Trash Gets New Life as Pavers and Socially Beneficial Urban Art Garden Pots
July 8, 2009 by Robin Plaskoff Horton
Trula Paver
The current movement towards environmental consciousness has sparked innovations in the manufacturing of sustainable products, using environmentally-friendly materials and production techniques. A few of these have ended up in the urban garden.
Trula, a green alternative manufacturing material used for any products typically made of concrete or wood, is one of these innovations. Resembling a pourable and moldable concrete-like compound, it is a complex mixture of harvested agricultural remnants (farm trash) from rapidly renewable sources, uses very little energy and absolutely no water in its manufacturing process. The pavers are ideal for urban gardens in areas that experience harsh weather as they have the ability to withstand high temperatures and harsh chemicals and require very little maintenance.
Interested in socially beneficial garden containers? TerraCycle consumes waste as a raw material in creating a finished product that renews natural capital. It is said that there is no waste in nature. Everything that is not used goes back in some way to regenerate for the future. At TerraCycle, they believe that human production must achieve that same level of sustainability. From that “eco-capitalist” model, the company produces 8″ garden pots with environmental and social benefits. The following graphic demonstrates this eco-capitalist model:
The pots are made from 100% e-waste (such as crushed computers and fax machines) that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill. Each pot, painted by inner city artists, is unique and individual.
this e-waste gets recycled into…
these beautiful hand-painted pots. TerraCycle’s Annual Worm Poop Factory Graffiti Jam features live painting done by over 50 graffiti artists from as far as Washington, D.C., Texas, Virginia and upstate New York. TerraCycle opens its doors to the public and invites children from community summer programs, local musicians, and local food vendors to enjoy an event that both beautifies the neighborhood and raises community spirit.
The purpose of the Jam is to offer urban artists a constructive outlet to express themselves, while showcasing a more positive side to urban art. For more information please contact Albe Zakes at 609.393.4252 ext. 233 or by email at albe@terracycle.net.