Recycle and Reuse: Easy Ways to Go Green

Going Green seems to be the theme for 2008. So here are some painless ways for you to recycle and reuse household products and join in on the green revolution.

Used Tea Bags
Used tea bags can be reused as a fertilizer for you household plants. Just pack a few at the bottom of the planter before adding in dirt. The tea bags have the added advantage of retaining moisture and act as a strainer to keep dirt inside the planter.

Tissue Boxes
Cardboard tissue boxes are recyclable but before recycling they make a great storage container and they are stackable! Use to dispense plastic bags, store small supplies, or decorate and use on your coffee table as a catchall for your keys and cell phone.

Plastic Lids
Before you recycle that leftover plastic lid you can use it has a sink drainer. Place the lid with the lip side down over the drainer as you wash and rinse the garbage will be trapped around the rim where it can easily be scooped up and tossed. Plastic lids also make great coasters and under plants to protect carpets and tabletops

Dryer Sheets
My husband is a sucker for soft fluffy towels after a relaxing shower. There are a number of ways that dryer sheets can be reused. Dryer sheets make great dusting clothes or stick them in your sock drawer as a sachet. They also work great for removing stuck on food, just sock in a pot with water for a few minutes then use the dryer sheet as a rag and watch the food come off.

Shower Curtain
Why would you want to recycle and reuse a shower curtain? Well I will tell you, because they make perfect liners for flower beds and gardens. Just lay them down before adding your soil and you have an instant weed barrier.

Candle Stumps
Many people recycle and reuse of candle wax by mixing the wax from many candles to make a new candle. That is all well and good, however a much easier way to reuse candle wax is as pin cushion. The wax gives the added benefit of making the pin slide through easier when the pin is in use plus it gives a hint of fragrance to my husbands workshop.

Drinking Straw
How many of use just toss are straws from fast food into the trash with the rest of the garbage? Did you know that straw is recyclable? The same straw can also be reused for fresh flowers. The straw can help in two ways; If you have a flower with a weak or bent stem just slide the straw over the stem for support. For flowers with a chunky stem that are to short for a vase you can use the straw as a stem extender, just cut to the length desired and voila!

I hope these tips help make recycling and reusing easy for you. going green isn't tough it just takes a few conscious decisions. Remember to recycle after reusing. I would love to hear how your family recycles and reuses. Use the comment form below and share your best tip for recycling and reusing.