Do you know that one guy in your friend circle who doesn’t stop talking about environment protection? He keeps telling everyone about his eco-friendly way of living and how he’s saving the world. Well, you may find him annoying (at times), but know what? He’s the ALPHA.
We’re not going to tell you what recycling is and why you should recycle stuff, that’s old news. And you already know the breaking news –– the earth needs to be saved. But, we got the best news for you... you can be the super-saviour of the planet.
And you already know how to do it! The same old, super-handy jugaad. Recycling, repurposing, reusing was always ingrained in our upbringing – be it using old toothbrushes to scrub corners, or upcycling towels into dust cloths.
These super-simple, supposedly-insignificant jugaads are already making you sustainable. But, here’s what more you can do! We’ll tell you 7 simplest and easiest ways to recycle – helping you save the world and be the HERO.
1. Repurpose Your Plastic Wastes
Plastics are non-biodegradable, non-renewable, yada-yada!!! It’s probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “Recycle”. But we all know that some plastics are really stubborn and cannot be easily recycled – including those used in bottles, food containers, straws, plastic cutlery, etc. You can repurpose them like a pro.
- Make a soap dispenser out of old shampoo bottles.
- Be craftsy with straws and turn them into photo frames.
- Clean those takeaway containers and use them as storage units to organize.
2. Show Class with Your Glass
Did you know that the energy saved by recycling just ONE glass bottle is enough to light a bulb for 4 hours?!?!! Surprising, right? So, it’s time to use those soda and wine bottles lying around the house in cooler ways.
- Recycle the tiny bottle caps to prop up your laptop and let the air circulate through it.
- The empty bottle can be used as a classy candle holder or a flower case. (Or rocket launchers on Diwali :D)... You can even propagate money plants in them.
- Or… Just use these bottles to store liquids, juices, or water.
3. Be a Paper-Saver!
Let us bore you with some stats: according to the Environmental Protection Agency, if you recycle ONE tonne of paper, about 7,000 gallons of water and 17 trees will thank you for saving them. How cool is that!!! 😎 You can save so many trees by using less paper.
- Stop using tissues, and carry your handkerchief around.
- Instead of using paper cups, why not carry a sipper with you the next time you go out?
- What’s more? You can start using partially printed papers for printing pictures or scribbling notes.
- And if nothing can be done, make a Papier-mâché (we’ve all watched Art-Attack, right?)
4. Handle Medicines with Care
So, usually, we either dump unused medicines into the bin or flush them down the drain. Both are possibly the worst ways you can deal with unused drugs. Imagine the chemical waste that lands up in the water bodies untreated! Or some bird might swallow a medicine thinking it’s food! 😖 … But, here’s what you can do instead:
- Connect with your local pharmacies and send the unused drugs to drug disposable centres they’ve tied up with.
- And if you don’t find one, be a Robinhood and donate the unused drugs to government hospitals or poor localities.
- Don’t purchase extras. And keep a watch on the expiry dates of the medicines. Donate them before they go bad.
5. Recycle the Unrecyclable
We all know the commonly recyclable things like paper, bottles, and plastic bags. But there are things in our houses that we never think of recycling. Things like clothes, shoes, books, wood items are straight-away disposed after their purpose is served. But, you know we can do better!
- Send your worn-away shoes to Nike or Recycled Runners. They’d make new shoes out of them.
- Wash your clothes well and give them away to people who need them (only if they are actually in wearable condition).
- Donate the books you don’t need or read to a nearby library or an NGO.
- Wood items can be repurposed to make amazing home decor items. You can clean your old wooden-chopping board, sand it well, put chalkboard paint on it, and hang it in your kids’ bedroom :)
- E-waste (old mobiles, telephones etc.) can be sent to organizations which recycle them. Just don’t throw them away!
6. No more Kitchen Waste!
Got too lost recycling non-biodegradable things? Don’t forget the tons of vegetable and fruit peels, leaves, and rancid items you dump in the bin regularly.
- Put your Gym Body to use and dig up a compost-pit in your garden or make an indoor one: put in the wet waste and let it sit and compost. Use it as fertilizers.
- If that’s too much work, you can also use leftover veggies, peels, and leaves for making delicious soup or broth.
- Or, even whip up some DIY-face masks or body scrubs from leftover peels.
7. Transform that Rubber tyre into a comfy seat
This takes a little effort but you would not find this unique furniture piece in any decor shop. Trust us! Clean that old tyre, let it dry. And then, all you need is a thick rope and glue gun. Apply the glue and start sticking the rope around the tyre. Cover the entire thing. Stick a wooden board on top for support, and then make or place a cushion on it. And there you go! A chic, uber home decor piece :)
What do you think stops us from recycling despite its evident benefits? We’re lazy pandas who don’t like to move much or we don’t have time to do all this! We know that, but, hey, think about the amazing advantages to the environment, and also all the money you’d save! And you’d be saving the earth too.
So, get those waste out, unleash your creativity and let every piece find a new life :)
P.S. - Don’t postpone it now. We know you got time to do this. Thanks, lockdown! Go, get going NOW! Happy Recycling ♻️
