Scrap Happy: Six Ingenious Things to Make From Scraps

Breathe new life into old objects and reduce landfill waste by diverting leftover odds and ends that would be relegated to the dumpster into useful items. Call it repurposing, call it recrafting, call it creative reuse, or call it trash transformed. No matter what you call it, this concept of “cradle to cradle” is one of the tenants of green living. It means that a product’s lifecycle doesn’t have to end up forever rotting away in a landfill. It can be endlessly reincarnated into useful items.

We EcoNesters talk a lot about purging clutter, living slower, donating and thrifting, and living minimally. So, this post is going to take a different tact. It isn’t going to tell you that hording some things isn’t such a bad idea. In fact, hold onto those scraps.

But, wait a minute…scraps are junk, right? Not so fast. Scrap items can be put to use and given a “life after waste.” In fact, the end products of materials are often called salvage. That’s a great word for things that are “saved from the ruins” and eventually end up in dumpsters.

If you’re like me, you’ve got all sorts of scraps hanging around just ready for a new practical renaissance of sorts. Think of it as part of the transformation of renewal for living a more resourceful life.

Next: Scrap Renewal Projects

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Lisa G.

9:09AM PST on Feb 13, 2013

thanks

February 13
send a green star

9:04AM PST on Feb 13, 2013

Past Member .

9:26AM PST on Jan 30, 2013

This was a fun post, always love finding ways to be creative in designs around the home and to re-life a product. :o)

January 30
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Gloria F.

9:24AM PST on Jan 30, 2013

good ideas

Donna H.

7:00AM PST on Jan 21, 2013

Thanks.

January 21
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Danuta W.

3:30AM PST on Jan 20, 2013

Interesting article

January 20
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Joe R.

7:33AM PST on Nov 26, 2011

November 26
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Michele W.

12:11PM PDT on Jul 18, 2011

Thank you

July 18
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Joy M.

6:51PM PDT on Jul 6, 2011

This is great.. Thank you so much...

July 6
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Lu Ann P.

2:44PM PDT on Jul 6, 2011

Chandalier envy - I love it, me too!

I'm throwing a Twin-Star Party for my daughter and her Great Granny, born on the same day some 80 years apart, this weekend, and need to burn lots of citronella. I'll make it with a second wreath with the glittery stars I made for the tree. yippeeeee!