8 Ways & Whys to Reuse Plastic
7. Doing the Math
You never know how much you can save practicing reuse until you try. Set a goal and see how close you can get! Photo: Channel4.com
The best part of reuse? You already own it! That means anything you do above and beyond its original use is money in the bank. Not so sure? Well let’s just sample a few of the above projects and get out the old calculator.
Remember, the point of reuse is to not go with the new, but the old. So, we’re going to assume that other items around the house were also utilized in your projects, in turn, having new expenses total a nice, fat zero.
- $11 (four pack of new, 4 oz. food storage containers)
- $14.86 (two bags of new packing peanuts)
- $7.95 (a new seed starting tray)
- $11.24 (a new car cup holder)
- $16.95 (manual citrus juicer)
- $12.94 (your own collection of fuzzy finger puppets)
Total savings of $74.94
While that may not break the bank, it’s a nice chunk of change that could be used to invest in your organic garden, buy some monthly passes for public transit or maybe a few resources on more reuse and reduction ideas!
8. Hitting the Books
Caught the reuse bug? Well plastic is just the beginning. There are multiple ways to approach any trash problem, and reuse is just one of them. Check out the books and DVDs below to find out more ways to expand your use of what is often thrown away:
- The Bag Book: Over 500 Great Uses and Reuses for Paper, Plastic and Other Bags to Organize and Enhance Your Life Written by Vicki Lansky and illustrated by Martha Campbell
- Using Trash: How You Can Rethink, Recycle, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle and Rebuild; The Little Book of Exploration Scholastic, developed in cooperation with Cosi, Ohio’s Center of Science and Industry
- Renovation Nation: Recycle, Reuse and Reclaim DVD: Gaiam
- Don’t Throw It Out: Recycle, Renew and Reuse to Make Things Last By Lori Baird, Editors of Yankee Magazine
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Rahul Maurya
posted on May 16th, 2012 at 12:15 pm