How can I reuse or recycle plastic cups?
A suggestion from Franto:
My office has a water cooler with a supply of plastic cups. I don’t go anywhere near it and fill my glass from the tap but my work colleagues seem to use a new cup for each sip of water they take, the bin is always over following with the damn things. I want to rescue them but don’t know what to do with them.
These people seem to collect plastic cups from workplaces in bulk so that might be an idea – but has anyone got any reuse suggestions?
(photo by reemreem)
You could grow seedlings in them before planting them out in your garden/allotment.
You could get this phonograph kit and make recordings on them:
http://verycoolthings.com/vct/Neo_getpage.cgi?page=itemtoy&itemID=13463&cool=
you can make some pretty cool geometric art out of plastic cups.
examples:
http://www.instructables.com/id/EP65RCD75LEP2LL7ER/
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/04/material_seduction_plastic_cup.html
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/08/make_podcast_weekend_projects_3.html
you could donate a personal glass to your colleagues so they won’t throw cups away any more!
I love this project!
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/sparkleball
I work for a company which re-uses the .25cups for mixing chemicals after using for the water from our cooler. However at the moment, after sourcing a new cooler with smaller .2cups we have a need for the larger cups to allow for the mixing so would like to find a company in order to obtain and re-use theirs and in turn help the environment,can anyone help? Kay.
Hi Kay
We use a vending machine in our office, and probably get through about 200 cups a week.
Do you still require plastic cups for your work?
Would they need to be washed out first?
Where abouts are you based? We are in Leicester, but also have offices in Sussex and Leeds.
Cheers
Shelby
Ooooh, prank the biggest offender. Before they come into work, stand like 200 cups on their desk, all of them touching, and then staple them together and pour water in each. They won’t be able to get them off!
Also, reduce! Ask your supervisor/higher power to put up signs or offer a mini pay-raise (maybe 5 cents a day?) for anyone who brings in reusable bottles.
Yeah thanks for that, didn’t really help me out much though…. I am now stuck with 500 cups sitting on a desk, full of water that no-one dares to move!!!! lol
Cheers for the advise.