Eddie Brown’s job is to save the planet by making sure toxic waste doesn’t enter the environment. He’s using some of that waste to create a garden. “It’s hazardous to the environment if you’re taking it [and] dumping it in the creek, things like that, we don’t want that for the fish,” Brown said. He’s been with Mecklenburg County’s hazardous waste department for four years, collecting light bulbs, batteries and paint from residents. These are all things that could cause fires and end up in landfills if not disposed of properly.
Brown doesn’t consider himself an environmentalist, even though his job is all about sustainability. “I guess I do recycle so I’m an environmentalist in that aspect, but I take care of the earth the way you’re supposed to,” he said. After work, Brown travels about 15 feet to continue working the earth in his garden. “As a kid, I always had a garden with my dad and brother. So, I just carried it on. I used to garden in red recycling bins,” he said.
Working at the Compost Central and Recycling Center, Brown sees residents throw out waste every day. Where they see trash, he sees an opportunity to make treasures. “We use compost we produce here on site and then all of this shelving and stake you see here are from our scrap metal bin, people throwing them out and recycle them, we just upcycled them,” Brown said.
Along with his coworkers, Brown plants new vegetables each season. This summer they have eggplant, sweet potatoes and cucumbers. “It doesn’t get any fresher than picking tomatoes out of your backyard, eating them yourself, you know where it’s coming from and it’s good for you,” he said.