“One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” That’s a common expression, but the next time you throw something away, think about a twist on the old saying. What if your trash could become your own treasure? Many creative, thrifty, and environmentally minded people have come up with a way to make that happen. It’s called upcycling. Our world would be a better place if everyone would begin upcycling.

Upcycling is the practice of taking an unwanted item and turning it into something useful. For example, how about that pair of jeans with a hole in one knee? It could become a new pillow for your bedroom. How about the old T-shirts you never wear anymore? It could be sewed together to make a picnic blanket. All of these are examples of upcycling.

Upcycling is not the same as recycling. Upcycling is actually much better for the environment. Recycling takes an item made of glass, paper, metal, or plastic, breaks it down to its base material, and then uses that material to make another product. This requires a great deal of energy. On the other hand, when you choose to upcycle, the only energy you use is your own. And upcycling not only reduces the amount of trash that goes into our landfills, but it also protects natural resources, such as oil and gas. Recycling is good for the environment, but upcycling is even better.

Upcycling also makes a family’s budget stretch further. Before you run to the store to buy something, look around your house. Old teacups can be transformed into candles. And an old ladder can even become a bookshelf. Of course, the idea of reusing items to save money is not new. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, many families lived on a tight budget. People had to use what they already had in order to meet their needs. Flour sacks were used to make clothes, and a broken door became a new table. Today we should follow the examples of our great-grandparents and save money by upcycling.

As responsible citizens, we should all be concerned with protecting our environment and budgeting our resources. Upcycling is a fun and creative way to help. The next time you go to toss something into the trash can, stop and think about what it could become. Chances are, there’s a brand-new item in your hand just waiting to be upcycled.

【推荐3】 Cities are diverse ecosystems. Some wild animals become regular visitors to our cities, such as coy-otes (丛林狼) in Los Angeles or boars (野猪) in Berlin.     1    As our cities spread, we need to think about what it is like for other species to have human neighbors.

    2    They do not always provide suitable habitats for wildlife. For example, most city parks are kept neat and tidy so that humans will find them beautiful. But when we cut grass or plant flowers, we destroy natural habitats.

Our actions sometimes help other species. When a bridge in Austin, Texas was repaired, engineers added small gaps running along the length of its bottom. This made a good home for bats, and soon the bridge was the home of thousands of bats. At first, people were afraid of the bats and tried to get rid of them.     3     The bats are a tourist attraction, and they eat lots of bugs every night.

There are also structures built with the aim of bringing wildlife into the city. The Beijing Olympic Forest Park is a good example. The park used native plants and created open, natural spaces for wildlife. The result is a zone in Beijing with over 160 species of birds.     4    Instead of being kept in cages, wildlife can move about freely. Sometimes, the visitors can encounter a gaggle of geese walking on the bank or swimming in the water leisurely.

While cities pose challenges for wildlife, they are finding ways to adapt and thrive in urban environments. As humans, it is important to take measures to prevent conflicts and appreciate the presence of them.     5     And our own future will be endangered.