DIY Recycle: Juice cartons, batteries and light bulbs

BushcraftZ 2013

Recycling batteries and various light bulbs correctly is absolutely essential for our environment. Finding an appropriate, easy access, safe storage solution for collecting these small used items in the home is however often tedious.  I found a good idea in a craft book Creatissimo (ISBN 978-3-7724-5596-7) where milk cartons are up-cycled as storage units for batteries.  Below I share my own take on the concept.  I converted two liter juice cartons for into collection ‘houses’ for light bulbs and depleted batteries.

Materials:

• 2 x 2L juice or milk cartons
• corrugated and smooth cardboard remnants
• white craft paint
• black permanent markers and markers in any colour of your choice
• 2 x 1.5 cm x 1 cm Velcro remnant
• 2 x 10cm x 1.5cm wide ribbon remnant
• craft knife and cutting mat, scissors, paintbrush, stapler, gel craft glue, ruler and pencil

BushcraftZ 2013

Method:

1. Wash out the cartons with soapy water, ensure that there is no juice or milk left inside the cartons and allow to dry completely inside and outside.
2. Paint the cartons on all sides with white craft paint.  You may need several layers to hide the print on the cartons.
3. Cut open three sides of the top of the carton with a craft knife.  Leave the side where the round pouring spout is connected to the carton.

   

   BushcraftZ 2013

4. Fold a 10 cm length of ribbon in half.  Add a little gel glue to the back of the one side of the Velcro and position it onto the ribbon approximately 0.5cm from the middle fold .  Use the stapler to staple the Velcro in place.  Fold the ribbon in half and glue the two halves together to hide the back of the staples.  Allow to dry.

   

   BushcraftZ 2013

5. Attach the ribbon onto the lid (side opposite to the carton spout)of the carton with the stapler and a little glue.  Close the lid and determine the position of the second half of the Velcro on the side of the carton.  Mark the position with a pencil.  Glue the Velcro in place and secure neatly with the two staples.

   

   BushcraftZ 2013

   

   BushcraftZ 2013

6. Paint the corrugated cardboard white.  Measure the size of the roof and cut out two corrugated roof tiles for each roof. Determine the position of the spout and cut a round hole into one of the two roof tiles so that it can fit around the carton spout.  Glue the roof tiles into place.
7. Use carton remnants, marker pens to decorate the two cartons, one each for batteries and light bulbs.

   

   BushcraftZ 2013

8. Place the containers in a convenient spot.  Pop used batteries or light bulbs into the appropriate container though the carton spout or open the roof for easy access for larger items.  Once the containers are full, the collected contents can be delivered to an appropriate recycling collection point.