Several times a day trucks line up in the Albuquerque, New Mexico landfill and empty their loads of discarded glass bottles on to ever-growing mounds of glass. But what might seem like the end of the road is just the beginning. Founded by eco-preneurs, Andrew Ungerleider and Gay Dillingham of Santa Fe, Growstone Horticultural Products has found a way to turn trash into treasure, and make plants and their growers happier, healthier and more productive.
According to CEO of Growstone, Mike Langone, “Once the discarded glass bottles have been collected, they are crushed and finally milled into a fine power very much like flour. That's when the magic begins.” The fine glass 'flour" is then literally baked into sheets very much like brownies. No excess water or energy is used in the process.
“The idea grew in response to the harmful practices of strip-mining, a highly destructive technology used in mineral extraction. When the founders saw the results and the damage it left behind, they set out to find a better, more holistic way to create products the respect the planet and produce beautiful results. That grew into Growstones,” says Langone.
Growstones are high-productivity soil aerators and hydroponic growth mediums. They look like porous little sponges and hold a perfect balance of air and water which help nutrients and oxygen release in proper ratios for ideal results.
“Growstones are a horticultural and environmental win-win,” says Langone. “They produce superior results in the field and greenhouse, and make growing a much more rewarding endeavor."
The hydroponic industry is in a period of strong and sustained growth. Growstones help hydroponic plants, grown without soil in liquid nutrients, to be more stable because they encourage roots to adhere and anchor for maximum strength and yields.
According to Patrick Beare, VP of Sales and Marketing for Growstone, "They represent a major breakthrough in eco-engineering technology, a completely earth-friendly, green product thatworks better than Hydroton or perlite with none of the ugly side effects such as strip-mining.”
Langone sums it up beautifully. "Growstones are made right here in the USA, supporting our agriculture, our economy, and our love of nature."
For more information on Growstone, go to www.growstone.com or call 505-897-1665.
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