5 Creative Ways to Repurpose Trash into DIY Projects

Earth Day may have come and gone, but since then, you’ve started to think about the trash you toss every week and want to do something better than dumping it into a landfill. Just because it isn’t Earth Day today doesn’t mean you can’t take a look around and try to help Mother Earth. While our recycling and compost materials are up, there’s still a lot of trash being sent to landfills that can be repurposed.

Here are some excellent recycled crafts to make for your home, office, or to throw together with your kids on a rainy spring day. Unleash your creativity and give these simple crafts a whirl to spruce up your décor. Make ‘em with a friend or your significant other to bond and spend some creative time together. Maybe even have a crafts party with a bunch of friends instead of binge-watching a whole series on Netflix again while scarfing down popcorn…don’t tell me it’s just me!

1. Cereal Box Organizers

Ahhh, cereal, a gift from the gods. Delicious while being consumed, yes. But what to do with all of those boxes? Try making these awesome desk organizers to hold your papers, folders, writing instruments, etc. The possibilities are endless. Paint them, cover them with some spare card stock or even leftover scraps of wallpaper! Find the how-to and unleash your creativity on your workspace!

2. Cardboard Box Oven

Got kids? Do they love to watch you cook and have an interest in the culinary arts? Grab an old cardboard box and repurpose it! Your kids can imitate you cooking your favorite vegan or vegetarian dishes by making their very own stovetop. Try making some quinoa out of spare pieces from the hole punch or spaghetti from tinsel. Show your kids that playtime can be good for the environment too! Here’s the how-to on the coolest oven ever.

3. Carton Wallet

Another great craft for kids or teens who are looking to be different from their peers while repurposing materials. These awesome carton wallets are easy to make and are a great way to spend some time with your kids, all the while teaching them about saving money. Instructables provides the how-to as well as the template for making these.

4. Plantable Paper Earth

This is an incredible project that you can make with your kids. It’s so incredibly easy and fun to do. How often do you get to blend paper? A few simple materials you’ve probably got lying around the house and easy steps, and you’ve got yourself a sprouting Earth! How awesome is this? Get the how-to here. Happy sprouting!

5. Milk Carton Planters

Speaking of sprouting, want a simple herb garden but don’t have the outdoor space? Make a few milk carton planters and decorate them to go with the décor of your home. Maybe use some old scraps of paper, fabrics, or paint! These will go nicely on your windowsill and keep your house smelling herby fresh all season long.

What are your favorite trash-to-treasure crafts? Let us know in the comments!

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks or browse through vegan recipes on One Green Planet.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Stand against fast fashion Pollution by supporting circular brands like Tiny Rescue, which create cause-based collections using recycled, zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade, ensuring it never ends up in a landfill.
• Shop Sustainably for Your Home: Visit SustaiNOBLE.org, an eco-friendly and ethically sourced home decor store that will empower your home with luxurious fair-trade, and sustainable products made by global artisans.
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• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!