On Monday August 14, 2023, Girl Scout Troop 67972 visited the East Lyme Transfer Station to learn about recycling and what they can do to help. Rachel Bergeron, Lydia Beck, Lila Carling, Aashi Karanth and their Troop Leader Lynn Sosa-Bergeron met with the East Lyme Public Works Director Joe Bragaw and the East Lyme Sanitation Foreman Bob Neville and toured the facility.

They learned about the old landfill that was closed over 30 years ago, then they saw all the things that residents can recycle for free including waste oil and antifreeze, light bulbs, batteries, mattresses, electronics like old TV’s and computers, propane tanks, scrap metal and more. They also learned about the difference between garbage that goes in the curbside can and bulky waste that doesn’t fit in the can.

The troop has been working on their Silver Award, the second highest award in Girl Scouting. They developed a project focused on ocean pollution prevention; with a focus on improving knowledge and use of recycling cans, with the help of John Wilson from Signcraft, a local vendor, they designed and purchased 4 different types of colorful stickers about the impact of plastic in our oceans and how to learn about proper recycling that can be put on the top of the Town’s curbside recycling cans. The girls placed the stickers on the recycling cans at the three beaches in Town; Cini Beach, Hole in the Wall and McCook’s with plans to add stickers to other recycling cans in town including parks and schools.

Below are pictures of some of the stickers they made along with a picture of their visit. As a gesture of their gratitude, the girls graciously gave some boxes of their delicious Girl Scout cookies to be shared by the members of the East Lyme Highway Department.