Make your rubbish remarkable!

Have you ever wished you could climb inside a story? What type of story would you choose and which characters would you like to hang out with? Can you imagine what it would be like to live on a desert island, in the middle of the jungle, or on a boat sailing around the world? All you have is there with you – you can’t pop to the shops or make a purchase online. 

Your challenge this week is to imagine that your wish has come true – and you have to use the resources you’ve already got around you. You’ve guessed it … we’re thinking ‘upcycling’! Creatively re-using our waste and helping care for our planet at the same time! Can you make a fabulous funky birthday card for a friend – cut up an old magazine, make a modern art mosaic pattern, or their initials, or their age? Use sweet wrappers to make a collage? Copy a cartoon or character from your favourite book? Make a ‘camo’ card coloured in greens and browns – or pink and orange? Maybe make a stash of birthday cards for your family to use over the next few months? Or how about making your friend a personalised pressie – a ‘happy jar’ full of … jokes … or dares … or riddles?

It’s Father’s Day next week - if there is a father figure in your life that you'd like to make something for, how about making a ‘happy jar’ full of promises – one a day for a week?! You could promise to read him a favourite story or poem; help him choose his outfit; lie down on the grass and look for shapes in the clouds together; bring him a nice cold drink and some slices of apple when he is working; or walk barefoot on the grass together!Did you know that some artists use only rubbish to create masterpieces? Devon artist Jane Perkins, who calls herself a 're-maker', collects discarded buttons, broken jewellery, old toys and beads, then uses them to recreate famous paintings like Van Gogh's Sunflowers.

Lots of grown-ups are also getting creative to help our environment. ‘Repair Cafés’ are on the rise – helping communities fix or repair broken items – where is your nearest one? Repairing items helps protect our planet by reducing new raw materials, energy use, carbon emissions and pollution. New laws are helping people repair items by requiring manufacturers to make spare parts available for some household appliances. Learn more about Repair Cafés, and this upcycling project: ‘The most beautiful rubbish you’ll ever see!’.

Remember to email Kate – hello@youngclimatewarriors.org when you have had fun letting your creative juices flow.