June 24th
Upcycling day
June 24th is Upcycling Day, a process that adds value to the original product. Upcycling has been a big topic for 20 years, and that's a good thing. In addition to being useful for the environment, it often also means an open door to creativity. And inventive Czechs are especially good at it.
Upcycling is the process of transforming materials or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality. It is often confused with recycling, but there is a difference between the two. While recycling maintains the same value of the material, upcycling increases the value of the upcycled material. The concept of upcycling has its roots in history, where it was often a necessity during economic crises or wars. The idea of upcycling as we understand it today was defined by Reiner Pilz in the 1990s, who emphasized the need for recycling processes to bring higher utility value and not harm the environment. The concept gained more attention in 2002 with the book "Cradle to Cradle" by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, which advocated for transforming production processes towards optimal material utilization and preservation of natural resources. Upcycling utilizes materials that are already used and often considered potential waste or by-products. It indirectly contributes to waste reduction and environmental protection by utilizing otherwise unused materials. To celebrate Upcycling Day, one can engage in upcycling activities, such as creating new furniture or accessories from discarded items. There are various online resources and workshops available to learn about upcycling and receive guidance and tools for upcycling projects. Almost anything can be upcycled, as demonstrated by the example of using pistachio shells to create jewelry.
