NEW YORK, July 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- After transforming over 1,500 pounds of recycled personal care waste into a one-of-a-kind Garnier Green Garden in Harlem and overhauling a garden at a special needs school in the Bronx, Garnier and TerraCycle took their eco efforts on the road with the "Where Should Our Garden Grow?" campaign to award one recipient with a new community garden. After a public voting period, The ReFresh Project of New Orleans has been named the winner.
The campaign, which kicked off in Earth Month and ran through June 15th, asked fans to vote for which deserving community should win its very own Green Garden. The ReFresh Project's ReFresh Community Farm is a new teaching farm located in Treme/Mid-City New Orleans. The new garden will be capable of yielding more than 2,000 pounds of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers. It will not only provide New Orleansresidents with a safe space to connect and enjoy nature, but will also allow community members to grow their own fresh food locally. Ground-breaking is expected to take place this fall.
The plastic components of the garden, such as raised beds, picnic tables and trash receptacles are made from recycled beauty waste collected through Garnier's Personal Care and Beauty Brigade®. The Brigade is a free fundraising program that donates money to a charity of the collector's choice for every piece of beauty and personal care waste returned to TerraCycle for recycling. The collected beauty waste, which would otherwise be destined for landfills, consists of non-recyclable hair care, skin care and cosmetic packaging.
"We are thrilled to announce The Refresh Project in New Orleans as the community where the next Garnier Green Garden will plant seeds and flourish," said David Greenberg, President of Maybelline New York-Garnier-essie. "Keeping beauty packaging waste out of landfills is only part of the mission. It is equally important to make sure that we help communities across the country create sustainable gardens and playgrounds, and this is a perfect way to use the beauty waste we've been able to collect through our Brigade. We are excited to see this project come to life."
Out of the hundreds of nominations received during the campaign entry phase, Garnier and TerraCycle narrowed the candidates down to five deserving organizations. The four runners-up are The Green Scheme inWashington, D.C., The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative in Detroit, Garfield Park in Chicago, and the Social Justice Learning Institute in Los Angeles. Each runner up will also receive a prize.
"Each of the five finalists should be commended for its efforts to provide resources that better the community and residents' daily lives," said TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky. "As an expanding teaching farm, the ReFresh Community Farm is a deserving winner of the Garnier Green Garden grand prize."
The Personal Care and Beauty Brigade is open to any interested individual, school, office or community organization that wants to protect the planet and make a difference. More information is available athttp://www.terracycle.com.
GARNIER. Everyone possesses their own natural beauty and everyone has the power to make that beauty shine through. Garnier appeals to anyone who is self-confident, yet seeks to improve their appearance. For Garnier the aim of beauty is happiness and feeling at ease with yourself and others. It's about taking care.
TerraCycle, Inc. is an international upcycling and recycling company that takes difficult-to recycle-packaging and turns it into affordable, innovative products. Founded in 2001, TerraCycle is the world's leader in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable post-consumer waste, working with more than 40 major brands globally to collect used packaging and products that would otherwise be destined for landfills. TerraCycle repurposes that waste into new, innovative materials and products that are available online and through major retailers. For information on how to join a TerraCycle Brigade and on purchasing TerraCycle products please visit www.terracycle.com.
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Jul 16, 2014 3am EDT / 12am PDT / 8am BST / 9am CEST