Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Plastic Free July Day 16

I spent the evening up-cycling some lanterns that I removed from my shed, (soon to be hen house).

You know those pretty solar lanterns you put in your yard, until you find out they're meant to last one season?  I had about 8 of them of different kinds.  The original two were made better and I think they're still going.  But the other six were purchased only 1 year later, and were so cheaply made, that the plastic over the solar cells oxidized and the batteries couldn't charge.

But I love the designs and so this evening I began to meticulously take each one apart, with the intention of taking the solar panels and spent batteries to hazo-house, and seeing if they'll also take the plastic housing I removed, which has what looks like a little circuit board inside.  And need I say it?  That housing is made entirely of plastic.

So far I've reclaimed 3 of the 6.  These two crackle glass globes...




The photo doesn't do them justice.  I love how the light sparkles off the fragmented glass, and casts interesting, lacy shadows on the wall.










And one of these pretty Asian style lanterns, with a dragon fly etched into the glass panels.


Now they are back to being useful items, instead of a big disappointment.

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