Did you know that, “Plastic soda bottles are not biodegradable. When they end up as trash in landfills, they stay there for up to 700 years before beginning to decompose. Recycling plastics also saves energy. One recycled plastic bottle conserves enough energy to power a light bulb for up to three hours.” Source: GreenYour.com

If you are going to use them, here are six ways that you can reuse them to keep them out of the landfill.

50-Watt Lightbulb
This idea was born during a blackout in Brazil back in 2002 by a local inventor. All you need is a soda bottle, water, bleach and a 35mm film dispenser.



Fruit Fly Catcher
If you have a fruit fly problem, there is no need to buy any harsh or toxic sprays. You can easily make your own fruit fly catcher using a soda bottle and some apple cider vinegar.

Hanging Soda Bottle Planter
Soda bottles are great to grow shallow rooted herbs and veggies like basil and lettuce. You can hang these on a railing or in a sunny window.



Self-Watering Container
Don't want to hang your soda bottle, then you can make this version of a self-watering container to grow your own food.



Funnel
Cut off the top part of a soda bottle and invert it to use it as a funnel.

Humane Mouse Trap
Have problems with unwanted furry little rodents in your home and looking for a humane way to get rid of them? Then build yourself a mouse trap out of a soda bottle to trap the pesky little creatures.

Yes, the first "R" is reduce, but that's not always possible. So reuse items as much as you possibly can. By making any of the above, you can help to keep the soda bottles out of the landfill.

These are a just a few uses. What are some of your other favorites?