Do you have a need for a recycle logo? (Like the little triangular symbol to the left) I found a website that has many different recycle cliparts for copy and use. Go to http://www.planetpals.com/recyclesymbols.html
If you ever find yourself in need of a flower pot to put a new plant clipping in or to grow some starts by seed and don't have a "stock" of empty flower pots stacked up in the garden shed, here's an idea with an opportunity to express/explore your creativity and at the same time, do your share of reducing plastic waste by making something useable with it.
Check this out! It can take up to 1000 years for discarded plastic to degrade! The numbers are ever increasing, but look at the figures from 2003, only 12% of plastic bottles sold were recycled. . .leaving 40 million bottles a day that ended up as trash or litter. Every little bit each person does can help cut down on the ever growing (literally) "plastic fantastic" world being created. If you'd like to read more about this and/or read more unreal facts of our waste, just click anywhere on this "green" text and read the linked pages.
The "flower pot" pictured here is a finished example I made from a discarded 2 liter juice bottle. I guess I could put up a few more, different, photos to let you see what it looks like from different angles and if you approve of it being presentable enough to become a part of decor in your abode, patio, or garden, maybe you (and your group, if you're supervising, or teaching or heading a group in need of a green craft project) could just follow my simple instructions I've posted here. Bear in mind, if the project group consists of younger children, this may include some processes which should be handled by an adult or "someone responsible enough", I'll leave that up to your wise descretion.
The "planter" or flower pot pictured above was made from a plastic fruit juice bottle similar to the soda pop bottle pictured here.
We had some friends come to visit which gave me the opportunity to have the slightly larger than small pop bottles. Most of the soda pop bottles we have around here are smaller than this one pictured, and they're the perfect size for new starts and seed starts. Right now, I'm in the need for smaller pots than the one pictured above (already made), to start some seeds. What I'll be working on is a one liter size pop bottle. - 1 used, empty, plastic bottle
- 1 pair of scissors
- 1 straight pin (or anything you can use to poke a small hole in plastic)
- 1 pair of pliers
- 1 propane torch
- fingernail polish
- potting soil
- plant or seeds
- overcoating (nail polish, spray lacquer, spray enamel-make sure it's compatible with polish)
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*suggestion(s) - *your choice of color(s)-should coordinate with the decor of where the planter will be placed
behind a glue residue. If the bottle you chose to use leaves a glue residue, it can be washed off with soap and warm water or, if it's difficult, the glue will wipe off easily with some quick swipes of Goof Off on a rag. (You must be in a well-ventilated room!) Then, take your scissors and cut the top of the bottle off at about 1/4" higher than 
the height you'd like your planter to be to make one with a top like the one above. . .or a half inch higher if you'd like to turn your lip out, which is what I did with this one. Now, we're ready to start shaping our planter...
Be sure you're working in a well ventilated area.Turn on the propane torch to a low flame (see picture). Remember, everywhere you start heating up the plastic, the plastic will start shrinking. You don't have to touch the flame to the plastic, if you touch the flame to the plastic, it will heat up so fast, it will turn the plastic white, then, will begin bubbling, and in no time turn brown then catch fire and turn black and drip burning plastic to the floor...and we don't want to do that. Anyways, like I said, just swipe the area of the bottle you want to shrink about 2 inches away from the tip of the flame,come back to where
you started and swipe again, until you get a feel for how much the plastic is shrinking. Do this all the way around the bottle so your "planter" won't be lop-sided.When you think you have the shape you want turn your soon-to-be planter upside down. You'll want to take your straight pin or anything you have that's sharp and will easily poke a small hole into the bottom of the bottle, just above where it rests on a surface. Do this 3 or 4 times around the near-bottom. These will be your drain holes so water won't sit in the bottom and get sour and kill your plant.
Now take the pointy part of your 
scissors and enlarge your pinholes slightly (you probably won't want to get much bigger than 1/4" wide...if you made a larger planter,(6"diameter) a 1/2" drain hole wouldn't be too big. Now you're ready to decorate your planter. You can paint it any way you like. I just like to dab and stroke. Unless you want the colors to run together, you might want to wait till each color dries before starting another color. Don't worry if you get too much color on your plant pot, you can always go back and scrape off the excess with your fingernail or a dull knife within 5 hours after applying it. That's a safe time, if you wait too long to take paint (nail polish) off, it will chip and you won't have much control of what comes off. You may want to put a clear coat on for a final finish and added protection. Test some of your nail polish on a piece of cardboard or paper then (if you buy clear spray paint) spray over the nail polish after it's dried, give it a few minutes and make sure your clear spray will set up. It will help to know if your nail polish is lacquer or enamel when you purchase your clear spray. Let it dry to touch. Now all you have to do is put your freshly moistened potting soil into the pot and plant your cuttings or seeds or plants. Then you're done, you've made a useful planter custom designed to fit your decor from a plastic bottle that was going to be garbage!
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