Recycling Glass Can Save You Money

Use Your Imagination to Repurpose and Reuse Glass Containers

Apr 9, 2009 Stefanie Gabrych Fraser

Glass containers of all kinds can be recycled, repurposed and reused in stylish and elegant ways if you just resuscitate that little old imagination gene.

Saving the environment may seem like a daunting task--but you can if you start small. Glass bottles, jars and other containers can be tossed in your recycling bin, but why not give them a second (even a third) life by reusing and repurposing them. You'll not only save money, but you may start a new hobby or even make a little cash on the side..

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Homemade Goodies

Glass bottles can re-used as containers for all kinds of homemade goodies. For your favorite non-cooks, why not add the dry ingredients for soups, cookies, biscuits, or muffins into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and add a label with cooking/baking instructions.
Homemade flavored oils and vinegars make wonderful gifts. To make, decant oil or vinegar into clean bottles and then add sprigs of your favorite herb combinations. Recycle a clean wine bottle cork as the stopper. Add a label made from recycled cardboard or an old card, and keep in the refrigerator until it's time to pass on as a gift.
Fill empty, clean bottles with homemade linen water. To make, fill a jar with distilled water and add sprigs of lavender or any other favorite herb. Instead of a cork stopper, recycle the spray tops from cleaning products, and spritz not only your clothes when ironing, but also the inside of cupboards and drawers in my closets and in the laundry room for a fresh, clean scent. These are also ideal as housewarming gifts.

Cleaning Supplies

If you buy your cleaning supplies in bulk, decant the liquids into smaller, prettier bottles. If you have a new neighbor, place a couple of these filled bottles into a new or vintage baking pan or basket, pop the whole thing into a clear recycled plastic bag, tie with a pretty ribbon and present them to the new neighbors.

Storage

Smaller glass jars are useful catchalls for all those little odds and ends we accumulate - buttons, elastics, paperclips, etc. It's easy to see at a glance what's inside and they can easily be stacked in a cupboard.
Larger glass containers can be used to store dried food products such as cereal, rice or beans. Use them in the laundry room to store your detergent--then you'll always know when you're running out.

Decorative Uses

A great way to recycle jars is to turn them into tea light votives. All you need to do is twist some wire around the neck of a jar, add a longer length of wire for the handle, and pop in a scented tea light. Make several of these and hang up to use to decorate your patio or porch.
Old aquariums, fish bowls, and large clear glass bowls make great terrariums. Add a layer of aquarium stones to the bottom of your glass container, top with good potting soil and tuck in your favorite low-maintenance plants. Mulch with pine needles or more aquarium stones. Use the glass from a broken picture frame to cover the top of the terrarium. These make great gifts for someone who is plant-challenged.

Gift Giving

Use jars as gift containers. For the homebody, put together a jar containing a bar of scented soap, one or two scented tea light candles, and little bag of bath salts; for gardeners, copper plant labels, packets of seeds, gardener's hand cream. Use your imagination to create one of a kind gifts.

The copyright of the article Recycling Glass Can Save You Money in Green/Simple Living is owned by Stefanie Gabrych Fraser. Permission to republish Recycling Glass Can Save You Money in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Make your own oil and vinegar