Explain that all over the world people use and discard empty plastic bottles. The bottles either add to rubbish heaps or look unattractive when they are thrown in gutters at the side of roads. We should try to reduce the amount of plastic we use and throw away. Sometimes they are recycled into other plastic products. However, the best thing is to reduce the amount of plastic we use and throw away, then to re-use the plastic we do have as much as possible, and finally to recycle it when we really can’t use it any more. One way to do this is by refilling a bottle with water from home, rather than buying another bottle each time you’re thirsty. We can also try to reuse bottles, to give them a new life.
Ask the Pioneers to list, in small groups, as many new uses they can for an empty plastic bottle. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- cut the bottom off for a cup (to hold pens, scissors etc)
- cut the top off for a funnel
- use it to store other liquids (re-label the bottle clearly)
- slice the bottom end off to use as a saucer for plant pots.
Let the group be creative if they come up with more ellaborate uses for the bottle
Try designing and making one or some of the suggested items or a different item that you came up with!
Can you decorate your bottle in its new role? Waterproof pens can make a stained glass effect or depending on its new use you could stick coloured paper, stickers or other decorations on the outside.
Take it further
Could you permanently replace something in your home or school using an upcycled plastic bottle craft?