WLC NewsFall 2007

Three more Otsego County schools GO GREEN this fall!

Wildlife Learning Company is pleased to announce that three schools – Milford Central School, Oneonta Middle School, and Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School – have joined Laurens Central School in the Otsego County School Recycling Project this year.

The project, a partnership among schools, Wildlife Learning Company, and Otsego County Solid Waste Department, was established to provide assistance to schools that are seeking to improve or establish recycling programs, according to Jeff O’Handley, President of Wildlife Learning Company, and the project’s manager.

“There have been mandatory recycling laws at the state and county level for years,” said Mr. O’Handley. “Given all the work that schools have to do, recycling has understandably had a tendency to slip down on the priority list. We’re hoping to help schools come into compliance with the laws without putting unnecessary burdens or costs on school staff and budgets.”  O’Handley also noted that the State of New York is putting increasing emphasis on the environment in general, and recycling in particular, since Elliot Spitzer became governor. “The State Education Department just released a letter this month calling on schools to adopt recycling plans,” said O’Handley. “We can provide a great service for the schools as they move towards greater compliance with state and county laws.”

The potential impacts of school recycling are enormous, said Mr. O’Handley. “In just five months Laurens diverted more than 2 tons of paper! I don’t think people really understand how much paper is generated in a school on a daily basis.”

“During meetings at the school, a common theme we heard was ‘We tried recycling, but the haulers threw it all in the truck with the trash,’” O’Handley said. “There’s a real belief out there that all of our recyclables are just getting taken to the landfill with the trash. That’s a tough hurdle to overcome.”

In order to combat this, Wildlife Learning Company has been in touch with each school’s hauler. Vets Disposal of Oneonta currently handles the contracts with most of the schools in Otsego County. “We contacted Vets right away,” said O’Handley. “They’ve been extremely cooperative and helpful, and are eager to show that they’re not throwing the recyclables out with the trash.”

Dennis Sherrill, General Manager for Vets Disposal, believes the program is a great start for recycling in the community at large. “Paper is the number one material we throw away,” said Mr. Sherrill. “School systems are a starting point for our community, and our culture at large. We’re proud to be a part of this program.”

To assist the program, Vets has donated the use of several 64-gallon ‘rolling toters’ to each school. The toters are used to collect paper from each classroom and office, and can be easily stored until pickup day. Despite public perception, Mr. Sherrill noted that recycling is in the best interests of hauling companies and landfill operators. “Each ton of paper held out of the landfill extends the life of the landfill,” said Mr. Sherrill, noting that it’s increasingly difficult to find new sites for landfills.

Another stumbling block for schools in the past is the issue of staff time. Custodial staff is often stretched thin. Recycling is seen as a bother that is not essential when compared to cleaning and maintenance, particularly when students or school staff don’t pay attention and throw non-recyclables into the bin. “Nobody has the time or desire to sift through a recycling bin to pull out half-eaten sandwiches,” said O’Handley. “We’re trying to reduce the burden on staff by having students run the actual collecting, and by having the students and administration promote the project and the student accomplishments through announcements, posters, and the kick off assembly.”

The Kick Off is a special assembly or program aimed at the students in school. It’s designed, said O’Handley, to help get students fired up about recycling, and make them aware that this will start in the school. In addition to the students and teachers at the school, presentations are made by Wildlife Learning Company, and, when possible, by Terry Bliss, Otsego County Solid Waste Coordinator, and a member of the school’s hauling company. “We review some of the important reasons for recycling, and tell them about how their particular school program is planned to operate.”

Participating schools are asked to register with the GoGreen Initiative (www.gogreeninitiative.org), a national organization that seeks to create an environmentally-responsible culture in our schools. GoGreen Initiative registration is free; they provide a number of free resources that help schools develop long-range plans for environmental responsibility. “We look at recycling as a logical first step in becoming more environmentally-friendly,” said O’Handley. “GoGreen has a nice framework for taking further steps towards overall waste reduction.”

Funding for the project came from the Otsego County Solid Waste Department. Additional funding has come from New York State Association for Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. “The funding is used to help provide a small amount of equipment for each school,” said O’Handley. “We’ve provided schools with scales for weighing material. It also helps fund the electronic bulletin board that participants use to report their weekly totals.”

Our goal is to have all of our schools in Otsego County to take the initial steps to divert, quantify and report their recyclable materials through this program.  At this point, we have been able to do this at no change in cost to a school’s budget other than minimal start-up costs.  Over time, as we bring more schools into a coordinated program, there is a potential to begin to bring materials to the marketplace and generate income to support other ‘greening’ efforts in our schools.  There are obvious obstacles to this, primarily with storage place for materials at schools, but perhaps the potential long-term benefits can help overcome some of these hurdles. 

