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27 images of 'reincarnated' plastic bottles show why it's better to recycle.

Your plastic water bottles deserve more.

Do you know how much plastic waste the U.S. generates each year?

33 million tons, according to the EPA, from a 2013 analysis.

If that's not sobering enough, over 90% of these plastics meet their final resting place in landfills, meaning they'll never be recycled.


However, I'm not here to depress you with statistics.

I'd like to introduce you to the born-again plastic bottles that are recycled.

The ones that are hiding in plain sight, as opposed to the ones that are out-of-sight, out-of mind at your local garbage dump.

The ones that found a higher calling thanks to your decision to throw them away in the blue or green bins, as opposed to the black ones.

The recycled plastic bottles that are just begging you to rediscover them in their newfound glory.

NOTE TO READER (especially you lovely folks on your mobile devices): It might take a few seconds for these images to load. I promise it will be worth the wait!

1. Cozy Patagonia fleece

Check out all their recycled plastic products here.


2. Winter jackets, too!


3. Check it out: Luxury bedsheets designed by will.i.am


4. Plastic bottle denim jeans by a company called Dirtball? Sign me up.

A+ business name, guys.


5. You can also root for your favorite NFL team in these plastic bottle football jerseys.

6. Do yoga (or just be comfy) in these plastic bottle yoga pants.

Namaste, plastic bottles. Namaste.


7. You could also look fly in these New Balance NewSky sneakers.


8. Plastic bottle UNDERWEAR, y'all


9. Designer handbags, backpacks, and luggage by Matt & Nat

Even the inside liner is made from plastic bottles!

10. Red (or green?) carpet fashion

But like, what plastic bottle wouldn't want to end up with Colin Firth and his wife, Livia?


11. Plastic bottles can also strut their stuff on the runway.

Work it, plastic bottles. Work. It. Out.


12. Pet beds!

GOOD BOY.


13. And pet toys, too!


14. And you've probably walked on a plastic bottle rug.

And, hey! These are affordable.


15. Plastic bottles can also get a second chance with these "B2P" pens by Pilot.

Next time you're ready to restock, consider these bad boys.


16. Rainy day? Try a plastic bottle umbrella.


17. You probably want to buy this awesome bat backpack.

For kids or adults? I'll let you decide. They also come in pink bunnies, purple owls, penguins with ties, and more.


18. Or this pink dump truck.

*adds to Christmas list*


19. Be fancy with a fancy plastic bottle chandelier!


20. Stare in awe at some ridiculously creative plastic bottle artwork.


21. And don't forget to check out this artwork ... made with plastic bottle "paint."

WHAT? HOW??


22. You can even make an entire HOUSE from plastic bottles.


23. A bus stop?! Yeah, a bus stop.

24. These people are riding solar-powered recycled-plastic-bottle BOATS.


25. Even the roads of the future are paved in plastic bottles!


26. No big deal, just a man-made plastic bottle island here.


27. Or, you know, 1.5 million bottles could get you AN ENTIRE FREAKING BUILDING.

Learn more about the EcoARK in Taipei, Taiwan, here.


See? It's an absolute crime to send plastic water bottles to the dump when there's so much potential awaiting them elsewhere. Not to mention each ton of recycled plastic saves over 16 barrels of oil since it requires less energy to produce than new plastic.

And remember: Recycling is only one part of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" mantra. Reducing (or even eliminating) your consumption of plastics, in addition to coming up with your own fancy DIY uses for milk jugs and water bottles is even better for the environment, if you're willing to make the lifestyle change.

Recycle on, friends!

Pop Culture

Here’s a paycheck for a McDonald’s worker. And here's my jaw dropping to the floor.

So we've all heard the numbers, but what does that mean in reality? Here's one year's wages — yes, *full-time* wages. Woo.

Making a little over 10,000 for a yearly salary.


I've written tons of things about minimum wage, backed up by fact-checkers and economists and scholarly studies. All of them point to raising the minimum wage as a solution to lifting people out of poverty and getting folks off of public assistance. It's slowly happening, and there's much more to be done.

But when it comes right down to it, where the rubber meets the road is what it means for everyday workers who have to live with those wages. I honestly don't know how they do it.

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Joy

5-star Scottish resort offers whimsical afternoon tea experience with 'naughty sheep'

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes tea in the garden with adorably rude guests.

Cameron House/Naughty Sheep

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes a unique sheep encounter.

Remember when "goat yoga" was all the rage? And then "cow cuddling" and "turkey cuddling" made everyone's bucket lists?

