Plastic is a pest. Every week Australians around the country throw out plastic milk bottles. I know in my home we go through two 3L bottles each week. Our kids love milk and drink a lot of it, as well as putting it in cereal most mornings.
But the facts about plastic production are staggering. Plastic production in the world is over a staggering 80 million tonnes a year. Australia produces 1.5 million tonnes of that. But we are only recycling around 20% of that figure. Sadder is the fact that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in each square mile of our oceans. (Source: Halve Waste )
I actually cried at a beach in Tokyo once. As I am from NZ originally where beaches are clean, respected and loved, I was horrified to see a beach in Tokyo. The litter and pollution at the beach was one of the saddest sights I had ever seen. After that I made it my mission to make my book Table Tucker as eco-friendly as possible to try to help the world be better somehow. I had taken for granted the beauty I had grown up in and the respect for nature we have here Down Under.
But there is always more that can be done. Actually, if you want to get started checkout this website: Do Something
They are a great cause!
As part of my mission to help my kids live in a better world in the long term, I’ve put together this little cheat sheet on ways you can start recycling those large plastic milk bottles that get thrown out in homes across Australia. The idea is that you find ways to repurpose the milk bottle, rather than going out and buying more plastic for everyday storage solutions.
There are many ways you can remodel a milk bottle to repurpose it. Some ideas include cutting a hole opposite the handle and making a laundry powder pourer, a peg holder, a Piggy Bank for the kids, a scoop or sand or a watering can.
If you are going to throw out a plastic milk bottle or other form of plastic take a look at this Fact Sheet about what you can do to help the environment:
Fact Sheet | Clean Up Australia
Save money on home decor by recycling your plastic milk bottles. Discover over 100 cunning ways to reuse a milk bottle and reduce the rubbish that goes into your recycle bin.
Plastic | 100 cunning uses for a plastic milk bottle
Cut a hole opposite the handle of the plastic milk bottle
- Laundry powder pourer
- Peg holder
- Piggy bank – create a slit for coins
- Scoop for sand
- Watering can
Cut the bottom off and use the top of the milk bottle
- Ball catcher for the kids
- Boat water scoop
- Cool megaphone
- Dustpan – Use top
- Funnel
- Kitty litter scoop
- Plastic bag dispenser – use upside down
- Poop scooper
Use the whole bottle and save plastic!
- Bowling pin – use empty or half full
- Budget blender
- Camping shower – fill and add drain holes
- Chilled water container
- Cold water jugs at a party
- Cooking oil collection -Fill and discard
- Desk pen organiser
- Drink container
- Emergency water – fill with water
- Fill for large paperweight
- Freeze for the Esky – freeze water inside
- Freeze sauces
- Freeze soup
- Freeze vegetable stock
- Freeze water – fill freezer gaps
- Frozen water for Esky
- Hand weights for exercise – fill with water
- Hold down a tarp – fill with sand or water
- Hold down tarps – fill with sand, close
- Juice container
- Maracas for the kids – add pasta, close
- Oil holder for car
- Rattle for a baby – add pasta, close
- Remake milk powder
- Store beans
- Store cous cous
- Store oats
- Store popcorn
- Store rice
- Toilet water-saver – add filled in cistern
- Water floaties – Empty and close
- Water for engine
- Water for long trips
- Water catcher
Cut the top off and use the bottom of the plastic bottle
- Artist brush holder – insert toilet rolls for dividers
- Artist paint holder
- Baby brush holder – make a shallow tray
- Baby car kit E.g. Dividers for nappies
- Baby drawer dividers
- Belt holder
- Birdseed holder
- Bra storage in drawers
- Bucket for sand – attach wire handle
- Bucket for water – attach wire handle
- Candles – add sand and tea light candles
- Carrying soapy water
- Cat food bowl
- Cheap vase
- Cheap water ashtray – add water
- Collect rainwater
- Cover tent spikes
- Dog bowl
- Earring holder – create holes to hang
- Emergency kit dividers
- Fridge organisers
- Gift ribbon holder
- Holder for razors in drawer
- Holder for small gift cards
- Makeup pencil holder – insert toilet rolls for dividers
- Large bulldog clip holder
- Make jelly
- Office rubbish bin
- Open laundry power holder
- Organise sanitary items
- Organise small spray cans
- Organise tubes
- Paint holder – small jobs
- Penholder
- Plant saucers
- Plant starter
- Remote control holder
- Roll and up store belts
- Roll up and store silk scarves
- Organise Lego in a drawer
- Sewing dividers
- Sink knife and fork drainer – Add drain holes
- Soap holder – Add drain holes
- Sock storage in drawers
- Sponge holder under the sink
- Sticky tape holder
- Store brushes
- Store cotton reels
- Store dishwasher tablets
- Store DL envelopes
- Store DL letters
- Store DL takeaway brochures
- Store golf balls
- Store hardware
- Store makeup brushes
- Store rubber bands
- Toilet brush holder
- Tomato plant covers – use upside down
- Toothbrush holder
- Travel dividers – great for baby, socks etc.
- Underwear storage
- Utensil holder
Miscellaneous uses for a plastic milk bottle
- Homemade decorations – cut into shapes
- Plant labels