It is standard practice in the print media industry to recycle all undistributed / unsold copies, usually through companies, specializing in paper recycling. This practice is a step in the right direction. However, it does not take full advantage of the existing social and economic opportunities and surely it is not the best solution as we look to minimize our environmental footprint. Alternative waste management is internationally prioritized as such: prevention, reuse, upcycling, recycling, regaining (of materials and energy) and, finally, landfills.
The upcycling project of shedia street paper is a programme that adheres to this order of priorities as closely as possible. It is a project where the ideals and values of love, solidarity, education, participation, social inclusion, creativity, social enterprise, innovation as well as social and environmental awareness and environmental solutions are all converging.
Since March 2013, when the first issue of the «shedia» hit the streets of Athens, the undistributed / unsold copies of the country’s leading street paper have not been recycled, but, instead, they have been stored to be upcycled. That is, in order to be reused, redesigned and transformed into new, usable products of high quality and aesthetic value.