Celebrate Earth Day With DIY Projects from Recycled Materials

Happy Earth Day, Westlake!

There are plenty of ways to go green today, like recycling more faithfully, starting a compost pile or taking a 100-mile food challenge. But Earth Day projects don't have to be stuffy or boring. Don't get me wrong, purchasing carbon offsets and installing solar panels are wonderful ways to help the earth. But today, if you're feeling crafty and fun, you could try your hand at one of these amazing DIY projects made from recycled materials. Not only are these projects good for the earth, they're also good for revamping your space on a budget.

Save your old cereal boxes and create a stunning set of eco-friendly kitchenware with this DIY tutorial for a coaster and trivet set. Turn used wine corks into charming drink coasters with a hot glue gun. To make wine cork coasters, pair two wine corks together and alternate these pairs horizontally and vertically to make a grid pattern. Attach the wine corks with a hot glue gun, taking care to keep the coasters as flat as possible so your drinks don't tip over.

Do you have an old T-shirt you can't wear anymore but are reluctant to part with? You don't have to keep it hidden in your closet or take it to the thrift shop. Instead, use this free sewing pattern to turn it into a throw pillow to jazz up your couch. A used hard suitcase can be upcycled into a clever coffee table. You could save a vintage suitcase from a neighborhood yard sale or thrift store and turn it into a creative and eco-chic living room piece. It's sure to be a conversation starter.

Our house fills up quickly with sale papers, junk mail and discarded envelopes. Why not turn these into something useful? Let your kids get their hands dirty and make new paper from the old. The National Gardening Association gives detailed instructions on how to turn old paper into new paper. What a fun and inspiring way to recycle in your own home! Since you control your homemade paper, you can even sprinkle it with seeds and turn it into plantable paper. The result will give your kids recycled paper to draw on while teaching them a vital part of the recycling process.

Use an old milk carton to fashion an eco-friendly bird feeder. Your kids can do this by themselves with some scissors, a ruler, a hole punch, twine, tape and birdseed. Check out this great tutorial from the Green Education Foundation to get started. Making an eco-friendly feeder is good for the birds and the earth.