My mom knows me well. It’s obvious when you look at the Christmas presents she got for me. To name a few: Sheets (once you pass the age of 25, practical gifts are the BEST), a Superwoman workout shirt, and my favorite gift of all: pens made from plastic bottles. They’re called B2P, “bottles to pens”, and I’m obsessed.
The popularity of making items we use every day out of recycled materials is growing quickly. And it’s not just for pen-loving nerds like me. Check out these super cool items made from something with a previous life.
- Beats by Dre EKOCYCLE headphones: Will.i.am and Coca-Cola got together to create the company EKOCYCLE to help encourage the use of recycled materials. Who’s cooler than will.i.am?
- Fashion: The new outfit you’re werkin’ – maybe a handbag, jeans or even faux leather jacket –might be made from recycled plastics. Lots of mainstream stores are now releasing more eco-friendly items. It’s part of a new fashion trend called “eco-chic”!
- Backyard deck: As you’re enjoying a backyard barbeque with your neighbors, consider the deck you’re standing on. That plastic faux wood deck might be made from the plastic bags you used to schlep groceries home awhile back.
- And if you really want to see some outside the box recycled products, take a look at anything TerraCycle has to offer. They show that even traditionally ‘non-recyclable’ products can have a second life with the right handling and a great imagination!
The moral of this story – there are more and more opportunities available now to choose items made from recycled materials. Read labels and be a conscious consumer by getting to know the companies you patronize. You’d be surprised how many are willing to be eco-friendly when they see where your dollars are going!