Recycling plastic barrels is a smart way to help protect the environment. Reusing plastic barrels around the home keeps them out of landfills for years. Due to steadily rising municipal water costs, and the desire to help save the world's most precious natural resource, the majority of plastic barrel reuse is as rainwater run-off collection vessels. Because plastic barrels come in various shapes and sizes, use is limited only by the imagination. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Modify plastic barrels to collect rainwater to water lawns, vegetable gardens, wash cars, wash clothing, and to use as drip irrigation systems. Turn barrels into self-watering vegetable and flower planters.
2. Use wide-mouth barrels to collect compost. Save coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, eggshells, fruits and vegetables, nut shells in them. Include yard trimmings, leaves, grass clippings, hay and straw, shredded newspaper, sawdust, cow and horse manure, dryer and vacuum lint, and wood chips. Add finished compost to garden soil to reduce fertilizer usage, to produce more and healthier vegetables, and to condition and replenish soil nutrients.
3. Use plastic barrels to store Christmas decorations and wrapping paper. Store powdered laundry detergent, dry dog and cat food, cat litter, and other dry goods susceptible to being overturned and getting wet.
4. Use various sizes of barrels as storage bins for small hand tools, power cords, emergency food, water, and other emergency supplies. Store blankets and off-season clothing in them. Use plastic barrels as receptacles for items to donate to charity. Put them on patios to store charcoal, wood chips, potting mix, fertilizer, garden hoses and patio furniture cushions.
5. Cut the barrel covers to fit snugly three-fourths of the way down inside the barrels. Solder or cut holes in the covers to hold broom handles, mops, rakes and other long-handled cleaning and lawn tools.
Tags: plastic barrels, barrels collect, plastic barrels, wood chips