What is Creative Reuse?
The process of taking used or recycled materials and turning them into creative pieces of art, home decoration, or other useful items.
I am very fortunate to live in an area which is alive with creative ideas to help keep the planet more sustainable. One brilliant eco-solution is the creative reuse centers that have been popping up in the Bay Area and beyond. I discovered the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse the week I moved to Oakland. It is conveniently located just a few blocks from my apartment and has been one of my very favorite discoveries ever.
I had just moved in to a studio (after years of living with housemates) and I had next to nothing. Initially I had thought the Depot only carried interesting, sometimes bizarre, artsy things for crafty people. But each time I went there they'd have new stuff. Things I could actually use. It seems that they receive donations from everywhere (and regularly) so their inventory is always changing. Imagine my delight when a local restaurant donated piles of kitchen wares. The items I needed for my new apartment miraculously appeared. A large cooking pot, cookie sheets, measuring cups, baskets, fabric, flower pot, cocktail strainer.
Aside from being filled with useful recycled art materials like buttons, toilet paper rolls, or bins of naked barbies, it's just plain fun! I enjoy strolling through the store digging through the bins of pretty fabrics and lace, old magazines, baubles of all kinds, and really too many things to mention here. The other amazing thing is that they manage to keep it very organized - cheery even! This wonderland of curiosities has me coming back often.
They also give discounts to teachers and have an in-store teachers resource zone, a project which began as an effort to assist teachers that have been hit by reduced state funding.
So if you haven't been to a reuse center, I highly recommend it. I have wandered in and literally spent 50 cents and felt satisfied. Maybe you can even start one in your area.
Other Re-use Centers in the Bay Area and Beyond
"On an average day, Urban Ore prevents nearly
20 tons of waste from entering local landfills"
"On an average day, Urban Ore prevents nearly
20 tons of waste from entering local landfills"
Berkeley, California
Chicago, Illinois
Long Beach, California
(has online shop!)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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