Recycling Ideas for Plastic Bottles
A traditional plastic bottle can take up to 1,000 years to degrade in a landfill. While recycling plastic bottles will keep then in circulation a little longer, there's still a high likelihood that the next consumer will throw the bottle away. One creative way to keep plastic bottles out of landfills is to find new purposes for them in your home. Before you purchase some of the following items new, consider creating your own substitute from your used plastic bottles.
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Bottle Bottoms
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Rather than thinking up new and useful ways to use a plastic bottle, take the bottle apart and look for ways to use the pieces. By cutting off the top of a plastic bottle, and working only with the bottom, you create a small cup shape that is much easier to work with. Spray paint the bottom of the bottle or cover it with fabric to give it a more decorative look. Use the bottom as a container for anything from pens and pencils to hair accessories. You can also use the bottom of a plastic water bottle to start seedlings.
Bottle Tops
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The top half of the water bottle can also be re-purposed for a variety of uses. Once the bottom of the bottle has been cut off, you are left with something of a cone shape. This can be used as a funnel for everything from food to water balloons. Use the top of the bottle as a candle holder by inserting candle sticks into the bottle's opening and setting it so that the cone shape supports the candle.
Whole Bottle Uses
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When working with an entire water bottle, it may seem that it's not good for much other than holding water. One of the most obvious ways to recycle a plastic water bottle is to refill it. If you don't have any need for the bottle as a water bottle anymore, consider some more creative ways to re-purpose this item. A plastic bottle filled with sand can be used like a sandbag, with less risk of a messy, broken bag. Fill water bottles a third full to create a homemade ice pack. Make a small slit in the top of the bottle to create a piggy bank. Drill small holes in the lid and use the bottle to water plants.
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