Since plastic is a huge source of material that requires recycling, limit the amount by making cool stuff from plastic milk jugs.
You will of course want to start by thoroughly washing and rinsing the plastic jug, and the rest of the steps are just as simple.
Milk Jug Bird Feeder
Items needed:
- Milk jug
- Scissors or tin snips
- birdseed
This project only requires cutting a milk jug in two places, but adults should do the cutting or supervise children closely.
1. The first step requires measuring a square about 2″ x 2″ and marking it on in the front of the milk jug up about 4″ from the bottom. Make rounded corners to avoid jagged corners. You can do this by tracing the milk jug lid inside the corners.
2. Now, cut out the square. It is easier if you poke a hole through the center with the scissors or snips and then cut out the remainder.
3. Be sure to smooth any rough edges with sandpaper so birds won’t get scratched. Wipe away any sandpaper dust, inside or out.
4. Next, you will need to snip off about an inch from the bottom of the jug handle, cutting it all the way through and removing the shorn piece. This way you’ll be able to use the handle to hang the bird feeder from a tree (you might have to bend it or twist it a little to get it around the limb).
5. Poke a few tiny holes in the bottom of the jug. Make them large enough to release moisture, but not so large that birdseed will fall through.
6. Fill the bottom of the jug with birdseed. You don’t want to make it too full, since the jug will tilt when you hang it up and the feed might spill out the feeding window (adjust the birdseed level as necessary, depending on the amount of tilt).
*Your children will be delighted by all the different kinds of birds that will visit!