Ways To Use Old Prescription Bottles

Before reusing any empty prescription bottle in anyway take off the labels, so no one has access to your personal information and then clean and sanitize the bottles thoroughly.

I am on several different medications and was looking for ways to use reuse empty bottles  rather than toss them in the recycle bin....here are a few ideas I found from creative people who were kind enough to take their time to post and share...o them I say:  Thank You!

STORAGE

1. Store seeds inside the bottles and then label the bottles according to the seeds they hold. Seeds that need to be kept cold can easily be placed inside the fridge in these bottles.

2. Glue several bottles next to each other and use the glued collection on your desk as a storage system for all your tiny things: rubber bands, paper clips, hair pins, needles, nails, bolts, screws, matches, etc. Or just place some fresh flowers inside to brighten up your office.

3. If you need a coin holder to place in your purse or your car, place your loose change in the prescription bottles. No more looking everywhere for change especially if you need to pay the toll.

DONATION
4. Donate your empty prescription bottles to your local vet, animal shelters, Some places will take prescription bottles and reuse them to fill prescriptions for the animals.

5. Personally I use them to store loose beads for jewelry making

6. Homeless shelters sometimes take empty prescription bottles. Call your local homeless shelter to find out if they do.

PETS
7. Makes a nice rattle/toy for cats (not babies). Put some dried beans inside and close it tight. Then let them play.

ART
8. If you like to paint decorative pieces and buy paint in large sizes to save money you can transfer some paint to these small containers to work on one or two projects at a time without using up all the paint or letting it dry up.

Note: I have read in several places that it is not wise to use prescription bottles for any kind of food storage due to the residue that some prescriptions leave behind so please use caution if you decide to use any of the food storage tips below.

9. Here is an early valentine gift idea that involves reusing brown prescription bottles. Susan from Houston, TX fills hers up with chocolate kisses, relabels them “Rx for a Happy Valentine’s Day, lots of hugs and kisses!” and then gives them to the people she loves.
Caution: Putting candy in a prescription bottle can confuse a child. Please be careful about where you place these reused prescription bottles and your real ones. Children can’t tell the difference between one and the other.

10.WARNING: First clean & soak with hot soapy water very, very well !!!!  Turn prescription bottles into saltshakers. Paint the bottles or leave as is. Poke tiny holes in the caps then fill them with salt or pepper and use them as saltshakers. 11. If you pack salad for lunch a prescription bottle is a tiny storage place to store some salad dressing.    <--- First clean & soak with hot soapy water very, very well !!!!


EMERGENCY
12. You never know when your clothes will rip or you’ll loose a button. A Mini Sewing kits would come in handy in a case like this. Some prescription bottles are big enough to store some needles and thread and maybe more.

13. A tiny emergency kit for a cut or scrape can fit in a prescription bottle: band-aids, cotton balls, q-tips and some tiny alcohol wipes.

14. Use to neatly store plastic bags in your purse in case you suddenly need a plastic bag, say during a car ride with someone that tends to get motion sickness

CRAFTS
15. Store thread spools in prescription bottles to prevent it from tangling. See how here.

16. Melt them and make them into jewelry. This is supposed to be a fun kids craft. For instructions on how to melt certain types of prescriptions bottles go here.

Note: I do not know what kind of pollution this release in the air. For less air pollution maybe they can just be cut into pieces.

17. Store buttons, beads and other small craft items in these bottles.

18. Make a Snowman Christmas Ornament out of a prescription bottle. For directions go here. <---Really cute.


***REMEMBER***
Wash well  AND SOAK WITH HOT SOAPY WATER your empty ALL  Prescription bottles before they are reused.

Don't Throw Away Those Egg Shells

•  Compost for Naturally Fertilized Soil

Eggshells quickly decompose in the compost pile and add valuable calcium and other minerals to the soil in the process.

• Nontoxic Pest Control in the Garden

Scatter crushed eggshell around your plants and flowers to help deter plant-eating slugs, snails and cutworms without using eco-unfriendly pesticides. Also, deer hate the smell of eggs.

•  Less Bitter Coffee

Add an eggshell to the coffee in the filter, and your morning coffee will be less bitter. The spent coffee grounds, eggshell and bio-degradable filter are then conveniently ready for the compost pile.

