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o Egg cartons
o Tetra-pak cartons
o Plastic bottles
o Plastic containers for cherry tomatoes
o Old boots and shoes
o Plastic containers for takeaways
o The cardboard centres from toilet rolls
o Plastic icecream containers.
Lawn clippings can be used to cover weeds and keep from growing in the garden through winter.
Broken crockery can be used as drainage at the bottom of pot plants.
Tin cans can be used as:
o Water reservoirs for new plants and trees. Tape a piece of hose pipe in a can and fill the
can with scoria or pumice. Then, when you plant a new tree or plant, bury the can below
the root level and leave enough hose poking out of the ground. You can water the plant in
summer by pouring the water into hose pipe. If the hose is short enough it can be mowed
over on a lawn and does not look obtrusive.
o Pot plant holders. Decorate the outside of the can to your liking, put some soil in it and
plant away. (Make sure you put some drainage holes in the bottom of the tin before you
start potting the plants.)
Old newspapers (including those gathered from your friends) can be used to mulch and weed
control the garden. Wet newspaper and place thickly on the garden. Cover with bark or stones.
Plastic milk bottles can be used to hold snail bait and are pet proof.
Old stockings can be used to tie up plants in the garden.
Plastic icecream containers can be cut into strips for seed labels.
Ideas for recycling organic/garden waste:
Local pig farmers often appreciate any kitchen scraps that you can offer them. If you know of
any in your area, get in touch with them and find out if they are interested in your kitchen scraps.
If you've done any trimming of trees and hedges, contact the local Zoo to see if they can use
these for their animals, either as food or environment improvement.
Avoid using kitchen waste disposers and compost food scraps instead. This reduces the load on
sewage treatment plants and local government can concentrate on the treatment of real sewage.
If you need leaf mulch for your garden approach a local school and ask what they do with the
leaf litter. Some schools throw theirs away.
Get a couple of hens for the household. They eat all the kitchen scraps and provide fresh eggs
as a bonus.
Ideas for recycling other items:
Old or broken household goods such as toasters, transistor radios can be used by others for
parts. Sell them cheaply at a garage sale.
Carry a supermarket bag with you when you go walking so that you can pick up glass, litter or
other plastic bags.
Creches, schools and kindergartens often need boxes, plastic bags, old buttons, used wrapping
paper, greeting cards, ribbons, tiles, crockery and other materials for art resources. They may
also want old phones, keyboards, etc as learning toys. The DonateNZ website provides a way to
put donors and recipients in touch with each other.
Wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and boxes can be used to wrap someone else's presents.
Recycle jars by using them for home preserves.
In Auckland, batteries from toys and other electrical items can be saved and taken to the
hazmobile once a year for recycling.
Ice cream containers can be reused around the home in a number of ways: