What to Do With Your Old Soda Cans
Don't let your aluminum cans go to waste
What can you do with your used soda cans? pop cans? beer cans? What are your choices? Think your have two options: trash it or recycle it? I assure you, there are many more options than that. People worldwide are using aluminum cans in creative and amazing ways. Find out how to release the potential that lies within a used soda can.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. With aluminum cans too RECYCLE is too often limited to cans with a deposit, and REUSE is forgotten altogether.
Make a Christmas Tree - Mountain Dew Christmas Tree
Mountain Dew with its green and red colors, are perfect for a Christmas Tree. Check out this amazing Mountain Dew Tree, which has its own myspace page. Standing at six feet tall, it is comprised of about 400 Mountain Dew Cans, and one 2 liter bottle.
Run Your Car on Hydrogen
Okay, so not really practical, and not a project for the average person. But, hey, if you are the science experiment type, then give it a whirl.
- Run Your Car on Hydrogen from Aluminum Soda Cans and Lye
James Burgett of computer recycling fame shows me his test setup at ACCRC for running his Lincoln on aluminum soda cans. They threw this rig together quickly to test the concept. The concept works.
What do you do?
What do you do with your soda cans?
Make a Suit of Chainmail Armor
Using a couple hundred soda can tabs and some wire, you can make for yourself a custom fit suit of chainmail.
This will be perfect for the next Renaissance Festival, or any a role-paying event. Make a suit for Halloween!
How To Make a Suit of Chainmail Armor
Thanks to LauraSchofield who brought this one to my attention.
Project Ideas
Aluminum Can Craft Ideas
This site has some of the most amazing aluminum can projects that are within the range of possibility for most crafters. Included in three e-books are step-by-step directions on making hundreds of wreaths, ornaments, centerpieces, floral arrangements, handbags, baskets, wall art, and more.
Several samples projects are provided for free on the site such as Easter Lilies, Fireworks, and Star Ornament, among others.
Aluminous Publishing's Aluminum Can Craft E-books
Recycle aluminum soda beverage cans to wreaths, baskets, Christmas ornaments, wall hangings, pull-tabs purses with full-size patterns, pictures and instructions. Download, recycle and create.
Make a Soda Can Hat - Knit an aluminum can hat
Learn to make your own aluminum can hat from the Tin Can Alley. They have a tutorial for two styles of hats, a bag and a tissue cozy! Apparently there is a long tradition of this handicraft.
Another pattern is available at knit1mag.com
If you are not one to crochet, then you may want to pick up one of these hats:
Aluminum Can Fact:
You can make 20 recycled aluminum cans with the energy it takes to make one new aluminum can from bauxite ore.(Community Recycling, Belington, Washington)
Cover Your House with Aluminum (Can) Siding - A new whole new take on aluminum siding
Architect Richard Van Os Keuls, a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, has put up new aluminum siding on his house. Well, the siding is new, the aluminum is not. In fact, it's not really "siding", it actually covered in aluminum can shingles...flattened beer and soda cans laid over each other, covering the exterior of his house.
- Van Os Keuls - Innovative building materials from everyday tin cans: eco-artware Recycling Rag Newsl
Richard Van Os Keuls' Soda Can Covered House - Van Os Keuls - Innovative building materials from everyday tin cans: eco-artware Recycling Rag Newsl
Richard Van Os Keuls' Soda Can Covered House - Washington Post Article on Van Os Keuls House
Drinks on the House - When the Root Beer Is Gone, the Can Lives On
Make a Pop Can Stove - A backpacker's handy burner
Build your own stove with just two soda cans and a few common tools. Being lightweight and cheap, this is a great item for backpackers and campers.
Learn more about the stove at this lens: Pepsi Can Stove. Graphics showing the physics of these is available at wikipedia.
Lotus Flower Tealight
- Lotus Tealight made from an Iced Tea Can
From the Craft Chi Blog, Amy Ybarra Murphy gives instructions and a pattern to make a beautiful lotus flower tealight holder out of an Arizona Iced tea can (or any other can).
Other Soda Can Ideas
- Soda Can Mini Golf - remove the lid from a soda can, and cut a few 1/2 inch lines vertically going around the top, fold them back (so it is not sharp). Next go out in the back yard and dig holes to fit the cans. You have a mini golf course ready to play!
Other Pop Can Ideas
Make a Shark
- Tesscar Aluminum Craft -- Recycle your favorite beverage can into a work of art!
Recycle aluminum cans into this adorable shark. Free instructions available.
Incentive?
Despite the fact that the deposit system used in some states includes only carbonated drinks, and therefore excludes canned lemonade, iced tea, bottled water, etc., do you think that the system of paying a deposit is appropriate.
Is a nickel deposit the right incentive to get people to recycle?
Pop Top Purse or Belt
Novica connects artists worldwide this shoppers equally as worldwide on eBay. Through Novica, Neide Ambrosio has the outlet to sell these amazing and hot handbags made with soda pop tops. Amazing!
Aluminum Can Fact:
An aluminum can that is thrown away will still be a can 500 years from now.
A recycled aluminum can be made into a new aluminum can in as little as 60 days, and then be recycled again over and over.
Donate Them
A nickel may not mean very much to you, but it means a lot to some.
Many local boy scout troops collect soda cans for fund raising.
-or-
Donate your aluminum cans to Habitat for Humanity:
Make an Airplane
- Do it yourself: make your own soda can airplane
Aluminum soda cans can be used in crafts; instead of recycling them all, why not use some to make a model? Find out how to make your own airplane with these step-by-step instructions.
Make 'Em Dance
Become a better videographer by directing your very own soda can stop motion animation. Very Sesame Street; very cool.
More Ideas
- Soda Tab Chain - Instructables - DIY
How to build a super-cool chain out of soda tabs. - Recycle Cans into Ashtrays/Votive Holders
Create a simle yet beautiful ashtray, candy dish or votive holder. Another idea would be to make a wax potpourri burner by taking the top off one can and cutting pieces out of the sides (for smoke), then place one of these trays on top to melt a was - Canned Heat: Solar Heater Built With Soda Cans
Some of the highest technology in the world is being brought to bear on the problem of saving energy. - CRAFTS : Natural & Homemade : Soda Can Art
Transform soft drink cans into purses, jewelry and decorator accents with this how-to from B. Original host Michele Beschen. - Recycled Pull Tabs - Ecoist Accessories
handbags - Pop Can Framed Mirror
Build a beautiful framed mirror. - Heat your garage
Create a soda can solar furnace to heat your garage. - Build a car, ship, truck or other vehicle
Recycle aluminum cans of your favorite beer or soda into works of art with TESSCAR ALUMINUM CRAFT construction plans. Build models of aircraft, race cars, trucks, locomotives, farm and construction equipment, ships, motorcycles and insects using temp
Recycle - Recycle Recycle Recycle
If you don't think that any of these projects are for you, or that you simply won't get to them, then the very least you can do is recycle your cans. Whether your state has a deposit system or not, recycling aluminum cans may be more important than you realized.
These are just a few reason why you should recycle your cans:
- The mining, processing, and manufacturing necessary to produce aluminum cans are responsible for large quantities of toxic solid wastes, the widespread destruction of wildlife habitat, and the displacement hundreds of thousands of indigenous people around the world. (Container Recycling Institute, 2002)
- The energy needed to replace all the aluminum cans wasted each year is equivalent to 16 million barrels of oil-enough to keep a million American cars on the road for a year. (Container Recycling Institute, 2001)
- A recycled six-pack of aluminum cans could save enough energy to drive a car five miles. One can equals the amount of energy a can half-full of gasoline would produce. (San Diego County Office of Education 1991. RAYS - Recycle and You Save.)
- Aluminum cans comprise only 1.4% of a ton of garbage by weight, but they account for 14.1% of the greenhouse gas impacts of replacing an average ton of garbage with new products made from virgin materials. (Container Recycling Institute, 2001)
Please let us know what you are up to with your aluminum cans. Do you know any interesting or amazing projects that we haven't yet discovered?
Guestbook
The Chain mail looks great. I imagine it would be quite light also.
Wow! We used to crush them horizontally so they grabbed our shoes and would dance around in a tap-show manner. :)
Some great ideas, no doubt. But I'm not skilled enough to reuse so I must keep on reducing and recycling.
very good post about reuse of soda cans
This is a great list of ideas!
Great ideas to use the soda cans!
very nice and interesting lens! Great job! Thank you for sharing.
Nice lens
Interesting ideas to use old soda cans. Great lens!
I recycle mine but after reading your lens I may start turning them into cute sharks and airplanes.
Can not find instructions for Lotus Tealight made from an Iced Tea Can when clicking the link from your page.
I do recycle my sofa cans bit I see some great ideas on this lens .
Those are really great ideas, Kab! Such an inspiration. In the Netherland cans are not recycled so you gave me some lovely alternatives. Thank you!
So fascinating! Now I want to go make lots of the stuff you featured here. They are all so clever and beautiful. This Lens is A+++++!!! In California recycling is the law so everyone has to do it.
My grandpa used to make the airplanes out of them. Of course that was before Michigan started their $0.10 per can deposit program. A great lens. Thank you for sharing it.
Very interesting and creative lens!
I always recycle cans - I think we should all do so
Great lens! I have always recycled cans, but now I learned how to reuse soda cans.
Love the siding on the house!
I need a Mithril made from soda can tabs !
I would like to make an airplane I saw at a street fair out of recycled cans.
This is one of the coolest lens i think i have seen!
Some amazing ideas. It takes some creative people to come up with these sorts of ideas.
awesome lens, I think that recycling cans is good for the environment
Very interesting. And I just put mine in the recycle bin and miss out on all the fun.
Very useful resource. Thanks!
I would have never known about these other BRILLIANT uses for aluminum cans had I not stopped by here! I am definitely going to try making some of great things with my soda cans.
(Love the airplane and the shark) and the purses...and the armor and...and...so much of it!
Amazing! I never thought I could save used cans and recycle it. Great ideas! Sundae ;-)
nice advise, learn something new from you related to soda cans
very interesting lens learned a lot never even considered all this that you shared thanks for sharing it.
