We tend to think of recycling as putting all our glass, cans, and cardboard in separate bags and having it picked up to be recycled. This is a great place to start, but the amazing thing about recycling is that it can be so much more Recycling can be about finding the beauty in something one would normally just throw away by giving it a new lease on life, with a fresh coat of paint or using it in a whole new way.
Recycling is about being creative, retro and where possible a little bit of silliness and humour always works great when added to the mix. There is no reason to throw away that favourite worn out jeans of yours that has been hiding at the back of the closet. Think out of the box and use it as a planter. It will be sure to attract interest as well as a few laughs and leave everyone thinking of your creative use of a pair of old jeans. Recycling in this way gives us the opportunity to create something that is truly one of a kind and vintage, something that you won’t be able to buy in the shops.
Recycling in this way whelp to relieve the strain on our overcrowded landfills, and help to lower your carbon footprint. The less we throw away the better; Try and recycle where you can and waste as little as possible. Try and think of the everyday items that you throw away, and how you can use them in the home and garden. Something that immediately comes to mind is the brown toilet rolls that we always throw away. Cut them in half and push them halfway into the soil around your seedlings to protect them from cutworm. The nice thing about protecting your seedlings in this way is that you don’t use any insecticides and you end up re-using those brown rolls which decompose by the way.
At times thinking of ways to re-purpose something can be a bit difficult, especially if the creative juices aren’t flowing that strongly. Luckily inspiration can be found everywhere from walking through your suburb to gardening magazines. The internet is a great resource to use and is sure to leave you inspired and have your fingers itching to start with a project. It really is amazing to see some of the ideas that people come up with that always leaves me wondering “why didn’t I think of that?”.
The next time you think of throwing something old away, take the time to think if you couldn’t use it for something else. Try and involve friends and family, especially kids, as giving them this type of mindset from a young age will be to everyone’s advantage later on.
At the nursery we have set up a few eye-catching displays to show you what can be created with everyday items. Feel free to pop in and have a look, you may just end up being inspired.