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ASHEVILLE GREENWORKS
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    • Bee City USA Asheville >
      • Native Pollinator Plants and Nurseries
      • Pollination Celebration >
        • Pollinator Photo Contest
      • Pollinator Garden Certification
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      • Adopt-a-Street
      • Clean Streams Day
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We are drowning in plastic.

From beauty products to grocery bags to water bottles to our daily cup of coffee, plastic is present in every aspect of our lives. Most of these items are designed to be used once and thrown away, usually heading to the landfill.

Some of the plastic that we think can be recycled, like drink lids, straws and utensils, end up in the landfill because they're either too difficult to recycle or there's no market for the end products. Even recyclable plastic such as water bottles are becoming harder to recycle.

The most effective approach to reducing our plastic waste is to REFUSE, REDUCE, and REUSE.

In January 2019, GreenWorks spearheaded the creation of the Plastics Reduction Task Force -- a group of motivated volunteers dedicated to reducing single-use plastic in our environment. 
​
Join the plastic-free movement and break free from the plastic ties that bind us.
Donate now for a plastic-free future
Mind Your Plastic May is meant to encourage and challenge us in our journey to live plastic free. These posts are created by GreenWorks staff, Plastic Reduction Task Force volunteers, and other plastic-free advocates in Buncombe County. If you've found these posts helpful and encouraging, please consider making a donation to support this work. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
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Ditch the Dryer Sheets

5/18/2019

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Have you ever thought about plastic reduction in your laundry room? How about those fresh-smelling dryer sheets that reduce static electricity, leaving your clothes feeling soft?  Dryer sheets are made from synthetic polyester, and the toxic chemicals contained in dryer sheet fabric softeners are what target the electrostatic charges. Dryer sheets are a sneaky single-use plastic, designed to be used once then tossed out, where they will persist in the environment forever.

Wool dryer balls are a simple swap for dryer sheets. Made of natural material, they will biodegrade after use, do not contain toxic chemicals, and can be re-used for up to 1000 loads. Wool dryer balls replace dryer sheets in function by softening clothes and reducing static cling. They speed up the drying process, which saves money, time, and energy. Because they are made of natural materials, they can be returned to the earth at the end of their life and do not need to be sent to the landfill. If you also want to recreate the fresh scent of traditional dryer sheets, apply a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the dryer balls before placing them in the load. Locally, Shecology sells dryer balls at Littlest Birds, or they can be ordered online.
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Bonus laundry room tip: Consider the microplastics! Every time you wash your synthetic polyester clothing, microscopic plastic fibers are shed from your clothing into the water. When purchasing new clothing, try to buy clothes made of natural fibers whenever possible. If you require some synthetics, wash these items as infrequently as possible to reduce the amount of microplastics you are releasing into the water.
Sincerely,
​Julia Krebs-Moberg
Asheville GreenWorks
Waste Reduction Education Coordinator
AmeriCorps Project Conserve
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    Staff from Asheville GreenWorks, volunteers from the Plastic Reduction Task Force, as well as other guest writers who are advocates and friends.

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​Asheville GreenWorks is a 501(c)3 non-profit environmental organization, governed by a Board of Directors. Established in 1973, GreenWorks mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize individuals and communities to take care of the places we love to live.
  • Hard 2 Recycle
  • Programs
    • Bee City USA Asheville >
      • Native Pollinator Plants and Nurseries
      • Pollination Celebration >
        • Pollinator Photo Contest
      • Pollinator Garden Certification
    • Rivers & Roads >
      • Adopt-a-Street
      • Clean Streams Day
      • Cleanup Supply Stations
      • Trash Trout
      • WNC Big Sweep
    • Education
    • Urban Forestry >
      • Adopt-a-Spot
      • Cool Green Asheville
      • Food Tree Project
      • RRI
      • Tree Nursery
      • Treasured Trees >
        • Treasured Trees Calendar
    • Waste Reduction >
      • Asheville Bag Monster
      • Composting Information
      • Flip Your Lid
      • Plastics Reduction Task Force
      • Recycling Information
      • Smash Don't Trash
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Experiential Internships
    • Youth Environmental Leadership Program >
      • YELP Staff & Alumni
      • How to Apply
    • Make a Donation
    • Wish List
    • Sponsorship
  • Upcoming Events
  • About
    • Job Openings
    • History
    • Staff/ Contact
  • Newsletter
  • Blog Roll
    • Latest News
    • Protect our Pollinators
    • Voice for the Trees
    • Mind Your Plastic May
    • Fall Leaves