Ideas for Recycling Egg Cartons

                                        

Whether you like your eggs scrambled or poached, nearly everyone has a carton of eggs in their refrigerator. Eggs are a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Eggs super charge your immune system and fight off all the nasty bugs you come in contact with. Eggs increase your visual distance potential and help prevent some eye disorders. Eggs are thought to reduce the risk of Breast Cancer, improve hair and nail growth & regulate brain functioning. So, eat up the eggs and if you are watching your fat intake, just eat the egg whites with a small taste of the yolk as the yolk carries most of the fat.

The egg carton was designed in British Columbia in 1911 as a result of an altercation between two business men. The customer was angry as his egg deliveries arrived cracked and damaged-rendering them useless. Obviously, the egg carton was a hit and has held on to this day. I can't image having to carry my eggs home loose in a shopping bag-its surprising to me that the egg carton didn't get invented sooner than 1911.

So, you have finished up all the eggs from the carton; what can you do with the egg carton when it's empty?  Here are some ideas to consider implementing to recycle your egg cartons.

                                                            Art

Egg Cubism is the new genre in the art world.  The artist paints or draws directly onto the recycled egg carton with some amazing results.

Click the link below for some other Egg Cubism ideas.

 http://www.cultcase.com/2008/04/art-of-junk-7-creative-approaches-to.html

Anyone with a crafty and creative mind can create a number of crafts with your recycled egg carton the possibilities are endless. Don't forget to always include the children in the projects.  For some ideas for your art, click here:

www.artistshelpingchildren.org/eggcartonsartscraftstideaskidsprojects.html

                                       Furniture

                                                                                                                                                               

 Yes, furniture.  I've seen a chair, footstool, pillows, wall coverings for sound proofing a room, end tables and coffee tables created with egg cartons.
 

                                                Shipping

I hope you are using your toilet paper and paper towel rolls for your shipping needs.  Now you can add to your collection egg cartons - for your packing and shipping needs. Stay away from those plastic inserts, foam inserts and other non-biodegradable materials.

If you plan to mail something fragile, simply cut up a few polystyrene egg cartons (made of the same material as foam peanuts!) to make lightweight packing material to protect the contents and use good old-fashioned news paper and/or crumpled up magazine pages (of course if you are done reading) for space filler and packing items.  

                                  Gardening in the Winter or Summer

 

Plant your seeds in the winter in your used egg cartons so they are ready for spring planting.

How to:  

• poke a few holes in the bottom of the cups for drainage.
• fill the cups approx 2/3 with potting soil. 
• Plant seeds and cover the seeds with 1/3 potting soil.  
• Keep your carton set in a sunny window and water daily. 

When your seeds have sprouted  and the climate is warm and sunny it's time to transplant them into the garden (dependant on type of plant/flower you are growing-the seed packet should supply some directions for best growing climate). This is a great project for kids.

                                   Organization 

This one is pretty common and most families already use their egg cartons as an organizer for those multiple small/tiny items that you cant live without but will end up losing if you don't keep them in a safe organized place. 

Some items you may put into your cartons could be;  

• chalk
• paper clips
• safety pins 
• jewelry
• golf balls 
• doll shoes
• many others….   take a look at some of the ideas I've found and have fun living sustainable and green..