How to Recycle Any Used Materials Into Useful Things

Recycling household objects helps protect the environment.

The average American throws away approximately 90,000 pounds of trash in their lifetime, says the University of Utah College of Architecture and Planning. Of that amount, one half--enough to fill an entire football stadium everyday--could be recycled. Learning to reuse materials in your daily life prevents the filling of landfills and provides you with a free source of useful items.

Things You'll Need

• Paper products
• Scrap fabric
• Recycled containers
• Scrap metal

Instructions

1. Separate items according to the material they are made of. Place paper goods, fabric, glass or plastic containers and metal in separate areas. Typically, each type of material is suitable for specific projects. Keeping them together makes it easier to find items and increases the chances that you will use them.

2. Utilize paper and cardboard for the basis of crafts. Large boxes or cardboard tubes can be used to make play houses, dress-up areas or 3D art displays. Recycled paper products can be torn into small sections and used to create collages or used in paper mache.

3. Wash and dry used clothing or scraps of fabric. Remove buttons, zippers and other decorative items and cut the fabric into sheets. These scraps can be used for quilt making, rug making or appliqued objects for sewing or art work.

4. Reuse plastic or glass containers for vases, storage or plant pots. Add a coat of paint, if preferred, to brighten the display. Old coffee cans or buckets make attractive kitchen canisters.

5. Create garden art from recycled metal. Bed springs make a whimsical trellis, metal rods can be shaped and used as plant hangers and old coat hangers make the ideal base of seasonal wreaths.

References

• The University of Utah College of Architecture and Planning: How Much Do American's Throw Away?