How to Reuse Your Plastic Bottles for Crafts

There are so many great ways to reuse your plastic bottles and keep them out of the landfill. Pop bottles, water bottles, vinegar bottles, juice bottles, milk jugs, they can all be reused in creative ways.

Here today, here tomorrow! Our children will inherit our plastic. In the early 1900s, a fellow named Baekeland invented plastic. Plastic was inexpensive to make and long lasting. Because it was so long lasting, it served many wonderful purposes. Perhaps too many, because decades later we are faced with landfills full of plastic. For this reason, reuse and recycling are important. It prevents build-up of waste plastic. Also, plastic is made from oil and gas. These resources are in limited supply and recycling existing plastic into new products, rather than creating new ones, preserves natural resources and keeps the landfills from being overwhelmed.

Is It Harmful to Reuse Plastic Water Bottles?
I personally purchase very few bottles. I moved away from buying plastic years ago by filtering my household water and buying my milk and juice in glass bottles. But, people who have moved away from buying plastic will still accumulate it in their recycling bins from friends and family. There are warnings against the safety of reusing plastic bottles for food and drink. You should not refill your plastic water bottle to drink from it. But, it is OK to reuse plastic bottles in crafts.

Recycling Plastic Bottles
If you do not get a chance to reuse your plastic bottles, be sure to recycle them so they don't end up in a landfill. Plastic is not biodegradable and does not readily break down. This handy recycle center locator will help you find the closest recycle center that accepts plastic bottles.

Photo by HS Schulte