A few months ago, my grandmother was getting rid of her old television, because it had stopped working. Obviously, I couldn't let an opportunity like that pass, so I took it and kept it in the corner of my room.

Originally I was thinking of doing Remote-Controlled Phoenix. It was retired, but I thought I could try finding someone who was signed up to it who didn't need it. Failing that, I could just Level Zero the task.
However, while I was asking around for people who were signed up to it, teucer pointed me in the direction of this task.
My initial ideas included making an aquarium from the TV, but on inspection I realised there were too many holes in it to make it watertight. So I formulated Plan B: making a plant pot.
When it came to taking apart the television, I was far more careful than some other people I could mention, because I didn't want it broken. I actually did meticulously take it apart with a screwdriver...
First, I plugged it into the mains, but didn't turn the power on. This ensured that any stored electricity in the capacitors was earthed, and wouldn't try to kill me.


Then I started taking it apart. The first bit was easy, just taking the back off. After that, it became a little more difficult. It was like a puzzle, working out which wire had to be cut to allow which screw to be loosened and so on.


But eventually, I managed to get all the internal bits out. And my hands were covered in black dust. This picture doesn't even show the worst of it, as I brushed some off beforehand...


I chucked all the electical bits I didn't need into a box. It was a very useful box, and contained polystyrene pieces and seven sheets of bubble wrap, which have now replaced the television in the corner of my room, waiting for a use. This box will be taken to the dump at some point.


Next I lined the back of the television, which would be the bottom half of my plant pot, with a bin bag. This would stop any soil spilling out through the gaps. I also filled it partway with polystyrene from the box. This would mean less soil would be needed, and the pot would weigh less when full. After this, I screwed the front back on to form my complete plant pot.


I took it into the garden and found a place to put it. (Actually my Mum chose a place where she "won't have to see it all the time"). I filled it halfway with soil.


After a shopping trip, I came back with compost, and my chosen plant, a hebe. My sister suggested it because it apparently looks like my hair when it hasn't been cut for a while. After putting the plant in and topping the pot up with soil, I added the television remote for decoration and watered the plant.


The plant I chose is evergreen, so now if I look after it properly, life should thrive in this old television all year round.
(No humans in the eyebrows though. Sorry...)