Project Sunlight was started by Unilever last November: it is “a long-term initiative to motivate people to live sustainably by inspiring them to create a brighter future for children.” My first article about this can be found here. This second compensated post is about the activity my son and I did to help our planet to be more sustainable!
Go to the Project Sunlight website to learn more about this Unilever initiative, and find a sustainable Summer project to do with your kids. Paul and I tackled “Go Green in Your Bathroom” project:
We did have a few substitutions from the exact recipe found on the web site. My son loves to work with duct tape so we incorporated that into our project. I also had a large shoe box on hand since there were no diaper boxes available. I had called my neighbor but she had just recycled hers!
I thought this duct tape color pattern was just lovely and did not think anymore about it. I found out later that my son was trying to reproduce the colors of the gay flag for his 2 dads. That right there was my Father’s Day gift.
The only wrapping paper we had in the house was from the December holidays. I left my son alone for 1 minute and found that he had not only cut out the birds from one of the wrapping paper sets, but also made a tree with some of his other supplies for a very natural and beautiful wild life scene. I can’t think of a more appropriate picture for a recycle box that is meant to help our planet become more sustainable (which means to my son that we are also nurturing nature). Is there any wonder that I started this blog to continually sing my son’s praises? He has the most beautiful soul!
And there you have it. Our recycle box for the bathroom. Why? Because nearly 40% of Americans toss plastic bottles from the bathroom into the trash. Most people don’t think about recycling in the bathroom. We are half guilty of that ourselves. We usually remember to add our empty shampoo bottles to our kitchen bottle recycling, but we had not recycled paper products from the bathroom before this project. We only thought in terms of recycling papers and magazines. There are many more paper items that can be recycled, something we learned during this project.
An example of the items that we now recycle in the cardboard section of our recycle canister: toilet paper tubes and the packaging from new toothpaste! Remembering the newspapers and magazines in the front room of our apartment near the paper recycling shopping bag that sits right there was easy. This required a change in our thinking.
So please remember, you can make this easy container for your bathroom recyclables. Just check the labels on the plastics in your bathroom for PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) or HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) plastics, they, along with Dove and Suave shampoos and body washes, are recyclable!
Please visit Unilever’s Project Sunlight website ! I urge you to “Make Fun, Not Waste” this Summer by participating in the Summer Sunlight Activities with your children and even your neighbors! These interactive, fun, easy projects will encourage you to adopt new sustainable habits at home. And feel free to pass it on!
Disclosure: While this post is part of a sponsored campaign by Unilever Project Sunlight, all opinions and experiences expressed are entirely my own.
The recycling box came out awesome. You have a budding artist on your hands – and that is seriously an awesome idea to keep a box handy like that in the bathroom for all those empty bottles!!
This is such a great idea and it actually makes me open my eyes to how many plastic containers I throw out on a weekly basis. I never even think it recycle them, just toss them in the trash and let them go on their way. I think I am going to have my 5 year old make one of these so we can encourage each other to recycle.
I love that he rainbowed it! And, what a great idea to put a recycle box in the bathroom. I usually just toss them on the floor until I trip over it enough to remember to take it to the bin!
I now have the crazy urge to make a box like this for the bathroom, kitchen and my room! I love em!
Great idea!Your son did an amazing job and how lovely for him to try to recreate the flag colors and i also love the birds with the tree.
WHOA – nearly 40% of Americans toss plastic bottles from the bathroom into the trash. I’m guilty of this and need to stop. Thanks for sharing.
What a great initiative! And a fun way to spend some father/son quality time.
How smart to put a recycling box in the bathroom. I sometimes throw out my bottles right into the bathroom trash, as if walking them downstairs to the recycle is too much effort. *blushes*
Your son is amazing! We recycle everything possible and we compost the food that can be composted. (We live in an area that supports all of these efforts and makes it easy for us!)
Lovely things can be done with duct tape.Think I will let my grandaughter make a box like that for under my sink.
What a great job your son did. I love the design. Great initiative also.
He did a great job!!! What a fun project!
What a great idea! And the tape is brilliant so vibrant and happy! He did a wonderful job!
So happy that he was trying to do the rainbow colors of the gay flag. I just want to hug him!! Makes me happy for you!! Happy Father’s Day!!
What a creative and thoughtful son you have there. Now you have a nice reminder of him whenever you are in the bathroom 🙂
He put so much love and hard work into that. Did your heart melt? It came out splendidly and it serves a great purpose!
I love the end result of your son’s talents! I have to admit that I don’t think to recycle our shampoo and shower gel bottles. Making a mental note to get better at doing that!
Your son sounds so thoughtful! I love the design and idea of a recycling box for the bathroom. Very handy!
THis is a super great idea for the kids to do and to learn about recycling.
What a sweet kid! He is lucky to have two amazing dads that love him! Ok- now back to the box… cute idea! Great way to teach the kids to get involved!
Great idea! You’re right about not thinking about recycling in the bathroom!
Great box! I love the tree he put the bird in. I hadn’t thought of recycling toothpaste tubes either.
That is fantastic and your son is so sweet!! I love his representation of the flag. We try to recycle in the bathroom, but do not have a spot designated to recycling. I think having a recycle basket in the aster bath would make a big difference. Thanks for the idea!
I love your upcycled box! We recycle a lot more now that our area takes more of our items!
He did such a great job. I think my girls would have a ton of fun with a project like this.
That is a fantastic idea. I love the idea of getting the kids involved in making the box.
I love this “Make Fun, Not Waste” summer campaign project. Your little guy did an awesome job. I know we forget about the bathroom recyclables, too! Thanks for sharing this.
This is such a great idea. I am guilty of tossing!
Your son does sound like a sweetheart. This is good advice on the items in the bathroom that can be recycled. I tend to recycle in every room but the bathroom, how silly!
What a great idea! I usually let the empty bottles collect in the shower stall until I can’t move around any more then take them out to the recycle bin!
I’m going to head over and check out the Project Sunlight site! I think this would be fun to do with the kids. Great little project!
What a great project and a great way to encourage kids to recycle! He did a really good job too 🙂
Oh boy. I’m guilty! I do not recycle our bathroom bottles and things. Maybe my kids would like to make a box like this?
This is such an important initiative. I try to do what I can to reduce waste and upcycle.
What a great idea! And your son is beautiful, both outside and inside! That was such a special touch for his daddies to make it rainbow box 🙂 I’m always amazed by the things that go around in my son’s head. They understand and figure out so many things on our own that it’s amazing to talk with them and find out what they are thinking.
I must admit we aren’t good about recycling. My girls would love making a box like this for the bathroom. Time to get some colored duct tape!
That’s a great kid you have there! So sweet! 🙂 We could use one of these in our bathroom. I don’t always remember to bring the plastic down to our recycle bag. This would make it easier with it being in my face like that. Great idea.
What an awesome project! We try to be good about recycling!
My 6yo son is forever rescuing things from the bathroom trash can for the recycle bin. He’s our eco-conscious one.
Well I have to say that is without a doubt the most clever idea ever!! What a bright young boy!! That sure gives me an idea!!