“No plastic bags in green bins” (Suzanne Thompson, Old Lyme Solid Waste & Recycling Committee Member)
OLD LYME — Did you read that green slip which arrived in the mail with your 2022-23 Old Lyme property tax invoice?
It notes that the Town of Old Lyme has a new waste and recycling hauling contract with CWPM Inc. but perhaps more significantly, it emphasizes the need for residents to be vigilant regarding what they place in their green recycling bin.
The green slip was the work of Old Lyme’s Solid Waste & Recycling Committee, which has recently been reconstituted under co-chairs Maryellen Basham and Jim Ward, with members including Leslie O’Connor, Karen Taylor, Fred Behringer, and Suzanne Thompson.
We asked Thompson why the committee had conceived the idea of sending out the green slip to all property owners. She explained, “Old Lyme residents have an opportunity to hold down our waste handling costs and reduce our impact on the environment by putting the correct items in their green recycling bins.”
She stressed that this means quite simply and unambiguously, “No plastic bags in green bins.”
Thompson adds, “The committee also encourages residents to home compost their vegetable peelings instead of tossing them into the blue trash bin.”
In an effort to expand their message further, Thompson notes that the committee is taking their message “out on the road,” with a stand at the Midsummer Festival on Saturday (July 30.) The committee will be one of the participant organizations in the Hands On-M!nds On feature along the Artist’s Trail at the Florence Griswold Museum, which is anticipated to draw many visitors.
The committee will offer a variety of games and activities to educate and inform Festival-goers of all ages about recycling and solid waste management.
Committee member Behringer and his daughter are currently hard at work designing an interactive quiz game related to ‘Going Green’ with regard to recycling and more, which will be available for people to play when they stop by at the stand.
Thompson says enthusiastically, “Come and see us on the Trail, have some fun … and learn a lot!”