Sustainable Crafts
This beautiful plarn granny square is made by Harper Laughton.
Ever heard of plarn? It's a cool, sustainable, and super fun craft where you take used plastic bags and turn them into yarn! You cut the bags into strips, then connect them to make a long strand. And guess what? You can use it just like how you would use regular yarn to knit, crochet, or weave all sorts of things! Plarn is awesome because it's super strong, waterproof, and eco-friendly. Instead of ending up in a landfill, those old bags get a new life!
This beautiful cut flower framed art is made by Emma Lu.
Cut flower reuse is a great way to keep enjoying flowers even after they start to wilt. Instead of throwing them away, you can dry the flowers by hanging them upside down in a cool, dry place. Once they’re dry, you can use them to make crafts like wreaths, bookmarks, or framed art. You can also take the petals and use them to make potpourri, which smells nice and can freshen up a room. Reusing cut flowers is a creative way to give them a second life and make something beautiful!
Photo source: www.jembellish.blogspot.com
Aluminum can tab bracelets are cool accessories made by reusing the little tabs from soda cans. Instead of throwing the tabs away, people collect them and turn them into creative bracelets. The tabs are linked together with ribbon, string, or stretchy cords to make colorful and shiny designs. Making these bracelets is a fun way to recycle and help the environment while creating something unique. Plus, it’s a great way to turn trash into treasure and show how recycling can be both helpful and creative!
Photo source: Ground Krewe
Recycled paper beads are colorful beads you can make using old magazines, newspapers, or other paper scraps. To make them, you cut the paper into long, skinny triangles, then roll them up tightly starting at the wide end. You glue the tip to keep the bead together, and you can even paint or coat it with glue to make it shiny and strong. These beads are great for making necklaces, bracelets, or keychains. It’s a fun way to recycle paper and turn something old into cool and unique jewelry!
Photo source: www.ginjacqie.com
A T-shirt tote bag is a cool and easy way to turn an old T-shirt into a reusable bag. To make one, you cut off the sleeves and neck of the shirt to make the opening of the bag. Then, you cut and tie the bottom of the shirt into knots to close it up, so it can hold things inside. You don’t even need to sew! These bags are great for carrying groceries, books, or toys. Making a T-shirt tote bag is a fun craft and a great way to recycle old clothes instead of throwing them away!
Photo source: www.mamaisdreaming.blogspot.com
Plastic bottle planters are a fun way to recycle old plastic bottles and grow plants. To make one, you cut a plastic bottle in half and use the bottom part as a pot for your plants. You can decorate the outside with paint or markers to make it colorful. Then, fill it with soil and plant seeds or small plants inside. The bottle helps hold water and keeps the soil from drying out too quickly. Plastic bottle planters are great for growing flowers, herbs, or even vegetables, and they’re a smart way to help the environment by reusing plastic!
Photo source: www.kidmademodern.com
Egg carton flowers are pretty crafts you can make by reusing old egg cartons. To make them, you cut out the small cups from the carton and shape them to look like flower petals. Then, you can paint them with bright colors to make them look like real flowers. You can even add a pompom or bead in the middle to make the flower’s center. These flowers are great for decorations, gifts, or fun art projects. Making egg carton flowers is an awesome way to recycle and turn something simple into something beautiful!
Photo source: www.amerooniedesigns.com
Scrap fabric bookmarks are a fun and easy way to reuse leftover fabric. To make one, you cut a piece of fabric into a strip or any shape you like, such as a rectangle or a heart. You can decorate it by gluing on buttons, ribbons, or other small pieces of fabric. If you want, you can sew the edges to make it stronger, but glue works too! These bookmarks are great for saving your place in books and are soft and colorful. Making scrap fabric bookmarks is a creative way to recycle and make something useful!
By Artist Beatie Gmeiner, Photo source: Antigo Visual Arts
Bottle cap art is a fun way to recycle old bottle caps and make something cool! You can collect colorful caps from soda or juice bottles and use them to create pictures, patterns, or decorations. For example, you can glue them onto a piece of cardboard to make a mosaic or turn them into magnets for your fridge. You can even paint the caps to add more colors and designs. Bottle cap art is a creative way to reuse something that would normally get thrown away, and it helps the environment too!
Photo source: www.fabmums.com
Tin can lanterns are a fun and creative way to recycle old cans and make beautiful lights. To make one, you clean an empty can and carefully punch holes in it using a hammer and nail to create designs, like stars, hearts, or flowers. When you put a candle or small light inside, the light shines through the holes and makes pretty patterns. You can also paint or decorate the outside to make it colorful. Tin can lanterns are great for decorating your room or using outside at night, and they’re a cool way to turn trash into something useful!
