Plastic lids on your Parmesan container can be used for so much more.
The scoop
They say one person's trash is another person's treasure, and this trick certainly proves it. Some people don't think twice before tossing their used kitchen containers, like Parmesan shakers, but TikToker Ronda (@rondasue27) shared her way of making the most out of what you have.
@rondasue27 Handy little hack. Parmesan lids fit on mason jars! Easy way to recycle them! Great for your creamer or i use one for our sugar cinnamon mix for cookies. #recycle #parmesan #masonjarhacks #masonjars ♬ original sound - Ronda
"Handy little hack," she wrote. "Parmesan lids fit on mason jars! Easy way to recycle them."
Simply unscrew the lid from your Parmesan jar, give it a quick rinse, and it should screw onto standard mason jars nicely. Don't toss the Parmesan bottle — it's recyclable. You can also upcycle these bottles into plant pots, cups, pencil holders, and more.
Note that some brands, such as 4C, offer some of their Parmesan cheese in other shapes, such as glass containers with a metal lid. Those won't work for this hack, but the glass ones are actually better for the environment overall because the glass and metal are more assuredly recyclable and will not cause any leaching or microplastics.
Further, that glass bottle might be even more handy and attractive than a plastic one as a plant vase or pencil holder. (4C is notably also one of the few brands that does not use preservatives or cellulose powder in its Parmesan cheese, so it should be a healthier option too, but it's great to make the most of whichever brand you purchase.)
How it's working
Getting creative and crafty with reusing at home is a great way to save money. Why waste money on something you can make at home?
Everything has its purpose, but with upcycling, you can add another. With a little creativity, you can turn wine bottle racks into bird feeders, broken vacuums into adorable plant pots, and pianos into bookshelves.
Recycling and upcycling will save you money, and it'll help save the planet, too
Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste enter landfills, per the EPA. Only a small fraction of plastic waste is recycled, and the rest will take hundreds of years to begin to break down.
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Recycling prevents plastic from clogging up landfills, and upcycling delays that process even further. Recycling also conserves natural resources, like energy and water, and reduces air, water, and soil pollution.
It might seem like no big deal — it's just one can, one bottle, one bag. But "recycling just one glass jar saves enough electricity to light an 11 watt CFL bulb for 20 hours," according to Recycle Across America.
And if everyone decided to recycle just one can, it "would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 6,750 passenger cars off the road and save energy equivalent to 80 thousand barrels of oil," wrote USA Today.
It's the little things — like reusing a Parmesan lid instead of tossing it — that make a big difference.
Recycling rules aren't always the most straightforward; knowing your recycling options can help.
What people are saying
Commenters loved this neat trick, and many of them had the same idea.
"Love this," one user said, "I have tons I use on my mason jars for years!"
Another user said they "have been doing it forever!"
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