Use it again.

This design can be understood by all, even those who cannot read - the beauty is in its simplicity.

I can hardly stand the suspense! I keep coming back hoping this is #1 NOW!

A perfect neighbour to the current recycle logo, the two would sit together brilliantly on packaging that could be either recycled or reused—and on its own, there would be no difficulty in understanding the new message.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the design. Much appreciate your vote too!

Wish I could keep voting, so we could push this one up to number 1!

Thank you. Me too.

This would be a good symbol to have stamped on a product or its lable to show that it has been upcycled or something.

This would be a good symbol to have stamped on a product or its lable to show that it has been upcycled or something.

Nicely done Kristy. Makes sense.

Thank you!

Our family likes to recycle and this symbol is a handy reminder to take the time and figure out if you can recycle the item that was just headed for the garbage can. I like it!...So good for you Kristy! it's wdantheman......

Thank you Dan The Man. I sure appreciate you taking time to vote. The intention of this symbol is to encourage the practice of reusing something especially when it can't necessarily be recycled. This is an emerging effort among those who support the concept of sustainable living.

I like it! It clearly communicates the message "stop, don't trash, think, and reuse /re-purpose."

David, Am really glad that you like it. Thank for taking time to vote, and for voting for this design.

This one seems the best to me because it pictures the 'reuse' concept for what it is - don't throw away, reuse instead - the other signs are more symbolical and not so easily understandable.

Haldjas, You just summed that up better than we did. Thank you. I hope you'll tell your friends too.

Kristy, Brilliant! You get my vote a million times over! I have my fingers crossed for you! Carol Kaufman

Thank you fellow designer Carol Kaufman. I'm honored.

I would like to compliment you on a very well put together design but as you say in your narrative this design tells people to think twice about putting things in the trash. It says nothing about the items being reused. I could see this symbol on a water bottle but not a piece of furniture at a thrift store or a used car at a dealership. 40% of the materials that go to a landfill are construction and demolition waste. This symbol does very little to further the idea of reuse of that debris. In my opinion if this symbol is adopted I believe it will have a negative effect on promoting reuse because the symbol of a trashcan is way too narrow to show the scope of things that can be reused.

Joel, I was about to write you have have posted, we have the exact same thought. It's a great design to tell people not to dispose the item, but then what? It doesn't communicate anything about what to do with the item after! It looks like it had cut the creative brief short.

boywonder and joel have to get over themselves. It's a lot easier to find fault than to see that you can only tell the whole story by writing a book. The key is to get the essence of the message into people's brains and give them credit for having the intelligence to figure out the rest. This is by far the best design to do this in the bunch.

To Drivermacivor, please simmer down. I respect your opinion as you may not be able to see the complete picture, it's OK, not body is perfect, and you must respect others' opinion also. We are just saying the icon doesn't communicate Reuse, it only says "do not trash," or "miss the trash can." If it doesn't tell the story, it misses the assignment, that's all. There are other solutions in this panel which have communicated the complete "Reuse" idea more successfully.

This is a contest, our votes are specifically to assign fault and determine one design is better than the next. I'm sorry you disagree with my vote and my opinion. I have worked for eight years in the reuse industry on the deconstruction and building materials side. The outcome of this contest will greatly affect the work I do day to day. This design is great for getting people to change their habits and not throw things away but it does very little to promote reuse as a concept outside of handheld items.

It's okay, you guys don't have to get it. Boy Wonder is a wonder. Joel is a reuse expert. Use your votes to reinforce what you think works best but please refrain from trashing another's work simply because you THINK your opinion counts. Not only are you wrong but you are completely disrespecting a hard working artist. Hush now, don't cry. Momma still loves you.

Hi Boywonder, thanks again for offering your opinion. I'm curious to know if you feel there are any designs in this contest that do a better job of communicating the entire story, as you would have it told?

Hi Joel and Boy Wonder, Thank you for weighing in with your opinions. I think it's great that you are inclined to be adamantly engaged in discussing such an important topic. I'm also happy that this design has sparked debate! For the record the trash can is simply a symbol. So simple that is universally recognizable. Metaphorically speaking it is an icon that represents the place (the garbage dump) where we send all things small or large that can't be recycled and that we are finished using. The arrow graphic above the trash can is a device used to represent diversion, like a detour sign on the road. In combination with the garbage can the arrow encourages reusing and because it points up it also suggests upcycling instead of trashing.

Kristy, Thank you for your response. I'm sorry that other people have turned this board into a place for arguments and not discussions. I do agree that your design is one of the best. The arrow and the trashcan combined definitely symbolize waste diversion. I see your point that it will encourage reuse I just don't see how it specifically symbolizes reuse. Congratulations on a great entry and good luck to you in the last day of the contest! Also thank you for being engaging on your discussion board.

WhooHoo! 2nd place! I am reposting this, again, and sending lots of positive vibes for this design to win because this is clearly and absolutely the very best design of the bunch!

