According to The Natural Step system condition two is described as the ability to “Reduce and eliminate our contribution to the systematic accumulation of substances produced
by society”. This means to fulfill this system condition we need to reduce the amount of
substances used that are not recyclable, reusable or biodegradable.
At Green Bridge Growers we take steps to reuse all materials available. There are many examples I have been involved with to support this claim. For instance, if plants are purchased from a plant store and come in a plastic container, we wash out and save that container. Each container can be used for transplanting smaller plants during intermediate stages of growth. This past week Wes, who runs the grounds at Hannah and Friends, had a project for us to do involving mulching around plants we had in a large garden. Instead of going to the gardening store and purchasing the newest high tech mulching supplies, Wes and I used old newspapers and grass clippings to mulch around the plants. This helps keep weeds out and helps keep moisture in. I had never heard of this practice before. This is a very clever way to use items that most houses already have on hand, and instead of recycling or throwing them away, you can reuse the newspaper and grass clippings for gardening purposes. Both are biodegradable.
Below is a photo collage Jan put up on the Green Bridge Growers Facebook page. These photos show Wes and I mulching with some help from Rachel, a resident at Hannah and Friends. Also the gentleman in the center photo is Tim, a day program client, who is holding up one of the first strawberries of the season!
I have had them here and there, between projects. These are the sweetest strawberries
I have ever tasted! Unfortunately the rabbits feel the same way. So we have to make sure we pick from the middle of the plants.
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