Green Zone is a term we hear all too often in the Iraq war news.... an oasis, at least theoretically, amid a mass of chaos and destruction. But here in Providence, a few creative souls have co-opted the term and bent it around to describe a whole different thing -- an organic vegetable, herb, and flower garden planted in what they describe as "the detritus of wartime consumption: used tires, shopping bags, shoes, and other repurposed containers."

Six tires that were pulled out of the Woonasquatucket River during the Earth Day cleanup in April now overflow with herbs, kale, beet greens, lettuce, gourds, beans, radishes, turnips, and flowers. The work -- and the bounty -- is shared by a coalition of the willing at Firehouse 13.

Sarah Zurier created the Green Zone concept, you can visit all summer long at Firehouse 13, 41 Central Street, in Providence.  And check out Sarah's GreenZoneGarden blog, where you can learn more about the project and check out other related topics like Victory Gardens, tire gardens, edible landscapes, and more.