We throw away so many things without a second's thought that we often miss great possibilities for re-using them, often in really inventive ways. Here's a handy list of ideas that give a new lease of life to all manner of things that are normally seen as 'junk'. After reading these suggestions you'll probably feel guilty about having to throw anything away ever again. Feel free to tell us your own!
1. Dry Cleaning Bags: Use to pack suits, dresses and other glad-rags when travelling; this will help protect it from wrinkles when packing. When storing the bags make sure to keep them safely out of reach of children, as they really are that dangerous.
2. Butter Wrappers: Once you've removed a block of butter from its wrapping, place the wrapping in a plastic container or bag and refrigerate. Use it to grease baking pans - very useful when you run out of foil!
3. Business Cards: Use the other side to label storage boxes and tubs and tape to the outside of the lid or side so you can see at a glance what the container is holding.
Follow the jump for more tips!
[Via Tipnut]
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To celebrate Earth Day, our chic-lit loving sister site Trashionista is giving away a copy of Green Chic: Saving the Earth In Style by Christie Matheson. It's a great guide to greener living that extends beyond fashion alone, with heaps of useful advice you can incorporate into your busy life. It would also make a great gift for those just starting out on making the green switch.
To be in with a chance of winning, email the editor with "Green Chic" in the subject line. Don't forget to include your name and address and the competition closes at 12 noon GMT tomorrow.
The Mail Preference Service is a fantastically simple and efficient way to reduce the amount of junk that comes through your door, and takes less than a minute to register online.
Today, I found out about Choose Your Mail, another free service that helps you manage junk mail, but this one gives you more control over what you do and do not allow through your door. Say you're a big fitness freak and want to know about all the latest deals being offered by gyms in your area, but aren't so fussed about being sold new credit cards: you can specify these areas of interest on the site
[Via Greenjellybean]
Want to do something positive to show your concern about global warming? This weekend it could be as easy as turning off a light, as a worldwide demonstration for more action against climate change is taking place, with those wishing to show support staging a one hour 'lights out'.
The hour between 8 and 9pm GMT on Saturday 29th March has been designated Earth Hour by the World Wildlife Fund and anyone can participate by switching off lights, TVs, computers (sorry folks!) and other electrical appliances.
Want to know the best way to spend your time in a blackout? Check our suggestions out here.
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The Rt Rev James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool, has a suggestion for his congregation as they prepare to make the usual chocolate and alcohol sacrifices for Lent: give up carbon. The Christian thing to do is to help those in need, and by living a greener lifestyle we begin to stem the tide of suffering inflicted on some of the world's poorest people.
Bishop Jones has teamed up with Christian humanitarian group Tearfund as a response to what he heard from youth groups in Liverpool, which was that helping save the Earth - or at least the people on it - was their top priority. Together they suggest the usual small but useful measures: change to energy saving lightbulbs, recycle, use fewer plastic bags, give the dishwasher a day off and do whatever else you can to generally reduce your carbon footprint. After 40 days, it might even become a lifelong habit; you never know.
Oh, and a word to the Greek Orthodox community: if you're going for the full 40 days of semi-vegan goodness, the Lent fast for us starts on March 10th.
I've got to admit defeat at some point soon and come to terms with the fact that I will never be able to keep tabs on every single recycled or 'eco' bag that comes into existence. So I am more than glad to defer to the expertise of the aptly-named 'Recycled Cindy' on this matter, who runs the blog My Recycled Bags.
In the blog, she regularly features her own recycled bag creations along with step-by-step instructions on how to make them. She takes all sorts of raw materials to make the bags, including old denim jeans, crocheted polythene and even video tape ribbon (pictured). Ever wanted to know how to crochet a granny square out of old bags? Cindy will show you how. As well as the familiar tote-style shoppers, you'll find patterns for bags of all sorts here: clutch bags, lunch sacks, make-up bags and just loads more really inventive recycling ideas.
If that all sounds a bit too crafty for you, you can also buy Cindy's products here.
If you can't afford a posh bird feeder (or just like the idea of using recycled materials to make something really handy for our feathered friends) Beansprouts blog featured a really cute idea today: it's a bird feeder made out of an old Pringles tube.
If, like most households in Britain you've got one or more of these Pringles (or even Stackers - anyone else remember Stackers?) tubes lying around, you're halfway to making your birdhouse. Oh, and you'll also need a sardine can, so if you don't want to eat the contents yourself, I'm sure you won't have to wait long for a local cat to come along and help you out.
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We throw away so many things without a second's thought that we often miss great possibilities for re-using them, often in really inventive ways. Here's a handy list of ideas that give a new lease of life to all manner of things that are normally seen as 'junk'. After reading these suggestions you'll probably feel guilty about having to throw anything away ever again. Feel free to tell us your own!
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