Greenport Students Get Real Life Lesson In Upcycling

GREENPORT, NY — Greenport students learned a lifelong lesson about breathing new life into what some what might consider trash and creating a treasure.

Upcycling is the process of converting old or discarded materials into something useful and often
beautiful, Greenport Schools said this week.

"While we may be more familiar with the concept of recycling, upcycling can provide an
even more direct and impactful benefit to the environment," a release from the district said.

Technology teacher Mike Davies commenced a project that involved taking the wood from an old set of bleachers and creating a new shed for the school garden.

"At Greenport Schools we believe in the idea of thinking globally and acting locally,” Davies said.

And, said Greenport Schools Superintendent David Gamberg, "This is an excellent example of learning by doing. It is a practical way to reduce waste and enhance our school community, and establishes the concept of upcycling as an even greater benefit than recycling discarded material. The work of Mr. Davies and his students provides an exemplary model for others to work towards in many other areas of possible waste reduction."