Take a look around you, have you seen how much of what we own or have is made out of plastic?
We live in a world that generates so much plastic, because it’s so accessible and versatile.
It can be shaped or designed for all kinds of forms of packaging, that can hold, contain and transport anything.
It’s lasting and durable, but in hand this material is very hard to eliminate.
Plastic is here to stay, because of what it is made from.
There is so much plastic around us in the form of bottles, cartons, packaging, containers and bags that, it’s hard to contemplate ‘what happens to our plastic waste?
Recycling is key here, to save our enviroment we must stop littering our streets with mindless throw-outs and collectively recycle our empties for better use.
By recycling all our collective plastics we can re-invent new re-usable bottles, containers, cartons, bags even made into some clothing.
So what happens to our plastic waste once we are done with it or have no more use for it?
Watch this short video to see!
It is encouraging to know that we can do something about the amount of plastic we purchase.
For example, drinking water out of a re-useable glass bottle, is a much more plausible alternative.
Instead of plastic bags, we can use paper bags, fabric bags or strong re-enforced bags time and time again.
Fruit and vegetables can be hand picked now, supermarkets are slowly reducing the need of plastics around their produce and offering alternative packaging, like paper bags.
What we can do to help in this process, is down to every household to do their bit.
What is good to know, is that many manufacturers are now contributing to this ethos and recycling their empty containers and asking for their cosmetic or skin care bottles back.
Top soft drink companies, even famous coffee chain stores, are working towards having their empty containers returned for recycling.
This includes brand names like:-
- L’oreal– 100% recycled plastic
- Maybelline – installing recycling points in stores/with recycling firm TerraCycle
- The Body Shop – Partnered with Terracycle, who recycle all returned containers.
- LUSH– recycle empty black pots, get free face mask (check for updates on this)
- M·A·C – return up 6 empty bottles and get free lipstick (check for updates)
- H&M/ZARA– drop off boxes recycle clothes/packaging may get 10% discount/voucher
- Levi’s – drop off clean clothing or shoes get 10% discount
- Apple store – accept iphones for refurbishment, get gift card for new phone
- PC World – offer similar deal
- Pepsi/Coke (Coca-Cola) – looking to use recycable, renewable packaging, biogradable
- STARBUCKS – introducing compostable and recycable coffee cups to reduce waste by 50%
- COSTA coffee – up and running recycling cups
- Mc’Donalds -all packaging to come from sustainable sources/straws/cups/packaging recycled or renewable materials
- Tescos/Sainsburys – UK supermarkets, recycling banks for plastics, bottles, cans/ink cartridges
- Other giants in the food industries need to find liquid vessels that are biogradable, which include :-
- KFC
- Pizza-hut
- Nestles
As you can see I have high-lighted some of the most recognisable branded lables that are pushing to help with recycling their used poduct containers.
We, the public have to take this on board and use the facilities they offer and recycle anything we can.
Keeping in mind that our local boroughs have supplied us with large recycling bins just for this purpose.
We have bins for, garden and food waste, for household rubbish and for plastics, paper/card bottles and plastics.
So what can we create with some of these plastic bottles? We’d be doing our bit, by making good use of them again, but into some fun for kids.
Let’s dive into this!
I have mentioned that plastic bottles can be recycled, in other words broken down and re-invented.
Now how about upcycling plastic bottles and creating something new or different in it’s current state or form.
Keeping it as simple as we can, I will look at different ways we can change a simple plastic bottle into craft projects for kids.
So take a look at the some of the bottles I have collected below and have a think….. what we can make them into?
I am looking at making an animal, insect or a sealife creature, maybe you can see something already by looking at the different shapes.