Talking Trash at Ledyard Center Nursery School

Winston Averill of the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resources Recovery Authority has a fun way to celebrate Earth Day. For the second straight year, the Regional Recycling Coordinator has marked the annual observance by bringing a lot of junk over to the Ledyard Center Nursery School.

Glass bottles, plastic detergent bottles, orange juice containers, aluminum cans… an old computer. Even an old tire.

“He brings lots of things,” said school Director Beth Ayer. “And then he shows the kids how all these things can be recycled.”

The old tire, for example. Averill described how they are ground up and used to produce the cushiony surfaces for playgrounds and high school running tracks.

He brought a piece of synthetic wood that was made from old detergent bottles. Because of its strength and durability, the material is frequently used for household porches and decks. 

“It was really wonderful for the kids to have hands-on visuals,” said Ayer, who said paper containers, cans and bottles are routinely recycled at the nursery school. “The know a little already about recycling, although it really depends on how much it is reinforced in the home.”

Averill spoke to two classes of 4- and 5-year-olds. He passed out rulers made out of recycled plastic from old computers, and pens that contained currency that had been taken out of circulation. Apparently even old money gets recycled.

Ayer said the "Recycle Man" from SCRRRA was a big hit.

“They absolutely loved it,” she said. “You never really know if a guest speaker will be able to relate to the kids, but Winston does such a great job. He really gets right down on their level. He had them in stitches.”