Upcycling and downcycling are both forms of recycling and simply put, the former involves creating something of greater value while the latter is the opposite.

Bag designed by Coroy Diaz and Coasters from Sambayanan ng Muling Pagkabuhay Multipurpose Cooperative.

The wildfires are still raging in the Amazon rainforests, the ice glaciers are still melting, our trash continually piles up with no apparent permanent solution in sight, and based on these facts alone, green living or saving Mother Nature is not an option anymore but an urgent must.

With this in mind, Shangri-La Plaza recently hosted Live Green, an eco-friendly initiative that featured sustainable and zero-waste local brands as well as healthy food choices with vegan-friendly, gluten-free and organic options.

The event also brought together environmental advocates and experts on green living who shared their insights on sustainability to mall guests.

One of the exhibitors that caught mallgoers’ fancy was the collection of EJ Sulit, who creates robots from scrap materials. An avid toy collector, EJ is used to making dioramas and later went into upcycling as well.

“Actually, I’m a toy collector but as a hobby I make dioramas. And that’s how I got into upcycling. One has to be creative in creating scenes and elements with the things that you can use. So, it’s really imagining things like what this could be, and what can I make out of this,” says Sulit, who claims to be one of the biggest Super Mario collectors in the Philippines.

Sulit has a box where he keeps plastic containers that he can use for his creations. “Every time I drink from a plastic container, I keep it (the container), wash it, rinse it so I might be able to use it later. This is especially for containers with odd shapes.”

With one creation, he used an old air freshener container. “Actually, it starts with one element like this air freshener container that looked like an airplane cockpit. From there, you work outwards to see the value and where it would fit.”

His items are not for sale, but EJ is hoping to make at least 30 pieces to mount a personal exhibit. “I’m trying to make as much as I can. I’m hoping to make at least 30 pieces to have a personal exhibit, but it’s quite a long shot. For the robots, I have just less than 10 but I do have a lot of dioramas.”

Upcycling is being promoted throughout the exhibit. Upcycling and downcycling are both forms of recycling and simply put, the former involves creating something of greater value while the latter is the opposite.

“With upcycling, it closes the recycling loop and encourages people to buy things made from recycled items. With downcycling, we use and reuse and it just delays the trip to the landfill and this system does not eliminate plastics,” says Upcycle Philippines founder Adavieve Mella.

She teaches her students upcrafting, which is a creative way to recycle one’s old belongings. “Upcycling is a DIY (do it yourself) activity and unlike downcycling, does not need special machines like when you convert tissues to cardboard where water and electricity are needed.”

Mella also mentioned the concept of pre-cycling, which she says is the act of consuming with waste reduction in mind or “mindful consumerism.”

“It’s like when I see a dress that I want to buy. I ask myself how long I could use it and if I don’t want it anymore, how I can dispose of it,” says Mella, who adds that pre-cycling is the unsung cousin of recycling.

Other speakers were Greenpeace (on renewable energy, combat illegal fishing, and campaign for clean seas), Editha Santiago of KILUS Foundation (making bags out of recycled juice packs), Tomas Graham of Make A Difference (MAD) Travel, zero-waste advocate Mitchie Jimenez, Bogs Castro of agroecological farming and training center Bukid ni Bogs, and fashion designer Dita Sandico Ong (sustainable work practices at her atelier like zero-waste policy and alternative fabric methods).