WGC: Getting Creative with Shipping Boxes

Craig Hargreaves at Western Grater Contracting (WGC) on Vancouver Island has found a unique opportunity for the shipping boxes that some of their materials come in.

Instead of breaking these wooden crates down and throwing them in the recycle, Craig got creative by making garden boxes out of the shipping containers, talk about innovation. Here is what they look like in their original form:

     

The garden container beds have been UPCYCLED, also known as creative reuse – This is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials that can be in perfectly good condition, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, such as artistic value or environmental value instead of recycled, which is a process that tends to break down said materials and use them for new products. Here is a photo of the final product: 

This is such a great use of a by-product (shipping containers) that would otherwise have no purpose. We have talked to Craig and Nate Harburn over at WGC and they are interested in donating some garden beds to a local community garden once they have more shipping containers in stock, truly helping to build enduring communities through gardens!

Is there a by-product that your business creates that you could UPCYCLE? Have any ideas, questions, or comments? Email impact@norlandlimited.com and share your thoughts!