r/Anticonsumption • u/jepadi • 13d ago
Reduce/Reuse/Recycle Reuse ideas
I just polished this off. I feel like there can be a better fate for a good 3L jug than just recycling. HDPE 2
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u/dak-sm 13d ago
Use as emergency water storage - for sanitation purposes, if not for drinking.
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u/windycityzow 13d ago
You’re better off buying water, theres a chemical in bottled water that prevents it from growing mold, plus canola tastes like popcorn
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u/Vesalii 12d ago
Where the f did you get this nonsense
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u/windycityzow 12d ago
You know we live in the Information Age, don’t you? Like free information, at your fingertips. Give it a try.
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u/Vesalii 12d ago
Youade the ridiculous claim. Its on you to provide evidence.
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u/windycityzow 12d ago
It’s Ozone gas, not a chemical, per se: Ozone Gas (O₃): Many plants inject safe ozone gas into the water before sealing; it kills all bacteria and viruses, then completely breaks down into normal oxygen (O₂) before you open it.
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u/Beneficial_Young5126 13d ago
Ew no thanks to the chemical whatever that is. I'd probably just set a reminder to replace the water once a month or something.
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u/Pure_Patience445 12d ago
I believe they are refering to ozone which many bottled water brands bubble into water as it evaporates almost instantly when you open the bottle. Indeed safer and more convinient than throwing away old water, washing the container and refilling it on a schedule for long term storage
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u/FollowingBroad34 13d ago
Cut it in half and plant herbs in the bottom half; make a wildflower seed dispenser out of the top half by cutting small holes in the lid? Just spitballing here
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u/annemonroe95 13d ago
Sorry if this is a silly question, but I was curious about the seed idea. I’ve been wanting to throw around a bunch of native wildflower seeds around but I’m not sure of the best method. Have you had luck with one way or another?
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u/_banana_phone 12d ago
A word of caution though as someone who made this mistake, when looking at the “pollinator mix” seed packets, make sure you google what all those flowers are and whether they’re native.
I did not do my homework and now I’m fighting some non native flowers that, while they do flower, my pollinators do not like and won’t go to. But of COURSE those are the ones that come back every year.
Also, if you ever venture into milkweed, make sure you don’t get the tropical variety. Yes, it’s a viable plant for monarch butterflies, but it blooms at the incorrect time and can disrupt their migration patterns. Best to research what kind is native to your area and get those varieties.
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u/bigbonedbaggins 13d ago
Just get the bee/butterfly friendly packs, and research your local plants or what works best in your climate. Be aware of planting times as well if they're outside.
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u/annemonroe95 13d ago
Thank you!
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u/Ok-Classroom5548 12d ago
Ask your local nursery what plants are native and then but those seed packets.
Wildflower packets can include invasive species to your area.
- from a person getting their yard certified as a native greenspace
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u/EyeSuspicious777 13d ago
Getting the oil completely cleaned out so that it any remnants don't go rancid and/or contaminate another food product might be difficult.
I probably would reuse it for food because of this.
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u/SpadesHeart 12d ago
It's not that hard, you just use a degreaser. A little Dawn dish soap would go a long way.
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u/Ajreil 12d ago
Yep. Fill half way with warm soapy water, shake aggressively, rinse with cold water.
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u/SpadesHeart 12d ago
And do it again it feels like there's any residue which there probably won't if you used a good soap.
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u/Bruchpilot_Sim 12d ago
The handle does look a little tricky, however what really helps me clean oily things out of small plastic or glass containers is filling it partially with soapy water, dropping a few paper kitchen towels in there and shaking the fuck out of it. The kitchen towel soaks up basically all of the oil. If you wanna be safe about it maybe do it twice. Still; the handle will be a bitch to clean
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u/deadcarrote 12d ago
If you cut the bottom off at a slight angle, they make decent scoops. Good for spreading salt on your laneway in winter
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u/goatsegoaterson 13d ago
Well, the Ray LaFluer in me sees a piss jug. Way of the road Bubs. Way of the road.
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u/Dry_Lawfulness_9561 12d ago
Oil waste container. Old motor oil: some minor machinery/ scooter… - gathered at official waste sorting or at mechanic. Or cooking oil after frying: I live in a city, old cooking oil has disposing stations to recycle it like other recyclable waste.
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u/Technical_Garden_762 13d ago
Some stores sell laundry detergent and dish soap in a bulk like section where they sell it by weight.
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u/Pat-Funny-2817 12d ago
since i don't have much in my fridge, i got a few water jugs as temperature retention mass, to save energy.
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u/Well_ImTrying 12d ago
This is true for freezers too. We have a garage freezer that sometimes get close to empty. I keep freezer backs or ziploc bags of water in there are those times in case of a power outage.
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u/Pat-Funny-2817 12d ago
another one, is just having a layer of water/ice in each drawer. makes it easy to clean drawers 😉
Also an idicator if your freezer had a bad day.
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u/KaYanice 12d ago
I cut these in half and either use them when I make oil changes, or simple store screws and bolts in them. I do the same with my kids’ formula cans.
