Next time you finish that plastic jug of milk, don't throw it away. Garden Gate Magazine has just the tip for you.
The scoop
In a YouTube video, Katie from Garden Gate Magazine (@GardenGateMagazine) showcases how to turn your empty milk jug into a birdseed scoop from start to finish.
Rinse and dry a half-gallon or full-gallon jug before putting the lid back on. From there, mark an outline on the bottom half of the carton, leaving the side opposite the handle longer so you know where to make the cut for your scoop.
Once you've cut it using a box cutter or a pair of scissors, you can scoop birdseed easily from the bag to refill all of your feeders.
"It's great. You can go walk outside with this," Katie says, explaining just how easy it is.
The best part is that if the scoop's mouth is too wide for your tube feeder, you can simply unscrew the lid and fill it that way.
How it's helping
Katie's hack is phenomenal in so many ways. It's easy, it's cheap, and it works.
It upcycles materials you already have, saving money and a trip to the store while cutting back on waste. It's multifunctional, with two ways to funnel the seeds into the feeders, making it worth the value of two scoopers. It's a major bang for your buck.
Whenever you have to throw something away, it's always good to consider how it can be repurposed or recycled instead. Why buy something you don't need when you've already paid for it and have it right in front of you? You can also use milk jugs to grow fresh herbs and vegetables. They can even turn into mini-greenhouses for growing plants.
If you are looking to get rid of things around the house, instead of throwing them away, make a profit off of it. Big brands like North Face, Carhartt, Marine Layer, Lululemon, Patagonia, and Levi's offer store credit for the clothes you send them.
For Days will take your old clothes and recycle them into new ones, no matter what shape they're in. Each bag is $20 but in return, you'll get $20 to shop on their site for new, sustainably made clothing. Big Sky Recycling will take unused electronics and use them to support troops.
Anything we can do to reduce waste is important because once these items reach landfills, they become part of the methane-producing wastelands that contribute to our changing climate.
Reducing plastic waste, like milk cartons, is especially important because microplastics take years to break down and end up everywhere — from the air we breathe to the food we eat. Ingesting microplastics has even been linked to dementia.
Keeping items out of our landfills is crucial to cooling our planet. The more you know, the more we grow.
What people are saying
The hack was much appreciated.
"So simple yet effective! Thanks for sharing!" one comment exclaimed.
"Great info," wrote another.
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