Reduce, Reuse, Recycle-Aluminum

Aluminium cans can be recycled at your curbside pickup, and Americans actually do a pretty decent job of recycling this material, but we can continue to do a better job by reusing cans and other aluminum materials  around our house in many great ways.  According to Greenwaste.com, less than 1% of the total US waste stream was made up of aluminum cans, however the energy required to replace that 1% of waste would be enough to meet the electricity needs of Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, and Seattle combined!  Keep America Beautiful states that recycling 1 aluminum can could save the approximate amount of energy needed to run your television for 3 hours-just one little can!

So, in honor of these statistics, we've found some creative and useful ways to reuse cans and other metal items in your own household to keep these items out of the trash.

Have some old aluminum bakeware?  Cookie sheets can be turned into cute message boards for the kitchen.  Cupcake tins can be great drawer organizers or paint holders for the artist in your family.

courtesy of FamilyFun Magazine

Courtesy of Domestic Charm

As for reusing aluminum cans, the possibilities are endless.  Everything from functional organization to decor, food serving and kitchen ideas to gardening containers-take a look at these great ideas (also found on our Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Pinterest Board).

Drawer organizer and Art Supply organizer from HGTV

Can tabs to coordinate outfits from Ideabottle and a scarf organizer from HGTV

4th of July Windsock, 3 Tiered Vase, Hydrangea Vase Collection can all be found at Under The Table and Dreaming; Twig Vase from Simple Homemade

Fruit and Cupcake Pedestals can be found with many other crafts from this page on Under The Table and Dreaming

Biscuit cutter and wine rack from Real Simple

Wall garden (can also be used for herbs) and flower caddy from Under The Table and Dreaming