The rule of 4R: reuse, rethink, reduce, recycle is a simple, sustainable lifestyle to adopt. To recycle is a creative way of thinking, it saves money and it encourages us to rethink our everyday environmental choices by recycling and reusing waste. As a society, we are slowly starting to realise the importance of avoiding plastic singular-use consumption at home, at work and in schools.
We simply rethink before we throw something away, reuse article's and recycle if possible, access consumption to reduce waste and read the label to ensure we understand what we are buying, furthermore aim to purchase items that are PET 1 (100% recyclable) or that have paid into the recycling scheme. Small lifestyle changes have a big impact and help society work towards a more sustainable environment. There is something really rewarding about reusing something, whilst simultaneously saving money and creating something new from a waste product. I am always making something, so I continue to live by this rule. Honestly, it is easy. I recently attended a street food craft festival were in the place of plastic cups, the drinks where served in recycled, reusable glass jars. Whilst this innovation dates back and is common in Mexican, Vietnamese and hipster restaurants and at small events, it was fabulous to see this concept work on a really big scale and despite the echoing, compromised sound system at the festival after a few jars, literally I headed towards, what I thought was the queue for the toilet, when in fact it was the longest queue ever to buy a plant to place inside the reusable, recycled glass jar we were drinking from. How festivals have changed, I thought and will we all remember our glass drinking jar and plant after we have been on the jars? Here are 8 reusable, recycling glass jar ideas from my home.
1. Danone yogurt glass jars: reuse and recycle for craft paraphernalia.
2. Glass condiment jars: to remove the label soak the jars in boiling hot water recycling as dried food storage.
3. Glass caper jars: peel off the label and reuse the jars to grow plant cuttings.
4. Spice jars: Peel or soak off the label then tie string around the top of the jar, measuring the preferred length of the string to hang. Add dried leafs or a live plant.
5. Mini glass jam or honey jars: Peel or soak off the label and reuse as a toothbrush holder.
6. Glass olive oil bottle: soak off the label, then otie a piece of string around the top of the bottle and place a plant inside.
You will agree, that adopting the rule of 4R is not only easy but rewarding and creative and although as a society we should take a more drastic environmental approach to climate change, these small-big steps are in the right direction.
Following on from item number 2, here are a few other recycled glass condiment jar suggestions. The possibilities are endless!
Discover more, watch this video and subscribe to my blog for more rewarding ways to work towards a more sustainable future.