The Power of 'Repurposing': Impact on Your Carbon Score and the Environment

One of the most effective ways to combat climate change and promote sustainability is through the act of 'repurposing'. The concept has gained considerable momentum in recent years and has been incorporated into various aspects of our lives, including furniture manufacturing and usage. This approach promotes a circular economy by extending the life of items, and significantly reduces waste generation.

Let's delve into what the 'Repurposed' symbol means as part of our Astra Carbon Footprint Tracker, how it impacts your carbon score, and how you can creatively repurpose your furniture.

Understanding the 'Repurposed' Symbol

The 'Repurposed' symbol, represented by the prefix 'Re' placed in the centre of circular arrows, signifies the product's potential to be repurposed at the end of its designed use life. This symbol means the item, instead of being discarded or the materials recycled, can be transformed into something new, either as a whole or by breaking it down into smaller parts.

The repurposing potential is a critical aspect of many products today, allowing them to serve various purposes and have extended lives.

The Impact on Carbon Score

Repurposing significantly lowers the product's overall carbon footprint, hence positively impacting your carbon score. By reusing and repurposing items, we eliminate the need for producing new products, which often involve high carbon-emitting processes. Even recycling, while beneficial, is not devoid of environmental impacts; it involves processes that require energy and generate emissions. On the other hand, repurposing has not associated manufacturing processes – it's about finding a new use for an existing product or its materials, extending its life and reducing waste. Repurposing also helps divert waste away from landfills, reducing methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.

Repurposing Ideas

Here are a few innovative ways outdoor street furniture pieces can be repurposed, as shared by our customers:

• Wooden slats from Seats/Benches/Tables/Bins can be transformed into garden screens, pet enclosures, fence pickets, decking, or even firewood. They can also be repainted for a new look and reused in another area of your facility.
• Aluminium slats can be used in school projects, converted into compost bins, or repurposed into armrests, bin tops, or even sculptures.
• Similar to both wooden or aluminium slats, recycled composite Enviroslats can also be repurposed for other uses such as garden screens, fence pickets, vegetable stakes, landscaping pegs and other uses, or can be painted for a fresh look.
• Planter boxes and bin casings can serve as storage bins, compost bins, pet enclosures or community garden boxes. One innovative customer even repurposed their bin casing into a swimming pool towel storage unit. 
• Water fountain casings and internal pipes/fittings can be used as spare parts or repurposed into creative obstacle courses.
• Bike Racks can be transformed into kids' play equipment or donated to students for home use.
• Shelter screens and roof sheets can be resized and used as garden screens, fences, or wind protection.

Furniture and its components can be also donated to local charities, schools, churches, clubs, or can be used in manufacturing pallets.

These are just a few examples of what customers have done with their old furniture pieces, demonstrating the endless potential of repurposing. Understanding and applying the 'repurposing' principle significantly contributes to reducing our carbon footprint. It's not just a symbol on a product; it's a mindset that favours environmental sustainability and encourages creativity. 

So, the next time you see the 'Repurposed' symbol, know that it's a call for you to reimagine, innovate, and contribute to a more sustainable future.