Who among us over the years has not accumulated a good collection of videotapes and now, with the advent of DVDs, and digital technology in general, would like to get rid of them? If you don't want to see them go moldy along with your VCR (for which we've already given you an original way to reinvent it by turning it into a toaster) in some attic, here are five easy ways to reuse or recycle your VHS.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
Who among us over the years has not accumulated a good collection of videotapes and now, with the advent of DVDs, and digital technology in general, would like to get rid of them? If you don't want to see them get moldy along with the VCR (for which we have already given you an original way to reinvent it by turning it into a toaster) in some attic, here are five easy ways to reuse or recycle the VHS.
The tape of video cassettes, in fact, which is to be equated with electronic waste, the so-called WEEE, is polyester, a plastic material which, however, in this form, is rather difficult to reuse on an industrial level. For this reason, “creative self-recycling” is even more necessary.
1) The first solution, the simplest to implement, is that of sell the collection on the Internet - in e-commerce sites such as eBay, subito.com or if you are not familiar with the web, in some flea market. In fact, videotapes may no longer be of interest to us, but represent a treasure, a bit like i vinyl, for some inveterate collector of films, various films or documentaries. Also because not all the titles released on vhs at the moment have been reissued on DVD.
2) One of the most popular methods for recycling of VHS is to try, making braids with the ribbon to roll and glue in the shapes we like best, in the production of plastic products useful for the home such as bath mats, mats o coasters. Using also the reels on which the ribbon is rolled up, it is possible to obtain, for example, even originals table lamps.
3) The third method has to do with the bucolic life. For those who live in the countryside and need one scarecrow, the polyester ribbon flaps very well in the wind and is thus able to repel birds intending to attack what has been grown.
4) The fourth method helps the environment by avoiding the use of much pollutants plastic bags. The ribbon can, in fact, if worked as a textile fiber, be used to make eco-bag to use in the supermarket or real eco-chic handbags. Unfortunately, the VHS ribbon lends itself little to being crocheted as it sticks to the fingers: however, several people have managed to cut polyester strips even from four millimeters so that they can be worked safely on hand-made looms or with the irons.
5) Finally, there is an “artistic” recycling. If you have many vhs in the original version, complete with a cover where the movie poster is printed, you could make different collages that you can use maybe as pictures to hang or to give as gifts, to create calendars or original greeting cards addressed to friends especially filmmakers.
In short, even if the polyester is thin and light, all that remains is to try to give vent to creativity with an old videotape, glue and scissors!
Lorenzo Briotti
