Northborough-Southborough Interactors learned the meaning of sweat equity while sorting a transfer station's monthly accumulation of 5-cent deposit cans and bottles on the sunny hot morning of August 3. With help from Southborough and Northboro Rotarians, NSboro students filled 53 bags of separated plastic and aluminum carbonated beverage containers for a local partner to transport and redeem wholesale.Fundraising proceeds will support youth service projects and continue their successful work of 2023-24 that earned the Rotary District 7910 Gold Environmental award for the 2023-24 Rotary year. Accomplishments last year included .....
- a roadside litter audit (77% of litter was beverage/takeout food packaging);
- collecting recyclable and redeemable materials from Northborough Town Cleanup litter;
- researching the case for an improved bottle bill, such as Maine or Connecticut's updated laws, and meeting with state legislators to advocate for bills;
- working with the high school administration to pilot food compost collection;
- educating about these projects at the Westborough Environmental Action Fair; and
- -collecting thin film plastic at the high school to bring to Westborough Rotary's collection for recycling into Trex products.
These youth are well on their way to earning a platinum or diamond environmental award in 2024-2025, as they help Northborough Rotary plan a Zero Waste Applefest Street Fair, and volunteer at the Community Harvest Project Farm in Grafton on August 20. If you wish to join us at CHP, please contact: jmczahill@gmail.com. Thanks to Will Warren for arranging the can sorting adventure at Southborough's transfer station, and to Acacia Warren for bringing refreshments to prevent heat exhaustion!