Now that April (aka Earth Month), is in full swing, it’s the perfect time to get moving with your eco-fabulous resolutions.
But the prospect of where to begin can be daunting, especially when you factor in the myths floating around about reasons not to shift your behavior towards that which is more eco-conscious. So enjoy Earth Month to its fullest and don’t be fooled by these six eco-myths.
Myth #1: Organic and recycled products are hard to find.
While this may have been true several years ago, even big-box stores like Walmart and Target are stocking up on organic and recycled goods.
You don’t even have to visit a food co-op or natural market to get your fix of sustainable goodies, as almost every grocery store now has an extensive organic selection.
What’s more, Web sites such as Green America’s National Green Pages have listings for everything from sustainably produced clothing to socially responsible mutual funds.
Myth #2: Too many choices make it difficult to get educated about sustainability.
Certification is not just for organic anymore. There are several organizations that offer screenings and certifications for environmentally and socially responsible producers.
In addition to Green America’s Seal of Approval, which requires companies to undergo a vigorous screening process, there is the Forest Stewardship Council, which reviews the business practice of paper and wood producers. TransFair USA certifies that products like coffee are produced under fair trade conditions, and of course, the USDA has stringent regulations on products that are carry the organic label.
In order to stay up on the latest news and understand the latest green lingo, follow a few of your favorite eco-conscious Web sites. Also, remember that a quick web search can answer almost any of your questions about getting the most out of your greening efforts.
For more information on what all of those regulations and labels actually mean check out our Top 10 Green Labels Guide.
Myth #3: Recycling and reduction is inconvenient.
As our society begins to view trash as a potential resource rather than a nuisance, more and more municipalities are instituting curbside pickup options so residents can recycle everything from metal to food scraps.
Even if your municipality doesn’t accept a recyclable item it in its regular curbside pickup (think televisions, cell phones or batteries), you can easily locate a local drop-off center. Check out Earth911 to find out what to do with those tough-to-recycle items.
As for reduction, your efforts can range from the simple – taking reusable bags to the grocery store, using a refillable water bottle, buying items with little or no packaging or taking shorter showers – to the complex – buying nothing for a week, shopping exclusively at secondhand stores or crafting new items out of old ones. For further inspiration, check out the No Impact Man or The Story of Stuff.
Myth #4: One person can’t make a difference.
Does it really matter if you don’t recycle or if you throw your food waste away instead of composting it? Yes. Much of what is in our landfills could have been reborn as a new product had it been reused. According to the EPA, 63.9 percent of what goes into landfills is paper, plastic, metal and glass.
An additional 44.8 million tons of food scraps and yard waste resides there as well, and the rotting organic matter in landfills turns into methane, one of the most potent global warming gasses.
With natural resources dwindling and climate change looming, it is more important than ever to utilize and support strong recycling infrastructures, while at the same time looking for creative ways to transform our trash into new stuff.
Myth #5: Going green is too expensive.
Putting aside the obvious joy of reducing your overall footprint, many steps that you take towards this goal will also help you to save money.
One person really can make a difference. Americans buy an estimated 29.8 billion plastic water bottles every year. Nearly eight out of every 10 bottles will end up in a landfill. Do your part and make that one less bottle by recycling. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com
Reducing the number of times per week you drive, turning down the heat or air conditioning a few degrees and reducing the amount of water you use can all add up to big savings on your bills.
On the culinary front, if you decide to compost your food waste and grow your own food, your grocery bill for that organic meal will drop significantly too.
Also, it’s important to take a whole-systems view when analyzing the cost of products you buy.
While many eco-friendly products are more expensive up front, consider that your purchase is supporting sustainable and oftentimes your local economy.
Plus, given all of the money you are going to save with your reduction efforts, your budget should still come out in the black!
Need more proof with some hard numbers? Check out our 8 Ways to Go Green and Save Hundreds.
Myth #6: Recycled and all-natural products are lower quality.
It is true that certain materials, such as paper, do gradually downcycle; however, as paper nears the end of its life (after five to seven cycles), pulp that is too small to be used ends up being filtered out of the machines and becomes waste.
When plastic downcycles, it is simply used to make lower-quality products. Today’s Tupperware might be tomorrow’s traffic cone. In the case of other materials, there is no loss of quality. Glass melts down to glass, and metal to metal (so long as the metal is pure). In these instances, there is virtually no difference between recycled or “virgin” products, such as bottles or sheet metal.
When it comes to food, the proof lies in the taste. Anyone who has eaten a giant, tasteless tomato will tell you that making something bigger isn’t the same as making it better.
Natural farming methods, aside from keeping food free of pesticide and chemical fertilizer residues, often result in a smaller, but more flavorful harvest. Products made through natural processes have the added health benefit of reducing air and water pollution (byproducts of chemical manufacturing), and everyone can benefit from a better quality of life as a result.
Showing posts with label Re-Use. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Re-Use. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Create Your Own iPad Case with a Book!!
Create Your Own iPad Case with a Book
If you have an old hardcover book that’s gathering dust in the basement and you never plan to read it again, turn it into a hollow book and then use that secret compartment as a safe to hide your cash, cellphone or any other valuable items.
How to Make a Hollow Book
The iPad is this photograph is facing down but you can even invert the device and the hollow book case will then prevent your iPad back from getting scratches.
Make Magazine covered this trick in 2006 and it has become quite popular since then. If you don’t have the time to create a hollow book on your own, you can even order one online from Amazon.com.
Anyway, coming back to the iPad, the folks at CarryPad have come up with a brilliant idea – they suggest using an hollow book as a case for the Apple iPad.
The technique is more or less the same but you need to careful when choosing the book for the iPad case – it should have proper padding around the sides and the thickness of the book pages should be enough to support your iPad.
Friday, April 2, 2010
What NOT to Put in the Bin
Ever wondered if that cryptic greasy paper plate could go in your recycling bin? Or would it really be a big deal if you threw in just one plastic bag?
It may seem simple to determine what doesn’t go in a recycling bin because of the labels, but unfortunately, it’s not that straightforward.
So, where do you begin to find out of the specific materials that shouldn’t go in a recycling bin? Listed below are some materials that you can pretty much guarantee should be kept out of your community’s recycling bins (unless of course the bin or the program specifically says that you can drop it in).
Shredded paper
When you shred paper with a paper shredder, you dramatically decrease the value of the paper because you shorten the length of the paper fiber, which is the source of value of the paper, according Eric Lombardi, the executive director of Eco-Cycle, one of the largest nonprofit recyclers in the U.S.
