The plastic bottles that you might throw away in your trash can be creatively recycled for reuse. This fun project can be a great activity for your family and also motivate your kids to recycle waste in a responsible manner.
Plastic takes years before it finally starts decomposing and the process of its decomposition involves therelease of many toxic by-products into the atmosphere. Therefore, recycling plastic waste is an ideal way of staying environmentally inclined. Here are some of the most innovative ways of reusing your plastic bottles instead of piling them in trash.
- Bird Feeders
The larger 2-litre plastic bottles that are otherwise just lying in your house to be thrown with your trash can be used to create beautiful bird feeders. Use sharp scissors to cut away the middle portion of the plastic bottle. Drill a small hole through the middle of the cap big enough to be held by a twine. Cut out an opening in the bottom section of the bottle to create a door for the bottle feeder. Use a foam brush to paint the bottom part of the feeder.
Completely dry each layer before applying the next and after completing the bottom start painting the top and the cap with the colours of your choice. Punch two holes of 2โ sizes on either side of the bottom half of the bottle. Using a twine stitch the upper part with the bottom part by passing the twine through the holes. Once you have added all your creative touches take it outside and fill with birdseed.
- Chia Pets
Use your large 2-litre plastic bottles to create chia pets that will also hold your beautiful plants and become a great decorative piece in your home. All you need to do for this simple DIY project is cut out the bottom of the bottles and add some crafty eyes to the outside of the bottom half.
These can be glued with potent glue and can be used creatively to make different expressions. Use the bottle cap as a nose or drill through them to create your own crafty eyes. Just fill your Chia pets with dirt and seedlings and wait for them to sprout.
- Lawn Sprinklers
Fight the growing heat by utilizing waste plastic bottles to create your own lawn sprinklers for this summer. All you have to do is collect some large bottles and poke holes through them. Attach your garden hose to the head of the bottle and let the fun begin. You can make a great craft project for your kids by letting them decorate these bottle sprinklers.
- Decorative snowflakes
All you need for this DIY project is some bottle bottoms and all your craft materials including a hole-punching machine. You can cut out bottoms from different coloured bottles or paint and decorate whichever way you like. Punch holes at the top and tie them together or individually with colourful ribbons. These plastic bottle snowflakes can be a great addition for your kidsโ room and also be ideal for the Christmas season.
- Bowling game
Take some 2-litre bottles and glue the lid shut. You will need some paint and waterproof spray to create your own minions or other characters as bowling pins. To create a minion bowling pin from plastic bottles, spray the top half with yellow spraypaint and the bottom half with blue spray.
Print out some goggles or draw your own goggles for your minions on a cardboard with folded ends. Put some tape to the back of the goggles and wrap them around the bottle to tape in the ends of the corners. Use a sharpie or your paint for creating the smiles or any other emotions you wish to draw over the dried spray paint.
There are myriad creative ideas that utilize used plastic bottles to reuse this non-biodegradable waste product. Create your own vertical garden, lamp shade, or bowling pins out of the plastic bottles and achieve your green goals in a fun and practical way.