Upcycling, or creative repurposing, is the process of transforming used and discarded materials into products or projects for better environmental use and better quality.
By upcycling, you prevent wasting potentially useful materials, therefore reducing the consumption of new raw materials when creating new products. Reducing the use of new raw materials can result in a reduction of energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and even greenhouse gas emissions. The major environmental impact of glass production is the atmospheric emissions from melting activities. The combustion of natural gas or fuel oil, and the decomposition of raw materials during the melting, lead to the emission of carbon dioxide.
Glass bottles are already a brilliantly constructed work of art. Both their smooth, oblong shape, and array of colors make them a prime candidate for upcycling in your own home. When they go in the recycling bin, or often the trash, it is common for them to shatter and become useless for anything other than being melted down. It’s a shame to let such a beautiful sculpture go to waste! Imagine the possibilities of using beautiful blue hues of glass, or serene greens to create a privacy wall, outdoor shower, garden bed, or simple a lantern to hang a candle.
Check out these immensely creative and extraordinay applications of glass upcycling. Some are more complex and require a bit more knowledge of construction, and some that can be simply constructed in a weekend!
Breathtaking Structures
Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest
Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design
Photograph Courtesy of Wilder Publications
Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest
Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design
Photograph Courtesy of The Art of Upcycling
Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design
Photograph Courtesy of Milkwood
Bottle Cottage
Photograph Courtesy of The Art of Upcycling
Photograph Courtesy of Marks Veg Plot
Photograph Courtesy of Marks Veg Plot
Photograph Courtesy of Insteading
Photograph Courtesy of Insteading
Photograph Courtesy of Offay Design Studio Blog
Photograph Courtesy of Lushome
Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design
Photograph Courtesy of Insteading
Simpler Designs
Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest
Photograph Courtesy of Flickr
Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest
Photograph Courtesy of Plant Care Today
Photograph Courtesy of Bob Vila
Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design
Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design
Photograph Courtesy of Insteading
Glass Bottle Cutting Tutorial!