Don't throw old CDs and DVDs in landfills. Make use of it more efficient and lasting. Reuse the ones you no longer need in a creative and interesting way.
Steps
Step 1. Extend the life and efficiency of your CDs and DVDs
Whether you use them for archiving purposes, to exchange data with friends or to watch movies, there are some useful tricks to get the most out of them and make them last a long time:
- Keep CDs and DVDs away from heat and direct sunlight. Light and heat can melt or warp discs.
- Store CDs and DVDs in their cases. If you leave them lying around without a case, they can get scratched or scuffed. Get in the habit of always storing CDs and DVDs in their case after use. This way they will not only be protected, but also much easier to find.
- Use high quality discs. If you need to store photographs, for example, use high-quality photographic DVDs and CDs. They will last longer and you will run less risk of losing your data.
- Use DVD instead of CD to archive data. You will reduce the number of discs you need, as a DVD has 6 times the capacity of a CD.
- Use rewritable CDs and DVDs whenever possible. This way you can add data multiple times, extending the useful life of the disk.
Step 2. Don't buy new DVDs for movies or CDs for music
There are other ways to tidy up your DVDs and discourage producing too many copies:
- Rent DVDs.
- Buy used DVDs from rental shops for a fraction of the nominal cost.
- Buy second hand music CDs.
- When buying second-hand DVDs and CDs, always buy them from reputable sellers and always check them in good lighting conditions to make sure they are free from scratches.
- Search the web for CD exchange sites.
Step 3. Reuse old and no longer interesting CDs and DVDs in crafts
The possibilities are many; here are some ideas. Instead of throwing them away, take advantage of this opportunity to awaken your creative genius:
- Use them as coasters. Decorate them with beads and stickers and glue felt underneath. Or decorate them with markers. They can be ideal for fancy clubs, cafes and bars because you can draw logos and brands on them.
- You can also use 3.5”floppies as coasters. To give it a special touch, apply a few drops of glue or silicone to the underside, so that the coaster is slightly raised from the table top.
- Use them as window decorations. Hang a CD or DVD by means of transparent, darning or fishing threads. Decorate the disc if you like, or leave it as is. The sunlight will be reflected off the surface of the disc, casting rainbow reflections around it.
- Glue scraps of paper onto the discs to turn them into sparkly fish or funny faces.
- Create a movable sculpture using a certain number of discs.
- Try making a sculpture using CDs.
- Glue the discs to a backdrop and use them to decorate a wall.
- Create artwork with records.
- Have children use them as paint palettes: they are washable, suitable for little hands, and then they are cheerful and shiny.
- Make a lid by gluing the tab of a soda can in the middle.
- Use them to make scarecrows out of them. By means of invisible threads hang them from trees, support poles, etc. to scare unwanted birds and keep them away from the garden or lawn. The multi-colored rays reflected from the discs keep birds away. For greater effectiveness, arrange a few discs so that they slam together as they move.
- Use the discs as reflectors on the spokes of the bicycle.
- Glue beads and other small trinkets to CDs to make decorative objects.
- Using multiple disks mounted on an axis and spaced 0.5-1 mm apart, make a Tesla turbine or pump.
Advice
- Look for organizations interested in recycling the CDs and DVDs you want to discard. For example, you can turn to fundraising entities, such as local Caritas, charity peaches, and the like.
- Model the discs. If you briefly put the CDs or DVDs in a pot with water close to the boiling point, when you take them out (be careful) you can easily cut them out with a pair of scissors, thus obtaining objects of various shapes (for badges, decorations, etc..). Be careful not to leave them in the water for too long, and keep an eye on them all the time. This should only be done in well-ventilated areas to avoid possible damage caused by inhaling volatile chemicals, which could be released from the discs.
- Do not cut the discs before boiling. They would break.
- If your discs have lettering or images on one side, you can hide them by gluing two discs face to face. A silicone sealant is very suitable, and keeps the discs well glued together even when left in the open air.
