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Visit Union County’s Green Online Shop and Celebrate Earth Day with a New Compost Bin or Rain Barrel

Union County, NJ Union County gardeners looking for a good Earth Day project can visit the new Union County Means Green online shop now and order a new compost bin or rain barrel at 50% off the retail price.

[Update: compost bins and rain barrels are available until Thursday, April 26. Order now at unioncompostersale.ecwid.com]

“Composting food scraps and harvesting rainwater are two effective ways to improve soil health and conserve water,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Offering these compost bins and rain barrels at a steep discount is one way in which the Freeholder Board supports our local gardeners, while helping to cut down on excess kitchen waste and stormwater runoff.”

“Compost bins and rain barrels also make great Earth Day gifts for your local school or community group,” added Granados.

Earth Day 2018 falls on Sunday, April 22.

A limited number of new compost bins and rain barrels are being offered on a first come, first served basis. The first 250 customers to purchase a compost bin will also receive a free kitchen scrap pail, and the Freeholder Board will donate one compost bin to a local community garden for every 25 compost bins sold.

The new discount program is part of Union County Plant a Seed, Chairman Granados’s 2018 initiative for encouraging individual empowerment and giving back to the community through environmental activities and education. Plant a Seed also includes the Union County Kids Dig In and Union County Means Green garden grant programs.

The online store is available now through the Plant A Seed web page or by visiting unioncompostersale.ecwid.com. Orders will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 23. Customers should plan to pick up their orders on Sunday, April 29 at Oak Ridge Park, located at 139 Oak Ridge Road in Clark, between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

“The food scrap recycling movement is really beginning to take off across the country, and we want to help Union County residents become leaders and role models for other communities,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Composting is a simple, economical and convenient way to add healthy nutrients to your garden, while cutting down on yard and kitchen waste.”

The benefits of composting include improving or maintaining high quality soil, growing healthy plants, reducing the use of fertilizer and pesticides, improving water quality and protecting the environment. By adding compost residents can conserve water and help improve soil to help hold water in the root zone.

“We like to say ‘it’s easy being green in Union County,’ and that’s especially true for composting,” said Granados. “Composting is a natural process that breaks down raw food and garden waste into a rich, healthy soil. The bins create the right environment, and nature does the rest.”

Granados also noted that rain barrels play an important role in water conservation.

“Rain barrels are a proven strategy for reducing storm water runoff and keeping harmful pollutants out of our environment,” said Granados. “From a gardening perspective, rainwater contains natural nutrients that help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers.”

For all Union County recycling programs and services visit ucnj.org/recycle.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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