20 Things to Do With Plastic Drink Bottles

Plastic grocery bags and plastic water bottles – those disposable environmental nightmares – have become iconic in the current green revolution. Which is why plastic grocery bags are banned in many states, with many more on the way. Alas, single-use soda and water bottles are still ubiquitous. And even those of us who refuse to buy them, somehow seem to find ourselves in possession of the little landfill disasters.

So you’ve found yourself with a stash of bottles, maybe from your Couch-To-5k run, or your company-provided lunch, or that one time you got caught on a long drive in the middle of nowhere. Beverage trash still happens to mindful people! But that’s okay. There’s plenty of ways to get creative and up-cycle them for new and useful purposes. Here are a few fantastic ideas to get you started:

1. You can construct surprisingly elegant hanging lights, like this incredible plastic bottle chandelier.

2. You can also make awesome standing lights, like this glamorous floor lamp or this awesome desk lamp.

3. Be a DIY exterminator! Make a bug trap to thwart those summer fruit flies that invade your kitchen.

4. Make an automatic-plant watering system, and never let another plant die due to forgetfulness.

5. While you’re at it, you can fashion a simple, small watering can to keep on hand.

6. Freeze your bottles full of water and use them as cold packs in your cooler, or in your cloth shopping bag to keep your cold items cool on the way home from the grocer.

7. Put them to work in your kitchen. Make a citrus juicer! Or a quick funnel!

8. Cut off the tops and use the bottoms as your seed starter pots for your spring garden’s indoor transplants.

9. Or, cut off the bottoms and use the tops to blow giant bubbles!

10. And don’t forget those caps too! You can use them to make mini stamps.

1 of 2

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Donna H.

1:12AM PDT on May 17, 2012

Thanks for the tips.

send a green star

Danuta W.

2:18AM PDT on May 16, 2012

Thank you what a great article.

Teri I.

10:15PM PDT on Mar 22, 2012

recycle the plastic bag the corn came in of course...the bottle will just keep the corn fresher for longer and store better on your shelf!

10:13PM PDT on Mar 22, 2012

Buy popcorn in bulk bag, make funnel out of wax paper, pour and store in plastic drink bottle! Great for air popper pop corn!

Debbie C.

6:16AM PST on Feb 20, 2012

These are some great ideas!! I am going to make the Lamp, the plastic bag Dispenser, and the Fly Trap.

My cousin bought a Fly Trap last summer and paid a pretty penny for it. I will make her one this year, and be reusing at the same time.

Thanks for the cool ideas!!!

Teresa C.

1:02AM PST on Feb 16, 2012

Wow! Lots of great ideas here.
I, too, wish we didn't use them at all.

Jennifer W.

5:09AM PST on Feb 13, 2012

awesome, thanks

Suzanne L.

8:36PM PST on Feb 11, 2012

Interesting ideas but I buy as little as possible in plastic and I don't use it for anything else. Never liked it and never will.

Past Member .

2:53PM PST on Feb 5, 2012

@ Carol P Although they say plastic is recyclable, a large percentage of material still ends up in the landfill somewhere.
http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html

1:11PM PST on Feb 5, 2012

I love the list. HOWEVER, I dislike the idea of using plastic in the tank of one's toilet. Why not glass? We certainly DON'T need more leached plastic in to our water system. And that's what will happen with the plastic when left to degrade in one's toilet tank. Food for thought.