A homeowner has come up with a clever way to convert trash into building materials for a variety of purposes.
On the r/upcycling subreddit, they shared a photo of their efforts to create "bottle bricks" out of used plastic bottles filled with plastic trash.
"They take some time to make, but I'm hoping that I or someone else can eventually figure out a more efficient way of making them," they wrote in the caption, adding that they're considering using them for things like a flower bed.
In the comments, they further explained their process, which involved stuffing "soft plastics," aka grocery bags, candy wrappers, Ziploc bags, and other pieces of trash that are free from food or paper, or "anything else that can rot," into harder plastic bottles.
"Once everything is all dry, I start packing the bottles. I've been using a wooden dowel about 1/2" in width to compress it all. The bottles have to be packed as tightly as possible. You know you've packed the bottle properly when you can stand on it without it denting. How much they weigh depends on the size of the bottle, really. They aren't quite as heavy as normal bricks, but they're very insulating," they explained, adding they've been working on the project for three years so far.
The clever upcycler has been making what are also known as "EcoBricks," which have become a popular and cost-efficient way of building schools around the world, like in Guatemala, the Philippines, and South Africa, to name a few.
"EcoBricks turn waste into a highly insulating, robust, affordable, building material, which simultaneously tackles problems of unemployment, waste and lack of housing. They can be used vertically as infill in timber-frame building systems, or horizontally, where they are mortared together with clay or cement," the Guardian reported.
EcoBricks save money on acquiring new materials, reducing reliance on dirty energy while also keeping trash out of landfills and the ocean. It can take 1,000 years for a plastic bag to break down in a landfill, and even then, it can degrade into microplastics, which are a persistent problem in all elements of the environment.
Several programs and companies have been stepping up to further keep usable or recyclable items out of landfills, like Trashie, which recycles old clothing items for rewards, or ThredUp, which offers cash for used items.
🗣️ What single change would make the biggest dent in your personal food waste?
🔘 Not buying food I don't need 🧐
🔘 Freezing my food before it goes bad 🧊
🔘 Using my leftovers more effectively 🍲
🔘 Composting my food scraps 🌱
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
People in the comments of the r/upcycling post were intrigued by the poster's hard work.
"I would definitely do something like this just to minimize the space of the trash that I send to the dump, but I don't know if I could get my family on board with rinsing things like candy wrappers," one person commented.
"I'm thinking about doing this for the sides of my raised veggie beds!! I can get family and friends to buy in on my idea and help out with the collection!" another wrote.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