• Seedling Starters

Fill biodegradable eggshell halves with potting soil instead of using peat pots to start seedlings for the garden. And an egg carton on the windowsill is the perfect way to start a dozen tomato seedlings in shells before transplanting to the garden in the spring.

• Eco-friendly Household Abrasive

Shake crushed eggshells and a little soapy water to scour hard-to-clean items like thermoses and vases. Crushed eggshells can also be used as a nontoxic abrasive on pots and pans.

• Natural Drain Cleaner

Keep a couple of crushed eggshells in your kitchen sink strainer at all times. They trap additional solids and they gradually break up and help to naturally clean your pipes on their way down the drain.



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30 Uses For Cereal Box Linings

The humble cereal lining bag

A great planet saving recycling tip from a member of the 'Living Frugally' web group I belong to:

1. Snip off the bottom corner of a liner and you have a funnel for filling
those little containers like salt shakers or soap dispensers without the mess.

2. As a sandwich baggie. Slip your sandwich into the liner and wrap it up
to take it with you.

3. Prevent your shoes from getting crushed when packing or storing them
away. Bunch up the liner and stuff the shoe.

4. Packing material: Either use the liner bunched up as padding in a
shipping box or make your own air pillow by blowing air into the liner using a
straw and taping the liner closed.

5. Keep your fresh herbs fresher longer by storing them inside the liner
before putting them in the fridge.

6. Keep your wet pool clothes from touching your dry clothes in your gym
bag by slipping them into a liner first.

7. Snip off a small corner of the liner and add an icing tip (with or
without a coupler) then add the icicing and decorate.

8. A prep surface for foods, fresh fruit, you name it!

9. Use as a tray liner when making candies, dipping chocolates or making
chocolate covered pretzels. Lining a cookie sheet or tray first, the sweets can
cool on the tray or easily be transferred to the freezer for hardening, then
easily be peeled from the liner.

10. Use as an excellent zero-cost alternative to the store-bought kind of wax
paper.

11. Storing portions of frozen meat.

12. Rolling out cookie dough. (wet counter before putting liner down, this
will prevent slipping)

13. As pooper-scoopers for your pooch.

14. Lay the liner out on a surface to protect your table/furniture when
painting.

15. Reuse it as freezer strorage bag.

16. Use them as a disposal bag for dirty diapers.

17. Instead of using a Ziploc bag when you’re making a shake and bake type
item, shake your food in a cereal box liner.

18. Crush crackers or nuts in them.

19. Use, instead of Ziploc bags, to pound/tenderize meat.

20.Use a cereal liner over your hand to pat down and spread warm rice crispy
treats in the pan when making them.

21.Cut into a circle to line a cake plate before placing cake on the plate.

22.As tracing paper to trace patterns.

23. Use to store fresh baked cookies or fresh treats, simply fold and clip the
top in place.

24. Sit in bowl near sink when peeling vegetables or preparing foods – use to
carry cuttings to compost pile, or transfer messy items like meat trimming to
trash can.

25. Cut to size for a shelf liner under such things as honey or syrup,
refrigerator bin liner, or drawer liner for kitchen, bathroom, office or vanity.

26. Separate layers of meat, hamburgers, cheese, pancakes or other foods when
freezing.

27. Use to cover pies. Open the bag halfway, slip the cover over the pies with
the opening on the bottom and fold it over. Then label with a marker.

28. Reuse with vacuum food bag sealer. Saves on buying new rolls.

29. Put them at the bottom of the kitchen garbage can, saves time cleaning the
can as it catches drips.

30. Place the large ones at the bottom of the drawers of the refrigerator to
catch spills.

Do Not allow them to come in contact with food you are reheating in the
microwave, because the plastic can emit chemicals.

Cereal box liners are usually made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), the #2
plastic when comes to recycling. That means that most curbside recycling
programs that take #2 plastics will take cereal box liners. Double check with
your community's recycling rules before adding them to your recyclables.

Easy Sew Fabric Produce Bags

Wisdom of the Moon: Cheap & Easy Fabric Produce Bags

Cheap & Easy Fabric Produce Bags

I've been using my set of fabric grocery bags since I made them this summer, but I still kept using the plastic bags from the store for fruits and vegetables. Every time I pulled one off the roll, I thought, "I have got to make some of these." And then by the time I get home, I'd forget.

