The Bite:
Get your money's worth from leftover milk cartons, and get your kids started on crafty recycled art projects. You'll reduce waste, they'll have fun - all without sucking new resources dry.
Recycled Milk Carton Crafts
Feel pressured to entertain a gaggle of younglings?
04.17.2009
Submitted by alara on Thu, 04/16/2009 - 11:00pm.
DIY Bites
Got a plastic jug instead of a carton?
The Benefits:
- Emptying out landfills. In 2006, of 510,000 tons of milk cartons produced in the United States, less than 0.05% were recycled. These projects give 'em a second life.
- Drying up chems. New toys made from petroleum-based PVC plastic off-gas cancer-linked dioxins. Milk cartons are food-safe paperboard.
- Not wringing out your wallet. These toys use stuff you already keep around the house and reduce the need to buy new playthings.
Wanna Try:
- To get started: Wash, rinse, and dry your milk cartons. Gather up scissors and glue, plus nontoxic paints, crayons, and magazine clippings for decorating.
DIY Bites
- Create a milk carton toy dog house, barn, coin purse (see photo), wallet (this one's fun, but complicated; mom hands needed), or planter.
Got a plastic jug instead of a carton?
- Make a milk jug piggy bank for collecting change.
Timeout
In 4 weeks, Melissa Goldberg's family of four went through 30 half-gallon cartons of milk and juice, then used 'em to create nearly as many planters for veggies and herbs.
Bang For The Bite
If 10,000 Mama Biters make a recycled toy barn with their kids instead of buying a new plastic one, we'll keep the weight of 286 moochers in PVC-laden plastic out of production and landfills.
Tips Like This
01.13.2009- 08.26.2008
Sign Up
Sign up for free, bite-size ideas for healthy, light green living, delivered to your inbox each weekday.
Post new comment