Amateur DIY

“Saving the planet” has turned from a cool slogan into a necessity. The amount of waste we produce each year is only going to increase so it is important to come up with novel ways to recycle. Apart from recycling waste, we can save the planet it by reducing consumption and reusing items such as water bottles.

Most of them are made from plastic which is already suffocating the marine life in the world’s oceans. The problem might be local but the solution is definitely local. Join in on the fight to save the planet by reusing plastic bottles in these 6 innovative ways.

Creating multicolored lights

If you have some old lightbulbs lying around, you can reuse them together with plastic bottles. Cut open the bottles to fit the lightbulb in and then pull the cord through the bottleneck. Since plastic does not react well to heat, you can use LED lights that use 95% of power to produce light, instead of heat like incandescent lightbulbs do.

Storage units for nuts and bolts

If you own a shop, have a garage or simply possess a lot of nuts and bolts, then you can use plastic bottles to save money on costly storage solutions. Nail a couple of pegs on the walls and then hang the bottles from their respective caps. A hole in the neck of the bottle will allow you to throw in and take out different types of nails, bolts, and nuts you wish to store separately.

Making a pencil case

Buying stuff for school each fall comes hard on all parents but luckily, plastic bottles can help in this segment as well. Namely, a no-sew zipper case can be made from two bodies and heels of a typical plastic bottle. You’ll need a zipper with fabric on both sides and some glue to create a custom pencil case. We bet no other kid in class will have such a unique and cool pencil case that cost close to nothing to make.

A broom from a 2-liter bottle

If you like fizzy drinks, then you are bound to have a bunch of 2-liter bottles lying around. Cut off their finishes and cut them across the middle of the body. After you get tens of funnel-like cutouts, place them all inside one another and connect them to a long wooden stick using a rope. The end result will be a broom made from plastic! If you think this design is wacky, know that there are running socks made entirely from plastic salvaged from the ocean.

Kids’ bowling pins

If you have a lot of those half-a-liter plastic bottles, you can easily convert them into a fun toy for your kids (or for yourself). Take a piece of fabric and write the numbers from 1 top 10 on them. Now remove the labels from the bottle and wrap the numbers around the bottles. All you need now is a ball of some sort to knock over these plastic water bottle pins.

A beach bucket for the kids

Another toy that you can use plastic bottles to make is a beach bucket. In general, eco-friendly beach sets for children can be pricy so you’ll actually a nice amount if you reuse the detergent bottle. Cut it across the body sideways leaving the handle intact. After you’re done cutting, gently polish the edges so the newly made beach bucket is safe to use.

The 6 alternative uses for plastic water bottles listed here are by no means exhaustive. There are hundreds of other ways to reuse plastic, from rattling cat toys, across garden sprinklers, all the way to constructing a greenhouse in your backyard.

However, before you become creative with old water bottles, you should shop for clothes that are made from recyclable materials. Your drive to give plastic a second life has been recognized by numerous brands out there so the least you can do is support them.