The packaging and products that we buy can be used in a multitude of ways other than their intended purpose. Many items that we commonly toss to the side after one use can be used again. The EPA has researched and concluded that the benefits of repurposing items is that it prevents pollution caused by reducing the need to harvest new raw materials, it saves energy, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change, it saves money, and it reduces the amount of waste that will need to be recycled or sent to landfills and incinerators. Some examples of how you can repurpose the daily items in your life are by using plastic bags given at grocery stores more than once, using old shoes as places to grow plants and even passing down old clothing or possessions to family members. As someone who loves to create new things, I know that repurposing old items in my house can be used for all sorts of creative projects. So the next time I have the choice to throw away an item I will instead extend the life of a product by repurposing it into something new.

https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-and-reusing-basics