"Self-sufficiency does not mean 'going back' to the acceptance of a lower standard of living. On the contrary, it is the striving for a higher standard of living, for food that is organically grown and good, for the good life in pleasant surroundings... and for the satisfaction that comes from doing difficult and intricate jobs well and successfully." John Seymour ~ Self Sufficiency 2003

Wednesday 15 June 2011

More plastic bottle recycling idea's

I have posted a couple of ideas for the recycling of plastic bottles earlier.


Unfortunately, plastic bottles abound in this country - very frustrating as I'd love to have more glass, especially for storage of preserved goods, and bulk goods.  OK, well yes, I do like the plastic bottles for making home made ginger beer :-) 


But, plastic bottles are recyclable, and they are here to stay, so here are a couple more idea's I'd like to share with you regarding their recycling.


Firstly, you can use them as self watering plant containers. Apparently the benefits of this type of container planting are enormous, as it encourages to roots to aim lower and lower... LOL


Then there is the bug trap...
One could also hang the trap from a tree branch or hook.  Simply thread a string through the holes which hold the top and bottom sections together.


The top of the bottle becomes a slippery slide down which the insects travel to get to the "goodies" below.  A few insects might find their way back out the small opening, but I reckon most insects aren't that smart and they will be trapped in the base.  I wonder if one had to place a light source in the base container, if you couldn't probably also attract, and hopefully trap, mosquitoes or all those nighttime insects which can be an absolute pest!


There are some very clever people out there...

4 comments:

  1. On our local news, a guy used that second design and did put a light in the bottom. He used it to catch stink bugs and said it worked wonders. Great Ideas Dani.

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  2. Jane - they're not my idea's LOL - but they are great, aren't they?

    Wonder what kind of light he put in the bottle? CFL or LED?

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  3. Pretty cool. I guess it would have to be pretty small plants though.

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  4. tffnguy - Reckon small tomato seedlings would be great - when they get too big, just transfer them to a larger container :-)

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