Did you think dumpsters were just for trash? People are doing some pretty creative things with recycled dumpsters, converting them to everything from gardens to vehicles. Reusing old roll off dumpsters in new and innovative ways is a movement referred to as “upcycling”. Individuals concerned with the environment and recycling are turning trash into just about anything in an effort to reduce the amount of waste reaching our landfills. Here are some interesting examples of how some people are reusing dumpsters in a creative way.

Dumpster Art Gallery

Artist Mac Premo turned a 30-yard dumpster into a mobile art gallery. The traveling dumpster gallery has made its way to various art festivals, such as the PULSE Art Fair in Miami, and now finds its home in Brooklyn, NY. It contains over 500 pieces of art.

Via: Inhabitat

Dumpster Boats

The British are quite creative, or at least a little unusual. Proof of this can be found in the dumpster boat created by Tom Cunliffe. It’s a skip with a boat motor! (“Skip” is the British word for dumpster)

Via: CaptainJPsLog

City Bench/Garden

San Francisco is certainly an innovative city when it comes to the arts, and this unique dumpster garden/seating area in the middle of the city is a perfect example. What a great idea for upcycling old dumpsters.

Via: DailyDanny

Trailer Conversion

A company in Brisbane, Australia decided to convert a small dumpster into a trailer for fast and easy trash hauling. Not a bad idea if you think about it – just equip a small commercial dumpster with some wheels and tires, and you’re ready to make your way into the junk removal business!

Via: TheTravelArt

Mobile Dumpster

We’ve covered cars and trucks made from recycled trash before, but this thing deserves a second look. It’s a car made from a dumpster. If you’re looking for a unique ride that you can be sure no one else has, this is the car for you.

Via: PixPow

Dumpster Pools/Hot Tubs

Converting dumpster into pools is a hot trend in urban communities across the country, especially in places like New York where land is at a premium. If dumpster pools aren’t your thing, why not kick back and relax in your own dumpster hot tub?

Via: NYTimes, Modernica, ImprovisedLife

Skate Ramp

Skateboarders are always looking for new places to skate — How ‘bout a dumpster? Although the ramp is a little cramped, converting a dumpster into a skateboard ramp is a pretty cool idea.

Via: ThisBlogRules

Various Living Spaces

We featured Gregory Koehn’s dumpster house here at Trash Talk several weeks ago and loved the idea of converting a dumpster into a living space. Check out the creative dumpster living spaces below.

Urban Gardens

Fill it with good top soil, plant the seeds, and watch it grow. It’s a pretty simple concept, and dumpster gardens are actually a viable option in urban areas of the country where space for planting gardens is pretty much nonexistent.