Upcycle Project Aesthetic – Earthcore/Recycling/Granola

2 days ago

For my upcycle project I have decided to try and repurpose waste produced by many people every day including me, empty cans. I plan to take empty soda, tea and beer cans and repurpose them into planters for small plants such as succulents or cacti. The granola or earth core aesthetic will be the guiding theme of the project. Personally, I am very interested in sustainability and making a humanity less wasteful, a big role in reducing our footprint is producing less waste by reusing products when possible. Having more plants and cultivating nature in general is another great path to sustainability so not only will I be reducing waste with this project but also giving some plants a new home.

As an avid soda and yerba matte drinker I have tons of cans around I can use for this project. I plan to use a can opener to take the tops off of the cans and then plant a succulent inside. If I want to take it a step further I can also paint the cans to give them new life. Currently my apartment is also greatly lacking when it comes to plants or any sort of greenery so this will be the perfect opportunity to adopt some new succulents. Succulents and cacti are great first plants to have because they do not require much care. As much as I preach about loving sustainability I unfortunately do not have a great history of keeping plants alive but I am hoping this will be a step in a fresh new direction.

Granola or earthcore is an aesthetic that places a large emphasis on caring for the earth and living among what it has to offer. This doesn’t mean rejecting all technology in fact quite the opposite. We can continue the efforts to advance technology and knowledge just by also admiring and respecting the world around us. Doing small things such as buying from sustainable brands and re-using or repairing things when possible is a huge staple of the earthcore aesthetic. Thrifting, hiking, camping, climbing and many other outdoor activities all fall under the earthcore umbrella. Baking your own food, gardening and composting are also considered earthcore and because of this I think my project will fit this aesthetic nicely.

If I am being honest I think the biggest challenge of this project will be keeping the plants alive long after this project is done. I have been wanting to learn more about gardening in general but as I live in an apartment I do not have access to plant beds so I think these small soda can planters will be the perfect start. Who knows maybe eventually when I do have a garden I will be able to repot these same plants in a proper bed.