We all have something we are passionate about. Me? I am passionate about earth friendly organic gardening methods that benefit wildlife. And promoting childhood literacy through classical literature. A bit ADHD I might be. (***)
My sister-in-law, Kerri, is passionate about eliminating single use plastics. A point at which our passions overlap, like on a good Venn diagram. Kerri and I are both very interested in the 3 Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. We both put an emphasis on the first two Rs – Reduce our impact on the earth. Reuse whenever possible.
Kerri founded SeaGreenProducts, to encourage others to look for alternatives to single use plastics.
I founded the melodious garden, which is a melody (ie: collection, garden) of passions. Passion 1: To promote beauty through gardening, both outdoors and in. Passion 2: To sell vintage items, which is, after all, the classic way to reuse things that are still full of life. Whether it be a piece of Pyrex from the ’60s, a table from the ’40s or a children’s book from the ’70s, if it is beautiful and still has life, I want to see that it finds a new home.
Kerri’s business has encouraged me to reflect on my own gardening practices and see what I already do to eliminate single use plastics – and to see where I have room for improvement! (Because. Don’t we all have room for improvement?)
One thing I have long done was purchase compost and mulch in bulk from a local supplier. One cubic yard of compost or mulch fits in the bed of a regular pick-up, which saves about 14 plastic bags from going to the landfill. If I order four cubic yards for delivery (the minimum amount my supplier will deliver), the price by bag and by bulk is comparable, but I save about 56 bags from going to the landfill. My garden can easily handle six cubic yards of fresh compost and mulch every two to three years, at which point it saves not only money but also 84 empty plastic bags from the landfill. I also find it easier (lazier…) to shovel the compost or mulch into a wheelbarrow than to wrestle the heavy and often wet plastic bags and get them ripped open.
I will admit that I do buy potting soil and fertilizers in plastic bags, as I have never seen them available any other way. This is obviously one of my areas for improvement. I do try and save empty nursery pots, as my garden club has an annual plant sale and we pot up plants from our own gardens for the sale. This is another area, though, that I would like to improve on. I do wish the nursery pots were recyclable or – better yet – biodegradable.
Composting… Not only does it keep food wastes out of the landfill, but it is a great way to make your own fertilizer. When shopping, I look for items in their natural containers that can be composted instead of sent to the landfill. One example is lemons.
I buy ‘real’ lemons (or limes) instead of lemon juice in a little fake plastic lemon. The remains of the real lemon can be composted, whereas the plastic lemon may or may not end up recycled.
I also grow my own herbs, instead of buying store-bought herbs in plastic containers in the produce department.
Most herbs are extremely easy to grow, esp in flower pots! And nothing is more satisfying that stepping out the back door to pick your own herbs for supper.
I use our leaves on our own property rather than bagging them to send off to the landfill. We own a chipper/shredder and rake and shred the leaves before returning them to the garden beds, though a mulching mower is another alternative. Shredded leaves make excellent mulch. They can also be added to the compost pile, where they will break down quickly. Earthworms love shredded leaves, which is an added bonus. If you must bag your leaves, consider using large paper bags, purchased at home improvement stores, instead of plastic bags.
(*** As proof of that I submit to you: The poem I stumbled across and memorized by myself, for myself, when I was in elementary school. It is, I think, the perfect insight into my brain…
I meant to do my work today –
But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,
And a butterfly flitted across the field,
And all the leaves were calling me.
And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grass to and fro,
And a rainbow held out its shining hand –
So what could I do but laugh and go?
By Richard Le Gallienne)Â
the melodious garden 