apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

great idea... but dont much like having bags full of empty cans and bottles on display for everyone to see...

Plastic bags cannot be recycled with cans, glass or paper though - so even though they are getting reused, they still have to be thrown away or taken to a recycling center. At least that would be the only option in Seattle - not sure how the rules of recycling apply elsewhere.

Very nice. While many people fear that showing the "machine" that is environmental design is not aesthetically pleasing (a la solar panels, wind turbines, compost piles, etc), I have to say this may be the most beautiful mini home recycling center made so far. Never forget that showing the mechanics of caring for the planet supersedes fashion because it in effect makes environmentalism more accessible to the general public - even if that public is just your friends and family.

Interesting concept. I think I'll see if my Dad can make me one if I buy the materials.

Very clever reuse of plastic bags (for the cities that haven't banned their use like SF)

Twenty twenty-one is right. Plastic bags gum up the sorting machines at the recycle centers. The bags would need to be dumped out into the big collection bins and the bags thrown away, but that's not a big inconvenience.

I had an Italian thing like this in NYC that I bought at Zabars for holding my plastic bags at the top and hanging a hole-free plastic bag on the bottom. It was a clever design and I should have unscrewed it and taken it with me, but I left it and hope the next tenant got to use it.

Our local recycling here in my area of the UK REQUIRES that all recycling items are separated out into separate plastic bags - so this wouls be PERFECT!!