Recycled light bulb Christmas tree ornament

Using an old light bulb and a few other ingredients from around the house, you and the family can create a Christmas ornament and at the same time learn a little about recycling.

Materials

* Light bulb

* Fabric paint

* Glitter paint

* Ribbon

* Wire

Instructions

STEP 1: Using the fabric paint and glitter, create a design on your light bulb.

STEP 2: Allow the paint to dry and then create a hook by twisting the wire around the metal part of the light bulb.

STEP 3: Tie a ribbon around the metal part of the light bulb, covering the wire, and then hang your recycled light bulb ornament on the Christmas tree.

Explanation

You just recycled a light bulb. It's estimated that each person in the United States creates more than four and a half pounds of trash every day. That's about 1,600 pounds of trash per year. The good news: half of this trash can be recycled.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website "Hooked On Science" at hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.