Reusing & Recycling Girls Scout Cookie Boxes

The Girl Scouts stand for so much. They stand for encouraging girls to grow up to be strong, confident women. They stand for teaching girls to be leaders and helpers. They also stand for helping girls to be resourceful. One way they do this is by recycling. We support these young ladies by purchasing their cookies every year, but it doesn't have to stop there. Once we've finished enjoying these delicious treats, we can show our support by following suit and recycling our cookie boxes. Here are some ways to recycle those cookie boxes.

1. The usual way of putting them in the recycle box and setting them on the curb for pick up. If your town doesn't do that, then take the boxes down to the local recycle place.

2. Reuse the boxes as boxes. Either keep them in their regular form or cut and rebuild them into new boxes. Cover them with paper and use them as gift boxes, storage boxes, or even candy dishes.

3. Use them as goody bags at a party. Just add handles to the top, cover them with paper, and fill them with tissue paper and goodies!

4. Use them as book covers. This idea came to me from a local girl scout troop. This is a fun activity for kids to do. They can make sketch books, story books, song books, or even little diaries. Cut the sides off the boxes. Fold them in half. And either staple paper into them or use a hole punch and tie them together with string.

5. Make a bird house or feeder with them. Take two boxes. Cover the pieces being used with laminating sheets, if you feel the need to. Cut the side off one and staple it to the top of the other box to create a lid. Put a hole in the box and glue a popsicle stick to the outside of the box, below the hole. Add bird food.

6. Let the kids use them for art projects. Whether they need something to paint or draw on. Or they use them to make collages or other things. It's a great way to reuse the boxes and inspire your kids.

7. Give the boxes back to local troops. There are lots of things the scouts can do with the boxes and by giving the boxes back to the girl scout troops it helps them to do those projects.

These are just a handful of ideas, but there are plenty of other ways to recycle your girl scout cookie boxes. Let's show the girl scouts we care by recycling our boxes. If you want to donate them to a local troop you can find one by checking out the girl scouts website at: http://www.girlscouts.org/