I just introduced a new line of jewelry I created with the help of a few local craftsmen, made from upcycled surfboard resin, excess material created with the surfboard building process.

Upcycled Surfboard Resin Earrings by Betty Belts

Upcycled Surfboard Resin Earrings by Betty Belts

Each stripe comes from a board made by master shaper Dennis Ryder. It represents the dreams of riding waves on a new board, hopefully for many years and many memories.

Upcycled Surfboard Resin Necklaces by Betty Belts

Upcycled Surfboard Resin Necklaces by Betty Belts

As a manufacturer, I always strive for minimum waste and re-use of waste materials. When my company was based in a warehouse area of Ventura, it always saddened me to see how much potentially useable stuff was thrown into the dumpsters every day. I salvaged what I could and connected to the people who could use the stuff via freecycle.

I longed for a solution that was grander and more effective, linking manufacturers with scrap to each other so none of it needed to go to a landfill. My neighbors, for example, were in the window supply business and would bring old panes back to the warehouse daily, throwing them in their recycle bin. While it’s nice to see it getting recycled, I thought there must be another use for them. Just like the cardboard boxes I collect at Trader Joe’s and my neighboring businesses. Let’s use them a few more times before they go to recycling, lessening the need to produce more new product.

I’m happy to see that there are solutions now being implemented out there and companies like Recycle Match are bringing some eco-efficiency into our world. Thanks, guys!

Also see related Freecycle,  BuilderScrap.com and this great local source that gives back to a great org as well Restore – A discount home improvement store for Habitat for Humanity.