Nice white computer paper has a long, strong fiber, and every time you recycle that paper, the fiber gets shorter. If done properly, that computer paper can be recycled six to eight times.
However, if you shred that same crisp computer paper, you’re lucky if it can even be recycled once. Oftentimes, paper mills won’t accept shredded paper because of the difficulties it creates during the sorting process, says Lombardi.
“It gets mixed with everyone’s paper that day, and you put it in a giant pile at the recycling facility, there’s no way somebody is going to put ‘humpty-dumpty’ back together again,” says Lombardi.
If you have a document that is semi-confidential, rip it by hand three or four times, then throw it into the recycling bin. For documents that absolutely require shredding, locate a source in your area that specifically handles shredded paper for recycling. Some curbside programs may even accept your shredded paper if it is bagged separately.
Brightly colored paper
Believe it or not, bright paper can stop a whole batch of paper from being recycled. The idea behind this one is simple, explains Dan Baril, recycling program manager at the University of Colorado at Boulder, “It’s like the red sock in the white load sort-of-syndrome.” If you need to buy colored paper, avoid really rich colors, and opt for pastels. Paper mills can usually handle the lighter tones.
Read more
The Best DIY Paper Projects
http://earth911.com/news/2010/02/22/the-best-diy-paper-projects/
Juice boxes and milk cartons
This is a good opportunity to check with your municipality for the best recycling options. Some cities will accept milk and juice cartons for recycling with the paperboard stream. However, this is not true everywhere.
And while Eco-Cycle will accept milk and juice cartons, even with the plastic drinking-spot left in, they do not recycle milk and juice cartons found in non-refrigerated aisles used for packaging products such as soup and soy, rice or almond milk.
Last year, Tropicana and Waste Management launched a national initiative to increase the rate of juice and milk carton recycling. The initiative kicked off the long-term goal to increase beverage carton recycling nationwide, a program being promoted through the Carton Council.
Read more
Milk and Juice Carton Recycling Made Easy:
http://earth911.com/news/2009/04/10/milk-and-juice-carton-recycling-made-easy/
Paper coffee cups
Currently, paper coffee cups (also called hot cups) are accepted for recycling at only few communities in the U.S. The thin polyethylene plastic coating on the cups that helps prevent liquid leaking has made it difficult for most processing services to recycle the cups.
With about 58 billion paper cups used each year in the U.S., the best thing you can do is simply reduce your usage. Bring along a reusable mug or ask your barista if they offer mugs for serving if you’re staying in the store to sip your drink.
“At the end of the day, we wouldn’t have a problem with paper hot cups if everyone was going to the coffee shop with their reusable mug,” says Wendell Simonson, marketing-director of Eco-Products, Inc. a Boulder, Colo., based company that sells single-use products that can generally be recycled or composted.
Secondly, if your community offers composting, look for cups made with plant-based coating, which allows the cups to be composted.
Starbucks has a pilot program that is working to prove that hot cups, even with the plastic coating, can be integrated into the cardboard recycling stream.
Read more
Starbucks Pilots Coffee Cup Recycling Program
Pizza boxes, soiled paper plates, napkins
Many people assume that pizza boxes are recyclable. In fact, most boxes have recycling symbols on them and are traditionally made from corrugated cardboard. They are, in and of themselves, recyclable.
Pizza boxes that are tarnished with food, or any paper product that is stained with grease or food, are not recyclable – unless you remove the tainted portions. Photo: Flickr/massdistraction
However, what makes parts of them non-recyclable is the hot, tasty treat that comes inside them, specifically, the grease and cheese from pizza that soil the cardboard.
Food is one of the worst contaminants in the paper recycling process. Grease and oil are not as big of a problem for plastic, metal and glass, as those materials are recycled using a heat process.
But when paper products are recycled, they are mixed with water and turned into a slurry. Since we all know water and oil don’t mix, the issue is clear.
Grease from pizza boxes causes oil to form at the top of the slurry, and paper fibers cannot separate from oils during the pulping process.
Essentially, this contaminant causes the entire batch to be ruined. This is the reason that other food related items are non-recyclable (used paper plates, used napkins, used paper towels, etc).
Read more
The Pizza Box Mystery
Plastic bags and film
When left to the machines to sort the recyclable materials, “The one that causes the most heartburn is plastic bags,” says Lombardi. Plastic bags wrap themselves around the equipment, and as a result, the whole plant may have to shut down – expending time, energy and money. Repairmen often are hired to come in with knives to cut the plastic bags out of the guts of the machinery, Lombardi explains.
But this doesn’t mean you have to toss your bags into the trash. The good news is that most grocery stores throughout the U.S. now offer plastic bag recycling. In 2007, more than 830 million pounds of plastic bags and film were recycled nationwide, up 27 percent from 2005. Plastic bags can be made into dozens of new and useful products as well.
Read more
360: Recycling Plastic Bags
The wrong plastic resin
Plastics #1 and #2, made from polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), are the most commonly accepted plastics for recycling. However, just because a plastic is made from HDPE and PETE does not mean that it will be accepted by your community’s recycling program. Instead of just focusing on the plastic’s number, also look for the specific details provided by your community’s program, such as, “narrow-necked bottles” and “rigid plastics.”
Even with a recycling program that accepts plastics #1-7, it’s often the shape of the plastic product that determines whether or not it can be recycled in that specific program. The most important thing to remember is to check your program and pay attention to the type of plastic you’re recycling.
Read more
The Ultimate Plastic Breakdown
Bottle caps
Polypropylene (PP), or plastic #5, often makes up the plastic caps on bottles. So, what’s the big deal if the bottle is a #1 and the cap is a #5? They’re both plastic right? It’s not that simple.
It all comes down to the melting point, which has a difference of nearly 160 degrees Fahrenheit between the two. If a cap gets mixed in with bottles, the entire batch may be ruined because there is un-melted plastic in the mix.
A general rule of thumb is to remove all of the plastic caps and lids from your plastic bottles, jugs and tubs before recycling them. To check if your city accepts caps for recycling call or visit the Public Works or Department of Sanitation section of its Web site.
If you’re in an area where plastic cap recycling is not available, seek out retailers that accept them. Also, a few of companies are taking the lead when it comes to tackling the issue of recycling #5 plastics, such as Aveda.
