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Scientists don't know the exact number of plastic bottles in the world's oceans, but conservative estimates suggest there may be 250 billion. An average plastic bottle takes around 450 years to completely decompose, but some can take even longer.
Researchers estimate that if we carry on disposing of single-use plastic waste at our current rate, there will be around 937 million tons in the world's oceans by 2050, compared with only 895 million tons of fish. It's vital we start recycling or reusing plastic bottles now.
What is upcycling?
People at home can get creative with their waste by upcycling plastic bottles. You may have heard of upcycling, without any clear idea of how to go about it yourself. Upcycling means turning old items generally regarded as rubbish into useful objects that serve another purpose.
Upcycling benefits the environment because not only does it mean less waste goes to landfill, but fewer of the earth's resources are also being used for new products
On a personal level, upcycling helps you to save money and provides fun activities that you can do with the kids.
Bird feeders
You'll need a craft knife, a small-eye screw, a clean one-litre plastic bottle, two wooden spoons and a length of twine for hanging. Cut two pairs of holes in the sides of the bottle, enabling the wooden spoons to be slotted through horizontally - these provide perches for the birds.
Twist the screw firmly through the bottle cap and tie the twine to the top of the screw. Fill the bottle with bird seed. Then hang the bottle from a tree branch, or fence high enough to protect the birds from cats.
Now watch the birds feed from your weatherproof feeder - the seed won't get wet even if it rains!
Piggy banks
Make an adorable bottle piggy bank that turns a simple plastic bottle into a cute pig that kids will love. It also encourages them to start recycling and saving from a young age.
You can use a clear plastic bottle so you can see the coins inside, a colourful opaque one, or one with the finish of your choice by using sticky-back plastic.
Cut a slot where you can put the coins in. Make four feet by gluing on other bottle caps, or anything you can find in your craft or sewing box, such as empty cotton reels. Paint and decorate it how you choose to create a pig's face, gluing on material ears, eyes and a tail. The bottle cap is the pig's nose, so make sure it's wide enough to fit the coins through when you empty the piggy bank.
It doesn't have to be a pig: you can create a dog, cat or the piggy bank design of your choice.
Pencil cases/pots
Turn empty plastic bottles into cute owl pencil holders!
Simply cut two plastic bottles in half. Paint one white and the other black, using acrylic paint. Draw a pattern of an owl on each of the painted bottles, cutting the top of each into the shape of the bird's head. Cut out shapes for the eyes and if you're feeling adventurous, cut out further decorative shapes to represent feathers on the chest.
Accent the details, such as the eyes, with white paint on the black owl and vice-versa. You can use them as a pencil holder or pop them in your garden with solar lights inside for decoration.
Watering can
It only takes minutes to make a watering can out of a plastic bottle. All you need to do is drill a few small holes in the lid, fill the bottle with water, screw the lid back on and you have a watering can!
Mini greenhouse
Recycled plastic bottles make the perfect mini greenhouses to grow seeds on a window-ledge. You'll need a clear plastic bottle, compost, a skewer, scissors and seeds.
Remove the lid and make a few small holes with the skewer in the bottom of the bottle. Cut the top half off the bottle, then add compost to the lower half. Plant the seeds in the compost and water them lightly. Fit the top half of the bottle back over the bottom and put your mini greenhouse on a tray to catch the drips on a sunny window-ledge. When the plants get big enough, you can move the seedlings into pots, or plant them in your garden.
Planters
You may be used to planting directly into the ground or in pots but using plastic bottles as planters can give your garden a whole new look! The basic design and method are extremely simple - follow the instructions (above) on how to make a pencil holder, then convert it into a garden-friendly design, such as with a hedgehog or a frog face.
They can brighten up your garden and also make it more interesting for the kids!
Don't forget to be extremely careful when making any items from used plastic bottles, especially when you need to use a knife or scissors. Also remember that plastic can become sharp when cut. Never leave children doing any of these activities unsupervised.
As a responsible business, Solent Plastics supports recycling and upcycling plastic items. Our plastic storage containers are made to last a lifetime and we campaign against single-use plastics that are dumped as litter in the ocean. We understand the importance of taking care of our planet.