A maker on Reddit is drawing attention for turning one of the most disposable items used at parties and campsites into something built to last: a reusable glow stick. The DIY project is remarkably simple, and it inspired people looking for creative ways to reduce plastic waste and avoid buying cheap single-use products over and over again.
What happened?
Posting on r/Anticonsumption via Reddit, the maker said the idea came from a simple frustration: they "really like glowsticks," but that "buying a new one every time is expensive and creates lots of plastic waste."
Their fix was to convert an old glow stick casing into a refillable version. They said they took a used small glow stick tube, cleaned and dried it, filled it with strontium aluminate powder, and sealed it with two-part epoxy.
According to the poster, the finished glow stick can be charged with sunlight or a strong LED and "will shine for up to 8 hours." They also summed it up as "Infinitely reusable, forever."
Commenters responded with a mix of admiration, curiosity, and scientific discussion.
One commenter joked, "Far less radioactive than I first thought," while another reassured nervous readers: "Only if it's strontium-90."
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"Omg I would love this. What an awesome invention," one Redditor wrote.
Another user pointed out that it "Sounds like something you should sell," adding that they would "pay a premium knowing I could keep reusing it."
Why does it matter?
Glow sticks are convenient, but they are typically designed for one-time use and then thrown away. That means more plastic waste, leading people to keep buying replacements for something that might only last a single evening.
For people who already use glow sticks for camping, festivals, emergency kits, nighttime walks, or children's activities, a rechargeable, reusable option could help reduce the need to keep buying new ones.
Giving an old tube a second life instead of sending it straight to the trash is both a sustainable and fun DIY idea, and it replaces a disposable chemical product with one that can be charged and used again.
What can I do?
When some readers suggested selling them, the original poster declined and emphasized that the project was meant to stay simple enough for anyone to copy on their own.
Their instructions were: "1. Find an empty tube 2. Fill with strontium aluminate powder 3. Seal with 2 part epoxy." They emphasized how simple the process is — "That's literally it, I'm confident you can do it as well."
One comment summed up the excitement: "I too love glow sticks and seeing this made me very happy!"
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