Common trash can be turned into amazing art! Imagine sculptures made from coat hangers, discarded mechanical parts, or old toys. A chair made from CDs. Lamps made from a hair dryer. People also create craft projects out of their trash: attractive planters out of coffee cans or storage baskets from boxes.
Some cities, like San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Portland, have programs for artists to "scavenge" from their landfills or recycling centers. You will, of course, need to consider what is safe and what is legal before you start scavenging from someone else’s trash, but you can easily start making art with your own.
— Habib Todd Boerger in Practicing Democracy with the Earth