Reuse Household Items for a DIY Face Mask
Sewn Cloth Face Covering
Use tightly woven cotton, such as quilting fabric or cotton sheets.
Follow the guidelines listed by the CDC to create your own mask from reused materials!
T- Shirt (No Sew method)
Find a clean T Shirt... maybe from the back of your closet that you don't wear anymore.
The scraps left over can be used for rags!
Follow the guidelines listed by the CDC to create your own mask from reused materials!
Bandana (No Sew method)
Find a clean Bandana with your favorite pattern!
Follow the guidelines listed by the CDC to create your own mask from reused materials!
T-Shirt Face Mask Tutorial
Bandana Mask Tutorial
Shipping Items
Cardboard Boxes
- Remove all inside packaging
- Flatten box
- Put in recycle bin
- Full size boxes can fill the entire bin, so PLEASE FLATTEN BOXES
Shipping Envelopes
- Some can be recycled in your home bin:
- Craft (orange in color) with no padding
- Standard while mail envelop
- Paperboard envelops
- Some can be recycling at special locations:
- Plastic bubble wrap envelops
- Take to CHaRM
- Some must go to the landfill
- Paper outside, plastic/bubble wrap inside
Materials inside packages
Grocery Store Items
Plastic Bottles, Jugs, Tubs, Jars
- Empty all liquids and screw caps back on
- No food
- No compostable plastics (PLA #7)
Glass Bottles & Jars
- Empty contents
- Remove Metal Lids and put in recycling bin separately
Frozen Food Boxes & Ice Cream
- Put in Landfill
- Frozen food boxes have a "chemical wet strength" barrier that soaks the paper fibers
- This contaminates the paper recycling process when mixed in with normal paper fibers
Plastic wrap and bags
- Plastic Bags are a "Hard to Recycle" item
- Keep separate, clean, and dry
- Take to a special place for recycling: CHaRM, Grocery Stores, Home Depot, etc
Cartons
- Empty out all liquid
- Screw cap back on
Aluminum & Steel Cans
- Empty and rinse all contents
- Leave cans Un-Crushed
Reduce Food Waste at Home
Leftovers are delicious
- Know what is in your fridge
- Eat older food first... don’t let food go to waste
- Communicate with room mates to know who owns what food
- Compost old food, condiments, sauces, etc to more easily see your good leftovers
Recipes for food you have
- Cook with the food you currently have before shopping
- Get creative with recipes
- Use cookbooks and recipes on the web for ideas
- Use apps like SuperCook to create meals with the food you have
Use a shopping list
- Take inventory of the food you currently have
- Make a list of meals you need food for
- List all the food needed for those meals
- Only buy enough perishable food that you can eat before it goes bad
- Foods with longer shelf life can help extend time between trips to the grocery store
Take Out Containers
Paper take out boxes
- Some are compostable: no plastic lining, labeled “Compostable”
- Some are landfill: with a plastic lining on inside
- None are recyclable: usually contaminated with food residual
Styrofoam take out boxes
- Put in Landfill bin
- Toxic: try to avoid, if at all possible
- Ask your favorite restaurant to stop using them
Aluminum foil
- Remove all food and liquid
- Crumple into a ball... 2” or larger
- Put in recycle bin
Pizza boxes
- Remove any food waste and excess cheese
- Remove any plastic cups, wrap, or foil
- Flatten and put in recycle bin
Plastic soup/sauce tubs & lids
- Remove any food and liquid
- Rinse as best as possible
- Put in recycle bin
Plastic Bags
- Plastic Bags are a "Hard to Recycle" item
- Keep separate, clean, and dry
- Take to a special place for recycling: CHaRM, Grocery Stores, Home Depot, etc