In a new light - some good uses for those old incandescents

When you upgrade your light bulbs to LED light bulbs, you undoubtedly enhance your home’s energy efficiency. However, you’re then presented with the dilemma of what to do with your old bulbs. Sadly, incandescents are not recyclable, so if you’re going to ditch them they’ll have to go in the waste. This is bad news for the environment, but fortunately there are many good uses for those old incandescent light bulbs. You just need to use your imagination!

Before you can unleash your creative skills, you’ll need to learn how to hollow out a light bulb. With the right tools and those all-important safety goggles, the process is quick and easy, and before you know it, you’ll have an empty bulb which is full of possibilities!

One clever idea is to turn the bulbs into salt and pepper shakers. You’ll need a hacksaw, some hex nuts and bottle caps among other things, but the finished products will be well worth it: two elegant glass shakers which are sure to impress your dinner guests.

Another way to impress your friends is to create home-made oil lamps. With some common tools and a few items such as a shoe lace, a bottle cap, some magnets and, of course, some lamp oil, you can breathe new life (or new light) into your old bulb.

But perhaps the most ingenious idea of all is to turn your old incandescent into an aquarium. That’s right – instead of discarding the defunct object, you could actually use it to house living organisms such as shrimps. Practical, creative and resourceful… talk about a light-bulb moment!