Green Changes That Make A Difference No Matter How Small They May Seem

By Iulia P

Sometimes, people come through and prove that humanity is beautiful at its core, and there is hope for the future. We live in some difficult times, and yes, some people do not care as much as we wish. But this is not about them but about those fantastic people who care and are doing whatever they can to take the initiative and fight both plastic pollution and food waste. They might not be that many, but they are right there doing something that has a huge impact every single day. And for this, we salute them! Let’s see some cool ideas on how to help reduce the waste we produce in our daily lives. We can all do something starting today!

No more waste

How often did you have some leftover sauce and you did not bring it home with you but instead threw it in the trash? If you take a moment to look around while you’re at the fast-food restaurant you would notice that it happens a lot.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/AmericanMustache

And it seems like some of the fast-food joints have noticed it too and are willing to take action against this bad habit. Chick-fil-a decided that they didn’t want to be a part of the group that did not care. Way to go!

Tire chairs

Tires – they might look “innocent,” but they can be hard on Mother Nature. Studies have shown that tires are the second primary pollutant in our Earth’s waters, after synthetic textiles. They pollute the seas, the land, and the air, too, if burned.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Running_With_Dragon

We realize the necessity of wheels. But they can be upcycled in a million ways! People have come up with great ideas, and just like the person who came up with this tire chair idea, they are doing something to save the Earth every day.

Milk jug bench

A Reddit user posted a picture of a random bench at Legoland, and as ordinary as it looks, there is something special about it as well as all the other benches there. They are made out of used milk jugs.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/playr_4

More precisely, they used 800 milk jugs in the making of every bench. We know a few ways to re-use a milk jug, but we never thought they could be transformed into something useful. Now, this is a terrific way to recycle.

Biodegradable

There is no brand that needs to be supported by customers more than a brand that is making sure that it doesn’t harm the environment with its products. One of these brands that is doing its part is the one in the picture below.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/playr_4

They could have easily chosen a more stylish and cute packaging for their product, yet they chose the safer and less aesthetic way: a recyclable bottle made out of what looks to be cardboard. We are waiting for this to catch on!

Coffee fettuccine

There are many options and flavor combinations of coffee but have you ever heard of coffee fettuccine? Probably not, but we assure you that this is the best yet the most unexpected combination ever! We highly recommend giving it a go. Skeptical?

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/rambro47

Yes, it sounds a bit weird. Why would someone mix coffee with dried pasta? But it doesn’t sound as odd if we tell you that the noodles are there to make sure no more plastic or wooden stir sticks will harm the environment.

No more wasting popcorn

We find that it’s really common to waste food. If the food is still in a good, eatable condition, people should think about their options before throwing it in the trash. It seems like this cinema would totally agree with us.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/konronbonbon

The cinema noticed the amount of popcorn wasted after every movie, and they decided to take action, and they came up with an awesome idea. They made a bin for the leftover popcorn that would go to local farms. Those animals are so lucky.

Old Mac computers

Mac computers are some excellent devices that are practical for everyone, from the lawyer to the student. And this solution to old computers is ideal from all points of view: from helping you with your homework to helping you relax and supporting you, literally.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Knucklephuck

This school in the USA decided to re-use their old, nonfunctional Mac computers by making them into benches that they put all over the hallways. A Mac bench? This is not a bad idea at all, and Apple should take some notes and maybe do something out of this idea.

Ipad case surprise!

This Reddit user had a pretty cool surprise when he opened the case of his Ipad. And to be honest, we were shocked too, and this is because one would expect some spongy material inside their tablet case but not something like this.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Theultravisitor

As crazy as it may look, we have to admit that toothpaste boxes offer perfect protection. Whoever the company is behind this case is a genius and should be praised for considering the well-being of our Earth and not just the money.

Leftover popcorn?

If you have some leftover popcorn from that movie that your date took you to and you don’t have any local farms around, here is a cool idea on how to use it: eco-friendly packing material. This is so brilliant!

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/kevpoo

We would have never thought of something like this but we’re glad someone came up with packing their products into a box full of popcorn. They make sure the product arrives intact, but they make sure the customer will enjoy a bowl of popcorn. (Just kidding about the second part.)

