In 2010, the United States produced 250 million tons of trash, and recycled 85 million tons of this waste. Of course, there are areas that cannot recycle or refuse to offer recycling programs. So then all of that recyclable waste takes up massive space in a landfill, and it’s just no bueno. How do you, then, recycle in an area that doesn’t offer a program or is unable to have one? What are alternative options to traditional recycling? Get creative with your paper, plastics, and glass items with this top five list!
1. Mason Jars.
If you don’t have any spares, ask granny to loan you one or two from her stash. Don’t have a grandma? Any glass jar will do, as long as it has a lid. Poke a hole in the container lid for a straw and you’ve got yourself a reusable cup! For the fashionably conscientious, mason jars are super in (or at least they are at Chatham!) and will definitely up your street cred if you can figure out how to incorporate them into everyday life. Make them into a vase for flowers. Throw on some mod podge with a few drops of dye to make the glass any color you want!
2. Light Bulbs.
Can you say bright ideas? Carefully take off the bottom of a burned out light bulb (the part where it screws into the lamp), remove the “innards,” and put some moss and dirt in there for a mini terrarium. Paint the outside, wrap some string on the bottom, and hang up in a window for a beautiful, sparkly mobile! Dip old Christmas lights in glue, then the glitter of your choice for rad decorations year-round. Fill two with salt and pepper (after following online instructions to hollow them out), put on a screw lid, and surprise your dinner guests with unique shakers! Check out this website for more cool reusable light bulb ideas (courtesy of Pinterest).
3. Plastic Bags.
I always have a million of these left over from grocery shopping, and they become completely obsolete after they rip. But how about tying them together for a reusable mat or scarf? Check out organizations in your area to see if they offer programs to make mats for the homeless. These YouTube videos are pretty self-explanatory. (You’ll need to know the essentials of crocheting, and have a ton of bags, but that’s it!) Get a group of your environmental friends together to help the less fortunate. You could even ask your university if they could host an event!
4. Tin/Aluminum Cans.
Once you’ve removed the labels, put one on the end of a metal pole, stick it in the ground, and then place by a garden chair for outdoor cup holders. Poke holes in the side, throw on a wire handle, spray paint, and put a little candle inside for cute candleholder lanterns! Get excited for summer and beat the winter blues while simultaneously recycling and saving the planet!
5. Cardboard.
More specifically, toilet paper and paper towel rolls. Cutting them into segments, squeezing them, and gluing one onto another will give you beautiful works of art! Great for babysitting projects, new wall art, or just fun!
See this website for some cute ideas.
Sources:
YouTube: Plastic Bag Sleeping Mats for the Homeless
YouTube: How to Make Sleeping Mats for the Homeless
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