second-life function

The next few posts will focus on my exploration of the everyday plastic drinks bottle. I've found that once the liquid has been drunk, the plastic bottle which is quite a functional object, becomes worthless. My aim is to rewind a stage and make the object 'valuable' once again.



The idea above provides a very simple purpose, crushing a clove of garlic, the action of which is quite primitive, especially when using the plastic bottle.

It reminds me of a film made back in the 80's called "The Gods Must Be Crazy". The film documents the differences between an aboriginal 'bushman' tribe in Africa and a 'westernised' city in Botswana. A glass coke bottle is dropped by a Pilot flying over the tribe's homeland, a member of the family finds it, brings it back to camp and then uses it for all their everyday tasks because it is stronger than the wood or bone they would normally use. It becomes a multi-functional 'tool' of the tribe.

Can the plastic bottle become a multi-functional 'tool' for the western culture that has disposed of it?



The idea above came to me when my girlfriend suggested we buy a salad dressing shaker. While walking to uni the next day, I found an empty plastic bottle on the pavement. I realised that any plastic bottle, empty or full, is the perfect container. The screw-on lid provides a watertight seal, and the plastic is not as fragile as a glass bottle.

Obviously I did not use the bottle I found on the pavement for the salad dresser shaker. At least that's what I told my girlfriend!