Recycled gum

If you eat gum on the daily, you probably do not know the amount of harm a single piece can do to the ecosystem. But for those who do know, someone found a solution to this, and we think it will pop up everywhere.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Ollymotion

Someone out there took some chewing gum and transformed it into a gum trash can. What makes this so clever is that this isn’t an issue that is talked about a lot, if at all. We weren’t even aware of it!

Save our beaches

How many times have you gone to the beach only to find a lot of trash people left behind? This happens everywhere, and it is fair to say that at this point, the trash left on the beach is a pandemic.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/busty-sinclair

And we tend to believe that it may be as severe as the pandemic we are going through right now. And it seems like there are people who took action. Here is a litter picking station placed right at the entrance of one of the UK beaches.

Kitty litter

We have never seen anything like this, but we are so here for it! If you are a cat owner, you know that the kitty litter comes in plastic bags and a cat uses up to 2 or 3 bags a month. Now that is a lot of plastic.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/pixiegurly

But PetCo saw the problem and came up with the idea to sell kitty litter for cheap to whoever comes with his own container. This strategy to help the plastic crisis is brilliant because who does not love having less trash to take out?

Old Tires

If you have old tires in your garage and you don’t want to transform them into tire chairs, we have another idea for you: soles made out of tires. Something tells us that they may last longer than the average boots.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/ZombieSpacema

If you are interested in switching your regular boots for boots like those pictured above, you just have to go to your local cobbler. Apparently, a project like this is not hard at all if one has the right tools.

No more wasting packaging

Someone decided to get themselves some guitar picks, and the seller chose not to waste any more paper or packaging and send those babies in the receipt for the order. Simple, practical, and environmentally friendly – we love it.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Mr_Blue

Meanwhile, out there, there are companies who pack their products in boxes 10 times bigger than it is supposed to be. And not only that, but they add so much wrapping paper, it is crazy! These companies could take notes.

Reused water

Looking at the picture below, we realize that we still have hope in humanity. The person who came up with this idea is most likely grateful for the clean water that he has access to every day. As we all should be!

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/disasterbenz

So in order not to waste the clean water that comes out when someone drinks from that fountain, they created what looks like a plant watering system. It is a great idea and we would love to see these more often.

Construction signs

We never knew that you could recycle the construction signs that are not useful anymore this way, but now that we saw it, we are here for it! It looks funky, and we would definitely check out a place that is this creative.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/please_hava_seat

Seeing these tables, we can not help but wonder if this bar gives their drinks in construction safety hats. Because if they do, we are going to have a check it out. A night out does not sound so bad right now.

Cool post idea

A local post office in Germany sells this kind of envelope. The paper (which is obviously eco-friendly) is filled with plant seeds. This way not only do you help the pollution crisis but also help make the local environment more beautiful.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/HandsUpN

According to the Reddit user, there are instructions on how to use it on the back of the envelope. After taking your letter out, you just need to pick a place to plant the envelop and water it. After that, you just have to wait for your surprise.

No more plastic for this bar

Did you know that it takes 100 years for a single used plastic straw to decompose? That is a whole century, and this means multiple generations will be affected in one way or another by us using these little things.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/thesecondmissbennet

This is probably why single-use plastic straws are considered to be one of the leading plastic pollutants. Some companies are aware of this and have started to take action and have turned to stainless steel straws or even hay straws.

A cup of motivation

There is no better way to get someone’s interest than offering someone something free. And it looks like this coffee shop knows how things work, so they came out with a very good idea. We would even call it brilliant.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/averagecronch

Whoever wants a good coffee but doesn’t have the cash to get it, all they have to do is fill that bucket up with trash other people left behind in the park. We are curious how many free coffees a day this cafe gives.

Encouraging

Here is a hotel that knows what most of its customers do and in order not to make them feel ashamed, the staff is encouraging them. Yes, taking the soap from your hotel room is encouraged at the Emerson hotel.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/TroutingAround

Not only do they encourage it, but they want so badly for you to take that soap you used back home with you that they give you a tiny bag to pack it in. And all of this because they are trying to reduce waste. This is a business that should be supported.

