According to The New Jersey Herald, "As part of a six-state initiative, 200 Walmart stores throughout the Northeast
have partnered with Garden State Growers, a family-owned Hunterdon County nursery, and TerraCycle, a New Jersey based company that specializes in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable or difficult-to-recycle post-consumer waste, to offer a new spin on plastic plant pots for sale at Walmart."
The article continues, "Beginning April 17, Walmart stores in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont, will be stocked with the green products at about $5 per flower or plant. Walmart stores in Newton, Franklin and Hackettstown will have their shipments in just in time for Earth Day, April 22."
TerraCycle collects the margarine tubs from it's collection program, TerraCycle Brigades. TerraCycle donates 2 cents to the charity of your choice for every item sent to them. With the margarine tubs Garden State Growers will poke holes in the bottom for drainage. The finished pot and plants will be sold at 200 Wal Mart stores.
Does this really make sense? What happens to the pot after the plant is removed? Do you send it back to Terra Cycle, or bring it back to Wal mart? What is the cost of sending this stuff across the country? How much energy is used to clean the pot? So we saved the pot but used the gas or diesel to send it back to Terra Cycle. A fellow nursery person ask's, "So reusing difficult to recycle materials for what will be their only additional use is now eco-friendly? It almost creates a demand for something that probably should not be allowed to be made in the first place. And where will the consumer toss it when they are done?"
I am not sure if it is a solution, or a feel good effort? What do you think of this program?