Imagine this: you’re walking through your neighborhood, and you see a group of people cleaning up a local park. They’re picking up trash and putting it in big, blue recycling bins. This is a community initiative, a project started by folks in your area who care about where they live. They’re making a big difference, and the same thing is happening all over the country! Let’s take a look at three amazing groups making a difference.
In Alameda County, California, schools have become champions of the environment. They’ve teamed up with a local public agency called ‘StopWaste.’ This team trains students and staff to sort their waste. By doing this, they reduce the amount of trash that goes to the landfill. With StopWaste’s help, these schools are not just teaching math and English, they’re teaching students how to care for our planet!
According to Oaklandside, StopWaste is offering grants of $1.1 million for projects that prevent waste through various means. The grants, open to businesses, nonprofits, and institutions, aim to support community benefits, job creation, and racial and social equity.
“The goal is not only to keep valuable resources out of the landfill, but to model new ways of handling materials that benefit the community and address important issues much beyond waste,” StopWaste’s executive director Timothy Burroughs told Oaklandside.
Heading over to sunny San Diego, a program named ‘Food2Soil‘ is turning food scraps into treasure. You may think that sounds funny, but it’s true! They collect leftovers from restaurants, schools, and homes. But instead of tossing them away, they turn them into compost. This compost becomes a rich soil that’s used in local farms and gardens. By doing this, Food2Soil gives our food waste a second life and helps to grow more food! According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Food2Soil has recycled more than 100 tons and counting.
Finally, let’s travel to Des Plaines, Illinois. Here, a group called ‘Clean Up – Give Back.Org‘ organizes community clean-up events. Volunteers come together to pick up litter in public spaces, making their city cleaner and safer. This initiative doesn’t stop at their own community; they also support other groups to start clean-up programs. Clean Up – Give Back collected 40,119 pounds of trash in 2022, according to Clean Up – Give Back executive director Donna Adam.
So, you see, even small actions in our communities can make a big difference. Whether it’s recycling paper in school, composting food scraps, or swapping plastic bags for reusable ones, we all can play a part in protecting our planet. Who knows, maybe the next big idea to reduce waste will come from your community!
