Image courtesy of DesignSpongeOnline.com
The six pack. Those three little words can bring about a whole host of fond, fun memories for most of us.
Whether you’re drinking a six pack of bottled Corona this summer or a six pack of canned Coke, there are some cool things we can do with the leftovers.
But first, a message from our conscience…
Don’t Throw Out Your Six Pack Rings!
Many people don’t think twice about their plastic six pack rings. They throw them right into the garbage. Which is very, very bad.
Tons of those six pack rings end up in our oceans. I’m not going to post pictures here because they’re extremely heartbreakingly sad, but if you Google “six pack rings” and click on the images tab, you can see it for yourself. Don’t do this without a tissue on hand.
Animals like turtles, seals, fish and birds get caught in these rings. And the results are devastating for them.
So please, from the bottom of my heart, cut up any six pack rings you have before throwing them away. Or better yet, be fabulous by reusing or recycling them.
And how can we reuse our six pack material? Well, let’s take a look!
Idea #1: Make A Six-Pack Caddy
If you’ve got a cardboard six pack container, you can turn it into a funky picnic caddy for your ketchup and mustard. This great idea (and the corresponding image at the start of this post) comes from DesignSpongeOnline.com.
Image courtesy of TheBark.com
All you need is some cool wrapping paper, some rubber cement, a pencil, and some scissors.
Design Sponge Online has detailed instructions, and some great pictures, so go check them out! I stumbled onto this site by accident while doing research, and am in love. They’ve got some really cool, creative decorating ideas on their site, so it’s definitely worth a looky-loo!
I also found this cool caddy idea from TheBark.com, shown on right.
They used their six pack container to make a dog “To Go” pack.
I think this is an awesome idea, and I’m definitely going to make one for my two. Genius. Now I just need to go find some funky old wrapping paper somewhere…
Image courtesy of NotCot.com
Idea #2: Make A Hammock Out of Six Pack Rings
This idea is probably only for heavy six pack drinkers, or those of you with a lot of friends. Why? Because you need a TON of six pack rings to do this.
But the point is, you truly can make a hammock out of plastic six pack rings. The proof is on the right.
So, the good news is that this can be done.
The bad news? I was unable to find step-by-step instructions on exactly how to make one.
I did find a great semi-tutorial at CPoss.org. Here you can see the hammock Chris made, and up close shots of his folding pattern.
He estimated that he used over $1,700 worth of soda can rings for his hammock (580 rings at $3 per six pack). So, this is why you need a lot of soda or beer drinking friends to donate their rings!
Idea #3: Use Six Pack Rings To Organize Your Closet
Plastic six pack rings can also be used to organize your closet.
Loop one circle over a hanger, and then use the other circles for hanging belts and scarves. You can also use twist ties to connect several six pack rings to get even more hanging space.
Imagine courtesy of Highlights For Children
Idea #4: Make A Six Pack Ring Bracelet
I found this cool idea on the Highlights For Children site, and it’d be a great rainy day activity.
Cut the rings apart, and tie scrap pieces of ribbon and charms onto the plastic.
I thought it would also be cool to layers the rings. That is, instead of cutting up the rings and just using one, why not keep three rings together and fold them over to make one bracelet?
This would give a thicker, layered bracelet that would look really neat once it will filled up with ribbon scraps.
Idea #5: Use Six Pack Rings To Make A Garden Trellis
Now, I couldn’t find an image of this online, but I did read some comments on another site from a reader who used her six pack rings to make a climbing trellis for her Morning Glories. She tied them to her house using small nails and fishing line, and trained the Morning Glories to go right up the wall.
It worked well because the plastic rings are clear, so you can’t see them at all. Great idea!
Last Word…
Do you have any cool ideas for using six pack rings, or six pack cardboard containers? If so, I’d love to hear them!
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{ 7 comments }
Neat stuff… when I was little my parents had a hammock that I loved to read on during the summer. That’s a neat way to make a hammock if you/friends drink a lot of pop – we don’t, so it would probably be cheaper for us to buy an ethically made organic one. I like the caddy idea with the package. I’ve been to some restaurants that use it for condiments and napkins.
I killed me a 6 pack once… just to watch it die… 🙂
And, I lost my “6 pack,” so (sigh!) I got married to a “visually challenged” gal. Girl’s just don’t look twice, unless it looks like your abs are made in a Pennsylvania Steel Town Foundry. Man, girls are picky… 🙂
But frankly, you guys are missin the boat. I know that, because I’m building one, outta 2 liter soda pop bottles! When I’m thru, I’m gonna sail off into the sunset and laugh, while all you “can-crushers” try to save what’s left of the environment!
And… if your dogs is small enough to fit into a 6 bottle cardboard box, you need a bigger dawg. All you really have is a poop machine with a tail, one that’ll pee on the carpet when that burglar comes sneakin in…
However, you CAN use that cardboard bottle container as a poop-scoop, for a “real” dawg. And, since it’s biodegradable, you can just toss the whole mess into your poop-pit. We make a killer “Canine Compost” around here, and sell it to all the Yankees that come visiting… The rubes! 🙂
And those plastic 6-pack rings come in real handy when you’ve got squabbling kids. Just stretch out one ring on each end, and attach it to their foreheads, facing each other. Now, they have to get along… as they’re breathing each other’s breath!
Sure, it deforms their little noggins a tad, but that’s all good! It helps their hats stay on in winter! And that saves Doctor Money! You just got a sneak peek at “Ronin’s Rationalized Healthcare Initiative!” 🙂
Seriously though, I used a whole heapin pile of them once to build trellises in my garden, for climbing plants like beans and berries. Don’t do it! You’ll go blind tieing them all together with twist ties, and the labor it takes will make you wish for death, a long time before you’re finished. In fact, the best way to do it, is to drink a LOT of beer while you do it… But.. DRAT! More danged 6-pack rings! ARGH! Will this never stop? 🙂
It’s a conspiracy I tell you! Our enemies are trying to kill us all, with plastic 6-pack rings! Don’t fall into their trap! Drink SODA outta 2 liter bottles. (It’ll help you build your own Navy!) Drink water straight outta the faucet! (Hey… that way, they’re no glass to wash!)
This has been a public service announcement… that should probably been better moderated by the author of this blog. Don’t blame ME! Blame HER! 🙂
Ronin
These are wonderful new ways to use our waste. As you said, its pathetic to see how we affect other species of living creatures with our careless ways of living. There is so much damage that we cause our environment which could easily be avoided if we were just a little more careful and did a few things differently. We in http://climatarians.org worth the effort!
Wonderful post!
Joost Hoogstrate
How about making snowflakes? Google six pack ring snowflakes…you will find patterns. For those of us in sunny AZ, we need some snow every once in a while! 🙂
Very interesting ways to use six pack rings. Very creative.
Donate them to your local liquor store. They are good for making 30 pack into sixers. They may even trade you for them!
The idea for a hammock I first read in Stephen Caney’s Play Book. It takes about 110 six pack holders. You overlap them by one width and weave the rope through, alternating going over and under the rings. At the end you tie off the ropes and attach them to a solid ring for hanging. Hope this helps.
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