Now we can add "nuzzling with naughty sheep" to the mix, but with a fancy Scottish twist.

Less than an hour from Glasgow, Scotland, the Cameron House resort sits on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, looking as if it were plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Sprawling green grounds, gorgeous lake views and a four-story castled mansion greet guests as their "home away from home" (only better), and a perusal of the reviews show guests raving about the 5-star resort's elegance, beauty and exceptional service.

I mean, just look at this place:

drone view of cameron house grounds and lakeCameron House sit on Lake Lochmond in Scotland.Cameron House


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A pitbull stares at the window, looking for the mailman.


Dogs are naturally driven by a sense of purpose and a need for belonging, which are all part of their instinctual pack behavior. When a dog has a job to do, it taps into its needs for structure, purpose, and the feeling of contributing to its pack, which in a domestic setting translates to its human family.

But let’s be honest: In a traditional domestic setting, dogs have fewer chores they can do as they would on a farm or as part of a rescue unit. A doggy mom in Vancouver Island, Canada had fun with her dog’s purposeful uselessness by sharing the 5 “chores” her pitbull-Lab mix does around the house.

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@caitlin.the.realtor/TikTok, used with permission

Wait, so 90's fashion is in, but 90's hair is out?

Every era has its own version of what’s attractive. And very rarely does that aesthetic hold power with the following generation. In fact, it often becomes the opposite of cool.

Just think of Elvis. He might have been a universal sex symbol for a time, but it also wasn’t long before his pompadour became passé. Same goes for Paul Newman’s rugged manliness, David Cassidy’s babyface, Tom Selleck’s mustache. Indeed, for everything a season.

Which brings us to the 90s. The age of beach blonde surfer boys (real surfing skills not required, but a plus). Of flannel, lots of flannel, and super chiseled bodies. Let’s not forget this was the dawning of the term “metrosexual,” and also the time period that brought us that Calvin Klein ad with Mark Wahlburg.

How exactly would these guys measure up with the Gen Z kids today?

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A Eurasian crow.

A family from Denmark has created a touching video montage documenting their unique friendship with a wild Eurasian crow. This crow, affectionately named Russell, has become an honorary member of their household, forming special bonds with each family member, including the pets.

However, the crow's relationship with their son, 2-year-old Otto, is truly extraordinary. “They could spend hours just playing,” Otto’s mother, Laerke Luna, says in a video shared by The Dodo. "When Otto is outside, he will never leave Otto’s side.”

Russell, the free-spirited crow, ventures away from the family's home from time to time, but never for too long. He always comes back and announces his return by tapping on the door, swooping in to lounge on the sofa, or awaiting Otto's return from school atop their roof.

“When we are inside, he will sit inside the window because he wants Otto to go outside with him,” Laerke said.

The family’s relationship with Russell didn’t come out of nowhere. When Russell was a young bird, he had health problems so the family took him and nursed the bird back to health. Eventually, they witnessed his first attempts to fly.

Recently, Russell became friends with another family member, their second child, Hedwig. Although he does get a little annoyed with the bird’s frequent attempts to nab his pacifier.

Even though it’s rare for humans to strike up such a close bond with a crow, according to research, it’s not that surprising. Audubon says that crows are “some of the smartest animals in the world” with an intelligence “on par with chimpanzees.” They are also very social and family-oriented, so no wonder Russell loves Otto and his family.

Crow Named Russell Waits For His Favorite Kid To Get Home From School | The Dodo


Learning

Why you shouldn't throw your dishwasher pod into the bottom of your dishwasher

Dishwashers actually use the dirty water to know how to wash your dishes.

Photos by cottonbro studio and PhotoMIX Ltd. via Canva

Why your detergent shouldn't go in the bottom of the dishwasher

There always seem to be something going on with the pods and powders you're supposed to use in the dishwasher to clean your dishes. Either the pods don't dissolve completely or the powder gets all goopy and hard, never really fully dispensing into the dishwasher.

The inconsistency in product dispensing can leave you wondering if the dishes are even getting cleaned, causing some to toss the detergent pod into the bottom of the dishwasher. It would seem that placing the detergent at the bottom would allow for it to actually reach your dirty dishes. But Melissa Pateras, a domestic expert, explains that doing it that way isn't doing what you think it's doing.

Pateras actually breaks down exactly how dishwashers work to clean your dishes while explaining why putting the detergent on the bottom is ineffective.

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