Read more
360: Bottle Caps
Broken glass
Broken glass is recyclable, but it might not be reprocessed into new glass bottles. This is because when glass breaks, it can often be a challenge to separate it by color given the tiny pieces.
This glass can be used as an additive in fiberglass, tile and flooring, pavement or even turned back into sand to stop beach depletion. However, just because glass is crushed during recycling doesn’t mean you should do this prior to putting it in your bin. This could injure waste haulers or people sorting material at the MRF.
Read more
Your Top Glass Questions:
http://earth911.com/news/2010/03/08/your-top-glass-questions-answered/
What causes contamination
Knowing what goes in the bin is critical to ensuring the success of the recycling process. That’s because recycling actually happens when materials that would otherwise become waste are turned into valuable resources.
Putting the wrong materials into the recycling bin may ruin the entire batch. The material in a recycling container is taken to a material recovery facility (MRF), where the material is separated and processed for selling to companies that buy recycled materials for making products. The higher the quality of the recycled material, the more the companies will want to buy it, and the higher the price they’ll pay for it.
However, when you put materials into the recycling bin that shouldn’t be there, you may (at the very least) be slowing down the entire recycling process. Here’s what can happen when you put the wrong things in the recycling bin:
* Machines that handle the sorting of the materials can become damaged, which means that precious time, energy and money will be needed to repair the machines.
* If no equipment is available to do the job, more material in the bin that shouldn’t be there makes the job far more difficult and inefficient for workers sorting the material by hand.
* Also, it may inhibit the materials in the bin that should be there from turning into the highest quality materials possible, or it could even send everything in the bin straight to the landfill. It may be cliché, but the expression, “one bad apple could spoil the bunch” pretty much sums up the situation.
It may seem simple to determine what doesn’t go in a recycling bin because of the labels, but unfortunately, it’s not that straightforward.
So, where do you begin to find out of the specific materials that shouldn’t go in a recycling bin? Listed below are some materials that you can pretty much guarantee should be kept out of your community’s recycling bins (unless of course the bin or the program specifically says that you can drop it in).
Shredded paper
When you shred paper with a paper shredder, you dramatically decrease the value of the paper because you shorten the length of the paper fiber, which is the source of value of the paper, according Eric Lombardi, the executive director of Eco-Cycle, one of the largest nonprofit recyclers in the U.S.
Nice white computer paper has a long, strong fiber, and every time you recycle that paper, the fiber gets shorter. If done properly, that computer paper can be recycled six to eight times.
However, if you shred that same crisp computer paper, you’re lucky if it can even be recycled once. Oftentimes, paper mills won’t accept shredded paper because of the difficulties it creates during the sorting process, says Lombardi.
“It gets mixed with everyone’s paper that day, and you put it in a giant pile at the recycling facility, there’s no way somebody is going to put ‘humpty-dumpty’ back together again,” says Lombardi.
If you have a document that is semi-confidential, rip it by hand three or four times, then throw it into the recycling bin. For documents that absolutely require shredding, locate a source in your area that specifically handles shredded paper for recycling. Some curbside programs may even accept your shredded paper if it is bagged separately.
Brightly colored paper
Believe it or not, bright paper can stop a whole batch of paper from being recycled. The idea behind this one is simple, explains Dan Baril, recycling program manager at the University of Colorado at Boulder, “It’s like the red sock in the white load sort-of-syndrome.” If you need to buy colored paper, avoid really rich colors, and opt for pastels. Paper mills can usually handle the lighter tones.
Read more
The Best DIY Paper Projects
http://earth911.com/news/2010/02/22/the-best-diy-paper-projects/
Juice boxes and milk cartons
This is a good opportunity to check with your municipality for the best recycling options. Some cities will accept milk and juice cartons for recycling with the paperboard stream. However, this is not true everywhere.
And while Eco-Cycle will accept milk and juice cartons, even with the plastic drinking-spot left in, they do not recycle milk and juice cartons found in non-refrigerated aisles used for packaging products such as soup and soy, rice or almond milk.
Last year, Tropicana and Waste Management launched a national initiative to increase the rate of juice and milk carton recycling. The initiative kicked off the long-term goal to increase beverage carton recycling nationwide, a program being promoted through the Carton Council.
Read more
Milk and Juice Carton Recycling Made Easy:
http://earth911.com/news/2009/04/10/milk-and-juice-carton-recycling-made-easy/
Paper coffee cups
Currently, paper coffee cups (also called hot cups) are accepted for recycling at only few communities in the U.S. The thin polyethylene plastic coating on the cups that helps prevent liquid leaking has made it difficult for most processing services to recycle the cups.
With about 58 billion paper cups used each year in the U.S., the best thing you can do is simply reduce your usage. Bring along a reusable mug or ask your barista if they offer mugs for serving if you’re staying in the store to sip your drink.
“At the end of the day, we wouldn’t have a problem with paper hot cups if everyone was going to the coffee shop with their reusable mug,” says Wendell Simonson, marketing-director of Eco-Products, Inc. a Boulder, Colo., based company that sells single-use products that can generally be recycled or composted.
Secondly, if your community offers composting, look for cups made with plant-based coating, which allows the cups to be composted.
Starbucks has a pilot program that is working to prove that hot cups, even with the plastic coating, can be integrated into the cardboard recycling stream.
Read more
Starbucks Pilots Coffee Cup Recycling Program
Pizza boxes, soiled paper plates, napkins
Many people assume that pizza boxes are recyclable. In fact, most boxes have recycling symbols on them and are traditionally made from corrugated cardboard. They are, in and of themselves, recyclable.
Pizza boxes that are tarnished with food, or any paper product that is stained with grease or food, are not recyclable – unless you remove the tainted portions. Photo: Flickr/massdistraction
However, what makes parts of them non-recyclable is the hot, tasty treat that comes inside them, specifically, the grease and cheese from pizza that soil the cardboard.
Food is one of the worst contaminants in the paper recycling process. Grease and oil are not as big of a problem for plastic, metal and glass, as those materials are recycled using a heat process.
But when paper products are recycled, they are mixed with water and turned into a slurry. Since we all know water and oil don’t mix, the issue is clear.
Grease from pizza boxes causes oil to form at the top of the slurry, and paper fibers cannot separate from oils during the pulping process.
Essentially, this contaminant causes the entire batch to be ruined. This is the reason that other food related items are non-recyclable (used paper plates, used napkins, used paper towels, etc).
