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Compact discs or CDs have become part of our everyday digital lives. From data storage to music and videos, we rely on CDs for that portable piece of entertainment and file storage. Since its first production in 1982 at a Philips factory in Germany, there have been more than 200 billion CDs sold worldwide. If you spread out 200 billion CDs, it would be almost 600 times longer than the earth’s equatorial circumference!
Most of us would have probably have amassed hundreds of compact discs by now. But how do you dispose of them when they get worn out? Here are some eco-friendly solutions.
“Can CDs be recycled?” That was my first question when I realized that our small office had about 3,000 old CDs to throw out. I was not yet sure if junk shops accepted CDs (I later found out that some do - since it's basically plastic) but anyway I raided Google again, searching for creative ideas.
Apparently there are a lot of things you can do with it, from decor to clothing to furniture.
So I decided to compile a list of the COOLEST ways to repurpose CDs. (Be warned though that most of these would require some work)
1. Guitar picks - Yep. You can actually turn those rockin' audio CDs into rockin' transparent guitar picks.
How to make a Guitar Pick! (MattCarlBMWZ3)
If you are artistic, you can even engrave graphics into the pick with the use of a pointed cutter. No point in painting it since it would just be scraped off when you use the picks. Unless you put them in a fishbowl and turn them into decor. Another DIY artist from Instructibles.com has done really nice styling on his picks by leaving some of the foil or label on the pick. He says such designs can stay if you put nail polish on it. And I guess varnish would work too.
2. CD bowl - Another inventive way to re-purpose a CD. This will create small bowls you can use as decor - don't use for food!
First, find a small bowl that would serve as your mold. Next, peel off the CD covers to reveal the plastic disc. Wash it and let it dry. Then find round ceramic tiles that would fit into the hole. Or you can cut out from another CD. Put the CD in the bowl (make sure it's oven-safe) and put them in an oven and set the temperature to 150 degrees only. (I suggest you use an electric oven and not those classic ones so you can easily observe the CD). Once the CD softens (don't make it melt!), take it out and shape it over the bowl. Use thick gloves and thongs to protect your hands. Cover the hole as well. There's a certain kind of glue called "jeweller's glue" that will make a permanent seal. You can then let it dry and afterwards you can paint and decorate the bowl. One option is to glue another layer of mosaic CDs around the outside of the bowl.
Take a look at the CD bowls here.
3. Cellphone holder - With just a candle and a cutter, you can turn a piece of CD into an improvised cellphone holder. You can either peel off the label or leave the CD cover as is.
How to make a phone holder from a CD (arunas148)
4. Mosaic and Psychedelic CD Art -R eflector CDs as mosaic pieces would be great for wall and floor art as well as repurposed covers. Just remember to cut the pieces out and not shatter the CD - it's not as easy as you think and you might get hurt if you do this. If you want to have a part of your house tiled with CDs, be sure to consult a carpenter since you wouldn't want to produce a floor with sharp shards of plastic on it. They must most likely be embedded in concrete or other constructing materials. You can also do some artwork on your bedroom wall. You can decorate a part of your wall, say a column or the borders, and even make shapes out of the CD tiles like a big tree spanning one of your walls. You can use mosaic pieces or whole CDs, and hot glue (using a glue gun) or double adhesives. You can also create your own distorted mirror on a wall or on the back of your door, out of mosaic or whole CDs.
If you're an artist you can make dreamy patterns in the mosaic with your colored wall as a backdrop. Other things you can do with mosaic is to put them on old notebooks or picture frames.
5. CD Lamp - The easier version of the CD lamp is to shape the CDs into a circular lampshade. You can also use the mosaic technique to cover the entire shade. This would make it look like a funky disco lamp.
Nickblade CD Lamp (nickdoerden)
6. Magazine and CD holders/racks - What else to do with old CDs but to make a CD holder!
7. CD postcards or invitations - Sick of the traditional postcards? Why not scratch your message into an old CD? Of course, if you aren't into blades, you can just use permanent markers to write your message.
8. Floor checkers - Just make a checker board (made from cardboard or cartolina paper) with squares large enough to accommodate CDs. The CDs will serve as the markers. Of course this would be enjoyed more by your kids or siblings.
Other impressive CD projects:
It would be nice though if there are specialized recycling centers for CDs and DVDs (like in the United Kingdom and the United States) so it would be easier for all of us.
According to CDRecyclingForFree.com, a CD is considered a class 7 recyclable plastic. It will take one million years before a CD will decompose in a landfill.
Image credits:
Image 1 by Maciej Bliziński from Dublin, Ireland. Sourced from WikiCommons. Some rights reserved.
Image 2 taken by chandlersdeath, uploaded to Instructables.com. Some rights reserved (License unspecified, but marked with cc).
Image 3 taken by garyguitar, uploaded to Instructables.com. Some rights reserved (License unspecified, but marked with cc).
Image 4 “CD Postcard” by Kate T, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.
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