| We do everything we can to do our part in the | | | | reuse. Many UPS Stores, Mailboxes Etc., |
| effort to protect the environment. We | | | | PostNet, and other small packing and shipping |
| recycle. We take extra care to combine | | | | centers will accept your peanuts to reuse. |
| errands so we don't waste gasoline | | | | Contact your local store for verification. If |
| (especially at these prices). We even make | | | | you have trouble finding a drop-off location, |
| purchases online to save energy and keep the | | | | please visit for information on businesses |
| paper catalogs at bay. And if you are like | | | | and centers willing to accept used peanuts or |
| me, you just love getting packages in the | | | | call the Plastic Loose Fill Council's Peanut |
| mail. Except... when I open the package and | | | | Hotline at 800-828-2214. Get your creative |
| find that my item has been protected from | | | | juices flowing |
| damage in shipping with the dreaded | | | | |
| polystyrene packing peanuts! Not only do | | | | Now we know how to recycle those pesky |
| these pesky peanuts make a huge mess, they | | | | peanuts, but before we get rid of them, let's |
| are utterly indestructible. When these things | | | | ask ourselves what other uses we might find |
| end up in landfills, they NEVER degrade. | | | | for the peanuts. Can we think of ways we can |
| Future inhabitants of our planet will be able | | | | convert our trash into treasure? Here are a |
| to study our culture using these suckers. | | | | few ideas to get us started. |
| | | | |
| So what do we do? | | | | - The holidays are fast approaching, so any |
| | | | peanuts we have left over after using them to |
| 1. The best alternative is to simply not use | | | | safeguard the gifts we're shipping can be |
| these peanuts. There are alternative packing | | | | used for decoration. Use a needle and strong |
| peanuts available made from starch that | | | | thread to string the peanuts like popcorn to |
| almost instantly dissolve in water. Ask your | | | | use as a garland for your tree. |
| online retailer to begin using this more | | | | |
| environmentally friendly alternative to | | | | - Place a few peanuts in the bottom of a |
| polystyrene. | | | | planter before inserting your plant to |
| | | | conserve soil and to help drainage. Be sure |
| 2. When you receive a package packed in | | | | not to use too many or to block the drainage |
| peanuts, test them by running one under water | | | | hole completely. |
| to see if it dissolves. If so, you can simply | | | | |
| dump them in your sink a little at a time and | | | | - Use an old zippered pillowcase and fill it |
| run the dissolved peanuts down the drain. | | | | with peanuts. This makes an inexpensive pet |
| They are safe for the water supply since they | | | | bed or a "bean" bag chair. |
| are made from vegetable and other organic | | | | |
| matter. | | | | - Dip the peanuts in paint and use for |
| | | | creative stamps. Many peanuts look like |
| 3. When the peanuts don't dissolve, there are | | | | letters or you can cut them into whatever |
| a few things we can do. When you have a | | | | shape you'd like. If you are a scrapbooker, |
| package to ship that requires a bit of | | | | this is a great way to add a creative splash |
| protection, use the peanuts. Ask your | | | | to a page. |
| recipient to do the same. At least they don't | | | | |
| end up in a landfill immediately. | | | | - Crumble the peanuts into pieces and use |
| | | | them as faux snow in our winter decorations. |
| 4. If you don't like the idea of keeping the | | | | Even simple actions can help us protect our |
| peanuts around the house, there are several | | | | environment. The more we do, the more we |
| centers and stores that will take them to | | | | help, the more our world benefits. |