Ways to Reuse Your Old Polycarbonate Bottles
If you’ve recently opted to replace your #7 polycarbonate water bottles with metal or non-BPA plastic ones, you’re probably wondering what you can do with all those old bottles (especially the more memorable ones), beyond recycling them.
Here are two ideas to get the creative juices flowing:
- For $19.95 you can buy a solar-powered LED LightCap200 from SolLight and turn any standard water bottle into a weatherproof lantern for the backyard, treehouse, boat, or wherever, no batteries required. If you wanted to string a bunch of Nalgenes around your yard that could get pricey pretty quickly though.
- I also came across this idea for using a bottle to store a first aid or emergency kit inside your car or to take along while traveling. Add a light cap and there's no need for a flashlight. Obviously this idea can be extrapolated for storing other non-liquid, non-food items.
Have an idea for turning polycarbonate water bottles into something safe, functional, and affordable? Musical shakers, perhaps? Share it with us.
Comments
Heck yea... warm up some water on the camp fire, put in the bottle, toss in the bottom of your sleeping bag. HEAVEN!
Even better...add a LightCap for a nightlight to see what's crawling around in there...
Josh, ye ol' boiling water in the Nalgene placed in the sleeping bag is awesome on a cold fall or winter night. When camping with my kids, I usually give them each one to keep their feet warm.
Pee bottle.
I like the lightCap idea. Guyot designs has a battery operated version, the FireFly, that has a dimmer.
Better yet, how about drilling a 5/16" or 3/8" hole in the center of the lids, adding a small string of white christmas lights and presto, the coolest party/deck lights on the block. (Don't hang the strung bottles by the light wire. Add an additional string or wire to each bottle lid loop to support the weight.)
I like the lights ideas.
Just a few ideas.
Works great for storing emergency/survival kit.
Ad a plastic baggy and trail mix, water poof, near unbreakable container.
Prewrap meats, and store in bottle, keeps animals (all but the biggest) out, may keep the food smell down as well.
How about a terrarium for the kids? Light up a little jungle scene at night vs. a nightlight. Stick it in the sun to grow the plants and charge the light at the same time...
Thank you Alicia for writing about our LightCap200, we really appreciate it! :) Thank you to everyone who has posted comments, too! Great suggestions. Have a wonderful week and thanks again. Rosalie (www.sollight.com)
Sorry, but since I'm not an Environmentalist Wacko, I'll pass on the hysteria (I'm a scientist) and continue to use my polycarbonate bottles since I don't heat them, run them in a dishwasher or carry volatile liquids in them.
I'm sure I'll also continue to use my Nalgene bottles once in a while, primarily because they fit so nicely on my filter, although I prefer the Sigg aluminum bottles for a number of reasons.
However, I'm reluctant to label those who express legitimate concerns as "environmentalist wackos" (a very scientific term) and I wonder what kind of scientist would do so. How much of an environmentalist do you have to be before you become a wacko?
That's one of the problems with forums such as this--it's too easy to minimize others, and their concerns, with deprecating labels.
Standard water filters will fit on the Guyot Designs stainless steel bottle too.
http://www.reusablebags.com/store/guyot-designs-widemouth-38oz-stainless-steel-reusable-bottle-p-740.html
