On our How can I reuse or recycle dental floss packaging? post, Tina asked:

how do you recycle floss?

This may be one of those things that some people will “urrgh” at but it’s only nylon thread really. While I wouldn’t use it for, say, sterile suturing of a wound, I’m sure it would be fine for plenty of tasks after washing off any chunky bits. I can’t think of anything specific right now (my brain is still asleep) but I guess … whatever you’d tie up with a length of nylon thread for.

Anyone got more specific suggestions? Or any creative ideas?

(Photo by carlohh)

Next Sunday is World Water Day so I thought we’d run with that theme here on Recycle This this week.

Hopefully we’re all already doing what we can to reduce our water consumption – low-flush toilets, taking showers rather than baths, turning the tap off between rinses when cleaning our teeth, a water butt or two in the garden, etc – but what about reusing greywater from around the house – from that shower or bath, for example?

Proper greywater systems, which recycle washing water to flush toilets, can be expensive (in terms of set-up and space) to fit but drop household water usage by around 30%.

I know other people with showers-over baths take care with their soap use and save the water to use on their gardens, or use the still pretty-clean water to pre-soak heavily soiled clothes. (I take muddy clothes into the shower with me and stomp about on them to get the muck out before washing them as normal, saves needing a second run through the machine.)

Any other practical ways to reuse that water?

It’s International Women’s Day on Sunday (8th March) and over at Things To Do Today today, I’ve linked to a number of posts about green sanitary protection alternatives.

We’ve featured what do to with unused but unwanted sanitary towels and tampons on here before and there were lots of good suggestions including keeping towels around to use as bandages in emergencies and making tampons into art/a Thanksgiving centrepiece ;)

But what can be done with expired menstrual cups?

Manufacturers such as Diva Cup and Mooncup recommend they’re replaced every year because of government advice on silicone and because of the “personal, hygienic nature” of the product. I know some people keep using them anyway if the silicone is still in good condition because it seems such as waste to just fling them out – but I wonder if there are any ways to reuse it for other purposes instead.

And what about recycling? Silicone is recyclable, just not particularly widely – are there are programmes to recycle these cups in particular?

(Photo by Jip 26)

We’ve had a message from Helen, asking:

I have a rubber bath mat that the kids don’t seem to need any more. It’s (to be frank) a bit manky so I feel I can’t freecycle it. However I don’t want to just chuck it either. Is there a way to recycle something like this?

All suggestions gratefully received!

I’m sure there are tons of ways to reuse them around the home and garden. The first ones that spring to mind take advantage of the fact it’s non-slip – cut circles out of the least manky parts and there you go, non-slip mats for underneath plant pots or the like

Any other ideas?

(Oh, and if you’re wondering about fabric bathmats, we covered them a few months ago.)

Statement necklaces are apparently where it’s at fashion wise at the moment and Nancy from 21centurydressmakers made herself a fab piece to wear on New Year’s Eve – made from old shampoo bottles.

I love the different colours (such pretty blue and a lovely vibrant orange!) and the oval shapes – and how the curved shapes of the original bottles add to the finished shape of the necklace.

Awesome work, Nancy! Check out the how-to on her site if you want to make your own.