You can reduce your waste by saving and repurposing items from your trash. Daily waste management can help limit the effects of climate change and we can all contribute by reducing and reusing materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Here are some simple ways you can give everyday items new life by repurposing them.
1. Cut sponges and scourers in half
Many things we buy can be divided into two to limit waste and reduce purchasing frequency. Dishwashing sponges and scrubs (made from plant fibres) can take up to 5 years to break down, but you can cut them in half and use each one twice.
2. Use plastic mesh produce bags as a scourer when cleaning pots
Some fresh produce, such as onions, gem squash and garlic, come in plastic mesh produce bags. These bags are mostly not recyclable and can be harmful to the environment. You can reuse these bags by using them as pot scourers.
3. Reusing shoe boxes
To help reduce waste, you can use them as storage places for old photographs or crafting materials. Boxes can also be decorated with wrapping paper and used as a gift box for odd-shaped presents.
4. Use plastic straws to organise cables
Plastic straws are especially bad for the environment. They endanger wildlife and contribute to the tons of plastic waste that is harming the planet. It’s ideal to avoid using plastic straws altogether, but if you have any lying around, think twice before throwing them away. Plastic straws can be repurposed and used to organise electrical cords in the house instead of using cable ties.
5. Use old toothbrushes to clean or scrub
Toothbrushes are generally replaced 3 to 4 times a year. Just because you’re not using them to clean your teeth doesn’t mean you can’t use them to clean other things. Old toothbrushes are perfect for cleaning hard-to-reach places like the inside of water bottles, computer keys, jewellery or shoes. Switching to a bamboo toothbrush is better for the environment because of its biodegradability.
6. Use plastic bottles and glass bottles as storage
Plastic bottles are used to package everything from water to detergent. Unfortunately, they are terrible for the environment because they are not biodegradable and contain toxic chemicals. Instead of throwing them away, you can use them to store items around your home or even turn them into pots for plants. Plastic cooldrink bottles can also be used as water bottles for the fridge. Glass jars can be used for tea bags, used cooking oil or for storing sweets and toffees.
7. Give outgrown good condition clothing to friends or charity
Any clothes you no longer wear or fit you that are in good condition, should be passed on to someone else who can get some use out of them. Charity shops often play an important role in the distribution of these second-hand clothing items.
8. Turn old clothes into cleaning rags
Instead of throwing away old and threadbare clothes, sheets, pillowcases, or socks with holes in them, repurpose them as dust or cleaning rags for your home.
9. Turn wine bottles into candle holders
Only about one-third of glass gets recycled, while the rest end up in landfills. Worse, glass bottles take roughly one million years to decompose. Like all glass bottles, wine bottles are much more damaging to the environment than plastic ones. To help reduce that number, you can reuse wine bottles in various ways, from using them as homemade candle holders, which you might find in many South African homes where loadshedding has become a way of life over the past number of years.
10. Reuse old gift bags and gift wrapping
Gift bags can be used numerous times. This saves on buying gift wrap, which is often ripped up when the present is opened. However, if gift wrapping is opened carefully, it can be used to cover books or files for school or at home.
11. Reuse old plastic ice cream containers
People throw away large amounts of edible food daily. Leftovers should be placed in a container and refrigerated for use the next day. This will reduce the amount of food waste. Using ice cream containers for the storage of food will also result in a reduction in Tupperware purchases. Tupperware containers can take up to five hundred years to decompose. Ice cream containers can also be used for many other storage purposes, including storage of baked goods.
12. Reuse old shopping bags
Plastic grocery bags contribute a great deal to waste that is dumped in landfills. If you have such bags, you should reuse them on every trip to the store. Another alternative would be to use canvas bags, which you can reuse instead of purchasing additional plastic bags.
13. Reuse used plastic cooldrink bottles as bird feeders
Used 2l plastic cooldrink bottles can be made into an outdoor bird feeder. YouTube has many videos showing how they can be constructed. Constructing the bird feeder can also create a learning and creative moment with your children.
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