Recycling 101

Let’s be honest! There are people out there that do not know how to recycle or, do not care that much and throw their waste in the first container without checking to see if it’s the right one or not.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/dreamingofdre

This supermarket found a solution for people like this: displaying the objects above the container where they should go. This is brilliant, and according to the person who posted this photo to Reddit, it proved to be very effective. Success stories are our favorites.

The grocery bag bench

This is what it looks like when you recycle those plastic grocery bags that you collect in the bottom drawer. Looks really cool, doesn’t it? Maybe it is time for you to give them up and help build another bench before you switch to a reusable bag.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Antriksh

This bench is made of thousands of recycled plastic bags; it looks nice and comfy. The only con about it is that, unfortunately, not many decide to build street furniture from recycled plastic because it is way more expensive than a regular one.

No more wasting food

This is probably a board that every restaurant, buffet or not, should have at the entrance. Because food waste is at an all-time high nowadays, something as simple as this could be an eye-opener and warning for many of their customers.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Geistesgegenwar

Nowadays, we are so used to having whatever we need at our fingertips that reminders like this help us be more mindful. With simple signs like this – without judgmental phraseology – restaurants everywhere could accomplish a lot and waste less.

Another type of awareness

After trying so many times to bring awareness to the masses and let people know that the trash they leave behind them is hazardous, the administrator of this beach came up with a really fantastic idea. Can you tell what it is?

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/TookMeEonsToMakeThis

He took the most commonly found garbage and wrote under each object how long it takes to decompose. According to the user who posted this picture, this worked like magic, and the beach is cleaner. A simple act has already gone a long way.

Beer bottles

We saw a couple of ways to recycle bottles, but this one is by far the most stylish. Glass is probably one of the objects that take the longest to decompose, sometimes taking up to one million years. We can’t even comprehend that amount of time.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/bukithd

That is an eternity if you ask us. So if you happen to have a lot of glass jars or bottles that you do not use anymore, consider upcycling them into a stunning and chic kitchen countertop. This is an absolute win-win.

The rag

This hotel noticed that some of its customers had been staining the good towels by using them to wash their makeup off or cleaning up the coffee spills. They were not happy because of the waste, so they came up with an idea.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/SlipperyPockets

They came up with “The Rag,” an old towel that is stained but clean and can be used to wipe different surfaces or wash that stubborn makeup off. This is an awesome way to keep the good towels intact and recycle the bad ones.

A challange

What you see in the picture below is a challenge. A silent challenge to whoever passes by to make sure they throw away their trash without missing the can. After all, who can resist trying to dunk in a basketball hoop?

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Oltaru

This is how most of the trash cans look in the Reddit user’s high school and according to her, the littering has been reduced significantly ever since they put them around the halls. Here is another proven way to fight against littering.

Green thumb

This is probably a gardener’s version of Kinder surprise: a pot that comes with a tag that has herb seeds in it. We wonder if this was a marketing idea or if the company was founded based on this idea.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Noremac77

The fun thing about this is that you get different herb seeds to plant for each size and shape of pans and pots. How cool would it be to flavor your food with the herbs you planted and grew?

Reusable can

It takes up to 250 years for an aluminum can to decompose, yet people haven’t really thought of a practical solution to make them reusable. That is, until this water brand decided to put an end to the can pollution.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/kaconal

And it’s fair to say that they did an excellent job transforming this can into a reusable cup. And can we take a moment to appreciate the slogan they printed on the can? “Good planets are hard to find. Please recycle this can!”

Laminated forms

Here is a great idea on reducing ink and paper consumption at your office: laminated forms. The exact times that a laminated form can be used is unknown. but we are sure that it can last for years, since it is plastic.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/sparaticRyan

The dentist’s office knew what to do in order to reduce paper and ink waste. You might be thinking, “but it’s plastic. Plastic is bad,” and you’re right. But think of all the materials that will be saved in this office!

Circuit boards

If you are into electronics and computers and it happens that you have some circuit boards in your stash that do not work we might know what you should do in order to recycle them: make agenda, notebook, or sketchbook covers.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/jw2498

This is a gift that would totally be appreciated by someone who is into computers. And the best part of this is that it is super easy to make and you can actually make it at home if you have the proper machine to punch holes in it.

