CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Many businesses in the Charlotte area operate under what's known as the linear economy. That means the companies will take finite, raw materials, use them to make what is desired and then the rest is thrown away.
However, in a circular economy, the goal is to have zero waste by using or reusing every part of the resource.
At the Innovation Barn east of Uptown Charlotte, zero waste is the motto. There's a glass bottle pulverizer that turns bottles into sand for concrete and gardening. In another building, there’s a plastics lab that can recycle plastic food containers and other plastics that aren't recycled in Mecklenburg County. Everything has a purpose at the Innovation Barn.
“If you want to understand sustainability or how you can make a difference, this is where you can go to learn about it and engage with other like-minded people," Innovation Barn executive director Amy Aussieker explained.
One of their newest projects is to turn old T-shirts into other things like dog beds. Innovation Barn will also take the large plastic bags that held barley for local breweries and upcycle them into shopping bags. If not for this process, all of the barley bags would end up in a landfill.
Old sheets are transformed into stuffed animals. Donated, gently worn clothing is transformed into new pieces of fashion. Many of those pieces of fabric, reclaimed plastic and redesigned clothes will be purchasable at the organization's Springclean event on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
There are details on how to volunteer with Innovation Barn online.
Contact Larry Sprinkle at lsprinkle@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.