Definitely bookmarking this one. My son would love to make that airplane! Although soda cans will have to do.
Wow! there are a lot of things to do with your soda cans! I find the pop top purse or belt to be really nice. :) Great lens!
I really like the idea of using soda can tabs to make a suit of Armor. Since we rarely drink soda, it would take us forever to collect that many tabs :)
Love this lens! Especially like the aluminum can siding. I'm submitting this as my Quest today for a "green" lens
You've got plenty of great ideas for aluminum cans; my two favorites are the Christmas tree and the shark. I enjoyed this very much!
Recycling is the way to go
Great lens! We recycle cans but some of these ideas are very amazing!
Great lens for ideas on recycling. Love the pop top purse and belts made from soda pop tops.
Wow! Who knew that so much cool stuff could be made out of soda cans!!!
I didn't know you could recycle your cans in so many ways. :)
This is very cool. I have seen the airplanes before, but that's about it.
My old friend Darryl used them as "wallpaper." That is, he lined all his walls, top to bottom and side to side with cans. He was a professional baseball player and most of those cans were beer cans, but it was impressive nonetheless. Wonder what ever happened to him.
Love the lens.
Now that is called a true creativity.
Liked your lens and you are welcome to visit my lens.
Oh my! What an amazing Reuse& Recycle craft lens. Absolutely fabulous!
I'm big into recycling whatever I can and you have some great ideas here that I'll use. Thanks!
How creative! Nice lens.
Great idea!
Lots of good creative ideas here! I liked the aluminum can siding the best.
Very interesting lens!
Very creative ideas. Much more fun than putting them in the recycling.
We don't really any choice here in the UK. Virtually every single item has to be recycled nowadays.
It all gets down to "recycle recycle recycle!"
Genius.. with a little 'can do'...
Interesting lens. Thanks
Amazing ideas for things to do with old soda cans. I have seen belts and handbags before, but I can't believe someone has actually covered their home with them!
I recycle my aluminum cans.
Have to agree with Sam on this one. I haven't touched soda for over a decade and two good things happened. 1: I lost weight and feel great. 2: I don't contribute to the world's mountain of empty soda cans (and feel great)!
Cool ideas, but here's a crazy thought for you...stop drinking soda (it's not healthy)!
Great lens with so many awesome ideas. I've always recycled the cans but I might try some of these artistic ideas. Check out my new lens if you get a chance: http://www.squidoo.com/bottle-less-water-coolers
So many ideas, so little time. I've earmarked the soda can shark as my first project.
Great lens!
Interesting lens
I've always thought about saving my soda cans, but I never drink enough soda per-year to even make a bag full. Water rocks for me!
great lens :)
back in high school, we used to donate the opener of the soda so that they can build wheelchairs for the physically challenged people. thanks for the share! i love the armor idea :D
great lens. Very unique. Blessed
That dragon is gorgeous!
Great lens very well written.
Very good ideas here. I love the chain mail armor and we just went to Texas Renfest - it would have been cool to wear one. Bookmarking this page for inspiration and ideas and showing it to my son.
Great ideas! I recycle mine at the moment, but might need to try something new!
That chain mail armor just blew my mind. Whoa!
At the moment i just recycle them but I'd love to do some sculpting if I had the right tools to do it with.
Some really fun ideas. I think I like the tea light holders best.
interesting read! Thanks for the lens:)
You are some very creative ideas on how to recycle soda cans - thanks.
This post is awesome! Never knew there were so many ways to reuse aluminum cans!
Chainmail armor... I don't even... That's the best idea ever.
That is amazing. I LOVE the purses made out of poptops. I did make an art project with my poptops. I collected poptops for a year and then glued that quantity of poptops (700 or so) to have a visual representation of how much pop I drink per year. It was astounding. It stopped me for a while...but I'm back now..until I quit again.
It is interesting to know there are so many ways to get creative with aluminum cans. I have a soda pop top bag and love it!
very amazing lens, wow so many ways to use the soda cans.
Interesting, who know you could do so many things with soda cans
very interesting
Wow! some interesting stuff!
Your comments and liking my lenses
I don't know that such nice things could be possible with those cans . Thanks for sharing such creative lens keep up the good work
Now I can use my cans in new ways. Thanks for sharing.
I use aluminum cans to make goggles for steampunk costumes. I think I'm going to start collecting pop can tabs so I can make armor for ren faires too!
- AUTHOR
@Diana Wenzel: If you shingle the dog house, you've got to send me a photo! :-)
Congrats on your Purple Star! Well-deserved.
Love the creativity displayed here. I often wonder what I could do with all of the aluminum cans that I collect on my daily walks (picking up the litter left behind by others). Right now I recycle them, but you have sure given me lots of more imaginative ideas. I may use some to shingle a dog house that I am currently building.
very interesting ideas!
Many great ideas. thanks for sharing.
Wow you have lots of great use for cans, thanks for sharing.
Holy Cans Man! WOW!
Great ideas!
Wow this is very creative. This len sparkle'd me.
Nice videos.. ;)
Nice videos.. ;)
I love the purses! great lens
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