Members of the Lincoln Conservation Commission are advocating for increased recycling education in town, starting at the elementary school level.
Motivated by their children and creating a better world for them, Emily Rochac Argueta, Mara Delgado and Kendra Gay, along with the rest of the commission, have proposed that Lincoln schools implement a recycling program.
Earlier this year, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation reported that in 2023, 18 truck loads of recyclables from Lincoln, or collections from around 600 Lincoln households equaling 99 tons of recyclables, were rejected and dumped into the landfill.
Each time a recycling load is rejected, it costs the town $750, meaning that in 2023, Lincoln paid $13,500 in fees as a consequence.
Delgado, who also works for RIRRC, said recycling is more crucial than ever, because at present, the state’s landfill can only accommodate roughly 20 more years worth of trash.
Since RIRRC’s February presentation, the commission has been working with the town to find ways to improve recycling habits of residents.
One minor yet helpful change, said Delgado, was the addition of recycling guides to bins, though it is too soon to tell if they are truly effective.
Though she believes there are several things the town could do to improve recycling habits, Delgado said establishing recycling stations to elementary cafeterias would be a good next step, as it is a simple way to make a significant impact.
Gay, of the commission and the Rhode Island School Recycling Project, has implemented recycling stations at other schools within the state, and described results as “instantaneous.”
“We did Garvin Elementary this past spring, and in the first day, they went from six trash bags to one. Spaziano in Providence had around 14 trash bags per day, and they got down to only two,” she told The Breeze.
Gay added that less trash means more recycling and compost, which is the goal. She also mentioned that compost is an added benefit to the schools, as they can use compost for gardens or tending to school grounds, or weigh food waste to make charts in math classes.
Rochac Argueta said one of the reasons the program works in elementary schools is because young children are like sponges absorbing new information; if a child learns how to do something correctly the first time they’re taught, in this case, recycling, then the “right way” becomes the only way.
Furthermore, recycling stations will allow students to practice these habits and incorporate them into their daily lives, while also making students aware of food waste.
Rochac Argueta noted that in the past, the commission has led Earth Day related events within elementary schools, such as litter cleanups, planting and gardening, hosting MaxMan from RIRRC and previewing environmental films, but were repeatedly discouraged by the subsequent lack of momentum at the larger levels afterward.
“We teach our children to be good stewards of the Earth, pick up litter, recycle, respect the natural environment, but what good is it if there’s no follow-through?” she asked school officials at a recent School Committee meeting.
With the construction of new cafeterias at all elementary schools, Delgado, Gay and Rochac Argueta said they felt it was the perfect time to propose the recycling sorting station.
“Stations” are portable bins and include a share table, a liquid bucket, recycling, landfill, composting, and a tray table, and are monitored by other students.
“We’d be giving them the tools to make the right decisions, and we’re giving them responsibility that I know they are capable of handling,” said Delgado. “My son is four, and he knows all about how to recycle.”
For at least the first year of the program, Rhode Island School Recycling Project provides financial and physical support to participating schools. After that, Gay said costs are very minimal, especially because with less trash, schools cut down on hauling fees.
The commission members said school officials agreed to further discuss this concept, and seem to be in favor of the proposal.
Those interested in the proposed initiative from the Rhode Island School Recycling Project can learn more at rirecyclingclub.org. Anyone looking to show support for this program in Lincoln elementary schools can contact the Conservation Commission at lincolnconcom@gmail.com.
“These kids want to be at the forefront of the change that improves not only their immediate environment, but the health of the planet as well. It is our responsibility, as the adults they look up to, to lead by example and realize this is their future, not only ours,” Rochac Argueta said.
Courtesy : valleybreeze.com
