We’ve had another email from our good friend Am (aka Delusion):

Me again, just wondering how can I recycle / reuse empty lipbalm tubes? I use the twisty lipbalm sticks and admit I use them a lot. I have a stash of small tubes with their lid casings and no ideas on how to re-use them.

I emailed the company that I got them from to ask for any suggestions / ideas on if they could be re-used by the company or recycled and surprise, no response! Anyone else help?

I’m also a bit of a balmaholic, particularly in the winter, and seem to have about a half a dozen sticks on the go at the moment in various bags and pockets around the place. I think I might move onto little pots – since they’re been easier to refill/reuse – for some of my balming needs but since I don’t always carry a bag, I’ll have to stick to tubes for those slip-in-the-pocket moments.

So any suggestions?

Apparently you can use Chapstick ones to hide microphones when you want to take down a president but, personally, I think those wires give it away a bit.

If there are any balm-makers out there, can you tell us if it’s possible to make homemade balm solid enough to refill the tubes?

(Photo by asolario)

We’ve had an email from Ashleigh, asking:

What can I do with old flat baking trays? They’re a bit rusty so we can’t use them for food anymore. Can they go in my green bin?

I’m not sure about the green bin because everywhere has different rules and it also depends what they’re made out of but the guys that collect scrap metal around here would probably take them.

As for reuses, the rust might come off with one of those metal scrubber things but it’ll obviously rust right up again if it gets wet a lot again – perhaps clean it up and paint it with some rust-preventing paint. If it’s got a lip all the way around the edge, it could then be used as tray under plants or for kids to use during messy craft session (the lip might help stop things spilling/spreading all over the place).

Any other suggestions? What about suggestions for trays that are completely flat or with just one raised edge?

(Photo (and craving for gingerbread caused) by Jenny Rollo)

Alison Bailey Smith has posted a couple of messages around the site recently about the things she makes out of old wires – culled from old televisions and the like – and they’re so fab, I thought they needed featuring a bit more prominently than buried in the comments section.

Alison has been repurposing old wires to make “jewellery and other wearable art” since 1988 and has made some truly gorgeous items. One of my favourite things is the blue hat, which is made from television wire and coffee bag wrappers, and I also love the beautifully shaped data cable basket and jewellery, including the bangle below.

I’ve made various bits of jewellery out of old wires (as we’re both geeky and hoarders, we’ve got loads of random dodgy cables lying around) but all my efforts have been a lot chunkier and plainer – Alison’s work has inspired me to keep at it with the hope that one day I’ll be able to make something as pretty and delicate as her items. But she also takes commissions so if you like something but don’t fancy giving it a go yourself, you should get in touch with her :)

• How can I reuse or recycle a bundle of wires?
• How can I reuse or recycle old televisions?
• How can I reuse or recycle a wire guitar strings?

We’ve had an email from Simon:

Any ideas on how to recycle squash balls? I play squash 4-5 times a week so end up with loads that are past their best. I’m sure there must be something better I can do than just throw them away? Suggestions I’ve had were to use them in the washing machine (?), in the cistern to save water, cover them in glitter to make xmas decs or make my own lottery / bingo set ….

I think the washing machine thing is like part of the idea behind washing balls (Ecoballs etc) – they bang against the clothes and the friction helps remove the grim and dirt, or something. That’s an awful explanation – sorry. Can anyone explain it better?

The lottery/bingo idea may seem a bit of a joke but if a local school fair or church fete may be able to use a whole stack of them for just that purpose – so it may be worth offering on your local Freecycle group just in case.

Any other suggestions? Am I right in thinking they’re made from rubber – and if so, what are the recycling options? Anyone know?

(Photo by wizard)

We’ve had an email from Sara:

I am in charge of stationery orders at work, and I have recently been asked to order “rubber thimbles” because we have worn them out. So I looked at all these little rubber thimbles, and thought, do these all have to go to waste? Other than being jaunty little hats for stuffed toys around the office, what else can I do with these things?

Everyone has agreed before I order new ones we have to think of something to do with the current ones!

Hehe, I like the jaunty hat idea – I also love that your colleagues have agreed to holding off on reordering new things until the old ones have been dealt with.

Rubber can be recycled but I don’t know if m/any recycling companies would be interested in such small items. Anyone know?

And any other suggestions?