Egg Shells and Plastic Containers: Pangaea Kaan on Sustainable Living and Recycling

By: Kaitlyn Mixon

Pangaea Kaan is extremely well-versed in living sustainably and has things that she does in her daily life to help the environment as well as herself. She hopes to continue sustainable farming and reduce her use of plastic. She recently went on a "no-plastic diet" and has not bought anything if the materials are not able to be recycled.

On May 5, 2023, Pangaea Kaan began the process of planting seeds in a sustainable way in Fort Collins, CO. Kaan uses used plastic containers and other reused items to pot her plants in order to be more sustainable, as she takes measures in her daily life to live more sustainably. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

Pangaea Kaan, while using a plastic container to pot her seedlings in, poked holes in the bottom to allow for better draining in Fort Collins, CO, on May 5, 2023. Kaan said, “I poke the holes to allow for better draining for the plants, called drain holes, and it prevents root rot or soggy soil.” Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

Using egg shells that have been rinsed out and then dried, Pangaea Kaan plans to crush them up and use them as compost in her newly planted seedlings in Fort Collins, CO, on May 5, 2023. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

Pangaea Kaan scooped the soil that she uses in her makeshift pots in order to plant her seedlings comfortably on May 5, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

After getting the soil and preparing her pot, Pangaea Kaan began to plant her Marigold seedlings in Fort Collins, CO, on May 5, 2023. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

On May 5, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO, Pangaea Kaan then waters her newly planted seedlings, as her grandmother once told her that after planting seeds, she must “basically drown them.” Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

After finishing the first sustainable pot, Pangaea Kaan began her next project of planting different seedlings in an old Ginger Ale can. She started by cutting off the top of the can and recycling it on May 5, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

Pangaea Kaan then sprinkled her seedlings in the new pot and said, “These here are going to be Milkweed because it is so good for the Monarch butterflies. The butterflies are attracted to the Milkweed and are said to even only eat Milkweed strictly, and are the Monarch caterpillars’ host plant. And, of course, butterflies are good for us and pollinate tons of other plants.” Kaan was very excited to watch her Milkweed grow on May 5, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

After planting both of her new seedlings in their respectable containers, Pangaea Kaan labeled the plants to keep track of them as they develop in Fort Collins, CO, on May 5, 2023. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon.

Pangaea Kaan has over 20 plants growing in her 2nd-floor apartment window, featuring both plants that are helpful to the environment as well as to herself, such as Basil, Chives, and Beans. On May 5, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO, Kaan said, “I have plans to move after the summer to a house where I can transfer the plants into a real garden; I am so excited for them.” Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon

Along with using sustainable ways to pot plants, Pangaea Kaan also propagates some of her older parent stock to save money. Kaan is currently working on propagation rosemary (pictured) as well as an onion and a potato in her Fort Collins, CO apartment on May 5, 2023. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon

On May 5, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO, Pangaea Kaan poses with examples of her art where she uses recycled items as materials. Kaan is an artist and enjoys using materials such as used cigarette butts, used cardboard, and old school folders (all pictured) in order to be more sustainable as well as provide a message to her viewers that old materials can reduce waste and be used as art- as well as containers for plants. Photo by Kaitlyn Mixon