Photo source: www.hellowonderful.co
Cork stamps are a fun way to make your own stamps using old corks from bottles. To make one, you take a cork and carve a simple shape, like a heart, star, or smiley face, into the flat end. Then, dip the carved end into paint or an ink pad and press it onto paper to make your design. You can use cork stamps to decorate cards, gift wrap, or notebooks. It’s a fun craft and a smart way to reuse corks instead of throwing them away!
Sustainable Practices
Biodegradable pots are the great containers you can use for planting stuff. They break down all by themselves over time! So, instead of hanging around forever like regular plastic pots, they disappear into the ground, which is totally friendly for the environment. They are made from stuff like peat, wood fiber, or even plant-based plastics, so they are way better for the planet than plastic pots. Plus, as they break down, they give the soil extra nutrients to help your plants grow big and strong. How cool is that?
Photo source: Earth.org
An aquaponic system is a way to grow plants and fish together that helps both thrive. Fish live in a tank and their waste makes the water rich in nutrients. This water is pumped to the plants, which use the nutrients to grow. The plants clean the water as they take in the nutrients, and the clean water goes back to the fish tank. It’s like a helpful cycle where the fish and plants take care of each other! Aquaponics uses less water than regular farming and doesn’t need soil, making it a cool and eco-friendly way to grow food.
Photo source: Swanson's Nursery
A drip irrigation system is a way to water plants that uses less water and keeps plants healthy. It works by using small tubes with tiny holes that drip water slowly right to the roots of the plants. This helps make sure the plants get just the right amount of water, and none is wasted on areas where it’s not needed. It’s really good for gardens and farms, especially in dry places, because it stops water from drying up in the sun. Drip irrigation is a simple and smart way to help plants grow!
A vertical farm is a way to grow plants in tall stacks, like shelves, instead of spreading them out on the ground. This helps save space, so it’s great for growing food in cities or places with little land. The plants grow indoors under special lights that act like the sun, and they get water and nutrients through pipes or trays. Vertical farms use less water than regular farming and don’t need soil, so they can grow food almost anywhere. It’s a smart and eco-friendly way to grow lots of fresh food in a small space!
Cover crops are plants that farmers grow to help the soil, not to eat. These special plants, like clover or rye, are planted between other crops or after the main crops are harvested. Cover crops protect the soil from wind and rain, so it doesn’t wash or blow away. They also add nutrients to the soil, making it healthier for the next crops. Some cover crops even help stop weeds from growing. Farmers use cover crops because they take care of the soil and help the farm stay strong and healthy for a long time.
Soil moisture sensors are tools that help check how much water is in the soil. They are placed in the ground near plants and measure if the soil is too dry, too wet, or just right for plants to grow. The sensor sends this information to a screen or a phone, so farmers or gardeners know when to water their plants. This helps save water by only watering when it’s needed. Soil moisture sensors are like little helpers that make sure plants stay healthy and don’t get too thirsty or too soggy!
Photo source: Home Depot
Rainwater harvesting is a way to save rainwater so we can use it later. When it rains, the water runs off rooftops, and instead of letting it go to waste, it is collected in big tanks or barrels. This saved water can be used to water plants, clean things, or give to animals. It’s really helpful in places where there isn’t a lot of water. Rainwater harvesting is a smart way to save water and help the environment!
Photo source: MIT News
Solar energy is power we get from the sun. Special panels called solar panels catch sunlight and turn it into electricity we can use in our homes, schools, or businesses. Solar energy is really good for the environment because it doesn’t cause pollution and never runs out, as long as the sun is shining. People use solar energy to power lights, charge batteries, or even heat water. It’s a clean and smart way to get energy from nature!
Photo source: Getty Images
Permaculture is a way of farming and gardening that works with nature to grow food in a healthy and sustainable way. It means planting different types of plants together that help each other, like vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Instead of using chemicals or wasteful methods, permaculture uses things like compost and rainwater to take care of the soil. The idea is to make a garden or farm that can grow food while keeping the earth healthy for a long time. It’s like making a little natural world where plants, animals, and people all help each other!
Photo source: dribbble.com
Green waste recycling is the process of turning plant materials, like grass, leaves, and branches, into something useful instead of throwing them away. Instead of sending these things to the trash, they can be composted, which means they break down and turn into rich soil that helps new plants grow. Green waste can also be used to make mulch, which helps keep the soil healthy and stops weeds from growing. Recycling green waste is good for the environment because it reduces trash and helps create healthy soil for gardens and farms.
Photo by Boxuan Vandenboom
Luffa is a gourd-like plant that grows in warm climates and belongs to the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae). When harvested young, luffa is tender, nutritious, and commonly used in cooking, much like zucchini or squash. When the edible and delicious vegetable is left to mature and dry, its natural fibrous interior forms a durable yet gentle scrubbing surface, which makes it ideal for washing dishes and cleaning surfaces. Luffa is a highly sustainable and environmentally friendly cleaning tool and offers a biodegradable alternative to synthetic sponges and plastic-based scrubbers.