One of the many things I love about kayaking is that I get to train on the beautiful waterways around the Gold Coast and Brisbane. During a session, I usually see a range of wildlife enjoying the water from ducks, swans, cormorants, kingfishers and other birds, to water dragons (lizards) and numerous unidentified fish that unexpectedly jump out of the water and scare the life out of you!
Unfortunately, I also see a lot of rubbish floating around in the water mostly, glass bottles and plastic materials. So, I did a little research and discovered that inorganic waste such as plastic and glass takes a very long time to decompose, if at all! According to the Clean Up Australia website, glass is estimated to take one million years to break down into smaller pieces!
To combat these shocking statistics recycling makes an enormous difference, with glass products able to be recycled infinite times. Another more sustainable and creative way to reduce waste is upcycling. Defined by Wikipedia, upcycling is the process of transforming discarded objects or waste material into a useful product of a higher value and quality with minimal impact on the environment. And unlike the recycling process it uses less energy and produces less emissions and pollution.
I came across Hila Upcycle while searching for gift ideas on Pinterest. They are a family owned business with 3 generations of experience in the glass industry. Hila Upcycles’ mission is to create a more sustainable future by offering products that utilise more creativity and less electricity, and reworking materials rescued before ending up in landfill.
And they really do deliver on their promise with a wide range of handmade glass products from drinkware and platters, to jewellery and home décor. I was absolutely amazed by the creativity and artistry that goes into every piece! With upcycling not only do you get a interesting and one-of-a-kind, handcrafted product, you are contributing positively to our planet!
Susan Seipel 