By now most supermarkets have already banned the usage of plastic bags and lessened their plastic packaging, but here's another sad fact: Brown paper bags still take a long time to decompose in a landfill.
That said, in an effort to save Mother Earth, social enterprise Silent Beads uses paper bags to make plantable seed paper, beads, coasters, and a gardening starter kit! They also recycle these brown paper bags to make seed-less paper products like business cards and envelopes.
The next time you go to the grocery (and forgot to BYOB or Bring Your Own Bag), don't throw the paper bags away! For a minimum of 20 pieces of medium to large-sized brown paper bags you collect, Silent Beads gives you a seed paper embedded with more than 20 seeds you can easily plant in a pot or garden. They offer different types of seeds, from spinach (which is the fastest to sprout), mustard, basil, parsley, and dill seeds. If you want to grow a different herb or flower, just let Silent Beads know what seed you prefer!
If you want to donate your brown paper bags, just make sure that all of them are dry (or dried from water spillage only), not crumpled, and free of staples and plastic tapes for it to be in the required condition for recycling. Silent Beads is initially accepting brown paper bags only, but they will soon accept all kinds of paper product waste.
Luckily, the drop off points for the brown paper bags are available inside and outside Metro Manila! You can directly send your paper bag donations to Silent Beads at B1 L21 Dove St. Saint Jude Subd. Brgy. Kaligayahan, Quezon City. The other drop off points are in Quezon City, Makati, Taguig, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Las Pinas, Bacoor, Imus, General Trias City, Baguio, Quezon Province.
For more information, follow Silent Beads on Facebook or check the #paperbagmovement hashtag.
*This story originally appeared on Yummy.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Preview.ph editors.
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