Reuse these and help the Bees

Happy belated ‘Don’t step on a Bee Day’

July 10 was International Don’t Step On A Bee Day. If you are like me, then this special day may have caught you by surprise, but do not dismay. Every day is a good day to celebrate these important insects and an equally as good day to practice reuse. So, why not do both today! Turn on some tunes by the Bee Gees or Sting, and hum along as you consider how you can reuse items in celebration of these essential pollinators.

Reuse Centre bee crafts.  Photo: Andrea

Reuse paper from around your home.

Use our blogger Ellen's tutorial for making paper, but add some bee-friendly wildflower seeds. Throughout the rest of the year you will create a buzz among your friends and family when you give gifts or share notes made from your finished product. These notes and tags are also the gift of a garden once planted. 🌷🌹🌻

A big ol' bag of shredded office paper.   Photo: Ellen Hanna

Save milk cartons, tin cans, and cardboard from your recycling.

Reuse these items to build a bee hotel that provides a much-needed rest for these buzzy critters and a home for their eggs through the winter. Or, watch this how-to video for a slightly more complex version requiring additional tools and pieces of wood. 

Don’t waste sticks, pine cones and fallen pieces of bark from parks and sidewalks in your area.

Go for a walk around your neighbourhood to observe the mighty bee in action while you collect items from nature for reuse in a bee hotel made from your gathered materials. For inspiration look at these beautiful creations. 

Odds and ends such as string, yarn, shoeboxes, paper scraps, paper towel rolls and artificial flowers still have use. 

Challenge yourself to avoid buying all new materials when getting creative with or building activities for kiddos. Rather, you can visit the Reuse Centre to find items you need for doing these Bee & Pollinator Activities created by the Edmonton Area Land Trust.

Lastly, reward yourself for a reuse project well done with a drizzle of honey in a cup of tea or on a piece of warm, buttery toast!  Until next time, swarm wishes!😉

Submission by Andrea (staff)

'Recipes' to Reuse Packaging - Part 2

World Environment Day on June 5th served as an important reminder of just how precious our resources are and an abundance of those resources are used to produce the various packages we encounter everyday.  If you missed the opportunity to participate that day, then there is no better time than to start making reuse a daily practice! Whether or not you habitually reuse containers for their original purpose by refilling or not, these ‘recipes’ provide practical and delicious ways to reuse packages for a new purpose. The following items that you may habitually discard can be reused by getting creative.

A cereal box

Has new purpose as a solar oven with benefits for the whole family: it allows you to meet one of the UN Commitments for Environment Day by reducing our energy usage, keeps kiddos busy once school is out and saves everyone from missing out on glorious S’MORES in the unfortunate case of a fire ban during your summer camping adventures.

Created with Canva

Or check out these instructions to create a more durable camping solar oven.

An empty bag of birdseed or compost

Is now a garden apron that keeps the muddy work around your yard from making a mess of your clothes! Yard work is also safer with the help of a grocery bag hat to keep the heat of the sun off! You can read more about the challenge of dealing with plastic bags throughout Canada.

Apron and hat created by a Reuse Centre customer

A stash of candy wrappers

Can become purposeful again and add style when rolled into beads for DIY jewellery. Don’t want to try this project on your own? No worries, you can book a program or birthday party with us and our staff will help!

A laundry soap container

Has new use as a sitting or hanging plant pot that offers exceptionally easy watering! Create your whimsical and practical pots with this video.

Video sourced from YouTube

Though this compilation of common packaging and reuse ideas is far from exhaustive, it will hopefully inspire more reuse in your life! Some people struggle with the idea of crafting due to the perception (a reality at times) that crafts result in excess waste. But, I strive to find fun and function from my crafting efforts that will creatively reuse commonly wasted items. Continued success to all of you also striving to find creative re-useful crafts. Please share what household containers and packaging you struggle to reuse or what is your favourite way to reuse containers and packaging? Add your thoughts to the comments section below.

All photos and submission by Andrea (staff)