When a roll of toilet paper is used up, the cylindrical center is often tossed into a recycling pile or thrown into a composter.
Eco-friendly toilet roll company bumboo eco (@bumboo_eco) took to TikTok to share a hack to make the empty toilet roll into a seedling pot.
The scoop
Turning your finished toilet paper roll into a small growing pot is easy.
@bumboo_eco Give your loo roll tubes a second life 🌱 Here's a super simple way to turn leftover toilet roll cores into planet-friendly seedling pots: ✂️ Cut four slits at one end of the tube 📦 Fold the flaps in to create a base 🌿 Fill with soil and pop in your seeds 💧 Water gently and watch them grow! They're biodegradable, plastic-free, and can be planted straight into the ground when your seedlings are ready. A small swap that's good for your garden, and the planet 🌍 Have you tried this before? #homeaccount #planetfriendly #reducingwaste #sustainability ♬ original sound - Blade of Eleonora☪️
After flattening the roll, cut it in half to create two shorter cylinders. To make the base of the pot, cut slits along each crease on one side. Fold the bottom into the middle and tuck the diagonal corners inside, like you're closing a cardboard box.
Once you fill them with dirt, you're ready to plant your seeds. After the seedlings can be transferred to bigger pots, you can compost the toilet paper roll.
How it's helping
Many people use toilet paper, so using the cardboard rolls that will already accumulate is a great alternative to buying seedling trays or pots from a store. This can cut down on waste, help organize the planting process, and save a few dollars, too.
Repurposing is beneficial for you and the planet. It reduces strain on natural resources and pollution from manufacturing.
Keeping the cardboard out of the garbage can also help reduce overcrowding in landfills. According to Collect & Recycle, cardboard can take months to years to decompose.
The other clear benefit to using the rolls as planters is growing your own vegetables at home. There are many advantages of home gardening, including reducing pollution and pesticide use, encouraging better nutrition, and getting active in nature.
Spending time outdoors is also good for physical, mental, and emotional health. According to the Mayo Clinic, gardening can reduce stress and anxiety and lead to healthier diet choices.
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When do you plan to start gardening this year?
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I already have 🧑🌾 UNC Health agrees with the benefits of gardening, highlighting the potential boosts to self-esteem and the opportunity to connect with other family members on a shared project.
What everyone's saying
Commenters loved the idea of reusing the rolls as planters.
One said, "Such an amazing idea."
"Great use of the middles! Need to try this!" wrote another.
One commenter offered another idea for how to use the cardboard: "Ours are often kept for kids crafts!"
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