4.4 x 324,000,000 = 1,425,600,000
Unfortunately, this equation is not our growth projection for 2020. Each day, the average American throws away about four and a half pounds of garbage. That big bold number on the end is the cumulative total of our daily American dump deposit, approximately 70,000 tons per day!
So, what does that have to do with lamps? For Light Up Labs, it's a large part of what motivates our sourcing choices and designs. We try to use as much salvaged and recycled material as possible, from the hardware to wiring and decorative detail. Sometimes new parts are necessary to ensure the end product is safe and reliable, but even many of our fresh-outta-the-box materials have been sourced from local home improvement restores and lamp repair shops.
Light Up Labs is our small contribution to fight American throw away culture
...and fill the world with really sweet, responsibly made lamps.
Got unwanted stuff? Feel like it’s too cool for the landfill?
Leah Brow
Artist, photographer, wood burning enthusiast, collector of things.
Leah loves rummaging through flea markets, estate sales, and sometimes even the garbage to find materials for Light Up Labs and her and Paul's various side projects. This behavior has earned her the affectionately bestowed nickname "the Raccoon". She also assists with lamp designs, online listings, and managing Light Up Labs social media accounts.
Paul beaver
Musician, perfectionist, lover of nature, maker of things
Paul had been making bottle lamps long before Leah came into the picture. He is a self-described minimalist and often found he could make his own home furnishings from unused items laying around. Paul's knowledge of carpentry, electrical, and plumbing all come together in our lamps, allowing Light Up Labs creations to utilize a wide variety of materials and parts.