By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Westborough – Local Cadette Girl Scouts from Troop 30555, Bhargavi Ram and Kaleigh Wright, have made a mission out of their environmentally-focused Silver Award project. Following the lead of Kaleigh's aunt who set up a Styrofoam collection program in Northborough through the Framingham-based company, ReFoamIt!, the girls decided to spearhead a similar program in Westborough.
According to the girls, the goal of “Reduce, Reuse, ReFoamIt!,” as they have named the project, is to “create awareness among Westborough residents and people from surrounding towns about the negative impact of Styrofoam and to take Styrofoam out of landfills.”
The girls also hope to raise $2000 for funds to pay for twice-yearly Styrofoam collections by ReFoamIt! over the next five years.
In an attempt to spread the word about Styrofoam recycling, the girls, who are both in the seventh grade, created a Facebook page with the name “R3: Reduce, Reuse, ReFoamIt.” In addition, they reached out to news organizations with a press release and created a public service announcement with Westborough TV (http://vimeo.com/32923019).
Bhargavi and Kaleigh, in partnership with the Board of Health, distributed postcards at the town's Hazardous Waste Day in October. They also applied for and were awarded a grant of $300 from the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.
In addition, Central One Federal Credit Union is sponsoring their inaugural event in March. That event, a “Free Styrofoam Collection Day,” will take place on Saturday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 53 East Main St. (site of the former Tufts Machine Tool Company).
In preparation for this event, Bhargavi and Kaleigh are asking residents to hold on to their Styrofoam until March. Then, the day of the event, Styrofoam that is collected will be brought to a Rhode Island plant by ReFoamIt! for processing.
“We actually did a tour of this facility and it was really cool to see how it all works,” the girls said.
“Everyone in the community has been really supportive and excited about recycling Styrofoam,” they added.