Growing up in a world where products are everywhere and discarded with such ease made me question, “How is this possible? Can we keep going like this? Is there a better way of doing things?”

This way of living is made possible by one thing, riding off the energy wave provided by fossil fuels. Since the discovery of oil and gas, our consumption has sky rocketed. Technology has evolved with leaps and bounds bringing this incredible connecting tool of the internet where people from opposite ends of the globe can share ideas in moments. However, a darker side of dehuminsation and reduced local community connection has developed alongside.

We can see so many signs, such as climate change, topsoil depletion and the rapid loss of biodiversity, that indicate the way we are interacting with our environment will leave a much poorer world to generations to come. This means we need to radically rethink the way we live and our relationship to the earth.

For me, upcycling is an exciting reimagining of consumption and waste management. The idea that an item can have two lives or three or more… and when it comes to the end of its first it can reincarnate as a new beautiful object is such a joy. We may be in a tricky sticky place but we don’t need to react to it with sobriety. We can face this challenge with a playful and creative edge.

This is why I am embarking on a mission to scour my neighbourhood for any discarded gems and breathe life back into them. Subscribe to my blog and I’ll share how with you I created my workshop from around 60% reclaimed materials, the challenges I faced along the way and what I’ve learnt along the journey!