Did you know that rubber bands are made from a natural, renewable and biodegradable resource, making them sustainable and eco-friendly?
It’s true – rubber bands are better for the earth than many other items commonly used for bundling or packaging.
Natural latex rubber is sourced from plantations around the world. The rubber trees on these plantations reach maturity at 6 years of age and have around 25 years of productive life! The sap used for rubber bands is harvested sustainably using a process called “tapping.” It causes no harm to the trees and at the end of a productive life, the trees are used for furniture and other timber products.
Technically, rubber bands can be recycled, but it’s best to reuse them rather than toss them into the trash or compost bin.
If you’re like most people, you have a drawer of rubber bands just waiting to be used. You probably know about the most popular uses for rubber bands around the home and office, but have you tried these?
1. Prevent zippers from falling down by securing them to buttons on pants
2. Around slippery objects like tools and drinking glasses
3. Straighten broom bristles
4. Replacement for tape (to hold items together)
5. Wrap around an open paint can to remove excess from a paint brush
6. Stop a door from locking by wrapping around front and back of door knob
7. Hold together a sliced apple (to prevent browning)
8. Around auto visor to hold important documents/receipts in place
9. Around individual bundles of cords to reduce cord clutter
10. Secure lid to slow cooker while transporting
11. Save space in luggage by keeping outfits rolled up tightly together
12. Wrap around the ends of hangers to prevent slippage
13. As a book mark
14. Create symmetrical floral arrangements by bundling sections of stems together
15. Erase pencil marks
16. Wrap around ends of rolling pin to create space for desired height for pastries
17. Around spools of ribbon before storage
18. To remove stripped screws
19. Behind pictures in frames to keep them perfectly centered
20. Seal small leaks in water hoses
