Each person in the U.S. is estimated to use 167 plastic water bottles every year. There are approximately 328,853,240 people in the U.S. That’s about 55 billion plastic water bottles going somewhere in our environment every year. The worst part? It is estimated that plastic water bottles take an average of 450 years to biodegrade. Pretty sobering statistics.This is one of the main reasons Brew Dr. Kombucha chooses to bottle our kombucha in glass containers. We take our environmental responsibility seriously and want to do our part in protecting our great outdoors. Our motto may be “Good for Humans,” but we want to also be “Good for Earth.”
Our customers are a lot like us. They believe humans have the capacity to save the planet and it begins with simple steps, such as choosing glass over plastic when possible, recycling and upcycling every chance they get. These seemingly small efforts make a huge impact on our environment.Our deep belief in sustainability led us to use glass over plastic, but we wanted to go a step further. Our glass bottles were specifically designed to be ideal for upcycling. We would rather see our bottles repurposed as bud vases or candle holders than see them in a recycle bin. Don’t get us wrong, recycling is awesome, but our bottles look pretty darned amazing as a design element in the home or a gift to a loved one.
We posted a blog a while back with a couple of great ideas on upcycling our bottles and our customers often post pictures of ways they’ve upcycled their Brew Dr. Kombucha bottles. That got us thinking: let’s share more of those ideas so fewer of our bottles get recycled and more get upcycled.
Some of these ideas may be obvious, but we bet there are a few you haven’t thought of yet. Take a look at what we and our customers have already come up with and let us know if you have any unique ways you’re upcycling our bottles. We’d love to share it with others!
Transform your simple Brew Dr. Kombucha bottle into a farmhouse-chic flower vase in just minutes. Remove the Brew Dr. label, fill halfway with water and insert a few stems of your favorite flower. The simplicity is perfect, but if you want to add something extra, etch or use a paint pen to print your favorite saying, quote or verse on the bottle. Add a simple ribbon or twine to dress it up. Consider making several vases and using them as a centerpiece.
The tops of our glass bottles are the perfect size to hold a candle. Decorate the bottle as noted above, or leave it just as it is. If you use a candle that drips down the sides of the bottle, be sure you place something under the bottle to protect your surfaces.
We love using our bottles as the focal point of a table. The rich, earthy brown color is perfect for that farmhouse look. After removing the Brew Dr. labels, place them in an arrangement with tealights, fill them with flowers or feather plumes, or pair them with gourds, pinecones, winterberries or ornaments for the holidays.
Plastic liquid soap and lotion dispensers can be an eyesore. Toss them into the recycle bin and opt for stylish Brew Dr. glass bottles instead. Remove the label, fill with your favorite dish, hand soap, or hand lotion and insert a pump. You can purchase stainless steel pumps online or reuse a pump from another bottle. Leave bottle at is or decorate them for a personal touch. These bottles make great gifts!
This little DIY project takes a bit more time, but it’s well worth the effort. These can be made in various ways, so we’ve provided you with a link to a website that walks you through the materials and instructions for various styles. Or, check out our previous blog for a simple bird feeder that will have your birds singing in no time.
For those who want more of a challenge, we suggest upcycling our bottles into working lamps. It’s not a difficult project, but it does require a few supplies you likely won’t have on hand. Here’s a link to a website that tells you exactly how it’s done. These tiny lamps look adorable in powder rooms, bookshelves or as unique night lights. Use a small lampshade or even chandelier shade to finish the look.
Line these up across an outdoor table or spread them out for perfect ambient lighting that lasts for hours. You can purchase wicks and oils from any craft store. Want to rid your space of pesky mosquitoes? Consider purchasing citronella oil instead.
Turn your Brew Dr. bottle into a beautiful outdoor lantern whose candle won’t blow out by a gust of wind. Use a bottle cutter to remove the bottom of the bottle with a clean, even cut. Light a tea light and place the bottle over the flame. You’ll get a warm glow that will brighten any dinner party.
One of our customers gave us this brilliant idea. We aren’t botanists, so we’re leaving it to the experts to tell you how to do this project. We love the idea of using our bottles to create new plants from older ones, particularly with gorgeous succulents.There are lots of ways to practice sustainability in your life. We hope our glass bottles and these ideas inspire your own creative projects. Every time you upcycle our bottles, you’re doing a tiny, yet important part in protecting our environment.
