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| The plastic elephant watering cans were hugely popular! Stay tuned for your chance to win one! |
This past week, I had the opportunity to attend The Philadelphia Flower Show as a guest of the American Chemistry Council and Plastics Make it Possible®.
Their purpose in being at the show was to create awareness of the use of plastic in good ways, by recycling milk jugs, water bottles and other recyclable plastics into new products for all aspects of life. Specifically for this show, they highlighted gardening products.
Their booth showed creative uses of plastic (some recycled and some virgin), including a modernistic Arc de Triomphe, designed by Los Angeles artist Michael Dee.
Their purpose in being at the show was to create awareness of the use of plastic in good ways, by recycling milk jugs, water bottles and other recyclable plastics into new products for all aspects of life. Specifically for this show, they highlighted gardening products.
Their booth showed creative uses of plastic (some recycled and some virgin), including a modernistic Arc de Triomphe, designed by Los Angeles artist Michael Dee.
The Arc reminded me of the Playskool Pipeworks building system our girls had back in the 1980s, except this was made with rainbow-colored piping. Neon-filled daisy flowers highlighted the structure. I really loved the neon flowers and would love to have one in my conservatory!
Behind the Arc was a display of items that were made of new and recycled plastic, showing the versatility that plastic has. My favorite was the wall of plants, using the darling of the vertical gardening world - Woolly Pockets! Looking very much like felted wool fabric, they are made of recycled plastic bottles - in the USA!
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| The plants on this wall are in Woolly Pockets |
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| Miguel Nelson, creator of Woolly Pockets |
I met and spoke with the creator of Woolly Pockets, Miguel Nelson. He was enthusiastic about their school garden program, and would very much love to see more schools incorporate gardening into their curriculum. This program is helping to do just that. For more information about how to apply, visit Woolly School Garden.
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| Me with Leslie Segrete |
I also got to meet Leslie Segrete, official spokesperson for the Plastics Make it Possible® campaign. Leslie is one powerhouse of energy and ideas and can be seen and heard on TLC's Trading Spaces and While You Were Out as well as satellite radio's The Money Pit.
Other favorite products featured in the display included various pots by Crescent Garden. The large ones would be incredibly heavy if made of pottery or concrete, but by using plastic they are relatively lightweight, yet durable.
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| Planters by Crescent Garden |
One of my favorite products was this ultra-modern birdhouse, made of recycled plastic by Loll Designs - also in the USA. The wrens would be stylin' in this! And I love the red color - my favorite, you know! More on this eco-friendly company later!
Other companies with products in the display were West County (gloves), Omlet USA (The Beehaus), Trex (furniture and decking), and Kinsman (garden trugs).
What did I and hopefully other attendees of the show learn from this display? That when we as consumers recycle our water bottles, milk jugs and other plastics, we are making a difference. It matters, because instead of plastic products going to landfills, they are being repurposed by recycling manufacturers into products that are attractive, useful, and durable.
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| This dining set by Trex could be yours! |
Would you like to win some of the products from the show? Plastics Make It Possible® is giving away an outdoor dining set and garden furniture worth nearly $3000! It's easy to enter:
- Visit Plastics Make It Possible® on the web or on Facebook
- Upload a photo of your garden and submit 2-3 sentences of how you use or reuse plastic in the garden
They are accepting one entry per participant and will select the winner via random drawing. The winner will receive a fantastic gardening gift package, including a complete outdoor dining set from Trex® Outdoor Furniture™, two Adirondack Chairs, one Cape Cod 18" Side Table, one Monterey Bay Round 36" Bar Table, and two Monterey Bay Bar Height Arm Chairs, all of which are made from recycled plastic.
Enter the Plastics in the Garden Sweepstakes before April 29, 2011. Good luck!
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I was a guest of the American Chemistry Council on behalf of the Plastics Make it Possible® campaign, who provided my airfare, hotel, and show admission while I attended the Philadelphia Flower Show. I was under no obligation to write about any aspect of the show. The thoughts expressed here are solely my own.
"Bejeweled"
4 comments:
How nice that they were showing products made with recycled plastics. I really love the pots. They don't look like they were made out of plastic.
Was at the Philly show and visited this display.The staff of young women were so informative about telling me of what recycling can do. Products are so durable, as well as being attractive. Great work girls. Thanks to all companies involved. Louise
Thank you for the wonderful product shares from the Philadelphia Flower show. Annie
I think it's wonderful that these companies are recycling plastic in such creative ways. I always feel guilty throwing away anything plastic because I know it lasts for years (would italicize that word if I knew how to:)) in the landfills. And I sometimes wonder what happens to what I do take to the recycling center. It's good to see such unique products made from them.
You have been one busy lady, Kylee! I just read your last post, too, and appreciate your making some comparisons between the shows. I think had this been my first time visiting Chicago's show, I wouldn't have been disappointed. I thought the show the first year I went was so great that my expectations have been very high ever since. The Philadelphia show looks like a real winner--love the Eiffel Tower display!
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