Read more
The Pizza Box Mystery
Plastic bags and film
When left to the machines to sort the recyclable materials, “The one that causes the most heartburn is plastic bags,” says Lombardi. Plastic bags wrap themselves around the equipment, and as a result, the whole plant may have to shut down – expending time, energy and money. Repairmen often are hired to come in with knives to cut the plastic bags out of the guts of the machinery, Lombardi explains.
But this doesn’t mean you have to toss your bags into the trash. The good news is that most grocery stores throughout the U.S. now offer plastic bag recycling. In 2007, more than 830 million pounds of plastic bags and film were recycled nationwide, up 27 percent from 2005. Plastic bags can be made into dozens of new and useful products as well.
Read more
360: Recycling Plastic Bags
The wrong plastic resin
Plastics #1 and #2, made from polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), are the most commonly accepted plastics for recycling. However, just because a plastic is made from HDPE and PETE does not mean that it will be accepted by your community’s recycling program. Instead of just focusing on the plastic’s number, also look for the specific details provided by your community’s program, such as, “narrow-necked bottles” and “rigid plastics.”
Even with a recycling program that accepts plastics #1-7, it’s often the shape of the plastic product that determines whether or not it can be recycled in that specific program. The most important thing to remember is to check your program and pay attention to the type of plastic you’re recycling.
Read more
The Ultimate Plastic Breakdown
Bottle caps
Polypropylene (PP), or plastic #5, often makes up the plastic caps on bottles. So, what’s the big deal if the bottle is a #1 and the cap is a #5? They’re both plastic right? It’s not that simple.
It all comes down to the melting point, which has a difference of nearly 160 degrees Fahrenheit between the two. If a cap gets mixed in with bottles, the entire batch may be ruined because there is un-melted plastic in the mix.
A general rule of thumb is to remove all of the plastic caps and lids from your plastic bottles, jugs and tubs before recycling them. To check if your city accepts caps for recycling call or visit the Public Works or Department of Sanitation section of its Web site.
If you’re in an area where plastic cap recycling is not available, seek out retailers that accept them. Also, a few of companies are taking the lead when it comes to tackling the issue of recycling #5 plastics, such as Aveda.
Read more
360: Bottle Caps
Broken glass
Broken glass is recyclable, but it might not be reprocessed into new glass bottles. This is because when glass breaks, it can often be a challenge to separate it by color given the tiny pieces.
This glass can be used as an additive in fiberglass, tile and flooring, pavement or even turned back into sand to stop beach depletion. However, just because glass is crushed during recycling doesn’t mean you should do this prior to putting it in your bin. This could injure waste haulers or people sorting material at the MRF.
Read more
Your Top Glass Questions:
http://earth911.com/news/2010/03/08/your-top-glass-questions-answered/
What causes contamination
Knowing what goes in the bin is critical to ensuring the success of the recycling process. That’s because recycling actually happens when materials that would otherwise become waste are turned into valuable resources.
Putting the wrong materials into the recycling bin may ruin the entire batch. The material in a recycling container is taken to a material recovery facility (MRF), where the material is separated and processed for selling to companies that buy recycled materials for making products. The higher the quality of the recycled material, the more the companies will want to buy it, and the higher the price they’ll pay for it.
However, when you put materials into the recycling bin that shouldn’t be there, you may (at the very least) be slowing down the entire recycling process. Here’s what can happen when you put the wrong things in the recycling bin:
* Machines that handle the sorting of the materials can become damaged, which means that precious time, energy and money will be needed to repair the machines.
* If no equipment is available to do the job, more material in the bin that shouldn’t be there makes the job far more difficult and inefficient for workers sorting the material by hand.
* Also, it may inhibit the materials in the bin that should be there from turning into the highest quality materials possible, or it could even send everything in the bin straight to the landfill. It may be cliché, but the expression, “one bad apple could spoil the bunch” pretty much sums up the situation.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Rainwater Harvesting
Saves you and the environment some green
Rainwater harvesting is “the process of intercepting storm-water runoff and putting it to beneficial use.” Pretty simple concept. Oddly enough, it is illegal in some states. The Colorado legislature, in its 2009 session, legalized rainwater harvesting for residents with private wells. Other states and municipalities are in the process of changing their laws. You’ll need to do a little research to determine what is lawful in your state. Whatever the case, I don’t think the police are going to show up at your door if you choose to harvest rainwater.
Why would I want to harvest rainwater anyway?
According to the EPA, a homeowner can save 1,300 gallons of water a month. That will help with your water bills or reduce stress on your well. You can use the water in your evaporative coolers, to water plants, your lawn, your pets or livestock. It reduces your carbon footprint by saving on electricity to pump water and then deliver it to your home. Besides, it simply makes good sense to have water stored to guard against times of drought or emergency.
rainwater harvesting diagramSo I’m building or rebuilding a home and want to incorporate this. How?
You can begin by designing your home, buildings, and surrounding landscape to maximize the amount of rainwater catchment. You can do it like Jerry Brock of Monte Sereno, California and use four gravity-fed 5,000 gallon tanks. Or, there are companies like Rain Harvesting Systems (RHS) that specialize in elaborate and wonderful systems for your home or commercial building.
You can do it like people have been doing it for thousands of years—with some type of cistern. Cisterns, now, aren’t some Biblical clay container thing , but are usually some type of composite plastic. Here are some links to places you can buy one and also some “do it yourself” harvesting systems.
http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?cat=187
http://www.rain-barrel.net/category/rainwater-harvesting
http://www.ehow.com/how_5126202_harvest-rain-water.html
http://www.off-grid.net/2009/06/20/how-to-harvest-rainwater/
Bottom line: it can be as simple as putting a big bucket out under your rain gutter and using the water for dry spots on your lawn. Get an elaborate rainwater harvesting system or get a container with a cover (keeps mosquitoes from breeding and slows evaporation) and do your part to help your budget and your planet.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
How to reuse your toilet?
We all know the 3R’s mantra by now and the fact that they are in the order of reduce, reuse, recycle for a reason.
Reducing saves more resources than reusing, which saves more resources than recycling.
We’ve covered a lot of reuse ideas on our site, such as turning old plastic bottles into slug deterrents, making seedling pots from toilet roll inners, reusing glass jars, and then we talk about more simple things such as reusing envelopes and packaging.
All of these can save landfill waste, resources and help save us money.
