Lifestyle

Earth Day at URBN: Sustainability & Seed Bomb Workshop

Earth Day is April 22nd every day but celebrated on April 22nd. I was so excited when URBN asked me to host a Brown Bag at their corporate office in the Navy Yard to honor this tree-hugging holiday.

Beyond my excitement to share sustainability & a DIY, I was excited to be a part of URBN’s Earth Week celebrations. From clothing recycling and paper shredding to bike tune-ups from our friends at Community Bikes & Boards, URBN’s theme week was on point for their employees.

My task was two-fold: help these employees live a little more sustainably, and get their hands dirty for a DIY Seed Bomb Workshop.

DIY Seed Bomb Workshop

The class began by sharing a few sustainability tips, both basic and more advanced. For example, we started with the important three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) of sustainability, with additions of Repair & Refuse.

Also, how can you not admire this renovated space at the Navy Yard? I’ve heard such great things about the URBN offices but loved the atmosphere IRL.

After sharing a few of my favorite sustainable tricks & earth-saving apps, I moved the class into the DIY Seed Bomb portion.

How to make a Seed Bomb

Essential Materials:
  • Non-toxic, air dry clay
  • Compost (local and organic if possible)
  • Seeds
  • H2O

Method:

1. Eyeball an equal amount of clay and compost.

2. Knead that clay and compost together. As you work the compost into the clay (and your stress), use water sparingly to make sure it’s a consistent blend of materials.

3. Once your clay and compost are completely 2-become-1 (Spice Girl style), it’s time to create the balls. Start breaking the mixture into pieces: we recommend around the size of quarters or so.

4. Next, pop in 4-6 seeds into your seed bombs and fold the clay to tuck the seeds inside.

5. Roll them back into a ball, and let them air dry outside for a few hours.

Virtual high five for creating perfect seed bombs!

 

A special thanks to URBN and their lovely employees for their Earth Day enthusiasm!

Do you wish you could take a similar class? We’re hosting another DIY Seed Bomb Workshop at United by Blue on Tuesday, May 24th at 6 PM. Or find out more about hosting a similar workshop for your business.

 

 

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia.

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