DIY Recycled Containers

Do you end up with heaps of empty, non-returnable plastic and glass bottles and feel guilty about not being able to put them to further use?

Well, here are a few suggestions that may ease your conscience by putting these 'throw-aways' to good use.

Plastic Containers

Two, four and five - litre plastic containers, such as juice bottles have many uses, depending on your imagination.

Following are some DIY examples:

1. Funnels of various sizes may be made easily by cutting the bottom out of the plastic containers with a cut knife.

2. An automatic watering device for chickens, etc, may be made by cutting a large section out of a 4-5 litre juice container near the top.

It should be big enough to allow a 2-litre plastic bottle to be inserted upside down into it.

A small hole is then poked in the neck of the 2-litre bottle about 3/4 inch below the top (the tops are left on both bottles). A slot large enough for the chicken's head to enter is cut in the side of the large container, about 1-1/2 inches above the bottom.

The 2-litre container is then filled with water and inserted in the 4-5 litre container allowing the water level to fill to just below the slot. this design has several advantages.

A. The chickens cannot climb into the water and foul it.

B. The handle on the large container allows it to be tied to the wire to prevent it from being knocked over by the chickens.

3. The 2, 4 and 5-litre plastic containers can be used for storage of odds and ends, sorting bins, etc, by cutting out the tops, while still leaving the handles intact. They also make good feed bin scoops.

4. To construct a mini-seedling hothouse cut a two-litre plastic bottle along the sides, but not under the base -- this forms a ridge. Keep the top to screw on to close the bottle and keep in the moisture.

Most households seem to accumulate mountains of glass containers. The following are some of the uses for a number of these items:

1. Metal-topped, snaplocked type jars, are ideal for holding nails, srews, bolts and so on in a visible display underneath shelves. This is achieved by nailing or screwing the tops to the underside of a shelf.

This way the jars fill waste spaces not normally used. They cannot be vibrated or knocked off a surface and they are more accessable than if loose on a shelf.

Coffee jars may be used in the same way but are not as good, because the plastic tops are more easily broken abd the full screw-top does not allow as ready an access to the contents.

Op-shops / garage sales / recycled area at your local tip are also places to look for glass jam jars with metal tops.

2. 150gm jars make ideal honey jars ( if you have bees) for selling or giving any excess honey as they hold exactly 1kg.

3. Used wine flagons may be made into miniature cloches to protect young seedlings from frost and cold conditions.

4. Small plastic pots and tubs (yoghurt containers) reused for germinating seeds.

With a little bit of thought you should come up with lots of other ways of using all those jam and coffee jars, cardboard boxes, newspapers, milk cartons etc.

Before throwing away sacks, containers, clothing and other items, consider how they can be reused. If you can't reuse them, maybe others can.

Excess containers can be donated to playgroups and schools for arts and crafts.