Greenwich Recycling Enthusiast's Mantra: Try, Try Again

The day Liz Stillman watched the movie, "Tapped" in AP Environmental Science class this year, the message resonated with the junior. "The movie was all about water bottles and how they are destroying the planet," said Stillman. 

Stirred to action, Stillman investigated switching GHS from Poland Spring plastic water bottles to Green Planet Water's petroleum- and BPA-free bottles made of plant-based materials. She launched a Local Voices blog on Greenwich Patch in January and in her first post, "Putting the Green in Greenwich High School," began to chronicle what she describes as her "quest."

A Quest in Motion
Last month Stillman reported in "Mounting Support for Green Change-over at GHS" that she'd received tremendous encouragement and feedback from the Greenwich community, , Green Schools Committee, parents, administrators and fellow students.

Stillman has since met with all parties involved including members of the environmentsl club at GHS, school Headmaster Chris Winters, Vicki Gregg of food services, Diane Chiapetta-Fox of student activities, and head custodian Tony Sapia. And she has been contacted by local organizations interested in recycling.

Unfortunately, "the switch over from Poland Spring to Green Planet Water got shot down," said Stillman, explaining that she was told, "The distributor didn't carry it."

Plan B
Not one to quit, Stillman explored a second idea. While touring colleges during February break, Stillman noticed that several cafeterias re-use plastic cups. "The kids can take a plastic lid if the drink is to-go. The cups are just washed and re-used," she said. Upon return from break, Stillman suggested the reusable plastic cups and lids idea to administrators. "I was told they can't use anything that touches your mouth because there is no dishwasher at GHS."

Discouraged but undeterred, Stillman said, "If we're stuck with all these water bottles, we might as well recycle them."

Unfortunately, one look at the tiny blue waste bins attached to the sides of the jumbo garbage cans in the student center leaves the lunch crowd scratching their heads.

Stillman said it was hard to reconcile the tiny blue waste bins' size in proportion to the garbage cans. With residential single-stream recycling a measured success in Greenwich, and the ratio of recycling to trash around 80 to 20, it didn't make sense to have the ratio inverted at GHS. 

Stillman reported that Winters had contacted the Board of Education Facilities Director Susan Chipouras, who promised to order enough jumbo blue single-stream recycling bins to accommodate the enormous student center. Unfortunately for Stillman, Chipouras resigned in mid-February.

Yet, Monday morning about a dozen jumbo single-stream recycling bins made their way to the student center and Stillman's homemade banner was unfurled.

It seems an anonymous parent got wind of the situation and went out over the weekend and purchased the bins him or herself. For her part, Stillman arrived at school Monday at 6:30 AM with her banner announcing "Single Stream Recycling Bins are Here," along with two dozen posters listing items that qualify for single-stream recycling.

"I hope everyone starts to use them," said Stillman as she hung her posters. "You can lead a horse to water ... " she said, shrugging. "We'll see."