So many regular cannabis users have a stockpile of empty packaging laying around –from child resistant bags and tubes to glass jars and bottles. And it just seems so wasteful to toss it all in the trash.
The regulated cannabis industry has come under fire recently for creating additional waste; a departure from the days when all of your cannabis came from a single ziplock bag.
However, the good news is thanks to upcoming companies like TerraCycle (out of in Canada) who are creating recycling programs, and others like Colorado based Sana Packaging who manufacture plant based packaging, we can work on creating a more sustainable industry.
In addition, we can be responsible consumers by choosing brands that use recyclable or plant-based packaging. Incorporating recycling and reusing into our personal lives as cannabis users can also go along way in reinforcing the belief that the cannabis community cares about our environment.
Here are a variety of ideas to reuse and be creative with all those jars sitting in your stash box:
Pop Tubes: They are those little plastic containers that generally hold eighths of flower. Once you’ve smoked up your bud, they are handy for storing a variety of other things including hair ties or bobby pins, toothpicks, q-tips, and other toiletry/first aid items. Do you travel and need to bring medications? These little canisters are helpful for taking smaller amounts of pills and vitamins, which works well for shorter trips. Have a furry friend? Keep treats in a (clean!) container for when you’re out and about with them.
Exit Bags: They are legally required in California to carry cannabis products out the dispensary door. The nature of these bags makes them discrete (opaque and unmarked) and mostly smell proof so they make perfect toiletry bags. Being made out of tough plastic, they are also useful if you’re into adventuring and can be used for carrying first aid kits, pre-made sandwiches or things that need to stay dry like socks.
Pre-roll Tubes: They are elongated plastic or glass tubes that are used to hold single pre-rolled joints and can vary in size. These are neat because you can make your own smoke blend (of cannabis strains or other materials) and store them in the tubes, separate from your usual flower. They’re also handy for keeping track of small parts like screws or washers.
Glass Jars: If you smoke a lot of flower, you’re bound to end up with tons of random glass jars. Those are especially great for at home DIY art projects. You could make candles or plant a mini garden with things like succulents! Do you dry herbs or make your own spice blends? Glass jars are helpful to keep plant materials fresh. If you’re real adventurous, these jars are helpful for little survival kits. You can keep a little bit of tinder and matches to help light fires, or hold extra batteries for your flashlight. Alternatively, they are good for on-the-go ash trays!
Tincture bottles/droppers: For the non smokers, tinctures are a favored way to go. The bottles themselves can be cleaned and made into tiny vases – maybe even try modge podging! You could also trade the dropper top for a roll on or sprayer and try making your own essential oil blend. If you happen across some very tiny bottles, pop them over a set of string lights for a different lighting effect.
So there you have it! Whether it is for creativity or practical use, many of the random objects we have lying around are just waiting to be converted into all sorts of projects that can enhance your life and help save the environment.
*We always recommend washing out your packaging before transforming it into something new.
