Let’s face it, our daily lives revolve around the constant use of plastic bottles and containers. We live in a disposable world where most of the items we frequently use are harmful to our environment and put a strain on our natural resources. With more than 60 million plastic bottles being thrown away daily in the United States, the easiest way for us to do our part is by purchasing reusable, sustainably sourced items and reuse or recycle the disposable items we have. Luckily, there are tons of different ways to reuse plastic bottles and do our part. Here are five ways to reuse plastic bottles. 

1. CLOTHING

There are a handful of clothing companies that have chosen to reuse plastic bottles for some or all of their products. Recycled fabrics are the most sustainable fabrics you can find. They take the material and turn it into fleece, t-shirts and other outerwear fabric that are both stylish and functional. Recycled polyester is made from recycled plastic bottles which cuts out the need for petroleum and coal extraction. By using the recycled bottles to create material they are helping reduce the amount of plastic flooding into our oceans. Some sites you can use to search for conscious/sustainable brands are Good On You, Eco Cult  and The Good Trade. By doing some research before you buy, you can find more sustainable brands to purchase from and do your part one piece of clothing at a time. 

2.PLANTERS/ VERTICAL GARDEN

We all want to become the gardener everyone envies,  but taking care of several plants can be a bit overwhelming. Here is a way to enhance your gardening skills and reuse plastic bottles at the same time! Vertical gardens are a fun easy way to add plants and clean air into your space. 

Some easy herbs to start with are Chives, Basil, Rosemary and Thyme. Here is an article with steps on how to start: How to start an herb garden. These herbs grow best in full sun, so when planning out your location for your recycled garden make sure to keep this in mind. Plants that are good for beginners are Golden Pothos Vine and a Spider plant. These plants are fool proof. They are easy to grow and can generally withstand erratic watering, uneven or bad light, and fluctuating temperatures. Read here for the full list with tips: The Best Houseplants for beginners.  They supply you with an assortment of fresh herbs and greenery while cleansing the air you breathe and are an easy way to integrate learning how to take care of plants and recycling into your daily routine.  

 

 

 

 

3. RECYCLED BIRD FEEDER

Another creative way to reuse plastic bottles is by making a recycled bird feeder. Not only are you recycling, you’re directly supporting your local bird population as well. Here is a video that shows you 3 different ways to make a bird feeder out of recycled materials:

How to make 3 recycled bird feeders! | Maddie Moate

The simplest version only requires a bottle, wooden spoons or pencils & Bird seed. The bottle style can vary based on which one you choose to make and think looks more aesthetically pleasing. We definitely love a simple and fun way to recycle and bird watch.

  

 

 

4. REUSE CONTAINERS FOR FOOD STORAGE

We can always use new, sustainable ways to organize our kitchen and pantry. Reusing plastic bottles into snack containers will help to save space on snack and food storage. They make pouring incredibly easy, allowing you to take all types of food on the road. Recycled coffee creamers can also be used to store sugar, salt and similar products.Read more here: 19 Creative ways to Reuse Plastic Bottles  All you need to do to convert these bottles is wash the containers and peel the labels off, let them air dry and they are ready for immediate use. A bottle that works best would be anything with a snack lid or easy access, like a creamer bottle. You can either paint the outside if you want a more uniform look. We suggest making labels with a label maker so you won’t forget what's inside each one. This is definitely a way to reuse plastic bottles as quickly as possible. 

 

 

5. SHOES

Shoes have become a growing fashion item in the sustainable world. By developing innovative ways to create materials by reusing plastic bottles, shoes give us another way to recycle and do our part to reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean and landfills.The best thing we can do to help the environment is avoiding the use of virgin plastic as much as possible. AVRE sources our plastic from REPREVE ®,  the world’s number one brand of recycled performance fiber. The  high-quality fibers are made from 100% recycled materials and are certified and traceable. This brand allows AVRE to help foster a sustainable world by diverting plastic. We are different from other sustainable brands because we are continuing our pledge to lower our carbon footprint by reducing energy consumption and water usage. AVRE has also partnered with Oceana to donate 10% of our proceeds to this admirable organization. Oceana is the world’s largest international organization dedicated to saving our oceans, and we are elated to be able to be a part of that movement. This organization works exclusively to protect and restore the ocean on a global scale.  Plastic bottles can take approximately 450 years to decompose in the ocean, and we want to help do our part by supporting their goals of protecting marine life. Now we have the ability to shop more consciously and buy things that are better for the earth. Making the decision to buy from brands that are actively trying to solve the plastic waste problem helps to create a market for recycled plastic over virgin plastic. AVRE lives into this mission by creating sustainable, modern footwear for women by women. Each pair of shoes is made out of 8 – 10 recycled water bottles. AVRE also reduces the consumption of water used and allows you to choose which organization we work with to receive a donation based on a percentage of your purchase. 

All of these things add up. Making more impactful changes now will only make our future brighter. If we all continue to make small adjustments to our daily lives and how we interact with plastic then we can start to see the changes for the future generations.  Global waste generation is one of the most pressing issues of our time and by recycling we can lower the amount of air and water pollution. Read more about what the future will look like here: The Future of Recycling. The ability to reuse plastic bottles has never been easier and we can’t wait to see what the future of recycling holds. How would you reuse plastic bottles? Let us know your ideas in the comments below!