Contrary to popular belief used tires still have a long and very useful life long after they are deemed too worn to roll on the road. With a little imagination and a sharp tool to cut through rubber an old used tire can be recycled into anything. Take a look at the unique ways tires are reused and recycled.
1. Used tires in the garden
Old used tires are often used in the garden as planters for flowers, potatoes, herbs and other plants. There is some debate about chemicals from tires leaching into the soil and being absorbed by the plant. To stay safe only use tires for plants you wont be eating. Tires can also be used around trees to keep grass from growing nearby and/or to hold much in place.
2. Used tires make beautiful art
A used tire doesn’t have to just hold something beautiful inside of it to be useful it can be beautiful. Take a look at Mirko Siakkou-Flodin animal sculptures (dragons, bulls, horses, etc). These beautiful and life size sculptures are sculpted with used tires.
3 Used tires make good swings
Recycle a tire into a swing. There are two options. You can make an old fashion tire swing (a tire with a rope looped through and then tied to a large tree branch) or make an extravagant tire swing like the ones at cowhorncountry. These tire swings are more ride then they are swing.
4. Used tires make eco-friendly sidewalk
There is a company in the US called RubberSidewalks that makes and sales rubber sidewalk panels made out of recycled tires. These sidewalks are more eco-friendly than cement sidewalks and they last longer making them also cost effective. Will they eventually take the place of cement sidewalks? That is something to think about.
5. Used tires make tire jewelry
Just about anything can be recycled to make jewelry. Yes, even tires. Used tires, especially bike tires, can be stripped, cut or shredded to make all sorts of jewelry: earrings, necklaces, bracelets and so on.
Still not a believer? Stop by thriftyfun.com for more ways to recycle tires and if you know of other links or have tire recycling ideas of your own feel free to share them below. Help keep tires out of the landfills and waters.
