What do all these things have in common lets start with there definitions.
Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.
Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production
Antiquing is the act of shopping, identifying, negotiating, or bargaining for antiques. Items can be bought for personal use, gifts, and in the case of brokers and dealers, profit. Antiquing is performed at garage sales, estate sales, resort towns, antiques districts, collectives, and international auction houses.
Survival is the struggle to remain alive and living.
Now you might think what does survival have to do with the other three? In a survival situation you make due with what you have to survive and to better your situation. I think that all four share similar qualities. You can buy clothing that has been recycled or upcycled from old clothing, tires for the bottom of flip flops, cutting boards from plastic bottles, reusable drinking bottles from plastic and the list goes on. Doesn't most of antiquing fit the bill also, searching through yard sales and hitting antique stores for old useful and decorative items. I know you have heard the saying, "They don't make things the way they used too." When you think about antiques most have been found from estate sales or bought as unwanted goods from previous owners, many are well made and have a quality that is rarely produced today, there are the few that are sought and desired which raises the price tag but many are reasonable and you just saved all the energy to dispose of and remake that item with your purchase.
As you go out and search for those great christmas gifts this season give a little thought to what goes into your product and how long its going to last for when its usefulness has expired. Be a little green this year and save some energy and remember green doesn't always have to be new it can be old.
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