The first option is downcycle. In other words, it converts waste into a product that has less value than the original product.
The second option is recycling. Remanufacturing waste into original products.
The third option is upcycling. Convert waste into products of higher value than before.
Making upcycling work requires both creativity and science
But what sets it apart from the other two is the value it creates.
Upcycling can be as simple or as complex as one imagines.
Let's paint a picture of what we mean.
food waste
Think about the food waste that ends up in landfills every hour.
Since it is waste, you may not expect to derive any value from it except as a garbage collector.
But what happens when this rotting waste is converted into a more valuable product?
That is composting.
Simply take out the rotten waste and turn it into a soil amendment suitable for your crops.
Value comes from things that have little value.
But let's think a little outside the box…
Think about the fruit waste that ends up in garbage bags, like mango, avocado pits and orange peels.
What if we transform them into high-value products that can capture a good market?
“But how?” you ask…
That's the big question.
That's what „upcyclers“ (if there is such a word) do every day.
There are no easy options, but could we extract useful substances such as sugar and pectin from mango seeds?
Is it possible to extract cellulose (and make pads and packaging) from avocado seeds?
Is it possible to extract essential oil from orange peels, which are sold at high prices on the market?
But there are many more forms of solid waste out there…
Plastic, paper, glass and food waste are plentiful and we are trying to find ways to give value back to them.
It is not easy…
It requires research and development (but that goes beyond academic pursuits).
This is not a path for the lazy or the weak-skinned.
But it has consequences.
It creates wealth…
It expands employment opportunities…
We are also tackling solid waste issues…
It reduces pollution…
It increases value and thereby grows the local economy.
Imagine the following local businesses that are making money thanks to upcycling.
takataka solution, safi organic
But there are others, such as:
carbon upcycle, plastic upcycling, Carbogenics
conclusion
It's good to consider downcycling…
You should try recycling…
But it's best to upcycle. Because it brings life back to something that had little or no life.
![](https://cleannovatehome.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/upcy.webp?w=1024)
![](https://cleannovatehome.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/upcy.webp?w=1024)