For more information on having your school participate in this program, please contact Wildlife Learning Company at (607) 293-6043 or through the website at www.wildlearn.com.  

Fall 2007 Letter to School Superintendents from NYS Department of Education regarding recycling in schools can be found here.

 

County Fairs in Otsego and Chenango Recycled More than 3,450 Pounds of Material this Summer through the County Fair Recycling Initiative!

Twenty-five students from Schenevus, Morris and Norwich high schools helped the Otsego and Chenango County fairs recycle more than 3,450 pounds of plastic, metal, glass and cardboard as part of an expanded County Fair Recycling Initiative this past August. “The students earned service learning credit, needed for graduation, as part of the project while making an important contribution to their community,” said Susan O’Handley, Vice President of Wildlife Learning Company, the program’s creator.

At the Otsego County Fair in Morris from July 31 – August 5, a little more than 2200 pounds was recycled through the efforts of students from Schenevus and Morris.  Three teams of students from Norwich High School provided the manpower at the Chenango County fair the following week, where more than 1200 pounds was recycled.  “We’re seeing greater acceptance and participation in Otsego, where the project is in its second year,” said Mrs. O’Handley. “The feedback from Chenango was very positive; we’re very pleased with the results at both fairs.”

Student participants do more than empty recycling bins during fair week.  In the months leading up to the fairs, the students met on a regular basis to plan, fundraise and promote the project.  “They’re involved in virtually all aspects of planning and implementing the program,” said Mrs. O’Handley.  “Students have written letters to area businesses requesting sponsorships; they make decisions about the types of recycling bins to use; they’ve gone on the radio to promote the project – we feel the program really gives them a wide range of experiences beyond simply hauling recyclables around the fairgrounds for a week.”

At the fair, teams of two to four students periodically patrol the grounds collecting corrugated cardboard placed by vendors and exhibitors, or emptying bags of plastic, metal and glass containers from the 50 recycling bins the program purchased.  The materials are weighed and ultimately placed in containers where they await transport to their respective recycling centers as the first step in their transition to a new life.  “We’ve received great support from waste hauler in each county,” said Mrs. O’Handley. “Waste Recovery Enterprises provided the Otsego Fair with two roll-off containers, and Bert Adams supplied the Chenango Fair with one.”

Cooperation from vendors, exhibitors, staff and patrons is critical to the success of recycling, said Mrs. O’Handley.  “The students created a flyer explaining what and how to recycle, and passed it out to vendors and exhibitors,” she said. “We’ve seen great compliance from all of them so far, and have received very positive feedback from everyone.”

The project was begun at Morris in 2006, and recycled just over 2.500 pounds of material. At Morris this year more than 2,100 pounds were recycled for the week.  The decline is attributed to a drop in attendance this year.  1,100 pounds were recycled at the smaller Chenango County fair in Norwich. “It’s still a new program, and people have to get used to it,” said Mrs. O’Handley. “We’re also looking to purchase 50 more recycling bins so that we have better coverage of the fairgrounds.”

“We’re continually looking for students to sign up for the coming year,” said Mrs. O’Handley.  “We’ll be sending out information to schools in the near future in order to get a start on the upcoming fair season.” Planning is underway for the 2008 County Fair Recycling Initiative.  Students interested in participating in either Otsego or Chenango should contact Wildlife Learning Company, or follow this link for an application.  at (607) 293-6043.

2007 Project Partners include Captain Planet Foundation, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Otsego County, Cumberland Farms - Youth in Action, Learn & Serve America, Otsego County Conservation Association, Otsego County Fair Association, Otsego County Solid Waste Department, REAL! 4-H Coca-Cola, and Wildlife Learning Company.  Additional support for the continuation of the project comes from Bin Sponsors and the Otsego County Business Community.  2007 Bin Sponsors include Adirondack Mountain Club, Delaware Valley Spring Water, Heller Funeral Home, Leather Stalking Books, Leatherstocking Regional Credit Union, Rich McCaffery, Community Supporter, Meadowvale Campsites, Morris Tent Rentals, NYCAMH, Otsego County Burn Barrel  Education Committee, Our Town Cafe & Pub - Holiday Inn Oneonta, Ruffino’s Pizza, Stewart’s Shops, Wilber National Bank and Wildlife Learning Company.