I finally made 9 of them this weekend. And they cost me exactly nothing because I reused a sheer curtain that we'd replaced.



You can either use tulle or sheer fabric, but really I think the sheer is much easier to work with. The only requirement is that they be see through and lightweight. Sometimes they have sheer curtains at the thrift store, just take em home and wash well in hot water. If you can't find those, tulle is probably going to be cheaper. You can get 4 bags out of one yard, which costs 2 bucks.

Also, if you want them to be painfully cute, you can decorate them with some handmade stamps. I carved up some broccoli and onions special for this project.


So, on to the directions.

-First, cut the fabric into rectangles that are 17" by 27", which makes a finished bag 15" tall by 13" wide (with double hemming). You can easily make them bigger or smaller, though. (If any of the edges are excessively frayed, cut that off first before cutting to size.)

-Then you need to hem any sides that are not on the selvedge (finished edge) to keep the whole thing from unraveling over time. You can do it one of two ways, both shown in the picture below. If you need a better explanation of the double hem, check here. If you use the tulle, don't bother with the hemming, just sew the whole thing with a fairly tight, straight stitch. (Note- I've changed this from the original recommendation of a zigzag because straight stitches work much better on tulle. Sorry, August!)


-Next fold in half hamburger-wise (as opposed to hotdog-wise... does anyone else remember this brilliant instruction from elementary school?) and pin. In the picture below, the right side is the bottom of the bag and the left is the top.


-When you sew the side and bottom, start sewing about an inch down from the corner. Also, it's best to sew where the fabric is doubled up on itself, basically somewhere along the hem.


-Once you've sewn the bag, make the channel for the twine by folding down and pinning the top edge like shown.


-Start sewing where shown in the picture, folding the fabric evenly down as you go.


-By the time you've gone all around the top and returned to where you started, you'll have created a channel like this. The openings to the channel are underneath my right finger and thumb (please excuse the paint on my hands, we've been painting Randa's room this week.)


-All you need to do to finish the bag is to tie a knot in some twine, push a safety pin through it and feed it through the channel. Leave about 2 or 3 inches hanging out on each side and tie it in a knot. When you want to close up the bag, just do a slip knot.

Oh, and one more thing. I weighed one bag on the kitchen scale and it's total weight was 0.4 ounces (as compared to the plastic bag which was 0.1 ounces).

That's it.

How To Recycle Everything

How to Recycle...Everything | Care2 Healthy & Green Living

By Darragh Worland, Tonic

Have you ever found yourself about to chuck a bunch of packing material after a big move or bringing home that new flat screen TV only to wonder if maybe you could recycle all those peanuts instead? If only you knew where to take them!Well, now you can find out in a hot minute. Earth911 has a toll-free hotline and website with an exhaustive directory of recycling and disposal centers near you. Now, while many municipalities have curbside recycling programs, we all know there are plenty of products that you can’t just pack up in a clear plastic bag and leave at the curb.

Recycling things like batteries, cell phones, gift cards, computers, game consoles, plastic bags, plastic bottle caps and those packing peanuts takes a little more forethought, but it can and should be done, whenever possible.

Earth911 started as a toll-free hotline and directory of recycling listings in 1991, but has since evolved into a website with all kinds of information on recycling, including daily news, feature stories and more.

But rather than ditch the phone system in favor of the website, Earth911 has recently upgraded its hotline to speed and simplify the process of accessing information. Now users can get location-specific information in a jiffy, without being tethered to the Internet. Earth911 also says the phone system is easier to navigate and even bilingual, so now Spanish-speaking Americans can use it, too.

You may recognize the hotline number: 1-800 CLEANUP is featured on hundreds of millions of products nationwide. Companies use it to direct their consumers to recycling and disposal options for hundreds of different items, including potentially toxic substances like paint and motor oil.

With spring cleaning on your to-do list there’s no time like the present to sort through that box of “to-be-recycled-some-day” items.

Tonic is a digital media company dedicated to promoting the good that happens around the world each day. We share the stories of people and organizations that are making a difference by inspiring good in themselves and others.

