Judge Harry T. Roman, an electrical engineer and inventor, has selected the best of the crop in the 2006/2007 Tech Directions Inventors Award Competition. The challenge this year called on students to slow the filling of landfills by devising uses for discarded plastic water, juice, soda, and sports-drink bottles. Judge Roman noted "many common themes and duplicated ideas expressed by the students for how to use the plastic bottles, ranging from bird feeders and storage bins, to melted-down plastic for making clothing, shoes, plastic houses, beds, benches, furniture and playground equipment. Shredded plastic for home and building insulation was another common application. The seven awardees expressed what he felt were unique ideas, most of which were immediately applicable--and most had a very broad appeal worldwide, especially in less-developed worlds. Many of the selected ideas could use large numbers of plastic bottles, very much helping reduce the volume of plastic bottle waste." This article presents the seven award winners, with excerpts from their entries and the judge's comments.