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What to do with Plastic Plant Pots
Well, it's gardening time here in the Northeast of the USA and it's rather disturbing to see
so many piles of plastic plant pots in the local trash every week. As people beautify their outdoor
spaces they are left with plastic plant pots that cannot go in the regular recycle bins and
end up in the landfill where they won't even begin to break down for hundreds of years -
if at all!
Here we are worrying about a tiny shopping bag and yet we throw out who knows how
many tons of these pots every year!
It seems nothing is being done here in the states but I noticed a big drive to rid the UK of
these menacing plastic containers.
So what can you do?
Sure you can reuse them or you can reinvent them. Use them to hold things on a desk or
on a shelf. BUT let's face it--that would only take care of a few! I have seen where people
bring them to the swap shops at the local transfer depots or recycle center. At least there
you know someone will pick them up who needs them.
BUT for those of us in towns with no swap shop...it's a problem.
It's time we got our towns to address the issue and perhaps start a plastic return. In my
mind the garden centers should have a return program! That would make the most sense!
We need to start making the people responsible for creating the trash responsible for
making sure it is disposed of properly. That is just what they are doing in Japan!
Meanwhile...be creative--reuse these pots if you can--or find a neighbor who would be
happy to. Download the Planetpals free sign and put it out on your sidewalk with the
pots...some gardner might be pretty happy to get some free pots.
Happy gardening!
Your Pals
so many piles of plastic plant pots in the local trash every week. As people beautify their outdoor
spaces they are left with plastic plant pots that cannot go in the regular recycle bins and
end up in the landfill where they won't even begin to break down for hundreds of years -
if at all!
Here we are worrying about a tiny shopping bag and yet we throw out who knows how
many tons of these pots every year!
It seems nothing is being done here in the states but I noticed a big drive to rid the UK of
these menacing plastic containers.
So what can you do?
Sure you can reuse them or you can reinvent them. Use them to hold things on a desk or
on a shelf. BUT let's face it--that would only take care of a few! I have seen where people
bring them to the swap shops at the local transfer depots or recycle center. At least there
you know someone will pick them up who needs them.
BUT for those of us in towns with no swap shop...it's a problem.
It's time we got our towns to address the issue and perhaps start a plastic return. In my
mind the garden centers should have a return program! That would make the most sense!
We need to start making the people responsible for creating the trash responsible for
making sure it is disposed of properly. That is just what they are doing in Japan!
Meanwhile...be creative--reuse these pots if you can--or find a neighbor who would be
happy to. Download the Planetpals free sign and put it out on your sidewalk with the
pots...some gardner might be pretty happy to get some free pots.
Happy gardening!
Your Pals
Tags: plant, plastic, pots, recycle
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earthman_plantpots.jpg, 69 KB
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Meredith Gossland on -
Hey Judith,
I haven't spent much time on Earthday this past month has been crazy busy for me due to Earth Day. I just went to another conference yesterday as an exibitor and am on my way to San Diego today for another one, thursday I will be on a panel dicussing sustainable cities and then I will be on another panel at a conference on the 17th discussing eco-micro enterprise in the USA. And this Wedensday I will be presenting my organizations profile to the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce. Well anyway........thanks for your emails it reminds me to comeback to Earthday.ning and check in with my friends......I am so proud of you Judith you are doing such great work! I hope someday we will have the opportunity to meet.
Well I know this is not a place for personal letters...should have sent this email but anyway! Great article! I am creating a stack of those pots in my back yard too so I'll move them out to the sidewalk with a sign.......
All my love!
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Permalink Reply by Planetpals on -
Yes, a busy time of year! Thanks for the note. :)
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Permalink Reply by Earth Mama, aka Joyce Rouse on -
Great topic to bring up! The best solution we have found at Earth Mama Projects is taking them back to the garden centers and nurseries where we buy bedding plants. They are most often very happy to take them back to use over and over again.
Our local high school has a greenhouse and raises wonderful vegetable and flower plants that they sell to the community in the spring as part of their horticulture program. They are thrilled to have the pots and trays come back for reuse. Same for a local commercial greenhouse that starts most of their plants from seed.
I don't know about the big box stores because we so rarely shop there, but it would be good for them to hear customers request that they might take them back for reuse.
Joyce Rouse, M.A, Earth Literacy
www.earthmama.org
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