Recycle okay, but is this taking it to far?

yup....too far for me. who would do that? heck the containers that you get sandwhich meat in are reuseable...why would anyone go thru all that work ? I agree...way over the top.

This was really a great questions and you got some really awesome responses. I gotten a lot of great ideas on recycle and stretching my dollar further as you said. Thank you great discussion.

I think those ideas look great, will save on containers going to landfill - I don't see any problems with them as long as people make sure they've been thoroughly cleaned. Wish I'd known about the milk box one way back when I was having packed lunches at school.

I recycle plastic milk jugs into planters all of the time. In fact here is a picture of one if anyone wants to take a look: http://drann.typepad.com/anns_aerogarden_updates/ Of course the tomato is a lot bigger now! Those jugs can be sanitized by running them through the dishwasher, so I don't think they are unclean, even for the lunchbag substitute. Admittedly when I read your discussion, I cringed a little, just as I do when I see people refilling milk jugs with drinking water at the kiosks--now THAT might be taking a chance--but after reading the article, I decided those lunch carriers are not only clean enough but very cute. Sure, I would do that. One of the "ecology" things that to my mind is going too far is when people don't flush the toilet after each use, and I draw the line at washing off and eating food that has been dropped on the floor. That sort of thing turns my stomach, but hey, people do it. I once saw my stepmother pulled a crust of bread out of the garbage (which had dog poop in it by the way) exclaiming "We don't waste food!" Good thing Pop married her after I had already flown the coop. I could not eat in that house!

hi coffeebreal I really think those people are taking it a bit far, milk cartons for sandwiches no way. Paper sacks called brown bagging it can hold plastic boxes with lids made to take heat upable food and sandwiches also. no milk cartons take you very much

I don't think it is going overboard, I think it is creative and resourceful. It also helps children to think twice and maybe three times before throwing anything away.

Those have actually been around for quite a while. I know that I wouldn't want any but it's interesting to see how they've taken containers and turned them into lunch boxes, pencil cases, even purses! I'm sure though cleaning those containers would be easy and easy to disinfect if you did it right.

I get the Family Fun magazine and I actually thought those are really cool. Only thing is I never even have those types of containers nor really the need for them since I do not ever pack lunches.

I would consider it, I would try it once in an effort to save the environment but if I didn't like it I would stop. There is definitely is a point where it can reach obsession and I don't think that is necessary. And as a side note, I am always picking up pennies, I'm glad I am not the only one

When I first read the description of the sandwich and snack containers I thought it might be taking reusing things a bit far too, but after looking at them, they really look great! I was shocked. I doubt very seriously if I could get a cut up milk jug to look that good, but if i could that would be really cool.

well, my mom actually recycles some stuff, and so as me. sometimes some i turn bottled waters, specially hard ones into my own personal refillable bottled water. and my mom would convert some of the coke plastic bottles into a plant pot, most specially if it's a large distilled water containers. It's quite good because she doesn't need to buy pots when she can recycle one.and we still have plenty more of it. Have great day