Saving Mother Earth: Ways You Can Recycle Used Carton Packages
Cartons can be picked up at any convenience store and supermarket. It’s easy to get used to chucking your milk and juice cartons out when you’re finished with them without realising how recyclable they are. First, let’s discuss the two types of cartons so you can differentiate between their design and how this makes a difference.
Shelf stable carton: This type is made for the shelf and normally stores milk, soups, juice and similar liquids.
Refrigerated: These cartons are particularly designed to stay in chilled compartments and hold liquids like milk, cream and juice. These cartons tend to be comprised of plastic, aluminium and paper and cartons for the fridge normally do not use aluminium.
Why recycling your used cartons can make a big difference
For starters, recycling anything recyclable has the potential to keep unneeded waste out of landfills. Not to chanintion this is a massive household product which has a consistently high output in the average household. As a high percentage of cartons are comprised of paper, a renewable resource, re-using them means you are taking care of responsible usage of trees and helping save energy.
**TIP: if you are looking for the recycle symbol on the side before knowing whether to recycle, you won’t always need to. This is because as brands are becoming more environmentally savvy, they are placing the symbol on their cartons. The symbol is a sign that the product is available on a wide scale.
How to recycle your cartons
Let’s now look at some fun and creative ways you can re-use your cartons of any sort around the home. This way, you can become a conscious consumer and lessen your impact on the environment.
It’s also cool to consider the fact that some cartons have seriously awesome designs. For example, Graphic Packaging International produces sustainable cartons that are designed to look the part whilst promoting ethical business practices.
➢ Stationary pot
If you have way too many pens, pencils and stationary laying around like these mechanical pencils, it’s time to create your own home-made pencil holder. This can be a fun project and if you don’t want to paint the carton you can wrap it in a funky wallpaper or wrapping paper. It’s interesting to see how packaging has changed and checking out the packaging history timeline could give you some great ideas on how things changed!
➢ Using milk cartons for kids playhouses
It’s a great way to create something inventive and worthwhile. You can build a decent sized doll house with just 2-4 cartons of juice or milk. Paint on a pretty design that your kids will love and start sticking rooms together, cutting windows and doors and creating the ultimate playhouse.
➢ A home for the birds
Using your old juice and milk cartons, all you will need is some paint and basic things in your stationary cupboard such as scissors, staples, wires and a hole-punch. You can start by stapling the carton shut then getting those acrylic paints out and decorating. After it has dried, you can cut your holes for the bird entrance and exit. Cutting holes at the bottom to release water and at the top for the wire should be your next steps.
Now you have some great ideas, get started on re-purposing your carton today and see where your creative mind takes you!
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