A new craze is sweeping the world. It’s called ‘Upcycling.” What a great name!

“Upcycling” is kind of like recycling, only with a lot more creativity: “Upcycling refers to reusing an object in a new way without degrading the material it is made from, as opposed to recycling which generally involves breaking down the original material and making it into something else, using more energy.”

I’ve been in touch with the very beginning of this trend through my friend Wendy Tremayne who started “Swap-O-Rama-Rama” years ago in NYC, which is a clothing swap and series of do-it-yourself workshops in which a community explores creative reuse through the recycling of used clothing.

I love that this movement has grown so big that it now has a name that applies to all of these brilliant people who are contributing to this movement.  It shows a great respect for everything we produce on this planet as human beings.

Every time I read about something like this happening during these economic times, I am filled with hope and optimism about the human spirit and our ability to reinvent ourselves.  How when tested and challenged, most humans turn lemons into lemonade. If we focus more and more on stories like this, we will be more inspired ourselves in our daily lives to make something great happen. One person makes a HUGE difference, and even if you don’t do something on a global scale, even in your neighborhood you are making an impact.

Click here to continue reading about the movement.