Participants in the e-waste drive dropped off loads of disused electronics for recycling or refurbishment. (Photo by Wil Fulton. Click to enlarge)
By WIL FULTON
Little Silver’s Environmental Commission collected more than two truckloads of outdated VCRs, personal computers and other things electronic at the town’s first-ever Environmental Day Saturday.
Held at the Woman’s Club of Little Silver, the daylong event feature an E-waste recycling collection. All the collected electronics are to be recycled or refurbished, with the refurbished computers going to create labs for schools and children in need, courtesy of non-profit organization Computers for Kids, according to commission member Susan Murray.
“We even had a one man pull up in a stretch-limo to drop off some of his old computers,” said fellow member Bonnie Akey. “Now that’s commitment.”
In addition to the recycling events, the dayÂ’s agenda included a composting workshop, a rain garden presentation, a display and map of the hiking trails throughout the borough, and several Master Gardeners of Monmouth County on hand to help residents with their gardening inquiries, courtesy of Rutgers University.
Also on site throughout the day, Rain Barrels International, which offers environment-minded consumers a 55-gallon barrel – recycled from old pickle barrels – to attach to drain-spouts, the collected water then going towards irrigating lawns and gardens efficiently and without cost, according to Murray. A portion of the profit from the rain barrel sales will donated to the Parker Homestead, said Murray, who told redbankgreen that the restoration of the town’s historic, oldest house is an ongoing project of the Environmental Commission.
“More than 70 car loads came to drop off their donations, all day long,” Murray said. “The Rescue Mission of Trenton has been here all day too, collecting clothing. We’ve been really happy about the turnout and the amount of donations.”
The Environmental Commission, which has been in existence since 1972, has held events similar to the e-waste recycling drive and the presentations, but never combined in one, day long event, according to commissionÂ’s President Rosemary Brewer, who has been a member since 1983.
“It’s been a nice turn-out, a pleasant surprise,” Brewer said. “We’re definitely looking to do it and expand upon it next year.”
“It’s all about inspiring the community to take action, and find new and creative way to go green. It’s better for the environment and Little Silver, too,” Murray added. “We also wanted to do it a month before Earth Day, to show people they can be green all year round, not just on one day.”
