Creative and Eco-Friendly Ways to Reuse Boxes, Bubble Wrap, and More

Cardboard Boxes

• Kindling - Tear up cardboard and packing paper to make dry kindling for fires. You can even roll the cardboard around large logs to help start them. To put out a campfire, soak some cardboard in water and throw it on the glowing embers. It will help stifle the fire and put it out without drowning the fire site. The next day, the cardboard should be dry and ready to act as kindling.
  
  
• Garden borders - Use the cardboard as a border for garden beds and paths. You can even cut it to fit a desired shape--perhaps some sloping curves or jagged right-angles. Since it will probably fall apart in the rain, make sure to have a template for making replacements.

• Soil enrichment - If your cardboard and packing papers are unbleached and unprinted, you can integrate shreds of it into your soil when planting in the spring. The decomposition will bring necessary nutrients to the plants without stacking up in your garage.
  
  
• Compost - Instead of waiting until the spring, why not make a cardboard compost pile outside? Use a box lined with bubble wrap to hold torn scraps of moving paper and cardboard along with other organic items (like banana peels, leaves, apple cores, and the like). Keep the box protected from the elements under an overhang. In the spring, simply lift the bubble wrap and spread the contents in your garden. Tear up the containing box and include it in the compost.
  
  
• Temporary birdfeeder - Fashion a cardboard box into a temporary seasonal birdfeeder. Hang it from a tree branch and watch as the birds enjoy some tasty seeds. A bonus: as the cardboard becomes ragged in late summer, many birds and squirrels will gladly rip off pieces and use it to build nests.
  
  
• Protect trees - Wrap several pieces of cardboard around trees and secure them with packing tape to protect them from male deer during mating season. They strip bark off trees when marking their territory. The cardboard will deter them from injuring the trees.
  
  
• Create wind buffers - For small trees and shrubs, protect them from the harsh winds of winter by creating cardboard wind buffers. Cut out the bottom of a box and place it over the plant, which will keep it protected from the elements. Just make sure it still gets plenty of light!
  
  
• Leaf and lawn clippings - Check with your municipality to see if you can place raked leaves and lawn clippings in cardboard boxes or packing paper sacks instead of black plastic bags. The paper is much more biodegradable than black plastic. It will also save the pick-up crew the time it takes to empty plastic bags into the truck, as the entire container can be taken away.
  
  

Bubble Wrap Tips

• Do-it-yourself carpeting - Weave strips of popped bubble wrap into a standard loom or carpeting kit. You'll have a great outdoor rug perfect for wiping muddy shoes or for lining the area around a pool.
  
  
• Insulation - Use bubble wrap and cardboard to insulate attic windows and drafty air conditioner slots.

More Tips for Reuse:

• Storage - If you want to pack away toys, seasonal clothing, fine china, etc., you can cushion them, pack them into boxes, and then store them, so they will be well protected until you need them.
  
  
• Containers - Cut cardboard into small square pieces and then tape or glue them together to form a small box. Leave the top uncovered and then use the boxes to hold small items like nails, screws, and paper clips.
  
  
• Shipping - Leave some boxes aside, so rather than buying new ones, you can use them to send packages.
  
  
• Toy - You can use cardboard to make a variety of toys for children. For example, you can cut and stack boxes to fashion a castle or fort. Make sure that any staples and sharp edges are removed so that no one gets hurt.