Put a cork in it: Recycle your wine corks for crafts, cash and more!

Do you drink wine? Ever wonder if you could recycle rather than throw away these little wine stoppers? You can!

Cork is an environmentally sound natural resource. Taking the bark from the cork trees does not kill the tree and in Portugal (where over 50% of cork oak trees are), the cork oak tree is prohibited from being cut down.

A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers study found that carbon dioxide emissions, a key factor in global warming, resulting from the life cycle of a screwcap are 24 times higher than a natural cork stopper. Cork is being used in "green" flooring, insulation, automotive gaskets and much more.

Here are some resources for cork recycling:
Rewind Your Wine (Illinois and St. Louis area)
Korks for Kids (Proceeds go to charity.)
Yemm and Hart (This site pays. See details.)

Here are some great ideas for re-using cork at home:
- Make your own cork baseborads.
- Clean your knives with cleanser and a cork (rather than an abrasive cleaning pad).
- Place an extra cork near your bulletin board or sewing machine to use as a handy and safe pin holder.
- Do you have cats? I just throw wine corks on the floor and watch the show!

And here are a few craft ideas for your stray corks:
- Make a dining table placeholder or business card holder.
- Create your own cork board/bulletin board.
- Decorate for the holidays with these cute wine cork angels.
- Make cork trolls!

Any other ideas? Let us know, and never throw away a cork again!