Pretty brilliant way to recycle plastic
New life for spoons, bottles and old KFC cups
There’s been a lot of debate in the aftermath of Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II television series about what to do with the mountains of plastic waste.
And one person in Perth has some novel ideas which puts bottles, wrappers and throw away cutlery to new uses.
Edna Lilley (40) came to live in Perth 15 years ago, leaving her native Philippines to start a family and a new life in Scotland.
She was haunted by growing up with Polio which had put a very big cloud over her childhood experiences, because in the Philippines prejudice about disability was particularly vocal and hurtful.
Edna found Perth a better place to live, with more acceptance of her difficulty walking but she still found life could be lonely.
She said: “People spend too much time in their homes alone.
“I have a husband and two wonderful teenage children, but I like having a reason to meet and get to know people.
“I love to be busy and I like to cook Asian food,” she added. “We hold a Filipino Festival in Perth for others from my country on July 25.
“Now I have a new project: CommUnitea. It’s a craft group at my
Edna, right, helps a friend complete a crib moblie
Window blinds out of sweet wrappers local North Muirton church, making pretty things out of what you might think was just rubbish.
“My aim is to make an enjoyable free gathering which has a use to society as well as the planet.”
The name ‘CommUnitea’ reflects Edna’s ethos of togetherness and also enjoying the friendly cafe at Riverside Church.
There is a growing number of people - young and old - are getting crafty, making amazing flowers and table decorations out of supermarket shopping bags, plastic drinks bottles, coffee filters, straws and even disposable cutlery.
“I hate waste and when I look at the items everybody throws out, I see them as the ingredients for something much nicer - like colourful everlasting flowers, cards, Christmas decorations, or a mobile above a baby’s cradle.
“I’ve made a waterlily table centrepiece from white plastic spoons, with its centre made from a KFC cup and
Asda bags gets a new life as forever flowers
Edna’s recycled lemonade bottle table decoration has style rainbow blinds from strings of twisted sweetie wrappers.”
Edna’s club began with seven North Muirton residents, but she hopes more will come along . Currently it meets at Riverside Church fortnightly on first and third Thursdays, from 1pm -3pm, but it could happen weekly.
Anyone interested in the next meet on May 17 could email Edna at ednalilley@gmail.com and join her closed group ‘Communitea crafty group’ on Facebook.