It’s the really ‘think outside the box’ ideas, however, that capture my imagination. The ideas that are born from a moment of creativity or inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Junktion, who take ‘junk’ out of context and create unique, stylish and functional items from it; such as their reading lamp created from an old telephone. While on holiday in Devon we saw a washing machine drum used as a planter, Mrs A has done all sorts of pretty things in her garden with old plastic wheel barrows and wellies, but our friend Sarah from Ethics Trading has really taken things one step further with her toilet habits.
When her toilet was taken out of her home, she didn’t send it to the landfill.
Neither did she have it crushed to make a new road.
No, she kept it and grew strawberries in it.
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How to reuse your toilet
July 29, 2009 in section: Blog by Mrs Green with 2684 views
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Share your innovative reuse ideas with us!
Share your innovative reuse ideas with us!
We all know the 3R’s mantra by now and the fact that they are in the order of reduce, reuse, recycle for a reason.
Reducing saves more resources than reusing, which saves more resources than recycling.
We’ve covered a lot of reuse ideas on our site, such as turning old plastic bottles into slug deterrents, making seedling pots from toilet roll inners, reusing glass jars, and then we talk about more simple things such as reusing envelopes and packaging.
All of these can save landfill waste, resources and help save us money.
It’s the really ‘think outside the box’ ideas, however, that capture my imagination. The ideas that are born from a moment of creativity or inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Junktion, who take ‘junk’ out of context and create unique, stylish and functional items from it; such as their reading lamp created from an old telephone. While on holiday in Devon we saw a washing machine drum used as a planter, Mrs A has done all sorts of pretty things in her garden with old plastic wheel barrows and wellies, but our friend Sarah from Ethics Trading has really taken things one step further with her toilet habits.
When her toilet was taken out of her home, she didn’t send it to the landfill.
Neither did she have it crushed to make a new road.
No, she kept it and grew strawberries in it.
Sarah from Ethics Trading; I wouldn't ask to use the toilet if I were you
Sarah from Ethics Trading; I wouldn't ask to use the toilet if I were you
I mean, who wouldn’t?
I’d love to hear some of your creative reuse ideas! And if you’re on to something good, why not head over to Peter’s Junkk site; you might be able to win a prize for your suggestions!
www.junkk.com
Reducing saves more resources than reusing, which saves more resources than recycling.
We’ve covered a lot of reuse ideas on our site, such as turning old plastic bottles into slug deterrents, making seedling pots from toilet roll inners, reusing glass jars, and then we talk about more simple things such as reusing envelopes and packaging.
All of these can save landfill waste, resources and help save us money.
It’s the really ‘think outside the box’ ideas, however, that capture my imagination. The ideas that are born from a moment of creativity or inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Junktion, who take ‘junk’ out of context and create unique, stylish and functional items from it; such as their reading lamp created from an old telephone. While on holiday in Devon we saw a washing machine drum used as a planter, Mrs A has done all sorts of pretty things in her garden with old plastic wheel barrows and wellies, but our friend Sarah from Ethics Trading has really taken things one step further with her toilet habits.
When her toilet was taken out of her home, she didn’t send it to the landfill.
Neither did she have it crushed to make a new road.
No, she kept it and grew strawberries in it.
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How to reuse your toilet
July 29, 2009 in section: Blog by Mrs Green with 2684 views
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Share your innovative reuse ideas with us!
Share your innovative reuse ideas with us!
We all know the 3R’s mantra by now and the fact that they are in the order of reduce, reuse, recycle for a reason.
Reducing saves more resources than reusing, which saves more resources than recycling.
We’ve covered a lot of reuse ideas on our site, such as turning old plastic bottles into slug deterrents, making seedling pots from toilet roll inners, reusing glass jars, and then we talk about more simple things such as reusing envelopes and packaging.
All of these can save landfill waste, resources and help save us money.
It’s the really ‘think outside the box’ ideas, however, that capture my imagination. The ideas that are born from a moment of creativity or inspiration.
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Junktion, who take ‘junk’ out of context and create unique, stylish and functional items from it; such as their reading lamp created from an old telephone. While on holiday in Devon we saw a washing machine drum used as a planter, Mrs A has done all sorts of pretty things in her garden with old plastic wheel barrows and wellies, but our friend Sarah from Ethics Trading has really taken things one step further with her toilet habits.
When her toilet was taken out of her home, she didn’t send it to the landfill.
Neither did she have it crushed to make a new road.
No, she kept it and grew strawberries in it.
Sarah from Ethics Trading; I wouldn't ask to use the toilet if I were you
Sarah from Ethics Trading; I wouldn't ask to use the toilet if I were you
I mean, who wouldn’t?
I’d love to hear some of your creative reuse ideas! And if you’re on to something good, why not head over to Peter’s Junkk site; you might be able to win a prize for your suggestions!
www.junkk.com
Not Done Yet !!!
We do not have the fair, ambitious and legally binding agreement that millions around the world hoped the world leaders gathered here would deliver.
Not Done YetDespite overwhelming scientific evidence, and massive popular support from citizens in countries North and South, world leaders chose national political self-interest over the fate of future generations and failed to resolve the issues blocking the road towards a just outcome. While this deal cannot be judged as a success, it is impossible to be without hope.
This year, from a strong, but small seed of climate campaigning, a movement touching millions of people in hundreds of countries around the world has grown. Over the last two weeks while leaders were dithering an additional 5 million people joined the campaign, resulting in a total of 15 million voices calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding deal.
More than 250 partner organisations have come together to form an unprecedented alliance under the TckTckTck banner – including development, human rights, environment, religious and youth groups, trade unions and scout groups. Over three days of global action, these partners have mobilized unprecedented numbers of people campaigning for urgent action on climate change. In Copenhagen on December 12, one hundred thousand people marched in a powerful manifestation of this unity.
And, when naysayers, fearmongers, and the business-as-usual-crowd try to usurp the issue, they will be met by a surging sea of people from all around the globe and all walks of life unified in their demand for a real deal.
The global climate movement - more diverse than ever before - stands united in the face of tonight's disappointing news. This weekend we are mounting an unprecedented response, with joint messaging appearing on the global public websites of our partners, to ensure world leaders know we are unimpressed with their lack of real progress and failure to deliver a real deal.
We have come so far in a short space of time. Millions around the world look to the future and see hope, justice, and opportunity. It is up to each of us to make our voices heard and to get the real deal that the world needs.
The world’s leaders still have a chance to get it right. They must realize that we expect, and will not accept, anything less.
They’re not done yet. Neither are we.
