Today, July 22, marks National Hammock Day, a reminder in the midst of the dog days of summer to take some time to relax and enjoy. There’s nothing like relaxing on a lazy summer day in a hammock you’ve made yourself by upcycling materials you have on hand!
The most basic kind of hammock consists of mosquito netting or a sheet held up by two posts, often trees. You can also make a sturdier and more accessible hammock out of many items you may already have lying around, such as drop cloth, rope, old sheets or towels, or even plastic bags—thin rope makes for the most reliable material, if you have any handy.
If you really want to get crafty, you can also make your own thin rope out of plastic grocery bags! A DIY contributor on Instructables.com used about 500 plastic grocery bags to put together this amazing hammock (above). If you have a massive pile of plastic bags hanging around, check out this tutorial—it might just inspire you to make your own! Find the full tutorial at
Instructables. And, after you make your hammock, remember to take reusable grocery sacks to the store with you in the future!
To learn about Southwest’s latest upcycling project, check out check out the
LUV Seat project.
What are some of the ways you stay Green during the summertime? If you have a suggestion for how to live and work Green, let us know by commenting below!
