20 Smart Designs That Actually Help the Environment

Biodegradable confetti with seeds, batteries with a USB charger, or dishes made of used coffee grounds — we don’t have to move mountains to help the environment! All these seemingly insignificant things add up to a “giant leap for mankind” which help us take care of our planet.

Here at Bright Side we’re trying to be environmentally responsible and we think it’s extra important to support the small eco-friendly efforts of people and companies around the world and spread the word!

1. Paper Throw & Grow confetti that have seeds inside

2. A Japanese toilet refills through a sink on the top so you can rinse your hands and re-use the water.

3. An incredible way to upcycle wine corks

4. “They have a bike at my school that blends smoothies that they then hand out at lunch.”

5. A playground that reused old tires for mulch

6. You can charge this battery with a micro USB!

7. We don’t need to move mountains to help the environment, and these reusable cans are a good example of that!

8. KitKat Japan replaced plastic packaging for paper, that can be folded into origami.

9. You can bring your container and fill it with soap, avoiding the purchase of plastic containers at Simon Fraser University in Canada.

10. The paper tag on this pan can be planted to grow herbs.

11. A coffee cup that is made from recycled coffee grounds

12. A grocery store gives out reusable hand-made wooden coupons for those who bring their own bags.

13. This beach cafe gives a free coffee if you fill a bucket with litter from the beach.

14. An ice cream cup made of banana leaves

15. The stir sticks at my coffee shop are just pieces of pasta.

16. This water cooler has a glass jug instead of plastic.

17. This guy’s fence is made from random doors!

18. The packaging from this new laptop is 100% recycled plastic, 25% of which was reclaimed from the oceans.

19. This breakfast buffet provides ice cream cones for spreads instead of cups to reduce plastic waste.

20. The chairs in my garden are made out of shopping carts.

Are any of these eco-friendly life hacks in your city? Do you have something we could add to this list? We’d be happy to see your stories and pictures in the comment section below!