The following organisations have taken the extraordinary step of adding this consistent response to take over the home pages of their global websites.
http://www.panda.org/
http://oxfam.org/
http://greenpeace.org/
http://amnesty.org/
http://avaaz.org/
http://www.oikoumene.org/
http://www.conservation.org/
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/
http://www.consumersinternational.org/
http://www.1sky.org/
http://www.civicus.org/
http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=10325
http://www.wcrp.org/
http://www.oneworld.net/
http://www.350.org/
Not Done YetDespite overwhelming scientific evidence, and massive popular support from citizens in countries North and South, world leaders chose national political self-interest over the fate of future generations and failed to resolve the issues blocking the road towards a just outcome. While this deal cannot be judged as a success, it is impossible to be without hope.
This year, from a strong, but small seed of climate campaigning, a movement touching millions of people in hundreds of countries around the world has grown. Over the last two weeks while leaders were dithering an additional 5 million people joined the campaign, resulting in a total of 15 million voices calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding deal.
More than 250 partner organisations have come together to form an unprecedented alliance under the TckTckTck banner – including development, human rights, environment, religious and youth groups, trade unions and scout groups. Over three days of global action, these partners have mobilized unprecedented numbers of people campaigning for urgent action on climate change. In Copenhagen on December 12, one hundred thousand people marched in a powerful manifestation of this unity.
And, when naysayers, fearmongers, and the business-as-usual-crowd try to usurp the issue, they will be met by a surging sea of people from all around the globe and all walks of life unified in their demand for a real deal.
The global climate movement - more diverse than ever before - stands united in the face of tonight's disappointing news. This weekend we are mounting an unprecedented response, with joint messaging appearing on the global public websites of our partners, to ensure world leaders know we are unimpressed with their lack of real progress and failure to deliver a real deal.
We have come so far in a short space of time. Millions around the world look to the future and see hope, justice, and opportunity. It is up to each of us to make our voices heard and to get the real deal that the world needs.
The world’s leaders still have a chance to get it right. They must realize that we expect, and will not accept, anything less.
They’re not done yet. Neither are we.
The following organisations have taken the extraordinary step of adding this consistent response to take over the home pages of their global websites.
http://www.panda.org/
http://oxfam.org/
http://greenpeace.org/
http://amnesty.org/
http://avaaz.org/
http://www.oikoumene.org/
http://www.conservation.org/
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/
http://www.consumersinternational.org/
http://www.1sky.org/
http://www.civicus.org/
http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=10325
http://www.wcrp.org/
http://www.oneworld.net/
http://www.350.org/
Monday, December 21, 2009
Recycle your mobile phone for cash with Sell My Mobile!
You might remember we took on a large decluttering project here at zero waste towers.
I decided on a change of use for one our rooms and wanted a dedicated playroom / class room for Little Miss Green.
At the same time Grandma Green was having a declutter of her own, so we decided to take on some of her old furniture.
Clearing out a room is a scary task; it means sorting through cupboards and drawers that you would rather not look in to.
Thankfully there were not too many frightening things lurking at the back of shelves heading for landfill, but we did find a couple of museum-worthy mobile phones.
Our ‘new room’ requires not just a change of use, but some major work; we need to raise the floor, put in underfloor heating or an air to air heat pump and replace the back door and window - not the cheapest of weekend projects!
So I’ve started my ‘change of room use’ fund. I decided to gather my resources and see what I could do to raise some cash.
So far I’ve shifted a load of books on Amazon and whilst browsing the internet, came upon “Sell My Mobile“. This was just what I was looking for.
With time of the essence, I really didn’t have time to find the best price for our old mobiles. Sell My Mobile does all the work for you with its independent and impartial mobile phone recycling price comparison. They compare ALL of the UK’s leading mobile phone buyers so you can get you the most money for your old mobile just by visiting one site.
They price check all makes and models on a daily basis, so you know you will get the best and most up-to-date price! And using the site couldn’t be easier. You simply enter the make and model of your phone and get a list of merchants who will buy your phone. Click on the best price and tell them how you want to receive your payment - easy peasy.
Worldwide, 1.3 billion people own a mobile phone; most of which end up in the landfill. It is estimated that less than 4% of all unused mobile phones in the UK are currently recycled and that millions of phones are hiding in drawers and cupboards across the UK.
With everyone trying to make the pennies stretch a little further this time of year, why not have a scout through your drawers and cupboards and see if you have any old mobile phones needing to be recycled?
Most of the merchants listed on Sell My Mobile even pay out for broken phones, so don’t let an old dinosaur stop you keeping your goods from landfill and making yourself some money in the process!
I decided on a change of use for one our rooms and wanted a dedicated playroom / class room for Little Miss Green.
At the same time Grandma Green was having a declutter of her own, so we decided to take on some of her old furniture.
Clearing out a room is a scary task; it means sorting through cupboards and drawers that you would rather not look in to.
Thankfully there were not too many frightening things lurking at the back of shelves heading for landfill, but we did find a couple of museum-worthy mobile phones.
Our ‘new room’ requires not just a change of use, but some major work; we need to raise the floor, put in underfloor heating or an air to air heat pump and replace the back door and window - not the cheapest of weekend projects!
So I’ve started my ‘change of room use’ fund. I decided to gather my resources and see what I could do to raise some cash.
So far I’ve shifted a load of books on Amazon and whilst browsing the internet, came upon “Sell My Mobile“. This was just what I was looking for.
With time of the essence, I really didn’t have time to find the best price for our old mobiles. Sell My Mobile does all the work for you with its independent and impartial mobile phone recycling price comparison. They compare ALL of the UK’s leading mobile phone buyers so you can get you the most money for your old mobile just by visiting one site.
They price check all makes and models on a daily basis, so you know you will get the best and most up-to-date price! And using the site couldn’t be easier. You simply enter the make and model of your phone and get a list of merchants who will buy your phone. Click on the best price and tell them how you want to receive your payment - easy peasy.
Worldwide, 1.3 billion people own a mobile phone; most of which end up in the landfill. It is estimated that less than 4% of all unused mobile phones in the UK are currently recycled and that millions of phones are hiding in drawers and cupboards across the UK.
With everyone trying to make the pennies stretch a little further this time of year, why not have a scout through your drawers and cupboards and see if you have any old mobile phones needing to be recycled?
Most of the merchants listed on Sell My Mobile even pay out for broken phones, so don’t let an old dinosaur stop you keeping your goods from landfill and making yourself some money in the process!
Mobile phone- Tips of re-using it!!!
Mobile phone- love it hate, but don’t bin it
old mobile
Old mobile phones can be reused!
