ORANGE — Orange Elementary School students recently spent some time with Jack Golden, who presented “Garbage is My Bag,” encouraging them to compost, recycle and take positive approaches to protecting the environment.
Students at Dexter Park and Fisher Hill learned about those issues from Golden, who brought his show to them. The Springfield Materials Recycling Facility Advisory Board sponsored the assemblies.
In “Garbage Is My Bag,” an award-winning performance, Greenfield native Golden is the comedic “expert” Dr. T., who delves into a mountain of trash — and an even bigger bag of vaudeville and circus tricks — in search of answers to trash problems. With a “Ph.D. in Garbology,” a zany and irresistible personality and a trash-to-treasure-o-matic recycling machine, he juggles and jokes his way through a world of waste.
Dr. T entertains his audiences while sharing his knowledge that rubbish is a resource that is too good to throw away. Learn more about his presentation at: garbageismybag.com.
The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District was awarded free school presentations from the advisory board. The Solid Waste District chose the Orange Elementary School District to receive the shows.
The Springfield MRF accepts recyclable containers, cardboard, and paper from its 72 member communities and processes them for sale to the manufacturing industry. The MRF is owned by the state and operates with guidance from the Department of Environmental Protection and the advisory board.
MRF member communities are eligible to receive various educational materials to assist municipal recycling programs, including transfer station signage, brochures for residents, and school presentations. The goals of this program are to increase recycling participation, reduce contamination, and to promote the recycling of accepted MRF materials. Franklin County Solid Waste District’s Program Director Amy Donovan, whose focus is on recycling and composting programs in county schools, introduces the speaker of each program and makes connections between the school waste diversion programs, recycling at home and the special presentations.
Donovan is installing a worm compost bin this spring at Ralph C. Mahar Regional School.
For more information about recycling, composting, hazardous waste or special wastes, contact the Franklin County Solid Waste District at 413-772-2438 or send an email info@franklincountywastedistrict.org. Also, visit www.franklincountywastedistrict.org.