Hillside Woods Forest Waste Control Project

Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund Micro-Grant

Hastings Forest Waste Control Project

by Christian Pinero

In eighth grade, my friends and I collaborated on a community service project based around cleaning up our local forests. Seeing the frequency of forest misuse, I began thinking of ways to solve local pollution in the long-term. The opportunity arose at the end of my eighth grade year, when my homeroom class was presented to about the YCAF, and I decided to follow through with some of my ideas.

“The waste-contaminated forest, especially inorganic waste, brings its own bad impacts towards the forest ecosystem. As it is difficult to decompose, the accumulation of inorganic waste potentially makes the soil layer impenetrable by plant roots. In addition, the inorganic waste that covers the forest soil will retain the water for penetrating into the soil, thus inhibiting the absorption of minerals that fertilize the soil. In the long term period, this situation will lead to the decreasing number of  microorganisms that play a role in soil fertility.” - Waste4Change

People often underestimate the sheer impact of every little piece of garbage. Heavier waste like glass, cans, or plastic containers can get embedded in the soil, rendering the area covered by it completely unusable for plant growth until it is removed. Lighter waste like bottle holders, plastic, shards of glass or metal, and plastic bags can all be eaten by or entangled in the bodies of smaller wildlife, leading to a plethora of outcomes such as asphyxiation, internal damage, illness, and death.

And then, there’s the issue of dog waste. Leaving a single bag behind in the forest leaves the ecosystem prone to thousands of viruses and bacteria. The waste can also contain whatever medications or diseases the dog may have been carrying, rendering it exceptionally toxic to pollinators and other animals. In addition, when these bags eventually break open, the waste to seeps out and can contaminate streams, ponds, and groundwater. As well as having promoted disease and spread its impact over a greater area, the presence of dog waste in water sources is able to kill aquatic life, promote the spread of algae, and potentially contaminate drinking water.

The solution to this? Awareness.

By educating about the harmful effects of pollutants, the frequency of littering can be mitigated, and efforts to avoid it will be supported. Thanks to the fantastic help and support of Mayor Armacost, Ainsley Zamore, my friends, and my family, these goals have been reached: Numerous, eye-catching fliers have been posted around town informing people about these harms, and improved waste systems have been installed at all major entrances to the woods in order to encourage safer disposal of waste. The waste bins are intentionally designed to be immune to breaches by animals, allowing for any sort of waste to be emptied into the bins without worry of affecting the wildlife. Specialized dog waste stations have also been installed at select entrances that accept dog waste while also presenting a clear reminder to clean up after your pets!