If you take a walk on any Columbia path, you will see opportunities to keep our environment clean with every step you take. Our commitment as a community to go green is showing up in county policy, in retail, and in our own homes. However, how do we know if any good is being done? There are many statistics used to help states and counties understand whether the recycling program implemented is successful; one way is the waste diversion rate. This indicates the percentage of waste that has been diverted from landfills or incineration to recycling. This rate is an important benchmark, and Howard County has a 49% waste diversion rate*. The state’s goal is to get to 60%, so as a county, we are well on our way.

There are several organizations in our community dedicated to keeping our environment green, and we caught up with one of them, Upcycled Inc. They take discarded plastics and upcycles them into recycled plastic lumber. This process begins with separating the plastics by type, shredding them into small flakes, cleaning them, and melting the plastic into beam molds. This is conducted using a series of machines that can morph the discarded plastic into useful configurations. Upcycled says, “We create products that can be used to reach our mission of giving plastic a long-term purpose and creating a more environmentally conscious community, such as garden beds, benches, and picnic tables.” Upcycled reminds us that recycling involves the destruction of waste in order to create something new, whereas upcycling takes waste and creates something new from its current state.

Here are a few fun facts about Upcycled:

• They are one of the very few Precious Plastics workshops in the United States and the only location in Maryland. 
•  Their lumber is being tested for strength compared to wood and UV protection compared to outdoor furniture.
• Their beams weigh 10-12 lbs. 
• Only 9% of plastic is actually recycled global.

Now that you have been properly introduced, there are many opportunities for you to diversify your efforts to help keep Columbia green. Check out Upcycled’s upcoming events and Howard County’s GreenFest, hosted by Howard Community College this month. Also, check out our Community Calendar for more events to help you get more involved in keeping our community green.

*Sources:

Photography provided by Upcycled