Charlotte’s Innovation Barn Now Open
Only 9% of plastic material in the Queen City is properly recycled. The Barn is looking to change that.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s no secret: the Carolinas need help recycling. Only 9% of plastic material in the Queen City is properly recycled. That’s where the Innovation Barn comes in.
Located on Seigle Avenue, the building is the first of its kind in the United States and seeks to create a circular economy.
So, what is a circular economy, you might ask? Amy Aussieker, the executive director of Envision Charlotte, says it’s like a forest.
“If a tree dies, it falls down, it rots, it brings nutrients to the ground, there’s zero waste,” she tells us. “How do we use our resources better? Keep things out of the landfill, keep them in better use for longer.”
Among other things, the barn boasts a reusable plastics lab, soldier fly composting, a teaching kitchen, a sustainable furniture shop, and even an aquaponic garden.
And yes, of course, it has a local craft beer bar. How else do you expect to get Millennials excited about recycling?
