Creative uses for cold packs? I have a lot of them...
June 25, 2012 8:42 AM Subscribe
Creative uses for cold packs? I have a lot of them... I have to take a medication that arrives via a mail-order pharmacy in temperature-controlled packaging that includes a cardboard box, a foam cube and a bunch of cold gel packs. The boxes and cubes can be recycled, but what should/can I do with the mountain of cold packs I'm collecting?
We're all set with using them in lunch bags and obvious things like that and they helped cool a keg at a party this summer, but maybe there are other things I'm not thinking of. Do people accept donations of these things?
I hate to just throw them out. I can store them in our basement freezer for future use, but it is likely (thanx chronic disease!) that they will Just Keep Coming for the rest of my life, so I'd like to do SOMETHING with them.
Any suggestions are appreciated!
We're all set with using them in lunch bags and obvious things like that and they helped cool a keg at a party this summer, but maybe there are other things I'm not thinking of. Do people accept donations of these things?
I hate to just throw them out. I can store them in our basement freezer for future use, but it is likely (thanx chronic disease!) that they will Just Keep Coming for the rest of my life, so I'd like to do SOMETHING with them.
Any suggestions are appreciated!
Best answer: How are you recycling the cubes? No one around here takes #6 stryo packs.
I'd talk to food banks, maybe they can freeze them and hand them out with frozen good handouts. I'd think about kids' lunches, too, but there might be a liability factor.
Keep them at work for use in summer parties for cooling pans of snacky foods, ice cream socials, etc. Like Sterno but in reverse.
posted by tilde at 8:46 AM on June 25, 2012
I'd talk to food banks, maybe they can freeze them and hand them out with frozen good handouts. I'd think about kids' lunches, too, but there might be a liability factor.
Keep them at work for use in summer parties for cooling pans of snacky foods, ice cream socials, etc. Like Sterno but in reverse.
posted by tilde at 8:46 AM on June 25, 2012
Best answer: Are they this kind? If so, you can safely dispose of the internal substance and recycle the packaging.
posted by jenny76 at 8:49 AM on June 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by jenny76 at 8:49 AM on June 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I was thinking public school like LN, too--but less for lunches/food and more for the school nurse. In some schools programs are barely hanging on to their school nursing programs, ice packs are a total luxury item.
posted by rumposinc at 8:50 AM on June 25, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by rumposinc at 8:50 AM on June 25, 2012 [4 favorites]
Jenny76 that is awesome! I've never thought of making my own cool packs with some pure-i-fyed water and corn starch!
Good to know they are drainable (that brand - I've seen them come through some times on similar packaging) and standardly recyclable (if you live some place that takes #4 - yeah I live in a very WEIRD place with their random number refusal).
posted by tilde at 8:53 AM on June 25, 2012
Good to know they are drainable (that brand - I've seen them come through some times on similar packaging) and standardly recyclable (if you live some place that takes #4 - yeah I live in a very WEIRD place with their random number refusal).
posted by tilde at 8:53 AM on June 25, 2012
Best answer: Due to cat diabetes I had to go in to the vet rather frequently to obtain a small dose of insulin - each time they asked me if I needed an ice pack with it (I came prepared of course - with frozen veggies I bought on the way). So maybe ask a local SPCA/rescue org if they have use for some ice packs?
posted by travelwithcats at 8:59 AM on June 25, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by travelwithcats at 8:59 AM on June 25, 2012 [3 favorites]
Best answer: A school was my first thought, so I'll add: your local parks and rec center, community center, Boys & Girls club.
posted by padraigin at 9:00 AM on June 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by padraigin at 9:00 AM on June 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: jenny76 - They ARE that kind! Sweet - so I can at least do that if it gets overwhelming.
tilde - You know, I don't know... My mom takes our recycling (long explanation as to why redacted) and so I just assumed, but our county doesn't recycle those either, so maybe she is just tossing them. Maybe my question should have been "how to reuse the cubes" instead (make igloos...).
posted by stefnet at 9:01 AM on June 25, 2012
tilde - You know, I don't know... My mom takes our recycling (long explanation as to why redacted) and so I just assumed, but our county doesn't recycle those either, so maybe she is just tossing them. Maybe my question should have been "how to reuse the cubes" instead (make igloos...).
posted by stefnet at 9:01 AM on June 25, 2012
Best answer: To go along with schools, other youth programs, especially youth sports programs, could probably use them. Also, if you know of anyone who gets migraines, ask them if they need any--ice packs are tremendously helpful to me.