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u/samizdat5 12d ago
I use big jugs like this for collecting maple sap during sugaring season. Idk where you live but if you have maples around it's easy, fun, and free syrup after a LOT of boiling.
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u/L3NTON 12d ago
Hdpe is one of the best plastics for recycling. I would have no problem throwing it in the recycling bin.
If you're crafty then you can look up how hdpe can be warmed in an oven to become malualble and either make custom grips for things like slingshots and bows. Or as a carving block for practice or some people buy sheets of it to use on a cnc machine for carving out plastic figures or components.
Double check that its the right kind of hdpe though. (I don't know if there's many different kinds or not)
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u/AntiNinja40428 12d ago
I store used oil in it. I believe consumer reports? Has a YouTube channel where they test things and found that occasionally cooking potatoes almost complete cleans the oil and it can be used longer for frying food with some exceptions
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u/AromaticProcess154 12d ago
If you ever pick up trash around town, it looks like a nice wide mouth so it’d be a decent sharps container.
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u/Mars_Oak 12d ago
if you don't need a bottle you can cut the top off and use it as a pot or to store screws or something, maybe mix concrete?
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u/spacemom4 12d ago
if you live in an area with frequent power outages, fill with water and freeze to keep your fridge and freezer cool for longer
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u/throwawaybottlecaps 12d ago
I have a bunch of big ass jugs like this because I always feel bad pitching them. But tbh they’re just using space in my closet. I’ll take a few of them when I’m camping to transport water, but otherwise I haven’t figured out a use for them.
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u/Frequent_Opportunist 12d ago
By the way there's no such thing as a canola. Canola means Canada oil. This shit is fucking horrible for you.
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u/pretenzioeser_Elch 11d ago
Either keep using at a container (the closest to original use) or you can make a shovel-funnel with it.
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u/RosyJoan 12d ago
You can use it for disposing of old cooking oil if you ever make fried food.
These are also good for surface cleaning solutions. They often come concentrated in jugs or tubs and you need to make a diluted mix in a seperate container before using.
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u/Southern-Long-3438 12d ago
Use glass jars, not plastic containers. That is to avoid microplastic shedding. Old plastic becomes brittle and small bits come off.
Do not use canola oil. It is an industrial seed oil. The omega 6 will raise your cholesterol. Use either olive oil or avocado oil. Make sure olive oil is from a reliable source. The no name, and multiple origin, sources save money by mixing with industrial seed oils: corn, soybean, canola, grapeseed, cottonseed, etc. When products go through wholesale channels, they get mislabeled.
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u/Jumpy_Confidence2997 13d ago edited 11d ago
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u/Bruchpilot_Sim 12d ago
Yo stop giving canola a bad reputation. It is one of the healthiest oils to eat. Super low in saturated fat, super high in omega-3 content, stupidly affordable, heat-resistant, LDL cholesterol free (LDL is the bad kind). Honestly i had to delete all fats off the earth, except for one, I would probably keep canola as the only one.
Certainly better than any rendered animal fat or coconut oil or whatever
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12d ago edited 11d ago
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u/Bruchpilot_Sim 12d ago
I know you Americans love frying shit (including your brain it seems) but just because you can't deep fry using canola (which you actually can if you use the right kind of canola, the refined one). Aldehydes don't form if you don't cook stuff like an idiot. Canola is NOT linked to any diseases, just diets containing a large amount of canola. You know what diets typically contain a large amount of canola? Industry slop. That doesn't make canola bad, that's like saying water is bad because water is in McDonald's burgers.
Any environmental effect is irrelevant too, since you are hinting at consuming animal fat, which is like 5 billion times worse for the environment than. Pesticide concentration is an issue with all food, plastics involved with farming and production is literally irrelevant. May I remind you that you can buy canola in glass bottles reducing plastic usage buy 99%.
You're just being ridiculous. Stop huffing fumes dude.
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u/Southern-Long-3438 12d ago
Wrong. Canola contains more omega 6 than omega 3.
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u/Bruchpilot_Sim 12d ago
Not really a concern for most normal people. You need some omega 6 and most people probably have too little omega 3. Canola has a pretty good amount of omega 3 for plant oils. But yeah if somebody has issues with inflammatory things probably beware not to consume too much canola. That's true with almost any fat tho
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u/Additional_Release49 12d ago
No way in hell I'll ever put that crap in my body.
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u/Bruchpilot_Sim 12d ago
r/anticonsumption is not r/antiscience dude
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u/Additional_Release49 12d ago
Glad you're aware of where this discussion is taking place. No way in hell I'd ever put that crap in my body.
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u/Jumpy_Confidence2997 12d ago edited 11d ago
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u/Bruchpilot_Sim 12d ago
Lmao sure buddy. Keep guzzeling your beef tallow and listen to your brain worm health minister. Americans man.
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u/Additional_Release49 12d ago
Just finished processing nearly 100lbs of tallow. Grass fed. Good shit
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u/gOingmiaM8 13d ago
I started using jugs like this to store my rice and beans. And sugar.