Oakmont Lions Club and the Rotary Club of Oakmont have teamed up to create a unique way to beautify the area and help the environment.
The organizations are collaborating with Trex Decking on a Plastic Film Challenge, in which the clubs’ members will collect plastic film items at various locations around their communities, and once 500 pounds’ worth has been collected, Trex will contribute an outdoor park bench to placed in the local area for the residents to enjoy.
Plastic film items include grocery bags (dry-cleaning bags), cereal bags (bread bags), paper towel wrappings, packaging from beverage cases, and packaging. These items would end up in a landfill where they could take many decades to degrade. Instead, they’ll be going to Trex.
Jada Donato from Rotary, who is helping to spearhead this venture, said that the program is open to all neighborhoods who wish to participate.
“This is a very rewarding project that any community or school can work towards. It’s a great way to collaborate with friends, neighbors, and other Rotary club members,” she said.
In just one month and a quarter, the two organizations collected 220 lbs of plastic via bins placed at Giant Eagle and Riverview Community Action Corp. in Oakmont. The challenge lasts for six months.
After the collection bins have been filled, the Rotary club takes the items to the Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena. Here, everything is sorted, packed, and sent to Trex. Karyn Brooks is also a member of the club.
“Our clubs would like to extend a very special thank you to Karyn Brooks and the staff of Cheswick’s Pittsburgh Indoor Sports for their hospitality and kindness in allowing our clubs to meet and sort through our bags of goodies,” Donato said. “In addition we were provided a delicious lunch for all the hungry sorters, compliments of PISA at no cost to the Rotary.
“This environmental project is something that is sustainable and is also an eye-opener to plastic items not able to be recycled in our local community recycling. When we all work together good things can happen for the environment.”
Darren Yuvan is a Trib Total Media contributor writer.