My mobile phone; I love it, I hate it. I need it, I resist it. But one day, for certain I will have to bin it.
That’s what modern technology and marketing feed us. A sure recipe for built in obsolescence and a desire for something newer, better and smarter.
I was searching around for something yesterday and suddenly came across a draw with a stash of old mobile phones.
“Ahhh, yes, I remember that one, it had a really neat feature, but look how big it is now, couldn’t possibly use it, even if it worked.“
And that’s another point; many old mobile phones that have not been used for a while will not work, in fact they get unregistered from the network and it’s quite a task to get them re-registered. Our current phone on a pay-as-you-go needs to be used at least once every 6 months to stay registered. (O2 network)
So what do you do with your trusty mobile when it finally gets the heave-ho for a younger brighter model? Maybe you just battle on with it, complete with dodgy connection and broken aerial, hoping it won’t finally die at that crucial moment when you’re stranded with the kids and a puncture.
Mobile phones are sure to have a limited life cycle and they are becoming increasingly more difficult to repair. They just don’t want you to get it fixed when there’s a new model to tempt you.
The average mobile phone user in the UK, will replace their handset once every 18 months. 96% of all 15 – 24 year olds in UK own a mobile phone and the market is driven to make them keep updating their phones to the latest one.
Across the world, 1.3 billion people own a mobile phone. Many of these end up in the landfill, which is such a waste, because we all know that one man’s trash can become another man’s treasure! It is estimated that less than 4% of all unused mobile phones in the UK are currently recycled and that millions of phones are hiding in drawers and cupboards across the UK. This is such a waste because inside these technological goodies is a goldmine (literally) of usable parts.
Ok, enough whining,
what are going to do as a true environmentalist, with a clear conscience and a hard decision to make?
Throwing an old mobile phone into the landfill can mean that toxic components can leach out and contaminate the water or air. Incinerating a mobile phone can emit highly toxic dioxins. Big No-No’s…
recycle mobilesThere are some valuable things you can do to keep your mobile phone out of the landfill and remain useful to someone.
* Rather than stash that old dinosaur in the draw, dig it out and donate it to a good cause. Even if it ends up being salvaged, it still has some valuable recycling materials
* Mobile phones use a significant quantity of gold in certain electronic components like contacts. According to http://www.fonebak.com other materials can be recycled as follows:
* Handsets are sent to a specialist recycling agent in Sweden where metals are extracted using waste-to-energy incineration.
* Batteries are sent to a specialist recycler in France. Nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium ion/polymer are extracted and returned to productive use.
* Chargers and accessories – the metals are recovered, and the plastic is melted into traffic cones, buckets and horse gallops.
* Mixed plastics, like phone covers, are melted and formed to make plastic sheeting.
Another option is;
DONATE TO CHARITY
Most charities will accept your old mobile phone. One of the largest charities, Oxfam has created an online mobile retail partner. http://www.mobiles.co.uk Every time a customer buys online from Mobiles.co.uk, they’ll receive a Freepost bag to donate their unwanted handset to Oxfam.
Oxfam’s “Bring Bring” handset recycling scheme offers an ideal way for consumers, mobile phone resellers and Oxfam to collaborate in achieving a win for all and importantly making a contribution to a good cause. It is the simplicity of the scheme which makes it so attractive.
If you want to keep your thoughts with the environment, then Recycling appeal http://www.recyclingappeal.com/ collects mobile phones for reuse and recycling, raising funds and helping the environment.
The Recycling Appeal has generated over £3.2 million for partner organisations since 1999.
If your handset no longer works, then valuable parts can still be salvaged and reused. Check out Green Source http://www.greensource.co.uk/ for further information.
REUSE
There is likely to be somebody who can make use of your old phone. Either offer it on your local Freecycle http://www.freecycle.org/ or sell it. You can sell on eBay or try a company like Mobile phone exchange http://www.mobilephonexchange.co.uk/. You can get an instant valuation online and if you think it’s worth it, you sell it to mobile phone exchange.
SCHOOLS MOBILE PHONE APPEALS
Computers for charities http://www.computersforcharities.co.uk/mobilephonerecycling run a collection service for old mobile phones that are salvaged and help to raise money for children in need.
Final thoughts …
Every time I have bought a mobile phone in the past, I always thought it was the coolest thing I owned. Why is it that a year later it becomes an unwanted embarrassment?
Judging by the amount of phones discarded every year this is fairly typical. Have we become so driven and gullible to the marketeers of our society that we can’t think for ourselves? Is that why we get married and divorced so easily as well? Seriously, isn’t it really the same message, that if it goes wrong or you find a better model, you just chuck it and trade up…
Maybe the mobile phone market is a clear symptom of our personal and cultural restlessness and hankering after the unreachable dream of bigger, better faster brighter, smarter. If that is the case, the call to stop and review our thinking here, as a model for our life, could just be the best thing we could do for ourselves, as well as the environment.
old mobile
Old mobile phones can be reused!
My mobile phone; I love it, I hate it. I need it, I resist it. But one day, for certain I will have to bin it.
That’s what modern technology and marketing feed us. A sure recipe for built in obsolescence and a desire for something newer, better and smarter.
I was searching around for something yesterday and suddenly came across a draw with a stash of old mobile phones.
“Ahhh, yes, I remember that one, it had a really neat feature, but look how big it is now, couldn’t possibly use it, even if it worked.“
And that’s another point; many old mobile phones that have not been used for a while will not work, in fact they get unregistered from the network and it’s quite a task to get them re-registered. Our current phone on a pay-as-you-go needs to be used at least once every 6 months to stay registered. (O2 network)
So what do you do with your trusty mobile when it finally gets the heave-ho for a younger brighter model? Maybe you just battle on with it, complete with dodgy connection and broken aerial, hoping it won’t finally die at that crucial moment when you’re stranded with the kids and a puncture.
Mobile phones are sure to have a limited life cycle and they are becoming increasingly more difficult to repair. They just don’t want you to get it fixed when there’s a new model to tempt you.
The average mobile phone user in the UK, will replace their handset once every 18 months. 96% of all 15 – 24 year olds in UK own a mobile phone and the market is driven to make them keep updating their phones to the latest one.
Across the world, 1.3 billion people own a mobile phone. Many of these end up in the landfill, which is such a waste, because we all know that one man’s trash can become another man’s treasure! It is estimated that less than 4% of all unused mobile phones in the UK are currently recycled and that millions of phones are hiding in drawers and cupboards across the UK. This is such a waste because inside these technological goodies is a goldmine (literally) of usable parts.
