Pop Bottles

What do you see when you look at a pop Bottle?

I am specially referring to the plastic ones not glass. Most people see a thin wall of plastic that holds some carbonated sugar water and the container is just junk.

I see possibilities!

I see a certain amount of design and energy being put into a one time use container which can be recycled. I also see it as a container to sprout seeds in, an airtight container to store dried herbs and meats in and an airtight container for things like sugar or salt and harvested seeds. With the carbonated water still in it it can be made into a fountain if you add mentos to it. If it is clear and uncoloured , I see it being a simple way of making water safe if the water is left in the sun for a day or two. If one is painted black and water is put in it and a hose is attached to the screw on cap, it could be a simple still to evaporate water in the sun and the vapor is drawn to another one that is shaded or covered in tinfoil to make it cooler. With the use of a knife, I cut the top off of one and inverted it into the bottom part, taped it in place and put some vinegar in it to become a fruitfly trap. It can also be a wasp trap if sugar water is put in it. Different parts of the bottle can be used in gardening. For deep root watering, dig down by the roots and stick the bottle top side down in the soil and cut the bottom off to form a funnel. The bottom part can be used as a tray for seeds or to be placed under a pot to keep water in. The midsection could be cut out and used as glass for a green house. These bottles could also be filled with packing “Peanuts”, sealed up and combined together to make and unsinkable raft. For larger pontoons the same idea could be done to the one time use water bottles that hold about 5 gallons at a time. If there are partly filled with water and the cap left off, you can freeze water in them to be used camping or on picnics(just save the caps to put on later).

I know there are hundreds of other uses for these wonderful containers but the point I am trying to make is instead of looking at an item(any item) as a piece of trash or to be recycled, why not take that next step and by pass the whole system buy reusing it.

My girlfriend is always bugging me about holding on to everything. I would be caught under a pile of trash if I saved every last scrap, but I do try my best to reuse things as often as I can. So can you. What are your ideas on this?

Michael J. Kaer copyright 2008

Goats

If I had to pick one animal that would get me through a tough time, it would be goats. The goat herder in biblical times was able to survive on little more than goats. Goats can eat just about anything. I have seen one eat tarpaper off the side of our house when dad was fixing the house out on the farm. Goats do not like to be fenced in so the solution is either make a goat proof fence or let then roam around free. A few herd dogs could keep them together, but I would not bet on it. I plan on getting goats as soon as I move to the farm, that and some chickens. You can train the goats to haul small loads. You can use the milk to make cheese and eat the meat and use the skins for drums. All in all, they are the best bang for your limited buck in hard times. Grow enough of them and you can buy a horse or two. If you have land that is only good for pasture, goats are a natural choice. They also get along with horses just fine. The sooner I get my goats the sooner I have a source of milk,cheese,meat and skins for the cost of some time and effort and some scrub land.

What are your plans?