Most old tires end up in landfills, but these amazing artists, philanthropists and creators have gone out of their way to ensure that these old tires are turned into something better. WebEcoist has 25 cool items made from these useful, but no longer needed car accessories.

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Ottawa artist Dan Austin makes awesome robots out of old appliances and other recycled bits of this and that. On the left is Kenmore, who is built from a floor polisher and a flower pot, among other things. On the right is Hunter, who is a 6-foot tall floor lamp! His “tentacles” are actually adjustable lights. You can also meet Betsy, Norm-Al, Bell, Bolivar, the Kaiser-Bots, and more in Austin’s Flickr set. Link -Thanks, Vivian!

Since so many people now carry phones, the public phone booth is going the way of the dinosaurs. What to do with all those old, outdated booths? Check out these ten ideas for new uses, including the phone booth shown that was turned into a handy public shower for use after swimming in the waters off the Virgin Islands. Link -Thanks, Ritu!

(Image credit: Flicker user anoldent)

The Museum of Unintended Use chronicles the way people use things for purposes other than what they were designed for. Some uses are silly, some are stretching the definition of common sense, and some are downright clever, such as this trick to keep cats from bothering houseplants. Link -via the Presurfer

(image credit: Flickr user Anne-Sophie Leens)

I ran across this excellent tutorial while looking for things to do with unwanted phone books (for some inexplicable reason, they magically show up at my doorstep year after year).

Chica and Jo has the perfect solution if you’re crafty: turn those phone books into office organizers! Link – via Make