The plastic water bottle has become the nemesis of the environmental movement. It represents everything against sustainability: a nonrenewable, petroleum-based package; a natural product that is abundant and unnecessarily bottled; and an outright superfluous item that millions of consumers toss out on a daily bases.
Even if you have made the pledge to stop drinking bottled water, you cannot escape the overflowing trash cans full of them at the railway station platforms, gym, or office. One project you can do is the upcycling the actual containers and turn them into concrete bottles (which can serve as cool doorstep, or even a windowsill of coffee table decoration) in just one step. When you are done making this project, you can still toss the old plastic bottle into the recycling bin.
The material you need
- Plastic water or any other drink bottle – try to find those with interesting features on the surface!
- quick-drying concrete
- paint stirrer
- plastic funnel
- X-Acto knife
How to make it
1. Start by adding double the amount of water as instructed on a container of quick-drying concrete. You can pick up a container at any home improvement shop.
2. Mix the concrete mixture with a stirrer for a few minutes until it’s smooth and lump-free.
3. Place a plastic funnel on top of the water bottle, and pour the concrete mixture into the bottle until it has reached the top.
4. Wait a few seconds, and tap the bottle against the table to release any air bubbles and help it settle.
5. Add more concrete until the bottle is completely full.
6. Dry it overnight.
7. Score the bottom of the plastic bottle with an X-Acto knife, and peel away the plastic. You will be surprised by the result!