It seems kind of hypocritical to be buying organic salad mix in a plastic container, but the truth of the matter is: A. greens seem to stay fresher in plastic clamshells than the alternate choice of plastic bags, and B. until they start making biodegradable plastic more widely available (and more affordable) we just have to make due with what we're given. (Or C. start buying local fruits and vegetables and forgo all grocery store produce.) In the meantime, here's a fun and innovative way to reuse those plastic salad containers (and keep them out of landfills).
I found this article on Earthbound Farm's website on how to turn plastic clamshells — which their organic salad mixes come in — into mini planters. They give step-by-step instructions in PDF and video form (see below) on everything you need to create your own mini garden, even where you can purchase organic seeds online.
Why not flex those green thumbs and start your own garden in honor of Earth Day?
Watch steps 1-3 below and see the rest of the videos on Earthbound Farm's website. Happy gardening!
This article appears in Apr 21-27, 2010.