While it might be instinctual to toss your old toilet paper rolls straight into recycling, many crafters have designed other means to declutter your bathroom by repurposing these old tubes around the house. In particular, households with children or pets are a hotspot for repurposing projects where empty cardboard rolls become toys and other kid- or pet-friendly activities.
The scoop
On YouTube, Canadian pet insurance company Pets Plus Us (@PetsPlusUsCA) recently shared one way in which you can transform your toilet paper tubes into a simple treat-dispensing puzzle for your pet.
To attempt this "hack," simply cut a small hole — roughly the size and shape of your pet's desired treat, if slightly larger — in the side of an empty toilet roll. Afterwards, you can fold down one end of the tube, add a handful of treats to the inside, and then fold down the other to seal it.
Now, your pet can paw at and shake up the cardboard roll-turned-puzzle for a satisfying bite-sized victory.
How it's helping
According to NBC News, we discard an average of 17 billion toilet paper tubes each year. Although many of these are properly recycled, the majority end up in our overburdened landfills.
When landfills overflow, they release planet-warming gases such as methane into our atmosphere and seep other pollutants into our soil and groundwater, any or all of which may make their way into our bodies and pose risks to our health. Meanwhile, unchecked garbage may endanger nearby wildlife habitats and compromise the species that live off the affected land and water.
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As a result, finding ways to reuse and repurpose rather than throw out altogether can help you make an environmentally responsible impact on your community. In addition to toys and activities, unwanted cardboard rolls can be reused in compost, home decor, and other eco-conscious household essentials, or even donated to sustainable nonprofits.
What everyone's saying
Responses to the original "hack" were overwhelmingly enthusiastic — both about the repurposing itself and about the cute puppy pictured in the video.
"That's so smart," one user commented.
"I made one for my kitten and he doesn't even care about the treats," another shared. "He is too focused on playing with the tube itself."
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"I used it for my cats," wrote a third. "It was amazing."
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