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Recycled Christmas Tree

Recycled Christmas Tree
As opposed to going into the woods and robbing a tree of its precious life, I decided to create a fully recycled Christmas Tree. The tree consist of about 250 green 20 ounce soda bottles, each one individually lit.
 
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Step 1Gathering of Ye Supplies

Gathering of Ye Supplies
Well, to find and obtain the nearly 300 bottles needed for this project I set out on a mighty quest. All across the lands of Albuquerque, people where set in a Grinch like set of mind. No one was willing to help me obtain this much needed resource. The City of Albuquerque saw these bottles as a valuable resource and was unwilling to sell them to me. Luckily I was referred to a friendly chap, Gary, who owns Master Fibers.

I spent two mornings rummaging through Gary's sticky crates full of bottles waiting to be recycled in order to gather enough bottles which he sold at a vary reasonable price.

Other items I gathered where
-Lots of glue sticks
-an old rusted milk crate
-a couple paper grocery bags
-old Christmas lights
-a couple larger sour cream buckets
-a partridge in a pear tree
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31 comments
Dec 7, 2010. 12:32 AMD98 says:
Are there any different ways to stick the bottle together? Without hot glue or wires?
Dec 3, 2010. 11:01 AMdl24601 says:
Really cool and creative idea.
Nov 18, 2010. 9:22 AMtwighahn says:
one could use brown duct tape
Dec 18, 2009. 8:37 AMDocTao says:
Excellent use of resources, and it actually looks like a piece of Art.
The most important thing here is what the meaning and purpose
of the Tree is. You could have made it out of Toilet paper and
Clothes hangers it's what the true meaning of the work is to you.
Congrats and keep plugging, another Tree breathes easier because
of you, and so do we. Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards Every Living
Thing!
Jan 1, 2009. 7:50 AMwatermelonhead says:
awesome! opposed to some projects ive done with recycling, this is cool. and not ugly. ;]
Feb 2, 2009. 10:24 AMShut Up Now says:
ugly has never stopped anyone...
Mar 9, 2009. 7:33 PMbassclarinet23 says:
Nice
Dec 28, 2008. 5:09 AMfought piranhas says:
I love this. I'm going to start collecting bottles now for next year's tree! :)
Dec 18, 2008. 11:12 AMbrowneyedhippie says:
This is soo cool and beautiful lit.. congrats on the results of you up-cycling.. using something with out it going through the cycling method of making it in to something different.. Much nicer way to use our cycling items. Love n Peace, Hippie, xo.
Dec 16, 2008. 4:12 PMnerfer192 says:
coooooooooooooooooooooooooool also: boobus!
Dec 13, 2008. 3:26 PMHow2BRandy says:
its "nice" and all but, is there some way to have this a step up and be more, attractive?
Dec 12, 2008. 9:36 AMPlasmana says:
Wow! That is a very good and environmentally friendly idea! 5 stars!
Jun 7, 2008. 11:34 AMBadgergirl says:
I love your idea. Do you think it could be made out of cans for a smaller version? I want to make a smaller scale to put on my dresser or desk.
Mar 22, 2008. 1:31 AMmrfoltz says:
One thing that really burns my "soap box" is when around X-mass millions of people chop down living trees just for a few weeks of pleasure...Grrrrr How can you tell I'm a plant freak???? lol
Anyway, I have asked all of my friends and neighbors to give me their old plastic X-mass trees and have combined them to make a really nice big one " we have 9 foot ceilings in our home" a small one for a table and several wreaths and garlands.." having had worked in display helps" it looks like Santa's workshop in our house around X-mass...

Anyway... great ideal!

Jan 13, 2008. 2:32 PMfarktard says:
What a great idea
Jan 13, 2008. 9:49 AMRaggedyandy says:
Oh My GOODNESS Now I am going to have to start saving my Mt.Dew Bottles, That is SO COOL I Love it Also I have been thinking of trying to make 6 of them(I'll need friend's help to save bottles for me) and have each "TREE" a color of the Rainbow Red, Orange, Yellow, Green Blue & Purple, Thanks for the Inspiration I am defiantly going to add these to me decoration collection next Year Peace and Light Raggedy
Jan 4, 2008. 6:37 PMmaplepapercuts says:
Fabulous! I'm especially keen to the whole reusing aspect! Way to go - you should be very proud of your creation. And I want a star - so beautiful!
Dec 28, 2007. 5:12 AMSlothOnSpeed says:
That "tree" is amazing, and Santa should give you an extra present or three just for thinking it up. It should be easy to save from year to year, but I do have a question: Is there a drainage hole or is there enough room remaining for water to evaporate with the light in the opened top of the bottle? I only mention this because some of your photos show condensation in the bottles, and if the bottle has even a tiny trace of sugar from the soda left behind, you could have a nasty mold problem before long. Even with that tiny concern, I am astounded at your creativity.
Dec 25, 2007. 5:00 PMlil_timmy1990 says:
(removed by author or community request)
Dec 26, 2007. 4:37 PMTangMu says:
its just like having an artificial tree (which we have had for the last 10 years btw) ... only with more sense of achievement. and geek/hippy points. I would be very tempted to make an entire recycled forest... If you make them with battery operated lights then you have yourself a very odd/festive throwee. Heck its possibly verging into the dreaded realm of "fine art" O_o
Dec 26, 2007. 12:28 PMCapnChkn says:
Did you remove that little bit of label that stays stuck to the bottle, and if you did, how? I usually end up smearing that gummy glue around until it sticks to everything it touches.
Dec 26, 2007. 9:27 AMneilrether says:
How about an Instructable on the star?
Dec 25, 2007. 8:51 PMtruong says:
cooooool
Dec 25, 2007. 8:31 PMT3h_Muffinator says:
Haha nice! Looks very similar to the mountain dew one! Great job!
Dec 25, 2007. 7:53 PMshangrilarcadia says:
what a unique idea. I like it!
Dec 25, 2007. 5:26 PMWeissensteinburg says:
Good idea, nice job.
Dec 25, 2007. 5:04 PMGorillazMiko says:
lol "support this bad boy" haha cool instructable

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Author:chaintool
Once was a chef, now i'm a pizza tosser.