From banana-based plant food to home-grown shower accessories: TikTok’s top eco-hacks revealed

These are the top trending eco-hacks on the social media site.
These are the top trending eco-hacks on the social media site. Copyright Unsplash, Canva
By Euronews Green
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These are the most popular sustainability tips from the social media platform this year.

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Living an environmentally friendly lifestyle can be tricky at times, so it's understandable that many of us look to social media for guidance.

TikTok is the perfect place for sharing these green tips and tricks in short video form - with millions of people scrolling through to watch them.

Research from Uswitch has analysed hundreds of videos under the eco-hack tag to discover which were the most watched sustainability tips. Some of the most viewed types of videos had up to 19 million views, showing a growing interest in these eco-friendly ideas.

From feeding your house plants to growing your own bathroom accessories, here are TikTok’s most popular eco-hacks.

5. Reusing jars and containers

This one might seem like a no-brainer but, with 1.5 million views on TikTok, plenty of people are interested in tips around reusing jars and containers.

It might be because, once you’ve built up a stack of empties and tried every standard hack, you run out of ideas for what to do with them. Tips from the app include storing homemade cosmetics like face creams, creating candle holders and bringing home your zero waste goods like dried pasta from the store.

@nowastegirl

Reply to @librabitch420 BOOM! Works like magic. This is a game changer for my no waste cafe. ##diy##sustainableliving##gogreen##reuse##reusejars

♬ original sound - Peej Jameson

There are even hacks on how to remove stubborn smells from jars that once contained foods like pasta sauce or pickles using lemon juice and baking soda.

4. DIY paper envelopes

Envelopes can be made from just about any waste paper including magazines, newspapers and leftover wrapping materials. Videos showing you how to fold them have garnered 2.3 million views on TikTok.

@atira.art

Reply to @sir.noodle.the.3rd tutorial on how to save money & paper with these diy envelopes! ##EasyDIY##ecofriendlypackaging##diyenvelope##etsyartist

♬ Space Girl - Frances Forever

Many are aimed at small business owners looking for an alternative, eco-friendly way to package their products.

One video on the platform even shows the process of recycling old milk cartons to create paper envelopes.

3. Growing your own loofah

You’ve probably come across this popular shower accessory but did you know that loofahs are made from a vegetable? Via TikTok, around 3.5 million people have now discovered they can grow their own.

The plant is related to the cucumber and can be easily planted in your own garden at home. Two species Luffa aegyptiaca and Luffa acutangular can be used.

Fruit can be left on the vine to mature until they turn a yellowish-brown colour. After that, the thick skin should be peeled to reveal the network of fibres that make them great for scrubbing yourself in the shower.

Grown just like winter squash, the plants enjoy full sun and well-drained but moist soil. In many parts of the world, this fruit is also eaten just like you would prepare a courgette.

2. Creating fertiliser from old bananas

Hacks that use old banana peels to create plant fertiliser were the second most popular on the social media platform - receiving 8.3 million views. This involves repurposing food waste and storing it in water to create an alternative to chemical products.

The theory goes that the skins of this fruit are full of nutrients that plants need to grow - particularly potassium. But experts say banana peels are just like any other source of organic matter and that brewing them into a tea might not be the best way to use them.

Instead, you are better off chucking your leftover fruit peels into a compost heap where they can break down and fully release their nutrients.

1. How to make eco-bricks

With around 19 million views, the most popular eco-hack on TikTok was the creation of plastic bricks. This involves filling plastic bottles with non-recyclable plastic and sending them off to be used in construction. It prevents this waste from ending up in landfill - or worse in our oceans.

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An empty two-litre bottle is filled with pieces of ripped up single-use plastic. They have to be non-biodegradable and no paper, glass or metal can be included. It is packed tight by hand until it is completely full, then can be dropped off to organisations that use these eco-bricks to create low-cost housing. The Ecobrick Exchange has information on where to find your local group here.

Eco-bricks can be used to make everything from furniture to garden walls.

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