Creative recycling tips

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Creative recycling tips

 Awesome ideas for Corks, bulbs and more!

The UK is getting better and better at being eco-friendly, but there are still oodles of things it’s not yet possible to recycle. Even when it is possible to recycle something, it sometimes feels a shame that you’re not able to do something a bit more creative with it. Here are a few ideas. 

Corks

A good proportion of the UK likes to get stuck into a bottle of plonk every now and again. Corks can soon mount up, and are not generally collected for recycling. Luckily, they’re wonderfully versatile things. You could, for instance, create a great pin board, by gluing them into a frame. Because of their thickness, this will last longer than your average shop-bought job board too.  If you hold dinner parties, you’re likely to have a huge backlog of corks. Make use of some by slitting them with a knife, and inserting individual name cards, thus making them into unique place holders. If all else fails, you can chop corks up finely and add them to the compost.

Yoghurt pots

The temptation is to throw yoghurt pots away instead of going through the hassle of cleaning them. Think again! Some local authorities will collect these anyway, but if yours doesn’t, there are plenty of things you can do with your pots. If you have kids, fill the pots with juice, then freeze, to make ice lollies. The local school or playgroup may also be able to use them as craft materials. Keen gardener? Save money at the garden centre, and turn them into seedling pots.

CDs

Nearly every household in the country has a stash of unwanted CDs. If it’s in working order and something you think others might want to buy, put it up for sale on a site like Music Magpie, or otherwise hand in to your local charity shop. Obviously, many unwanted CDs are unwanted for a reason, and that’s when it’s time to get creative with them. Once of the simplest ideas is to convert them into drinks coasters (this takes about one second to do, but will save a lifetime of spilt coffee). If you want to get more imaginative, use them to make a dazzling 21st century chandelier or baby mobile. Want to give your shower room a musical tone? Instead of buying rings for the shower curtain, hang it up with CDs! We’ve only scratched the surface here… check sites like this for more ideas.

Light bulbs

A bulb’s life needn’t be over when it goes out! Old-style bulbs are not recyclable, but you can put them to good use about the house. You can, for example, cut off the base, then fill with water and use as a miniature hanging vase (the more of these hanging, the prettier they look). Another top tip is to paint your old bulbs up for the Christmas or Easter seasons, thus turning them into baubles. They look awesome, are 100% original, and you can look at them knowing you’ve done your bit for the planet. Sweet.

What are your own top recycling tips? Share your ideas with us!

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