Plastic bottles piling up at home often feel like waste, but one gardener has found a way to give them a second life and help her plants thrive in the process. Known online as Mama Judy (@judybaogarden), she turned empty water bottles into makeshift seedling starters.
The clever project, shared by her son on Instagram, showed how a simple reuse trick can save money and cut down on plastic waste.
The scoop
In the video, Judy's son asked, "Does anyone else's mom find millions of ways to reuse water bottles?" before he showed bottles cut in half — some lined with damp paper towels, others turned into soil-filled planters to sprout seedlings."
When asked how she came up with such ideas, she simply replied, "Oh, I think it."
Her son added, "Mom's passion for gardening shines through her innovative ways of building and growing it!"
How it's helping
The bottle hack reduces trips to the store for seed trays and makes it easier to start seedlings at home — a simple, low-cost solution that also keeps plastic out of landfills. Repurposing containers is a simple but powerful way to cut plastic waste, especially since plastic items like straws can take up to 200 years to break down, according to the WWF Australia.
Beyond convenience, gardening has been linked to better-tasting produce and improved well-being, from higher fiber intake to lower stress levels. It can also benefit mental health.
The New York Times shared that gardening is a mood booster, builds self-esteem, and helps people develop social connections in community garden settings. It may also help improve cognitive abilities, especially for older adults, according to the BBC.
What everyone's saying
Viewers loved Mama Judy's approach. "Resourceful queen," one commenter wrote.
Another chimed in, "A good gardener doesn't run to the store to spend money on pots and such … or even other plants."
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Not enough time ⏳ A third called her "a sustainable queen after my own heart."
Repurposing old containers and packaging is a small but powerful way to shrink plastic waste. For anyone inspired by Mama Judy, growing your own food — and starting with one repurposed bottle — is a simple step toward saving money, eating healthier, and reducing pollution.
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