Posts tagged "bamboo"

How can I reuse or recycle a bamboo blind?

Bamboo blindWe’ve had an email from Kaye:

I’ve got a bamboo blind that I no longer need. What can I do with it?

If it’s still in good, usable condition, I’d suggest trying to eBay it or better still, put it on your local Freecycle group – someone else might be able to use it as a window shade, save them buying a new one.

Aside from that, if it’s the thin type of blind (the stuff that’s a bit thinner than the one in the picture), you could remove any blind fittings and roll it up to use as a picnic/beach mat, or could cut it down into being a table cover or placemats – a good pair of scissors will probably cut through it.

Heavier stuff can be used as screening in the garden – it can be used to make nice curves around paths and the like if you lie it on its side.

Any other suggestions?

(By the way, we’ve already covered slatted window blinds.)

How can I reuse or recycle … unwanted chopsticks?

ChopsticksWe’ve had an email from Carine:

I have huge chopsticks left from those Chinese delivery, since we usually don’t use them… fork and knives do better !!!
So what can I do with them.

The first thing I would say would be to ask the take-out place to not include them with your order – reducing is always better than dealing with the waste afterwards. But that obviously doesn’t address the stack Carine already has.

We’re still using some plastic ones we got with a delivery a few years ago and I recently re-used some “disposable” bamboo ones to when creating a mini-greenhouse around a cutting – I put the cutting in an old clear plastic bag and used the chopsticks to keep the bag away from the cutting.

Any other suggestions?

(Photo by Penny Matthews)