The Dobbs Ferry Public Library, volunteers from The Masters School joined the organization Sustainable Dobbs in their “Dewaste Dobbs” event. Upper School students Ryan Lim, Jose Meister, Andrew Wang, and Simon Zeng engaged in various educational activities to help spread awareness about the importance of recycling and composting waste.

Dobbs Ferry currently has the lowest recycling rate in all of Westchester county — only 29% of their trash — according to the public information flyers posted around town. That’s why the town has produced 10 million pounds of trash in just one year.

Thankfully, groups like Sustainable Dobbs have historically fought for change in the Dobbs Ferry community and enacted positive change regarding climate-friendly legislation and actions.

Right now, their “Dewaste Dobbs” movement is centered around education, teaching people about the benefits of properly recycling or disposing of waste, and the harms that come with throwing so much waste in the trash, including higher costs for the city. Masters’ student volunteers joined in kicking off these educational initiatives, which included creating a “trash monster” at the library, and signing the “Dewaste Dobbs pledge” and encouraging others to do so as well.

Zeng described his experience at the kickoff event. “I chose to go because I wanted to help,” he explained. “We helped put stuff up, like setting up games. We also helped decorate the project ‘The Monster,’ and helped kids that are little to put their creative ideas onto the body of the project.”

For more information on Sustainable Dobbs’ movements, visit the nonprofit’s website here.