The hanging garden project - American School of Recife

Considering that the use of recycled PET bottles is a great teaching and learning tool regarding sustainability issues, especially during recent years in Brazil, students have been involved in building a system with planters made from this material. The lack of space in metropolises prevents growing herbs and vegetables without a limited space, urging the need to suggest ways to provide nature to our children and youngsters to develop physically, intellectually and emotionally. The hanging-garden project not only recycles bottles and provides green to the environment, but also prevents wasting 6,000 liters of water, which is the quantity released from an AC device throughout a whole school year. This water is collected and used to irrigate the plants, providing a cost-free sustainable watering system. Basil, mini Italian tomatoes and lettuce presented the greatest capacity for adaptation to the local high temperatures. Therefore, our goal is to spread this idea everywhere.