A building made from recycled materials is an eco-friendly way to make a home. It also helps divert waste from landfills.
There are many creative ways to use waste material to decorate your house. You can create decorative items from old jars and glass bottles, for example. You can also make a flower vase from plastic cups.
Paper House
A paper house makes for a great decor item. It can be made using waste material that has been cleaned to ensure it is free of grime and odours. It is also a good way to teach children about recycling and reusing waste materials. The paper house can be decorated with different colors to make it look attractive. It can also be used as a play area for toy dolls.
Paper houses have been around for a long time. In fact, one of the most famous examples is the Rockport Paper House. This house was built by tinkerer Elis F. Stenman in 1924 and is still open for tours today. Stenman used a mix of materials to construct the house, including wood and varnished newspapers.
The first step in making a paper house is to gather your supplies. You will need two sheets of regular or origami paper and tape. To start, fold the paper in half “hamburger style.” Make sure to crease it well. Then, tape the short sides together. This will create your first wall of the house.
You can also use single face corrugated cardboard. This is cardboard without the top layer and can be purchased in rolls or cut out of existing corrugated cardboard. It is ideal for log cabins or roofs and can be shaped into a window. It can even be glued to the walls of the house to provide insulation.
Sock Puppets
Puppets are a great way for children to build self-esteem, language skills and creativity. They can also help kids learn about the different elements of a story and how to act it out. The best part is that they are easy to make and don’t require a lot of fancy equipment or expensive materials. So, if you are looking for a fun activity to keep your children entertained, try making these simple puppets with items found around the house.
Find a sock that matches the character you want to make – for example, a tan one would work well for a turtle. Cut off the toes with fabric scissors and then draw marks for the eyes and nose on the sock. A pompom or button makes a good nose.
Finish the face by gluing on the eyes, nose and mouth. Then add other details such as a tail, whiskers and paws. For the legs, use a pipe cleaner and fold it up to form a rounded shape for the feet. Glue on a piece of tan fake fur or felt.
If you want to make a bug puppet, you can paint the body roll the color of your choice and decorate it with stickers, paper or other materials. Make holes in the top of the body roll for a string for the neck and another string for the rod that goes to the head section.
Window Frames
When you have old window frames lying around, you can put them to good use by refinishing and turning them into home decor items. You can use them for picture frames, mirrors, or even to create a unique headboard for your bed. You can also paint them or stain them to match your existing furniture. The best part is that these repurposed windows can help reduce waste and save you money at the same time.
For this shed window frame with a single glazed pane of horticultural glass the frame members were 30+2.5+610mm long for the sides and top, and 95x45mm for the cill section. A rebate was machined into each member for the glass and glazing quadrant. These were fitted after the shed was built so that the glass could be secured in place using a silicone sealant to the rebate.
If you don’t want to reuse or recycle your old window frames, you can always donate them. There are many organizations that will take them off your hands and give them a new life. However, it is important to make sure that the paint is free of lead before donating it. Check with your local BMRC to find out what businesses and resources are available near you. If you can’t find a BMRC, you can also contact your local recycling center to see what they can do with your old window frames.
Plastic Bottles
After guzzling a soda to kick your 2 pm slump, don’t just toss the bottle. Instead, upcycle it into a pencil cup. This DIY project is easy to do and makes a great gift for co-workers or kids. Simply cut off the top and bottom of a plastic two-liter bottle, add a strip of fabric to the inside, and use it to store your pens.
If you don’t want to get too crafty, use a plastic bottle as an emergency water bottle. Just make sure you’ve emptied the contents of the bottle before repurposing it. Then, simply screw the cap back on and fill it with water. It’s the perfect emergency water bottle for camping, hiking, or any other outdoor activity where you might need an extra water container on hand.
Plastic bottles are much stronger than cinder block homes, and they can be used in a variety of ways for building construction. They can even withstand earthquakes!
In the desert of southwest Algeria, refugee Sahrawi people are using recycled plastic to build homes. Those homes are helping to alleviate the suffering of these refugees in their arid environment, and they’re also reducing a huge amount of waste. Builders from JD Composites are able to use recycled plastic by breaking down the bottles into foam that can be used as building material.