Lizzy left a comment on the Suggestions page, asking:

How about Recycling things into energy saving things? For example, I use leftover cheapo clingfilm as secondary glazing on all single-glazed windows in winter – stick it round the edges with no gaps and hairdry it to make it pull tight and go ‘invisible’.

Also, the shiny silver insides of food packaging (cleaned) can be stuck on a piece of cardboard to be used as a radiator reflector panel. Living in a house that loses heat like a sieve (no cavity walls *shakes fist at builders* ) I would love to hear more ideas from all the imaginative people out there :)

I’m there with Lizzie on this one – I’m amazed by how few energy saving measures the previous owners of our new house have implemented and we’ll have a few busy weeks ahead getting the house into a better, warmer state before winter properly kicks in.

So any suggestions? I like Lizzy’s idea and will certainly be investigating a secondary glazing option for our chilly (single-glazed!) porch. I’ll also be making sure all our hot water pipes are insulated – people have previous suggested using old yoga mats, waffle foam or foam drink holders for doing that.

Old bedding can be used to add another lining layer to curtains and fabric scraps/old clothes can be turned into draft excluders for the bottom of doors. Also don’t forget to turn old woollies into slipper socks and/or wrist warmers so you don’t feel the cold quite so much.

Other ideas?

We’ve had an email from Alfonso, asking:

Can I recycle a torn rubber flipper (the kind used for snorkelling)? I know you can get recycled rubber products.

Rubber recycling is quite common – car tyres being the most common thing collected and reused – but while I’ve seen bins for tyres at our local tip, our local tip guys seem pretty strict that it’s tyres only.

Does anyone know of any recycling companies that take rubber from individuals or anywhere it’s collected for recycling?

And what about reuses?

We’ve had an email from Dani:

You’ve said to avoid composting a lot of lemon peel, what can I do with it instead? There isn’t any juice left, just the tough yellow skin.

You should avoid composting too much of any citrus fruits in one go because it can make the compost overly acidic and when the peel is fresh, can make worms pull little bitter pursed lips faces and you don’t want to annoy your friendly compost worms ;)

You can, perhaps obviously, grated the peel to use as zesty pieces in baking or make candied lemon peel for snacking/cake-decorating.

Around the home, lemon peel is handy for freshening up garbage disposals or dry the skin and use it to add a fragrance to homemade pot pourri.

Any other suggestions?

I’m *finally* getting back on top of my email Inbox & feed reader after a few mad weeks of juggling work and house moves – here’s some super-interesting links I’ve been sent/read about.

• Andy at Hide Your Arms has pulled together a great list of 100 reuses/restyling ideas for old tshirts.
• MJ over at Making Do with the Not So New linked to Printable Paper – templates for printing specialist paper patterns rather than, for example, having to buy a 100-sheet pad of graph paper when you only need one sheet. They can also, obviously, be printed on the back of scrap paper too.
• I’m always a little sceptical about the value of petitions but this one on the Number10 website is about a good idea: making phone books opt-in.
• Nancy at 21centurydressmakers has been making photo/postcard stands using empty plastic bottles and other food containers.
• Calfinder have pulled together a short list of fantastic reuses for old window frames.
• And finally, pictured above, Mayaluna at maya*made has reused spent coffee grounds and an old sack to make a great smelling pin-cushion that also helps keep the pins & needles rust free.

We’ve had an email from Judy, asking about reuses for asthma spacers:

Y’know, the big plastic cone things where you put the inhaler in one end? They are now being recommended for adults too so there must be millions out there.

I understand hospitals in Australia sterilise them for reuse.

In third world countries kids sometimes have to use empty water bottles and although I did read these are effective it seems wrong to have one standard for our kids and one for other people’s. I mean if they are *that* effective why are we getting the *proper* version on the NHS and not using old bottles ourselves? They ain’t cheap either as anyone who has had to buy a spare will know.

Apparently there have been several studies proving that plastic bottles just about as effective as the specially produced ones – I guess the (cynical) answer to Judy’s “why aren’t we just using bottles?” question is that someone realised there was a buck to be had making something special ;)

So that’s one way to make them by recycling/reusing something that is usually considered waste – but what are the options for used purpose-built asthma spacers? Does anyone know of any sterilising/redistribution schemes?