Based in Greyton, South Africa for his holistic science masters dissertation work, Joseph Stodgel addressed issues of pollution and community disintegration with holistic waste management and upcycling practices. Inspired to change the way that important ecological issues are typically addressed (with reluctance and guilt), he made rehabilitation a celebration and with a host of others organized the first Trash to Treasure Festival at the local open dumping site.

Commonly thrown away materials were utilized and upcycled into a stage, workshop space and several composting toilet blocks. The constructions as well as a series of workshops before and during the festival provided clear examples of how the great majority of the common domestic waste stream can be harnessed locally, easily and effectively to bolster community resilience and end detrimental linear waste mismanagement systems.

TRASH TO TREASURE – Making Rehabilitation a Celebration and Cultivating the Authentic Wholeness of Upcycling

trashtotreasurefest.org

transgreyton.wordpress.com