Dear voters. Since the winning design will be determined by the number of votes it gets, not on merit alone please share your opinion and news of this contest with your friends. Thank you!

this is the one I kept coming back to, even though I get the argument for expanding on the original recycle symbol. this is more straightforward and would be understood anywhere, I think. Good luck!

Thank you for taking time to consider your choice and for choosing this design. I can appreciate the argument for expanding on the original recycle symbol too. While working on the concept I kept thinking about where a reuse symbol would actually apply. The design is simple enough it could be used small and embedded into materials. But I think that rather than seeing it stamped on materials indicating they could be reused, in the same way that we see the recycle symbol, it's more apt to be used to identify people, companies and practices that apply the principle of reusing, home remodelers for example. I also think it could be used on packaging and in literature that accompanies a product (explaining second uses) rather than necessarily on the product itself. With this in mind I felt the symbol should stand on its own, making sense when seen in many different places and situations.

this is the one I kept coming back to, even though I get the argument for expanding on the original recycle symbol. this is more straightforward and would be understood anywhere, I think. Good luck!

This design really does speak for itself! Very effective.

Thanks Heather, I'm glad you think so.

This design depicts a universal symbol of re-use that any person in any culture can understand. It could easily be understood world-wide, which makes it more desirable than the others that are displayed

Dear Barking Hen - what a great name you have - and a good brain as well!

Hey, it let me vote for yours even though I already voted for mine! I'm recommending my FB friends vote for this design. It makes the most sense.

Holy smokes Heather - I'm very flattered. Thank you very much for your encouragement and for rallying your friends. Thank you too for taking time to enter the contest with your own design. I think that the more we can draw attention to the ecological sense of Reusing and Upcycling the more we can affect positive change.

Kristy this is the perfect symbol for the Pinterest generation. Everything old becomes new again, and creative upcycling has becoming a favorite pastime. I could see this symbol awarded to websites that effectively promote Reuse. It is a great universally understandable design. Well done!

Susan, thank you for your thoughtful insights and your vote.

This design depicts a universal symbol of re-use that any person in any culture can understand. It could easily be understood world-wide, which makes it more desirable than the others that are displayed

This design depicts a universal symbol of re-use that any person in any culture can understand. It could easily be understood world-wide, which makes it more desirable than the others that are displayed

This design depicts a universal symbol of re-use that any person in any culture can understand. It could easily be understood world-wide, which makes it more desirable than the others that are displayed

This design depicts a universal symbol of re-use that any person in any culture can understand. It could easily be understood world-wide, which makes it more desirable than the others that are displayed

I love this design...so clean and simple! So easy to understand it's meaning!

Thanks Dyann. Am really glad that you like it. Thanks for helping to spread the word!

Kristy, friends are re-posting and sharing with their friends! That is exciting to see! I have voted multiple times and it seems to take my vote each time....yea!!!

Excellent symbol, Kristy. Even I understand it. Hope to see it everywhere.

Carol, you're funny, and also one of the most perceptive people I've ever known. Thank you for your vote and kind words!

Clear message, straightforward and easy to understand. Great job, Wild Bill Jones

Thank you Wild Bill!

Thank you Wild Bill!

Love this!!!

Thank you!!!

I love this but my vote did not seem to go through!

Am glad you like the design. Did you know that you do indeed need to register with GOODMaker to have your vote count?

Kristy - I am registered and my vote is not going through, though I get a message saying it is pending, for three hours now. Hope there's not a problem with the webisite that is keeping people from having their votes counted. - krickards

Kristy - I am registered and my vote is not going through, though I get a message saying it is pending, for three hours now. Hope there's not a problem with the webisite that is keeping people from having their votes counted. - krickards

I really like this design. It gets the point across in any language. Thanks for submitting.

When I read comments like yours I am glad that I participated in this contest. Thank you for voting.

Great design! Simple and direct, no need to wonder what it means....great work.....hope it wins!!

Diane, Am glad you see this as a "simple and direct" solution. Thank you!

This is perfect! Post your vote here!

Thank you much.

Great job kristy!!!! Up cycle. Simple as that. And this reads easy!

Ah, you're a bright one Brett. "Up Cycle" - that is exactly what I was aiming for here because reusing and up-cycling is essentially the same thing.

Smart concept...great design!!!

Am happy that you think so. Thanks for taking time to cast your vote Bret.

Great design. I didn't even need to read the why behind it. It intuitively communcates just what it is.

Yours is the response I most hoped to get - that you didn't "need to read the why behind it". THANK YOU!

Done like dinner. This actually says deflection to me – perfect for the concept of "reuse". And, if I might say, it's WAY classier than all of the others (noting I don't have one in lol)

"Done like dinner" - love that expression. Thank you for taking time to look at the entries and offering your opinion. I'm honored that you would pick mine.

Mon plaisir, mon ami!

I love this one... very creative....go Kristy

I'm so glad you like it Nick! Thank you.

Thumbs up on this design!

Thank you Jacque. I really appreciate you weighing in with your opinion.