Even for the most passionate reusable bottle enthusiasts, the occasional disposable bottle or container does make its way into your life. Fortunately, one Redditor shared a clever trick to repurpose those lids and extend their life cycle.
"I'm a gardener and have been thinking about how to improve drainage in my pots," they shared in a post on the subreddit r/ZeroWaste. "One of the suggestions is to make sure your pots are elevated so water can flow out the bottom drainage holes. Most people suggest bricks or chunks of wood, but I don't have much of either of those things."
Continuing, they explained that they looked into purchasing pot feet, but "it seemed like a lot to spend on such a small chunk of plastic," so they were "so excited to come across the DIY of using bottle lids" instead.
Commenters were similarly enthused by the suggestion.
"This is genius," one wrote. "Thank you for the tip!"
Others had experimented with similar hacks.
"We slice up wine corks for this exact purpose," one person shared. "We also use them to level out furniture on our ancient, uneven floors."
"I'm glad you shared this!" another enthused. "I use the rigid plastic 6 pack tops that have replaced the stretchy turtle killers for some beer brands. Also metal lids from salsa jars and things. Plastic lids make sense since they don't rust and are taller."
This is but one of many ways to repurpose the plastic lids, bottle caps, and other kitchen items that all too often wind up going straight into the trash. Others have suggested using mayo lids to cover Mason jars; repurposing cheese shaker lids for new spices; re-using grocery freezer bags; turning miniature bottles into salt and pepper shakers; and even using old single-use K-cups for propagating small plants.
As a consumer, anything you can do to keep items out of the garbage — which not only ends up in enormous landfills but also in oceans and rivers — is a great way to minimize your impact on the environment. Trash not only endangers animals physically, but it also leaks harmful chemicals into the surrounding areas, which eventually trickles up through the food chain and all the way back to your kitchen.
Instead, actions such as choosing plastic-free items and supporting circular brands are small steps toward a cleaner, less wasteful planet.
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