If you live anywhere near Dewsbury, West Yorks (in the UK) and like music, real ale and sausages, you should head down to the pub in the train station this weekend for their “Beer, Bangers and Blues” festival.

How does this link to recycling, you might be saying to yourself? Well, John’s “acoustic folk-country-scifi-gospel fusion band” The Gillroyd Parade are playing on Saturday and like all good acoustic folk-country-scifi-gospel fusion bands, harmonicas are used quite liberally throughout the set.

I didn’t know until recently that harmonicas have a limited life span. I just assumed they were like trumpets or whatever – with care they’ll last for years and years – but the reeds inside harmonicas get warped quite easily (particularly when the player bends notes) and once they’re damaged, that’s pretty much it unless you want to play bum notes.

So what can be done with these harps once they’re no longer fit for their musical role? Any practical or arty ideas? I’ve included the second picture to show off the individual inside bits of the instrument, which I guess could be used separated.

(Photos by cralize for Wikimedia Commons)

We’ve had an email from Becki Marsh Cox:

I go swimming at my gym everyday and even though I rinse them straight afterwards, my swimsuits always begin to thin after a couple of months. I usually go for cheap costumes but have had the same experience with more expensive ones.

I was wondering if you or any of your readers knew any secret ways to make them last longer or ways I can use the fabric elsewhere? It’s usually the bit stretched across my chest or the seams on the straps that goes first – the rest is fine. Thanks!

(Photo by dinny)

We’ve had an email from Neil Williams:

I’ve just moved into a new house and when I finally hacked through the nettles at the bottom of the garden, I found a set of old car tyres.

They look like they’ve been there for a good few years so probably aren’t any good for a car now and I know some companies make them into mouse pads and stuff but I was wondering what I can do with them myself.

My dad used to use tyres (AKA tires) as planters for growing veg – a single tyre became an instant raised beds for lettuce or herbs or a few stacked on top of each other became deep bins for potatoes. I guess the stacked ones could also be used as a compost heap too.

Any other suggestions?

(Photo by dragon_art)

John bought some apples from a supermarket a couple of weeks ago. He didn’t want a full pre-packed bag and the loose ones were bruised and icky because it was late in the day, so ended up getting four in a shaped foam tray. Said apples got eaten and said foam tray got left waiting for its next use.

We’ve already looked at flat foam veg trays – and there have been some good suggestions that would work well with shaped trays like these (especially the paint-mixing ones and the packing material ones) – but is there anything else that can particularly take advantage of the curvy bowl shapes?

An email from Kathy:

OK this probably isn’t going to be a common thing people will need to recycle but I was cleaning out a cupboard at work and found some old glass test tubes. I have no idea where they came from but don’t want to throw them away if there is anything fun to do with them.

They’re not spotless so they must have been used at some time, no idea what for, some of the stain look almost waxy, but now most of them are just dusty.

I remember a few years ago, there was a trend for drinking shots out of test tubes but if you don’t know what’s been in them, you probably shouldn’t be using them as glasses for your next party… I’ve also seen them used for single stem vases – but I guess you’d need some sort of holder too.

Any better ideas?

(Photo by Vierdrie)