With Earth Day fast approaching, the internet is all abuzz with sustainable crafts designed with our beloved planet in mind. We’re all taught at a young age how reduce and reuse should come before recycle, but somewhere along the way I think a lot of us forget the first two. Here are a few projects that reuse former trash. They are so simple, the laziest person in the world (yours truly) can do them, so you have no excuse. C’mon. Don’t you love your Mother Earth? You never call, you never write….
This first one is so easy I did it to all the plastic cupsat my table at Bell House a few weekends ago. I turned the finished products into little votives for the tea candles. When the light hit the plastic it twinkle and glisten. It looked classy as hell considering moments earlier they had been beer vessels. You’re welcome, Bell House.
Don’t freak out: you can reuse the top portion of the bottle, too! It can easily transform into a little device that keeps your stuff in bags fresh. This is literally the most clever idea I have ever seen. Thank you, Pinterest for exposing me to an unlimited supply of housewife tips and tricks.
This DIY calls for glue and a few nails and turns empty cans into…something. I envision finally organizing my out-of-control lipstick collection in a visually-pleasing wall art installation.
You know that old folk wisdom that says to place a brick in your toilet’s tank to save water? Me neither, but don’t put a brick in your toilet because that will mess up your plumbing over time. Instead, fill a plastic bottle up with water and save a gallon per flush!
Who knew making your own bangles could be so simple and sustainable? All it takes is a plastic bottle, scissors, duct tape, and fabric! I think these would look rad with some studs, but I’m tuff like that.
While the pigeons in my neighborhood have no qualms flying inside my window for a little visit, this craft might be great for BUSTies in less urban areas.
Okay I lied when I said all of these projects are so simple and lazy-proof. But if you are extra motivated and good at measuring, you can make a rad Sarah Turner-inspired lamp from reused plastic! To complete the job, check out our story on DIY electric wiring in the April/May issue. Your friends will not believe you when you say that you made it out of plastic bottles, and you can be extra smarmy and say, “Yeah, and I wired it myself. No big!”
All images courtesy of their respective websites