Ok, enough whining,
what are going to do as a true environmentalist, with a clear conscience and a hard decision to make?
Throwing an old mobile phone into the landfill can mean that toxic components can leach out and contaminate the water or air. Incinerating a mobile phone can emit highly toxic dioxins. Big No-No’s…
recycle mobilesThere are some valuable things you can do to keep your mobile phone out of the landfill and remain useful to someone.
* Rather than stash that old dinosaur in the draw, dig it out and donate it to a good cause. Even if it ends up being salvaged, it still has some valuable recycling materials
* Mobile phones use a significant quantity of gold in certain electronic components like contacts. According to http://www.fonebak.com other materials can be recycled as follows:
* Handsets are sent to a specialist recycling agent in Sweden where metals are extracted using waste-to-energy incineration.
* Batteries are sent to a specialist recycler in France. Nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium ion/polymer are extracted and returned to productive use.
* Chargers and accessories – the metals are recovered, and the plastic is melted into traffic cones, buckets and horse gallops.
* Mixed plastics, like phone covers, are melted and formed to make plastic sheeting.
Another option is;
DONATE TO CHARITY
Most charities will accept your old mobile phone. One of the largest charities, Oxfam has created an online mobile retail partner. http://www.mobiles.co.uk Every time a customer buys online from Mobiles.co.uk, they’ll receive a Freepost bag to donate their unwanted handset to Oxfam.
Oxfam’s “Bring Bring” handset recycling scheme offers an ideal way for consumers, mobile phone resellers and Oxfam to collaborate in achieving a win for all and importantly making a contribution to a good cause. It is the simplicity of the scheme which makes it so attractive.
If you want to keep your thoughts with the environment, then Recycling appeal http://www.recyclingappeal.com/ collects mobile phones for reuse and recycling, raising funds and helping the environment.
The Recycling Appeal has generated over £3.2 million for partner organisations since 1999.
If your handset no longer works, then valuable parts can still be salvaged and reused. Check out Green Source http://www.greensource.co.uk/ for further information.
REUSE
There is likely to be somebody who can make use of your old phone. Either offer it on your local Freecycle http://www.freecycle.org/ or sell it. You can sell on eBay or try a company like Mobile phone exchange http://www.mobilephonexchange.co.uk/. You can get an instant valuation online and if you think it’s worth it, you sell it to mobile phone exchange.
SCHOOLS MOBILE PHONE APPEALS
Computers for charities http://www.computersforcharities.co.uk/mobilephonerecycling run a collection service for old mobile phones that are salvaged and help to raise money for children in need.
Final thoughts …
Every time I have bought a mobile phone in the past, I always thought it was the coolest thing I owned. Why is it that a year later it becomes an unwanted embarrassment?
Judging by the amount of phones discarded every year this is fairly typical. Have we become so driven and gullible to the marketeers of our society that we can’t think for ourselves? Is that why we get married and divorced so easily as well? Seriously, isn’t it really the same message, that if it goes wrong or you find a better model, you just chuck it and trade up…
Maybe the mobile phone market is a clear symptom of our personal and cultural restlessness and hankering after the unreachable dream of bigger, better faster brighter, smarter. If that is the case, the call to stop and review our thinking here, as a model for our life, could just be the best thing we could do for ourselves, as well as the environment.
Reuse plastic bottles for slug collars
Most gardeners have a slug or two to contend with. Here at Chez Green, we have an army of them, who love our clay soil and thick hedges.
We don’t often buy bottled water, but we do occasionally indulge. This year I decided to put my old bottles to good reuse before finally disposing of them in the recycling centre. I made lethal looking slug collars / deterrents to protect my seedlings.
The theory is that with sharp edges, a slug won’t bother dragging its sensitive under belly across the spikes to munch your prize crops.
I was a little dubious, as our slugs seem extremely tenacious, but as you’ll see from the video, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the results.
In the past I’ve tried crushed egg shells, coffee grounds, gravel and neem oil. The neem oil was successful, but requires reapplication and making into an emulsion; which, at the end of a busy day here at Zero Waste towers, wasn’t always very appealing.
I’d been toying with the idea of buying copper tape or the plastic protective barriers, but when I saw the prices, I realised it was time to come to my senses and find a reuse for something I already had in the house.
Unlike beer traps, my recycled plastic bottle fortresses mean I don’t have to waste good beer on my slugs and neither do I have the grisly task of disposing of the corpses afterwards. Deterrents, rather than drowning, appeal to the Buddhist in me.
Reuse glass jars
Each week we buy honey. We also buy curry sauces, pasta sauce on occasions, jam and other condiments.
It’s easy to recycle glass jars, but it’s better to reuse them as this reduces energy and resources used in the recycling process.
Last year I made chutney for the first time and it was great to be able to use my own jars that I had washed and stored.
It can cost over £1 to buy 1 jam jar, which really adds to your cost if making home made.
If you have no intention of making jams or chutneys yourself, why not save some up and offer them on Freecycle or SnaffleUp? There are plenty of people who would love to take them off your hands - and you might get a free jar of something lovely in return!
You might choose to reuse glass jars for storage containers. If you’re crafty, you could paint them with glass paint and put night lights in them.
Or use them to store buttons and odd bits of thread.
Kids can store pens and pencils in them and they make a useful addition to the garage for storing nuts, bolts, picture hooks and screws.
Fill them with beads and seal them well for babies to shake and explore!
There are so many uses for a glass jar - what are your suggestions?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Reuse junk mail for envelopes
Some junk mail is really pretty. Marketing companies use glossy paper and bright inks to attract our attention, as they know that eye candy is a big part of selling.
In the past, I’ve used junk mail, newspapers and leaflets as wrapping paper. It can look great if you manage to choose an image that is suitable for the recipient. On one particular occasion, I managed to find a lovely picture of a place Mr Green and I had been on holiday which really added to the excitement of his present.
Robert, over at the Stop Junk Mail campaign, and creator of Junkbuster, has been busy with his junk mail too. He’s been fashioning it into unique, handmade envelopes for reuse!
We all know that stopping at source is the best option (Reduce), but for those pesky items that still find their way through your letterbox, Reuse is the next best, before finally, recycling it.
A set of five envelopes, randomly picked by Robert costs £1. While you’re there, you can grab some letterbox stickers and envelope reuse stickers too!
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