Consumers purchase a lot of products in glass jars. But what can you do with those empty vessels aside from piling them up in the recycle bin? This TikToker has the answer.
The scoop
In one of many of their helpful videos, TikToker Sustainability Matters (@sustainabilitymattersva) shares three ideas for repurposing glass jars.
@sustainabilitymattersva Lots of localities no longer accept glass in curbside recycling, so here's 3 ways to reuse your glass jars to help keep them out of landfill! 🗑 🍓Food Storage- Airtight containers are great for food prep like overnight oats, and for keeping your fruits and veges fresh for much longer 🌱Vessels for Propagations- A great way to sustainably grow your plant collection (and see some super cool roots) 🧼Spray Bottles- With a fitting nozzle, any glass jar can become a reusable spray bottle #sustainabiltymatters #sustainability #reuse #recyclerightnow #reducereuserecycle #upcycle #wastereduction ♬ original sound - Sustainability Matters
First, they suggest food prep and storage. "These airtight containers are perfect for overnight oats or keeping your fruits fresh for weeks," they say.
The next idea is to use glass jars for water propagation. To demonstrate, the TikToker holds a large plant that's grown a tangle of roots in water and says, "I grew an entirely new plant completely for free."
The video then shows them using a homemade cleaning solution with a repurposed glass jar and spray nozzle. While wiping a mirror clean, they say, "With a fitting nozzle, any glass bottle can become a refillable spray bottle, perfect for homemade and refillable cleaning solution."
It's worth noting the inspiration for the video, as the TikToker writes in the caption, "Lots of localities no longer accept glass in curbside recycling."
How it's working
Reusing and repurposing waste products saves consumers time and money. No need to go shopping for food storage containers or new plant pots when you can simply reuse the empty glass jars you already have.
A new set of food storage containers could cost anywhere from $25 to $200. Why not reuse the glass jars you already have instead? The plant that Sustainability Matters shows in the TikTok video could cost about $25 at a plant nursery, but it's completely free if you grow it yourself, reusing a glass jar as a propagation pot.
In addition, finding ways to repurpose is also a great action to take for the environment. Experts estimate that every year more than 28 billion glass bottles and jars wind up in landfills. By reducing our consumption, we can contribute to less methane-releasing waste in landfills and less pollution in our oceans.
We can each do our part to contribute to our cooler, cleaner future by decreasing how many new products we purchase, reusing and repurposing what we do buy, and recycling as much waste as possible. All these actions help secure our food supply by shielding it from pollution while also protecting our communities from the more extreme effects of our changing climate.
There are many different ways to recycle unwanted products. Companies like ThredUP and For Days make it easy to recycle used clothing in exchange for cash or store credit. Many other companies are doing the same for other kinds of products.
What people are saying
The video garnered plenty of support from commenters.
One TikToker posted, "Excellent ideas I love this thank you!"
Another quipped: "I use an old bottle of Everclear as a watering can. Got some looks from the neighbors at first."
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