|
The 3 R's: Reuse, Reduce and Recyle
The 3 R's: Reuse, Reduce and Recycle, Feb. 2007
Members of the Transfiguration School community can now proudly say, "We Recycle!" It all started in the beginning
of the school year when Principal Audrey Woods, and a parent volunteer, met with a representative from Westchester County's
Recycling Office in order to exchange ideas and obtain information on how to start a school-wide recycling program. The Village
of Tarrytown Department of Public Works was also consulted, and was very helpful in setting up a plan for the school.
The first step was to obtain a suitable number of containers to accommodate the collection and separate storage of recyclable
materials. For paper, large blue wastebaskets, marked with the recycling logo in white, were placed in each of Transfiguration's
classrooms, as well as in the library, art room, faculty room, and office. Another blue receptacle--specifically designed
for bottles and cans--was placed in the cafeteria. Next, Mrs. Woods, in conjunction with the faculty, worked to instruct students
about what to separate from the garbage and where to deposit the recyclables. Finally, Transfiguration's seventh-graders took
on the responsibility of consolidating recyclables into two, large containers on a weekly basis.
Other plans include the introduction of projects aimed, not only at promoting recycling, but also at the overall reduction
of waste in our school. One idea of a creative, artistic, and fun way to do this is to have our first-grade students count
the number of cans collected each week and post this information on a chart outside their classroom.
Another idea is for our older students to track the school's waste-reduction efforts by logging the weight of the paper
recyclables collected each week.
So far, recycling is popular with students and teachers alike, as both are happy to do their part for the environment.
However, placing containers around the school and instructing students on the process is only the first step in cultivating
student interest and involvement.
In the future, Mrs. Woods hopes to arrange class visits to the Education Center of the Westchester County Material Recovery
Facility (MRF) in Yonkers. MRF tours are designed to educate participants about the recycling process, including its purposes
and benefits.
|
