Ah spring—season of rain, daffodils, baby lambs, and…potholes. Ole man winter, with his snow, snowplows and freezing temps, takes a big toll on roads and driveways, both public and private. Shrinking municipal budgets mean potholes on major boulevards are more likely to linger than ever, but something can be done closer to home.
Instead of resigning yourself to bumping and bouncing your way through life, consider one of these oh-so-green ways to fill holes in the asphalt—both big and small:
Grow a crack garden
No, not crack cocaine. And no, not butt cleavage. Crack as in "hole in the pavement." People all over the world, including San Francisco, Japan, and Brooklyn, have taken to growing plants in tiny fissures in pavement. Maybe produce grown in holes in the road will be the next food craze.
Fill them with yarn
Okay, so they probably won't stay filled for long. But these Paris potholes filled with colorful yarn—courtesy of artist Juliana Santacruz Herrera—sure are pretty. Cheery, even. And anything that can make you cheerful when contemplating a pothole is good medicine, we say.
Patch them with a recycled asphalt patch
Most asphalt patches are made out of virgin materials that require a lot of natural resources to produce. They also emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to ozone and smog and. Enter Sakrete Cold Patch Driveway Repair. Made out of 100 percent post-consumer recycled asphalt and aggregate, Cold Patch can be used in any climate with minimal tools—just clear out the hole of as much debris as possible, fill it with Cold Patch, then tamp it down or drive over it. Voila! A smooth ride can be yours again. Go here for more information.
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