At Tonic, we also see ourselves as a service company — one that strives not only to inspire our readers, but to equip them with the resources to make a difference.

More on Green 101 (113 articles available)

Make An Apron from An Old Pillow Case ~Tutorial

Vintage Pillowcase Apron Tutorial - CLOTHING

Sweet Apron made from a Pillow Case Tutorial

Step 1. Select your pillowcase. I get mine from the thrift store - they're 99 cents each there, and I'm always able to find really nifty ones. If you look at the above photos, you'll notice that at the bottom of the apron there is some type of neat-looking trim. Most of the pillowcases I find have this on them already - at the opening to the case.

Step 2. Cut your fabric



Cut your pillowcase into two parts. The bottom (aka the opening) part will be the apron, so make sure it's approx. the length you desire.



Cut the second piece of the pillowcase (aka the part that is NOT your apron) in half lengthwise.



Take the half that has 3 edges sewn (aka the top of the pillowcase). This will be where your pockets stem from. Cut a piece from this as wide as you'd like your pocket to be.



Match your first cut pocket to the other side of this piece of fabric and cut out your second pocket.



You should now have five pieces.
1) the apron body (not shown)
2 & 3) the pockets
4) the piece of fabric from between your pockets
5) another piece that we haven't dealt with yet.



Fold the piece that remains from between your pockets in half. Cut along the fold line. This will form two pieces which will be sewn as the pocket flaps.



Move to the spare piece of fabric. Cut it in half length-wise.



Cut one end open on each spare piece length. These will become your tie straps.



In total, you should have cut seven pieces from the original pillowcase.
1) Apron body
2 & 3) pockets
4 & 5) pocket flaps (picture on top of pockets)
6 & 7) Tie straps (loooong pieces)

Step 3: I like to sew-it, sew-it!



Turn pocket flaps right side together. Sew edge except the top. Turn right side out. Ready to sew.




Turn the pocket pieces right side together. Sew the edges together (minus a small opening). Pull the pockets right-side out again. They're ready to sew on.



Arrange your pockets and flaps on the apron. Try to keep your kitty OFF the apron.



Sew ties right-side together only on ONE side. Fold over top of apron. Fold raw edges under and pin in place.

Sew ties, on both sides. Sew pocket flap on bottom raw edge (underneath, on side that will not show). Sew pockets on right, bottom, and left edges.

Final touch - I used no-sew snaps - attach snaps to your flaps. Topstitch whatever you'd like to have a decorative finish on.



The finished product!

Turn your Christmas Tree Into a Feast For The Birds

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." ~ Maya Angelou


Turn your Christmas Tree Into a Feast For The Birds

Create a feeder for the birds from an upcycled Christmas tree.


Are the needles falling off your Christmas tree? If so, it's time to think about recycling the tree. Want to keep the tree out of the trash and the birds caroling all winter long? Make a a post-holiday DIY birdie buffet from an old Christmas tree.

Backyard garden bird feeding helps many species of birds survive the winter. Science Daily reports that US and UK households provide over 500,000 tons of food for garden birds each year.


Why feed the birds in winter?

Feeding birds helps lessen the time it takes birds to find food. Birdfeeders may reduce the risk of predation, since feeder birds spend less time foraging and have more time to watch for predators.


Why upcycle a Christmas tree for the birds?

The tree can provide food for wildlife during the cold winter and give protection from cold winds. It also becomes an enjoyable birdwatching stage.

Watch Video: How To Keep Your Birdfeeder Squirrel-Free


Make a DIY Birdfeeder From An Old Christmas Tree

1. Take off all the tree decorations.

2. Find a location where you can enjoy all the action. Make sure the birds are safe from flying into windows.

3. Attach tree to a secure location (a fence or to another tree) using rope or bungee cords.

4. Redecorate the tree with safe and healthy bird food (see below).


What should you feed the birds?

Fat, protein and carbohydrates are what birds need to survive cold winters. Foods like peanuts and birdseed also include vitamins and minerals, which can also produce healthier eggs and chicks. Read Sara's bird feeding guide here.


