Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - What do you re-use or re-purpose?

RogueGypsy · 11-19-2010, 02:15 PM

I'm sure many of you saw my 'OCD troll post' on Plan9, so are aware of my tendency toward what some might call hording. Of course I don't see it that way. Whether I'm a horder or not, I wouldn't see it that way. What I see is a room full of unfulfilled potential. Granted, the room isn't normally such a mess, but still contains a great deal of what some may see as useless junk.

Here's how I see it: Recycling is Bull Shit, it costs more and uses more energy than just producing new products from raw materials. So the whole spiel about "Saving the Environment" is crap. Yes, it keeps stuff out of a landfill, but it does so at greater cost to the environment, through the use of energy consumed, than simply burying it. Re-use on the other hand is economically and environmentally friendly way of delaying the disposal of products in a land fill. Hopefully delaying the disposal long enough for some one to come up with a better way to recycle these products. Contrary to the 'Tree Hugger' feel of the last paragraph, that's just a small part of why I save the things I do. The primary reason is found in the first paragraph -unfulfilled potential- being the key phrase.

Some examples of what I re-use and how:

I use empty plastic Folgers coffee cans along with desiccant packs from pill bottles (or any thing else) to store metal parts, nails, bolts, screws....etc. The plastic doesn't rust, obviously, and the desiccant keeps moisture off of the metal parts. The lids also fit much better than those on metal cans.
I use metal coffee cans for solvents, penetrants and cleaners. If something needs to be submerged, it's a real waste to use the volume of product necessary just once. With the coffee cans I can use it, put a lid on it and re-use it again later.
PVC and misc. small parts -often found in the plastic coffee cans- save me hours and $$ in trips to the hardware store to get that 'one' part that's missing in a project.
Boxes, the uses are endless. Primarily they serve time as storage to organize coffee cans full of stuff (not obvious in the picture, but true none-the-less), gift wrapping and cat toys. I don't know why Cat's dig boxes, but they do. Boxes see more cat time than any $100 cat tree I've ever seen.
Not seen in the photo is my collection of Tequila bottles. No I don't display them as a badge of honor like you might see in a college dorm room. But one late, drunken night after building a colossal 'Beeramid' a flash of inspiration over came me. How cool would it be to build a fountain out of many different styles of Tequila bottles?! Tequila seems to be the only liquor that gets creative with it's bottles more often than not. It's a work in the planning and collecting stages.
Basically I don't keep anything that doesn't already have a purpose, plan or known use. My limiting factor is time for all the projects or spare cash to get them kick started.

So what do you re-use or re-purpose that would otherwise go in the trash?

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11-19-2010, 02:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
RogueGypsy Insane Location: The Great NorthWet	What do you re-use or re-purpose? I'm sure many of you saw my 'OCD troll post' on Plan9, so are aware of my tendency toward what some might call hording. Of course I don't see it that way. Whether I'm a horder or not, I wouldn't see it that way. What I see is a room full of unfulfilled potential. Granted, the room isn't normally such a mess, but still contains a great deal of what some may see as useless junk. Here's how I see it: Recycling is Bull Shit, it costs more and uses more energy than just producing new products from raw materials. So the whole spiel about "Saving the Environment" is crap. Yes, it keeps stuff out of a landfill, but it does so at greater cost to the environment, through the use of energy consumed, than simply burying it. Re-use on the other hand is economically and environmentally friendly way of delaying the disposal of products in a land fill. Hopefully delaying the disposal long enough for some one to come up with a better way to recycle these products. Contrary to the 'Tree Hugger' feel of the last paragraph, that's just a small part of why I save the things I do. The primary reason is found in the first paragraph -unfulfilled potential- being the key phrase. Some examples of what I re-use and how: I use empty plastic Folgers coffee cans along with desiccant packs from pill bottles (or any thing else) to store metal parts, nails, bolts, screws....etc. The plastic doesn't rust, obviously, and the desiccant keeps moisture off of the metal parts. The lids also fit much better than those on metal cans. I use metal coffee cans for solvents, penetrants and cleaners. If something needs to be submerged, it's a real waste to use the volume of product necessary just once. With the coffee cans I can use it, put a lid on it and re-use it again later. PVC and misc. small parts -often found in the plastic coffee cans- save me hours and $$ in trips to the hardware store to get that 'one' part that's missing in a project. Boxes, the uses are endless. Primarily they serve time as storage to organize coffee cans full of stuff (not obvious in the picture, but true none-the-less), gift wrapping and cat toys. I don't know why Cat's dig boxes, but they do. Boxes see more cat time than any $100 cat tree I've ever seen. Not seen in the photo is my collection of Tequila bottles. No I don't display them as a badge of honor like you might see in a college dorm room. But one late, drunken night after building a colossal 'Beeramid' a flash of inspiration over came me. How cool would it be to build a fountain out of many different styles of Tequila bottles?! Tequila seems to be the only liquor that gets creative with it's bottles more often than not. It's a work in the planning and collecting stages. Basically I don't keep anything that doesn't already have a purpose, plan or known use. My limiting factor is time for all the projects or spare cash to get them kick started. So what do you re-use or re-purpose that would otherwise go in the trash? . . __________________ Methods, application and intensity of application vary by the individual. All legal wavers must be signed before 'treatment' begins. Self 'Medicating' is not recommend. However, if necessary, it is best to have an 'assistant' or 'soft landing zone' nearby. Any and all legal issues resulting from improperly applied techniques should be forwarded to: Dewy, Cheatum & Howe, Intercourse, PA 17534. Attn: Anonymous.