At an Onteora School Board meeting last week, Bennett Elementary students and instructional coach Karen Hadley were lauded for their work in reducing the use of plastic and removing it from the waste stream.
“I can firmly say that this work has brought me so many opportunities to celebrate the positive work that’s being done across Ulster County communities,” said Angelina Brandt, director of sustainability for the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency. “But this program at the Onteora district has truly moved and inspired me to new limits of what can be possible when we work together under a true environmental champion, and unite our concerns for a better world for our future.”
Each year, the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3) presents a leadership award to recognize initiatives that are models of waste reduction and sustainability. That honor went to Onteora instructional coach Karen Hadley.
A group of dedicated students set out with the goal of getting plastic bags out of the community waste stream. Thanks to their community outreach, the program now has over 50 businesses participating and collecting plastic bags for recycling.
The students’ efforts resulted in collection of more than six tons of plastic bags. “The sheer volume of plastic bags required to make 12,000 pounds is just astonishing,” Brandt said.
Hadley thanked district custodians, the director of buildings and grounds, and Bennett principal Gabriel Buono. Also thanked was Hannaford in West Hurley, which has been collecting the plastic and making sure it gets shipped to Trex, a company that makes decking material out of recycled plastics.
The Bennett students participated at a youth environment sustainability summit at the Ashokan Center, where they presented to other schools from around New England who came to listen to them and listen to their initiative. Students also presented at the Woodstock Earth Day event where they hosted a plastic recycling information tent.
Sixth grade student council president Baxter Bryant said the importance of plastic recycling soon reached beyond the confines of the district.
“The day after, me and my mom were driving home from my music lesson and I told her all about it. And so immediately that day, we started collecting plastic,” Bryant said. Bryant approached the manager of Barnes & Noble in the Town of Ulster, and soon he too was collecting plastic every Saturday.
“Over time, I got less and less nervous talking to other managers, and so after that, we got Old Navy to donate plastic, we got Mother Earth’s to donate plastic, UPS to donate plastic,” he said. “And then Men’s Wearhouse to donate plastic, too. And we’d go twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday, and then fill up our entire car with plastic and then drive home.”
Board president Cindy Bishop said the program inspired her whole family to be more vigilant about recycling.
“I never realized how much plastic waste I produce,” Bishop said. “And when I started collecting plastic bags, and realized how fast they add up, I told my family that doesn’t even live in this county. And so now when people come to visit me, they bring a bag of plastic bags.”
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