I’ve never been a fan of packing peanuts. Even though I appreciate that they protect what’s inside of a package, I don’t appreciate how much waste they produce. Unless they’re biodegradable, those peanuts are going to wind up with the rest of the trash in a landfill. They’ll take hundreds of years to decompose, and that’s just not healthy for the planet.
One way that you can stop those packing peanuts from adding to the waste stream is to reuse them. The most obvious way to reuse the pesky pellets is to send them in another package. But you can also try a few of these more creative and clever ways:
1. Get crafty with your kids
Dye them vibrant colors and string them together to make a necklace or Christmas decorations.
2. Deodorize your home
Put a handful of the peanuts into a bowl and spray them with perfume.
3. Make a floating keychain
If you decide to go to the beach, tie a few peanuts to your keys so that they don’t sink!
4. Paint your toenails
Put the packing peanuts between your toes while you give yourself a packing-peanut pedicure!
5. See if a recycling center near you accepts packing peanuts
These are just a few cool ways to reuse packing peanuts. Do you have any other ideas?
