Today’s Advent Calendar window opens to upcycle old pallets, because today, we had lot’s of fun upcycling some old pallets into Christmas Trees!
Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of turning unwanted or waste materials into new products that are of equal or higher quality. The goal of upcycling is to reduce waste and improve the lifespan of resources.
Upcycling can be done in many ways, including:
- Making new furniture
- Repurposing old dishes
- Using old fabric to make pillows, gift wrap, or art
- Repurposing old frames
- Transforming an old ladder
- Upcycling old light fixtures
- Repurposing items as planters
Upcycling is an important part of going green and reducing your carbon footprint. It helps to reduce the strain on resources like fuel, forests, and water supplies, and helps to safeguard wildlife habitats.
Making Christmas Trees!
We did this today by taking part in one of our ‘How to…’ sessions which was also one of the Wellingborough Community Action Partnership’s Sustainability Skills courses, lead by Emma, ably supported by Jonathan. This course was administered by Glamis Hall and funded by the UK Prosperity Fund that has been distributed locally by North Northamptonshire Council.
The point of this course was to share basic woodworking skills and to show how to upcycle something into something amazing!
Several pallets that were laying around at the allotment, were broken up first thing this morning in readiness for the session, which took place between 10am and 4pm at Alma Street Chapel Hall. Eight of us all made a tree, have a look at the video below to have a look at our creations! The day was also a great opportunity to have some fun and it included a free lunch made from some vegetables saved by Food Sharers.
We are also planning to do lots more upcycling in the New Year at our new workshop when it is completed at our Community Allotment. This too will be upcycled out of old pallets, just like the gazebo we have up there. What can you make out of old pallets?
We hope that we have inspired you to get creative. For even more inspiration please do have a look at our Eco-Crafters group. For more Sustainability Skills courses please do have a look at https://ticketmaster.co.uk/glamishall and for more information about our How to… guides and sessions see https://wellingboroughecogroup.org.uk/eco/how-to