Six Projects to Make With Recycled Plastic Bottles and Jugs
Recycle empty plastic bottles and jugs into these fun and useful projects.
TEN-MINUTE BIRD FEEDER
Cut four holes 2″ from the bottom on each side of a half-gallon milk jug. Below each hole, make a small hole and poke dowels or sticks through the feeder. Ask an adult to drill a small hole in the cap.
Attach a string or metal coat hanger, fill with birdseed and hang it up.
SELF-WATERING PLANTER
Cut the top third off a 2-liter plastic bottle. Ask an adult to drill a small hole in the cap. Pass a string through the hole. Fill the bottom of the bottle about half way with water. Place the top upside-down in the bottom and put in your plant. The string will wick up the water into the soil.
BALL TOSS GAME
Cut the bottoms off two 1-gallon milk jugs. Make a ball from rolled-up plastic grocery bags and tape. Enjoy a game of catch.
QUICKER BERRY PICKER
Cut a hand-size hole opposite the handle on a 1-gallon milk jug. Slide the handle onto your belt. You’re ready to pick and hold more berries.
FLYING SAUCERS
Cut the bottom from a milk jug about 3″ high. Cut three or four 3″ circles from the upper part of the jug. Try to sail the disks into the milk-jug bottom.
GARDEN SCOOP OR BOAT BAILER
Cut a 1-gallon milk jug at an angle as shown. This is great for spreading compost or removing water from a boat.
PHOTOS OF COMPLETED PROJECT
Check out these photos of the completed project sent to us by Boys’ Life readers. If you have a photos of a BL Workshop project, please use the form below to send them to us.
MY MOM WILL LOVE THE SELF PLANTER!!!
self watering planter i mean
this is neat! 🙂
I likey
last four are strange
lol hf (laugh out loud) (have fun)
first two are cool
any more ideas??
Simple things can still be cool
awesome
Does anyone know how to make a sculpture of a flying bird out of a two litre plastic milk bottle? I’m trying but haven’t got it right yet. it looks like a flying swan at the moment!
great tips and work very well
cool ideas for the bird feeders
awesome ideas. this was a BIG HELP!
i like the self watering plant!
Simple tips but great ideas!!!
yea me to
cool i’ll try most of them.
awsome dude
I think almost everyone was to simple except the self-watering plant
I would love to see how to make a robot. How about electricity projects?!
lol
For the self-watering planter, it may be useful to know some of these tips.
1) use COTTON string. plastic stuff won’t work.
2) use about 5 strings. one string will not bring anough water to the plant.
3) use soil made for seed starting or potting. regualr soil from the garden will compress and become some what like concrete (not good)
4) once in a while, take apart the planter and wash the water resvoir and strings.
the best of luck
these are all eally cool and i think i might try some. these projects are becoming really fun for me and my family!!!
I punched holes and added a string handle to help get the planter out. This makes it easier to add water. I also decorated the base for Valentine’s Day.
cool
I am gonna try out the feeder.
good
Has anybody made the self watering plant holder? Has anybody made modificacons to it?
good, i’l use those
i like the first 2 they recycle and help the environment
i like the self watering planter thats awsome
I thought the SELF- WATERING PLANTER was interesting.
What about a fish feeder using half of a empty milk jug. Poke/drill a hole in the cap, crumble the food, put food in top of jug, watch fish eat.
Awsome
card board orange juice cartons r better for bird feeders ’cause if they fall they decompose
cool im in cubscouts i think we should do it
rad
cool!
We need something kooler like traps
i did the second one today
That is way too simple do something alout cooler!
i really like the second one
awsome i will do all 6
COOL
That self-watering planter was a great idea!
I Love those ideas
really cool i like th idea of the berry picker holder
Do somthing COOLER
TOO SIMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i think all those 6 projects are good to do
You have bright ideas in recycling used plastic jugs into practical use. Regards from the Philippines.
TOO SIMPLE ,DO SOMETHING COOLER.
i thought the bird feeder is a good idea