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ASHEVILLE GREENWORKS
  • 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
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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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Growing a Plastic-Free Garden

5/23/2019

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As I started on this plastic-free journey with you a few weeks ago, I idealistically dreamed of growing my own vegetables, such as spinach, to avoid the plastic packaging in which so much produce is sold. What could be more natural and plastic-free than gardening? As I turned to our little raised bed in the front yard, I soon discovered how ubiquitous plastic is, even in our garden.
​
Prepping the Soil for Planting
Whether you’re planting a vegetable or flower garden, chances are you will need to clear some weeds and add some soil amendments to get the area ready for planting. Rather than using black plastic landscape “cloth” to rid the area of weeds, opt for plastic-free alternatives such as cardboard or newspaper that biodegrade and mix with the soil over time. Synthetic landscape fabric or plastic can kill the organisms and microbes that make for healthy soil.


Soil, compost, mulch and other soil amendments often come in plastic sacks. You can learn to make your own compost at home at one of GreenWorks’ monthly Composting Workshops and skip the middle-man. Some garden centers will deliver compost, mulch and soil by the truckload to your home -- just be ready to do some shoveling! If you must buy products in plastic bags, thoroughly wash the empty bags when done and take them to Ingles to be recycled with other plastic film.
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Planting and Growing
​As you assemble your seeds and starts to begin planting your garden, be mindful of plastic sneaking into the products. Glossy seed packets sometimes have a plastic liner to prevent moisture from damaging the seeds. Look for paper packets at your local garden store. Participate in a local seed swap and bring your own glass jars or paper bags as seed containers. Bountiful Cities coordinates the Asheville Buncombe Community GardenNetwork (CGN) which maintains a Seed Library at the Burton Street Recreation Center for exchanging seeds as well. Plan ahead for next year and attend a CGN seed-saving workshop in the fall to learn how to create your own store of seeds.


Commercially grown plants and starts are often sold in plastic pots and trays. Such plastic is not recyclable locally, but can be brought to a Lowe’s Garden Center where they will be recycled or reused. Lowe’s will also take the little plastic plant markers/labels. You can check with your local nursery or garden store to see if they will take the plastic pots or flats back. Or, save the containers to grow your own starts for next season.
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Image Credit: Point of Comfort​

To avoid the plastic altogether, look for plants in biodegradable pots or make your own from cardboard egg cartons, newspaper or cardboard toilet paper tubes. Check out this video from GrowVeg on how to make your own pots: 
​Cleaning Up
Weeding, pruning and harvesting produce a lot of yard waste. If you live within the City of Asheville and don’t have your own compost pile, you can have yard waste picked up at your curbside. Use brown paper yard waste bags, available at hardware stores, or a reusable bin to collect your plant material. This prevents unnecessary use of plastic trash bags, as the paper bags can be composted right along with the yard waste. Containing the plant material rather than piling it along the curb also keeps it from washing into our storm drain system and polluting local creeks and rivers. Enter your address HERE to find out if you’re in the City of Asheville and when your trash, recycling, and brush collection days are.

By going plastic-free in the garden, you can add to your overall joy of gardening and feeling of accomplishment. Do you have other tips for reducing plastic waste in the garden? Share your thoughts on the GreenWorks’ Facebook post related to this topic. Do you know someone who would like to learn more about going plastic-free? Forward this email and encourage them to check out all the previous posts on our website: www.ashevillegreenworks.org/mind-your-plastic-may.
Sincerely,
Dawn Chavez
Executive Director
​Asheville GreenWorks
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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