Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Outing, MN turns plastic into park benches and property into pollinator habitats! Here’s what they shared with us:
We have an area designated for a raised pollinator garden up near the front of our church property by the state highway, where we have an electric sign that displays church events. We have received a list of recommended plantings from the regional Soil & Water District and have raised over $1700 dollars from congregation members. Now we will receive regional land & waters board matching funding. A local community construction company is donating black dirt for the pollinator garden, as well providing top soil for a larger garden at the west end of our parking lot. We putting native & indigenous plants in that garden.
Now, OSLC is spear heading a No Mow May. At least 30 cities in MN are participating in the project to pause mowing during the month of May, allowing flowers to bloom in lawns to help early season pollinators. Late winter and early spring is a time when floral resources are often limited.
Also, we have joined in with the area Lions Club to serve as a drop site in a program called ‘Bags to Benches,’ in partnership with the Trex Company to repurpose 500 lbs of plastic film & bags into durable park benches. Our communities will celebrate 12 months of the project on April 2024, and we are working on our tenth bench.