We’ve had an email from James:

I had a bit of a ding on my bike the other day, nothing serious but the front wheel ended up a bit crooked. I’m going to change it at the weekend but don’t know what to do with the slightly bent one. Ideas?

You could see if a bike recycling group (like re-cycle) could fix it – or if they work with youth groups, use it as a teaching aid.

Aside from that, train ivy/honeysuckle or something up it in the garden to make a themed feature?

Any other ideas?

(Photo by przybysz)

We had an email to our Compost This address from Mark, asking:

Can I compost bones, free from the butcher?

In the vast, vast, vast majority of cases, this would be a big no – the smell of any left over meat or marrow would probably attract unwanted vermin, they could introduce/encourage dangerous organisms which might not get broken down in the composting process and depending on the thickness of the bones, they could take an age to rot down and clog up your heap in the meantime.

But what else can be done with them? Any suggestions?

(Photo by redvisualg)

Karlie emailed over a clever idea that she saw on the Martha Stewart show recently – shopping bags out of old tshirts:

First the bottom hem of the shirt was sewn closed.

Finally, the sleeves were cut off.

It’s a great idea for t-shirts that are too baggy (ahem) or misshapen to go to charity shops – and when they’re worn out as bags, the fabric can be recycled again anyway.

Any other clever ideas for reusing old tee shirts?

(Photo by goodsignal)

We had an email to Compost This from Tracy, asking:

Just wondered if old wallpaper is compostable. Just stripped it all off my daughter’s bedroom walls and I am just starting on the rest of the house. I don’t know and wondered if you did. I would assume that it’s not due to the adhesive but thought I would ask you.

I’d agree with the “no, it’s not” verdict because of the synthetic contents of most pastes, dyes used for patterns and/or paints applied to the surface. But what else can be done with it?

When we stripped our living room a few years ago, we had some really big pieces – almost full strips – as well as those annoying scraps that JUST WON’T COME OFF THE WALL but we ended up just bundling it all up and throwing it anyway because we couldn’t think what else could be done with it.

Any suggestions?

(Photo by the wonderfully named Woopidoo2)

We’ve had a clever idea email from Victoria about making an oven/slow cooker out of polystyrene. We’ve covered moulded polystyrene in the past but I liked this idea so much that I thought I’d feature it again:

i have made an oven from recycled polystyrene when my next door neighbour got her new washing machine she had just the thing i needed to make my energy free oven. keep with me!

on www.selfsufficientish.com, they explain how to make an oven and it works.

i had an old storage unit one that goes out side that you can store all your veg in. i moved and had lots of storage in my new kitchen so no longer needed it. i put the polystyrene in and insulated my storage box. i also added balls in pillow cases around.

i put my stew on the hob for 5 mins popped it in my “oven” and 10 hours later hot stew cooked!

i was so amazed i want to make another for my friend but can not get my hands on the polystyrene.

i know that this is not everyone’s cup of tea but for me, its a great way to recycle.

It is indeed. Anyone else done this as well? Or made other cool things out of polystyrene?