Waste not, want not...

Age-Old Green Advice

Some of the older crowd may recognize this old saying. Recycling is not a new idea, that's how our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers got through rough times and the depression. Remember Granny's button box, the "rag bag" (scraps of flannel shirts and jammies used to clean), or how your grandmother could produce a great toy out of a pile of fabric scraps and some thread? Those women were the original "green" moms.

Using what you have to make adapted versions of toys, clothing, and household goods and decorations is something we need to get back to. Potholders and mats can be made from layering fabric from unwanted clothing stitched together. Denim from cast-off jeans is a great fabric to use, either for the front, or for layering inside for insulation. Simply cut squares or desired shapes from fabric, stitch together and use. You can use pinking shears and leave the edges raw, or bind them with bias tape, or fabric cut on the bias.

That old shelf in the garage that you've been piling tools on can be re-purposed into a storage solution for any room in the house. Just grab some paint. If it's too plain for your taste, you can glue on some lace or trims prior to painting, and use diluted paint to "antique" if you wish, or decoupage, stencil, or use decorative stamps.

Plastic lids from water and soda bottles can be used to keep the kiddies busy, too. (Remember...choking hazard, only for children over 3 with supervision!) A hole can be punched in the center of the cap with a heated awl or knitting needle, and strung on shoelaces. Kids can sort and count the caps, stack them, or use them in an art project.

Worn out pantyhose and tights can have a second life as a tie to support plants or young trees. They're even strong enough to be used as homemade bungee cords, just tie on a couple of S hooks.

Magazines can be recycled into kids art projects (teaching valuable cutting and spacial skills), decoupaged on various surfaces, or even to make beads that will make beautiful jewelry. Milk jugs can be re-purposed to make a mini greenhouse for seedlings, a bird feeder, or even a scoop.

You get the idea. When you need something, before buying new, take a look around your home to see if you have something laying around that can be made to fill that need. Teach your kids to reduce waste by example. Better yet, involve them. Kids can be very ingenious when it comes to imagining new ways to use "trash".

Stay tuned for more ideas, as well as projects...and remember, waste not, want not!

Craftcycle: 100+ Earth-Friendly Projects and Ideas for Everyday Living