May 2023 - New Sharon High School Houses First Town-wide Drop/Swap Event
donated items are arranged in SHS front hall

On May 6th and 7th the Sharon Recycling Department debuted the town's first Drop/Swap event.

Taking place in the spacious entrance hall of the new Sharon High School building, the drop/swap event is a way to celebrate the "reuse" in "reduce, reuse, recycle," helping residents to extend the useful life of unwanted textiles and household goods by encouraging donations on Saturday that were then available to anyone who might want them during the Sharon Green Day festival on Sunday for FREE.

The event was a success, with residents donating thousands of items, including:

  • clothing, linens, and other textiles

  • books and media

  • sports equipment

  • glass and kitchenware

  • toys

  • electronics

  • art and picture frames

  • and more!

Approximately 40% of the donations were redistributed to other locals the next day and what was left over was donated to the town's textile donation vendor -CMRK Inc. - where it will be further distributed or recycled.

March 2023 - Environmental Performer Jack Golden Entertains and Educates at Sharon Elementary Schools
Jack Golden in orange jumpsuit juggles plastic bags on stage at East Elementary School

On March 6th, 7th, and 8th SPS students grades 3-5 were treated to educational and entertaining performances on waste and recycling, given by veteran performer Jack Golden.

The shows, organized by Sharon's Recycling Coordinator Eve Carey, utilize a combination of facts and slapstick comedy to teach lessons about the importance of not littering, how and what to recycle, and how the "reduce" in "reduce, reuse, recycle" is the most environmentally friendly course of action.

March 2023 - Residential Recycling Audit Reveals Key Contaminants in Sharon
recycling at transfer station

On March 10th, 2023, Sharon Recycling Coordinator Eve Carey was able to visit Republic's Fall River transfer station to observe two of Sharon's residential trucks deposit their loads onto the tipping floor.

Through observing the recycling and speaking with General Manager Chris Macera, we have learned that Sharon has a relatively low rate of contamination in our recycling, especially in comparison to other communities, at around 10%.

While it seems that Sharon residents perform very well when it comes to knowing what to put in the bin, there is still room for improvement!

The most common contaminant by far observed in Sharon's recycling was film plastic.

Plastic bags and other kinds of film plastic are NOT curbside recyclable, and are in fact damaging to the recycling machinery, so it's very important to leave those items out of the recycling. Instead of trashing them, you can bring most clean and dry film plastics to participating grocery stores to be recycled.

Other contaminants observed were: black plastic, cartons, styrofoam, and some random items (a large piece of luggage and a pillow??).

By knowing what belongs in the recycling bin Sharon residents can help to make recycling a more effective and sustainable practice!

August 2022 - Waste Diversion from the old High School
A row of computer monitors for donation

The 2022-23 school year will see the first students in Sharon's new High School! Throughout this process, Sharon Public Schools has been dedicated to diverting waste as we prepare to go out with the old and in with the new.

What does this look like?

As part of the transition from the old building to the new, SPS has made the effort to recycle or donate everything possible to keep waste out of the landfill, including:

  • more than 90 boxes of old books were donated to the nonprofit More than Words

  • two truck loads of obsolete technology - including more than 40 monitors, 20 Smart Boards, and 26 boxes of assorted items - were recovered by Data Recycling of New England

  • a large amount of furniture is being donated through IRN Surplus

July 2022 - Volunteers pack up more than 2000 books for donation
three volunteers flex their arms in front of a pile of packed up books for donation from the old Sharon HS

In an effort initiated by incoming High School Junior, Alisha Mehta (right), volunteers packed up more than 90 boxes of books for donation this month. These books were not slated to be transferred to the new High School building in August, and so this donation effort has diverted these 2000+ books from the landfill.

The books, mostly consisting of outdated textbooks and encyclopedias, will be resold or responsibly recycled through More than Words. More than Words is a nonprofit organization "that empowers young adults who are in the foster care system, court-involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business."

Sharon Public Schools strive to make every effort to reduce our environmental impact and are proud to foster students' engagement with sustainability.

A special thanks to the volunteers - consisting of both High Schoolers and members of the Sustainable Sharon Coalition - who made this effort possible: Alisha Mehta, Aviva Pollock, Wendy Cullum MacArthur, Jessica Trudeau Clay, and Shewta and Kashish Jain.

July 2022 - SHARON PARTNERS WITH CMRK INC. FOR TEXTILE DONATION
blue clothing donation bin with Sharon town crest

SHARON PARTNERS WITH CMRK INC. FOR TEXTILE DONATION

Beginning July 13th, 2022, Sharon is partnering with CMRK Inc. as its new textile donation vendor. While Bay State Textiles has served Sharon well for the past 6 years, it's been determined that a more full-service vendor will make Sharon a more sustainable place to live.

CMRK Inc. partners with the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation to allow residents to easily donate their clothing, textile and small household items. CMRK has been collecting these items across Massachusetts for over 35 years.

We are making donating easy. Residents can drop unsoiled textiles at the bins located at all of Sharon's public schools or schedule a free home pick up by calling 508-466-4590 or scheduling online at BBBSFoundation.org.

Visit https://www.cmrkne.com/ to learn more about Sharon's new vendor!

October 2021 - Sharon Day
Sharon day booth with mascot turtle

This past Sunday was the first annual Sharon Day! At this event, which featured all kinds of booths, from retail to public interest, Sustainable Sharon Coalition's booth was a very popular.

In particular, the recycling games, formulated by SSC Kids' director, Patrice Stering, and the town Recycling Coordinator, Eve Carey, were a huge hit with residents of all ages. People could participate by playing a sorting game, 2 truths and a lie, or doing a scavenger hunt. The goal of these games was to help educate folks on what does or does not go in residential recycling -  a cause that is so important in order for recycling to be effective.

The booth also promoted several of SSC's upcoming events and initiatives, including the 35 gallon trash bin. We are promoting the 35 gallon trash bin as a way to encourage residents to reduce their waste production and increase their recycling.