Troop 1000 Earns Bronze Award For Food Waste Recycling In Murrieta

MURRIETA, CA — Murrieta's City Council congratulated the local Girl Scout Troop 1000 on earning their Bronze Award, the highest award achievable in elementary school, for making the world and Murrieta a more sustainable place.

The girls in the troop are from Murrieta, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, and Perris, and they led the pledge of allegiance and described their award-winning program.

"In April, they asked the city if they could help come up with a solution for organics recycling at the city," Murrieta City Manager Kristen Crane said. "And we really put these girls to work teaching both the city and residents about the program."

In short, food waste can go in the green bin, the Girl Scouts explained.

"The problem is food waste fills up our landfills and does not get composted. The trouble is, few people know about it.," a Troop 1000 Girl Scout— who identified herself as Elizabeth— said during the meeting. "Our plan was to help the city understand where and when to recycle food waste."

The scouts decided to introduce an organics recycling program over five city events: Murrieta Birthday Bash, Thursday Night Markets, and Summer Movie Nights.

Over the summer months, the group informed 417 residents that they could put their food waste in the green bin. They invented a game where participants could put cardboard, a can, and a banana peel in the proper green waste, recycling, or trash bins.

"If you got it right, you got a chocolate candy," Sophia, another Girl Scout, said. "If you got it wrong, you still got a candy, too."

How did they get people's attention at events?

Kendall brought the room to a chuckle when she said: "Candy definitely helps. Everyone wanted that."

Crane complimented the young women for their efforts.

"These young ladies are in 5th and 6th grade, and it is the first step toward earning their silver award in middle school and hopefully their gold award in their high school years," Crane said. "They are our future community leaders."

Mayor Lisa DeForest congratulated them.

"City is grateful to these future community leaders for dedicating their time, effort, and creativity to help us spread the word about where our food scraps belong," she said. "Food waste in the green bin! I will never forget that."