To Celebrate Earth Day: 13 Cool, Creative, And Innovative Ways To Recycle Plastics And Other Discarded Materials

April 22 is International Mother Earth Day. It's celebrated annually around the world to raise consciousness on the pressing environmental issues and how to protect the only planet we have. In our small ways we can take part in saving Mother Earth, starting from home. As our obligation as inhabitants of this planet, the very act of saving it should take root from within us. Can you imagine, if each of us has the same intent, the impact it has to our world in a bigger scale?

The price of progress is high; pollution, global warming, depleting natural resources, displacement of people to pave way for infrastructures, and garbage. We can't solve the problems all at once, but we can do so one step at a time. For one, we can recycle plastics to lessen the garbage.

Plastic (due to their relatively low cost, ease of manufacture, versatility and imperviousness to water*) is widely used. But since it has a slow decomposition rate after being discarded as trash, it presents a problem to garbage disposal. Burning is not an option, though it's still practiced, because it contributes to the thinning of the ozone layer while adding to the problem in global warming. Thus, anywhere in the world, the echoing call for recycling.

In celebration for the Earth Day, here are 13 cool, creative, and innovative ways to recycle plastics and other discarded materials at home and in our community. (Except for the two photos at the bottom, all photos are courtesy of Google images.)


1. As building material (in replacement of hollow blocks... and this one really blew my mind):

                         

2. Use as replacement for pots:

3. As a vase and party decor:

4. As a broom:

5. As candy or nuts bowl: 

6. As pen/scissor/pencils stand/holder:

7. As make-up storage:

8. As art material:

9. As house decors (whether it's Christmas or not):

10. Tin caps as jewelry:

11. Tin cans as storage:

12. As bags: 

13. Foil packs as pillow stuffing:

Oh, here's a tip I learned from a friend a long time ago, and though it's not much, it impacted me in a way that it became more than a habit. It became a way of life. When you are outside and you have a piece of trash with you, e.g. empty foil packs of biscuits and "chichirias" or snack foods, but can't find a trash bin, you can roll it and do the overhead knot to compress (the idea is to save space) the garbage and put it in your bag until you can find a trash bin. Here:

The possibilities are endless. All it takes is creativity, imagination, and the will to be part of a greener earth. Anytime is a good time to start.



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* Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic