Brownie 1st Graders to Launch Lunch-Area Recycling Program
On April 24th, Brownie Troop 3602, comprised of 14 first grade girls,  launched a lunch-area recycling program in front of their entire elementary school. The Brownie Troop demonstrated appropriate use of the recycling bin in front of an all-school assembly of approximately 500 students at Benchley Weinberger Elementary School, located in San Carlos.

The Brownie Girl Scouts have been working on a series of badges that help them learn about their role in the community and solving a community problem. The girls realized that there weren't any recycle bins in the school's lunch area and wanted to do something about it.

EDCO recycling and the San Diego Unified School District were both contacted (with help from their leader) to find out if a recycling program for bottles and cans could begin. EDCO already has a bin on site for paper recycling in the classrooms.  Both entities confirmed that a recycling program would work and that any lunch area recyclables that were collected could be commingled in the EDCO bin already on site. Alternatively, they could also be recycled off-site to raise money for the school.

The Brownies decided the solution would be to provide two new blue bins in the lunch area and help teach the student body about appropriate items to recycle. They presented their solution to the school principal, Mrs. Marian Jacobs who approved the plan.

The Brownies then wrote a letter to the Benchley Weinberger Foundation to see if the Foundation would help cover the cost of the two bins, which totaled $130. The Foundation agreed. The Brownies also used money raised through cookie sales to buy the bins.

To prepare for their all-school assembly, the Brownies were given a presentation about appropriate recycling from I Love A Clean San Diego. The presentation took place on Earth Day.