6 Tips for Winter Bird Feeding:

1. Once you start feeding wild birds, continue throughout the cold season and into the spring.

2. Locate your bird feeder in a sheltered area away from rain and wind to keep feed dry.

3. Keep your feeder a safe distance - at least eight to 10 feet - from protective shrubbery and lurking cats.

4. Most human food is unhealthy for birds, especially salty and sugary snacks.

5. Clean feeders regularly to prevent diseases. Scrape bird droppings and moldy food off feeders and rinse or wipe clean with a natural disinfectant solution of one part vinegar to twenty parts water.

6. Store the seed in a tight, waterproof container to keep it dry and out of reach of rodents.


How do you dispose of the tree after the winter?

Christmas trees can be chipped up in a chipper and turned into useable mulch. The mulch cover can be used to help insulate soil, conserve soil moisture, and keep weeds at bay. It also helps to return nutrients to the soil as it breaks down.

Want to identify bird species at your feeder?

Both iBird and Peterson's famous Field Guide to the Birds are handy downloadable apps for the iPhone/iPod touch.

More for the Birds:

Christmas Bird Count

Use Your Christmas Tree in the Garden

Birdwatching: Not Just For Dorks Anymore

How to Attract Birds to Your Yard

Make A Tote Bag From Old T-Shirts

I stumbled upon this in another one of my surfing sessions. A very easy & creative way to recycle t-shirts. I would think sweat shirts would make a much sturdier project but that's just my humble opinion.



FASTEST RECYCLED T-SHIRT TOTE BAG - More cool how to projects

Revamp Old Furniture Instead of Replacing

Revamp Old Furniture Instead of Replacing posted by Melissa Breyer Jun 12, 2009 9:00 am filed under: Healthy Home, Household Hints, Reduce, Recycle & Reuse, decoupage, furniture, mosaic, paint, staining furniture Revamp Old Furniture Instead of Replacing by Becky Striepe, We’ve all got pieces of furniture that look like they’re on the way out. When I first moved to Atlanta, a friend gave me a coffee table. I had no money and very little furniture, so I was grateful even though the table was sort of…well…it was ugly, alright? It was an ugly, ugly table. Rather than pitch it, I decided to give it a fresh coat of white paint and try my hand at a mosaic. We still have that little coffee table living out on the front porch! It’s a little bit dusty at the moment, but I’ll show you a picture if you promise not to judge my housekeeping skills: Even though it’s a little bit worn now and the colors have faded from sitting in the sun, I love that little table like no other. I can’t look at it without thinking about the time spent carefully laying out the pattern until the design was just how I wanted it and the rewarding process of painting the wood and laying the tile. What started as an ugly hand-me-down is now a treasured piece! Here are a few options if you’re looking to do your own furniture revamp! Picture & Full Article Here Mosaic If you’re trying to spruce something up that can support a little bit of weight, mosaic might be a good option! Not only can you salvage a scratched tabletop, you can divert some trash from the waste stream while you’re at it! You might cover your project with recycled glass, old bottlecaps, or broken ceramics or tiles that would have headed for the landfill. Check out this tutorial from eHow for mosaic instructions. Decoupage Mosaic is a little bit labor-intensive and requires a whole lot of materials. If you’re looking for something a bit simpler, decoupage might be what you’re after! You can even decoupage fabric onto a worn out chair to give it a whole new life! What a great chance to raid your scrap bin! For some more decoupage inspiration check out this post over at Ikea Hacker. They show a lovely combination of paint and decoupage and a beautiful table decoupaged with paint chips. Here are some helpful decoupage instructions from Gothic Martha Stewart. Paints and Stains Whether you want to simply change the color of your piece or add a fancypants design, there are a bunch of great options out there! Check out these vibrant stains that Lenore used to spruce up an old dresser. If paint is more your speed, hunt down a low- or no-VOC variety. Jessica Gottlieb has a few eco-friendly paint options over at Eco Child’s Play. For some tips on painting furniture, This Young House has you covered! Fabrics If you’re sewing-inclined, you might consider recovering or slip covering an old piece. An old table or trunk can look brand new if you put together a fitted slip cover for it. Feeling really ambitious? You might try recovering the whole piece, like the famous IKEA chair revamp by Minouette. For a simpler, no-sew recovering option, check this video from ReadyMade on reupholstering a dining room chair. You can keep this eco-friendly by using a low-VOC spray adhesive, like this one from 3M: