The three principles of waste reduction are to reduce, reuse and recycle your trash. Most of us do pretty well on all three accounts, but some people do us one better by getting creative – very creative – in their waste management.
They're the people behind Vancouver's Recycled Art Festival, an annual event that gathers artists and vendors who are making treasures out of what would otherwise be considered trash. They call it the "hippest, most eco-conscious festival of the year," and they might actually be onto something here.
The event is run by the Clark County Department of Environmental Services, a public entity that has found a clever and engaging solution to encourage waste reduction in the community. Their 2014 event will bring together more than 130 artists and entertainers who channel their creative energy through those three basic principles.
The imagination is the limit in this kind of art, but you'll find things like scrap metal sculptures of dragons, rugs crocheted from old T-shirts, clocks made out of used records, wooden bowls crafted from oak wine barrels, and wind chimes made from old lamps, bottles and nightlights.
Not satisfied to simply show, the festival will also have scrap on hand for kids to make art of their own. It's a cycle that intends to reach across generations to instill the lessons of crafting from recycled materials.
With live music, entertainment, education and activities, the Recycled Arts Festival will be more than just a craft show – it will be an opportunity to show how simple it can be to think out of the box when it comes to reducing your waste.
* * *
RECYCLED ARTS FESTIVAL
When: June 28 and 29; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun.
Where: Esther Short Park, Vancouver (see it on a map)