TS Designs sits on four and a half acres and early on we adopted a permaculture plan. We strive to maintain a diverse native landscaping environment that goes beyond simple aesthetics.
Just in time for Spring we were ready for wood chips. We use them for composting and landscaping. In the past we would get from Chip Drop that supplies free wood chips to gardeners. Lately they have been hard to track down in our area.
As fate would have it our president Eric Henry heard a truck that sounded like chipping wood near our facility. He dashed over and what do you know it was wood chips! When he asked if we could have them they said “Sure!” and drove right over and dropped them off in our parking lot. In exchange Eric invited the workers to our Breakroom Boutique to pick out a few t-shirts for their efforts. Thanks guys!
Local Connected Models
TS Designs is closely knit with the community. Wood chips are a common thread with initiatives we are involved in that work to unite community.
Commercial Composting Initiative
A promising initiative Eric is working on is the development of a commercial composting system in our area. Discussions are underway and bringing this to life will require commitment from local government, farmers, and the broader community. Wood chips will provide the carbon media for this initiative, which will affect community in the following ways:
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Redirecting food waste from landfills
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Allowing backyard chickens within city limits to reduce food waste and enhance the local food supply—we all know about egg prices…
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Repurposing food waste such as coffee grounds, avocado pits, and onion skins for natural garment dyeing that could replace globally produced, fossil fuel derived synthetic dyes
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Combining food and yard waste to create compost, reducing dependence on fossil fuel-derived fertilizers
Piedmont Agrarian Collaborative
The recent initiative Eric created with our friend and collaborator Josh Humphreys, Piedmont Agrarian Collaborative (PAC), is another case in point. It provides food from the farmer to the eater by bringing together a diverse group of small farms (including Henry Family Farm) committed to regenerative farming practices. One pick-up point is located at the TS Designs facility! When we have them, we share our wood chips with the PAC farmers.
“By leveraging our local resources more effectively, we can build a more resilient and sustainable future. The problems and opportunities are complicated but real change starts by working within our communities.”
— Eric Henry