The container house

Another way to recycle containers that are not useful anymore is to transform them into offices or even houses. The building will not take too long to erect and on top of this, industrial architectural and interior design are trending.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/dogmum21

If you live an eco-friendly life and you try to reduce your waste as much as possible, this is the perfect way to do it. Transforming them into rooms does not pollute and the costs are really low. If this does not convince you to try it out, then we don’t know what could.

The iron artist

The person who recycled these tools and made them into a whole gate is nothing but a very talented artist. The vision that they had was incredible and unique. This isn’t something you see every day, but we’d love it if it became a trend.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Maja Szczypek

What is really cool about this gate is that you notice that it has real tools only when you get close because from a distance all these looks exactly like tree branches and birds. To the person who made this, chapeau!

An alternative

The regular egg tray that we all know is recyclable and whoever decided it to be this way deserves a prize because most supermarkets around the world sell their eggs this way. But did you know there is another way to package them?

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/basicallytraveling

Besides selling them in the regular paper trays and paper bags, we mean. It turns out that there is a brand that sells its eggs in trays made out of hay and straws. It is friendly with the environment and it looks very rustic too. Perfect combo.

Recycled coffee

The cup in the picture below is made entirely from coffee grounds. It looks like we might have another way to re-use the product that is left after the coffee was brewed. And it has so many neat, unique qualities.

Photo courtesy of wqreddit.com/halfandhafu

You will want to switch from your regular coffee cup. These awesome mugs are made in Germany and they are just like the normal cups with two specifications that make them more awesome: they are more durable and they always smell like coffee.

No wasting water here either

Another cool person decided that the water used to wash the cups will not be wasted anymore. So they put the restaurant’s best buddies, the two plants, under the two taps, this way making sure that they are always watered.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/hubbubuk

The plants are happy, the environment is even more content and the whole community who saw this picture agreed that this is exactly the kind of action little cafes or bars should take in order to combat the waste of water.

Indian people know

We’ve heard that the Indian street food is on another level of yum but now we know that most of the sellers sell their products in biodegradable bowls, plates, and wrapping made out of leaves. And it makes us so happy!

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/magicaldaydream,Niko Niko

They take random leaves, mix them with paper and cardboard and they press them into these bowls. Usually, they serve desserts, savory sauce, and other yummy Indian street foods that we totally love to indulge in whenever we get the chance.

Friendly confetti

This is the only confetti that you will need for the party that you’re organizing. We all know that even if confetti is made out of paper, it is still harmful to the environment, especially for the birds who think it is food.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/notloh

Well, this brand came up with an awesome idea. They created cardboard confetti that has seeds in it. This way the party location will grow different wildflowers and herbs. And they are safe for the birds to munch on, too.

No bag needed

Vans is another company that saw the possibility of reducing the plastic in their wrapping and boxes so they did not waste a minute before taking action. So in order to be more eco-friendly they stuck a band on the cardboard boxes.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Flupsy

Now whoever will buy a pair of Vans will not be given a plastic bag because it is not necessary. This is awesome and we cannot help but wonder why other shoe companies do not do this too. Maybe it will catch on!

Coffee compost

If there are companies who make cups from coffee compost, some other companies prefer to give it away for free to their customers who are green-minded. It is necessary to say that coffee makes an awesome foodsource for your plants.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/Flupsy

And this is a good way, from a marketing point of view, to keep your clients close too. Especially the ones who love gardening and who appreciate a free gift like this one. Now can someone tell us where this is? We need a bag of coffee compost too.

Japan does it better

We have to admit that so far Japan and other countries in Asia are doing way better when it comes to protecting the environment and the pictures we’ve seen so far here speak to this. Here is another one that will blow your mind.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/AmazingJesusChri

Here is a toilet which has which refills every time someone uses the tap to wash their hands. this way the water will not be wasted but used to flush the toilet. Why isn’t this model of toilet common? We don’t know but it totally should be.

The bread shop knows

Here is a bread shop that knows food should never be thrown away. And when we say never, we mean it! There are too many ways to use it once it is not sellable or has gone stale or moldy.

Photo courtesy of reddit.com/treanegno

So every day when they close they take all the bread, croissants and other bread and pastry products and place them outside for the people less fortunate to take. This is so thoughtful and we are sure this managed to put a smile on many faces.