Just wondering--maybe you could contact the pharmacy and see about "recycling" the cold packs back to them, possibly for a discount on your meds? It seems as though they'd need them most of all.
posted by epj at 9:03 AM on June 25, 2012
Just wondering--maybe you could contact the pharmacy and see about "recycling" the cold packs back to them, possibly for a discount on your meds? It seems as though they'd need them most of all.
posted by epj at 9:03 AM on June 25, 2012
You can try freecycling them when they pile up. I'm sure that someone could use them for something.
posted by patheral at 9:05 AM on June 25, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by patheral at 9:05 AM on June 25, 2012 [3 favorites]
My dad gets these with his medicine, and my mom took a bunch to her physical therapist's office, where they were apparently very happy to have them. (I guess they use lots of ice packs and don't have that many on hand...?) I like the community center idea though, because giving them to a nonprofit seems better.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 9:07 AM on June 25, 2012
posted by DestinationUnknown at 9:07 AM on June 25, 2012
Best answer: I used to donate mine to the college biology dept. They are constantly having to ship things that need to be kept cold, and they love the foam coolers AND the boxes that they fit into as well. (It helped that I was a grad student in the dept, so I knew the closet to deliver them to.)
posted by hydropsyche at 9:15 AM on June 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 9:15 AM on June 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Just to add a completely unnecessary amount of specificity to the previous suggestions of schools, youth sports programs, etc:
Consider donating them to a professional dance program or small dance company in your area. Post-secondary/professional conservatory dance programs, small regional dance companies, and even some college dance programs (unlike many recreational or youth dance studios, which often have the luxury of a little extra dough) are often VERY hard up for cash, and the first-aid/student care department is usually what suffers. Dancers need cold packs ALL THE TIME (it's like an addiction). I have many fond (and hilarious) memories of my days in my professional training program and the bizarre (and incredibly inventive) ways we would come up with to share the school's very limited supply of cold packs between us after a really hard day. While good for many giggles and interesting tandem icing scenarios, it really wasn't an ideal situation. I know the school was ALWAYS willing and grateful to accept donations to keep the first aid cabinet stocked. Dancers have a tendency to burn through medical supplies like no other creatures I've ever seen....
posted by Dorinda at 9:48 AM on June 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Consider donating them to a professional dance program or small dance company in your area. Post-secondary/professional conservatory dance programs, small regional dance companies, and even some college dance programs (unlike many recreational or youth dance studios, which often have the luxury of a little extra dough) are often VERY hard up for cash, and the first-aid/student care department is usually what suffers. Dancers need cold packs ALL THE TIME (it's like an addiction). I have many fond (and hilarious) memories of my days in my professional training program and the bizarre (and incredibly inventive) ways we would come up with to share the school's very limited supply of cold packs between us after a really hard day. While good for many giggles and interesting tandem icing scenarios, it really wasn't an ideal situation. I know the school was ALWAYS willing and grateful to accept donations to keep the first aid cabinet stocked. Dancers have a tendency to burn through medical supplies like no other creatures I've ever seen....
posted by Dorinda at 9:48 AM on June 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Thrift stores might take things like this. My local Goodwill gladly takes any Omaha Steaks styrofoam cooler we bring in. They sell it for 3$. And they go fast.
posted by cda at 11:53 AM on June 25, 2012
posted by cda at 11:53 AM on June 25, 2012
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posted by LN at 8:45 AM on June 25, 2012 [2 favorites]