7 Ingenious Reuses for Plastic Bottles and Boxes

It's no secret that the world is drowning in plastic. We may try to do our part by tossing our used bottles, cups and containers into the recycling bin. But even plastic items marked as recyclable usually are not recycled; rather, they're taken from the recycling bin and tossed into a landfill. Just 14 percent of the world's plastic waste is currently being recycled, according to the World Economic Forum, and only 2 percent gets recycled into something equally useful.

Why does this happen? Basically, old plastic is expensive to collect and sort and it often degrades after one or two uses. So the more certain plastics are recycled, the more toxic they become. On the other hand, making new plastic is cheap and easy to produce.

So rather than throwing plastic containers into the trash or recycling bin, try to find another use for them. Yes, they'll eventually wear out, but keeping them out of the landfill for a few months or years is still helpful. Here are seven ingenious ways to repurpose those plastic containers.

This may be the most obvious use for an old plastic container, and different ones can serve different purposes:

An easy way to feed your pet is to measure out their normal daily food allotment, then dump it into an old plastic container. Mark the container at the food line. You can either use the entire container to quickly scoop up the food to the food line or cut the container at the food line to create a perfectly sized scoop.

To make a scoop for your dog's poop, take an old laundry detergent bottle that has a handle, then cut off the bottom, leaving the handle intact. This large scooper also works as a beach bucket toy — but create a separate scoop for each purpose!

If you travel a lot for work, set up an irrigation system so your plants can water themselves. To water a flower bed, start with a 2-liter (68-fluid-ounce) soda bottle. (If you're just watering one small plant, use an 8-ounce or 12-ounce [236- to 550-milliliter] bottle.) Punch one small hole, using a nail, into the bottle's cap. Fill the bottle with water and screw on the cap. Bury the bottle upside down, about 2 inches (5 centimeters) into the soil. This should keep your plants watered for two to three days. There are several variations on this project. You can find more options in the video below.

And when you get back, you can water the plants yourself using a homemade watering can. Wash out an old gallon (3.8-liter) milk jug, then use a hammer and nail to make small holes in the lid, plus another small hole in the handle of the bottle (this allows air to get in, which helps with the water flow). Fill the jug with water, and you're ready to go. You can make a smaller watering can with a quart-sized jug for any pint-sized assistants you may have.

Here are some reuses for those clamshell containers that commonly show up at grocery stores:

Plastic containers with well-fitting lids are great for storing leftovers. Think whipped butter containers, frozen whipped topping containers and restaurant take-home boxes. They're also great for delivering food to others since there's no need to fret about getting your container back. And what if you want to bring a sandwich to eat at the airport but don't want it to get squished in your backpack? Stick it in one of these containers.

Buying in bulk can save you money, but that 25-pound (11-kilogram) bag of rice probably won't fit into your cupboard. Instead, transfer a small portion of the rice into a plastic container for handy kitchen storage, stashing the rest in a closet or your basement until you need more.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to reusing plastic containers in your crafting. But to help get the wheels turning, here a few ideas (find full instructions by clicking on the links):

Not every plastic container should be reused. Be careful about reheating leftovers in a plastic takeout container or refilling a "single-use" plastic water bottle. Bottles made from plastic No. 1 (the usual plastic for these bottles) may leach DEHP (a human carcinogen) if the bottle is slightly damaged or structurally unsound. Plastic takeout containers and margarine tubs can leach chemicals known as "endocrine disruptors" into your food when they're heated.

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7 Ingenious Reuses for Plastic Bottles and Boxes