We admire people who find treasure in trash. Or those who can transform something seemingly worthless into something useful. Especially when that something is somehow related to cars.

We found such repurposed items during a recent visit to Backyard Kitchen and Brew in Uptown Bonifacio Mall. These are, of course, old Philippine car license plates made into colorful light fixtures. With so many people in this country not giving an iota of importance to license plates—yes, including (and especially) the Land Transportation Office—it is refreshing to see some finally performing a relevant function. They’re inexpensive, they’re cool, they’re eye-catching. Not to mention they bring back memories of a foregone era when EDSA wasn’t hell yet.

What discarded car parts can you recycle and assemble into practical stuff?