If you don’t feel quite green enough even though your designs are printed on recycled paper and printed with vegetable-based inks, why not try building some art from recycled products? From rifles to street signs to plates, there’s nothing you can’t reuse as art.

Recycled Weapons

I’m not sure if I’d ever say weapons are useful, but they’re an interesting medium when it comes to art and design. Check out Freshome for some really cool sculptures and furniture made from weapons confiscated from the Cambodian government after 30 years of civil war ended in 1998. The Peace Art Project Cambodia (PAPC) was born out of an opportunity two artists saw to recycle guns and rifles.

Gallery Art from Trash

Take a look at these pieces from Tim Noble and Sue Webster in England who work with trash to create sculptures that you can only see once a shadow is cast on them. If you look at the piles of trash, it doesn’t look like much. Looks like a random heap. But look at the shadow, and that tells you the real story.

Plastic Bags = Street Animals
How about this for some moving art? A pop-up bear that comes alive when a New York subway rushes past under the subway vent. Joshua Allen Harris made this bear out of tying plastic shopping bags together and decorating one for the head. He’s also made a monkey, giraffe and a Loch Ness monster!

Design for Your Home

If you need a stylish way to keep burglars out of your yard, and perhaps even confuse them a little with a lack of street names, how about putting up this street sign fence? The fence even has a door in it! This fence is part of a repurposed building complex in California.

Recycled Water Bottles

I didn’t realize how handy plastic water bottles could be. I knew they were a great way to carry water, but I never thought of sticking a magazine or candle in them!

Recycled Plates
At first I thought, plates are beautiful, but what else can you do with them? But a lady named Juliet has found a great way to make jewelry from broken plates. She’s made beautiful pendants, rings and belt buckles, like the ones shown here. She’s selling them too, on Etsy as well as her Web site, Ibreakplates.com.

Feeling inspired yet? If not, go to Superuse.org for more inventive ideas of recycled design.