Reply To: Exercise 1: Initiative Personal Essay
Food scrap backyard composting has been one of my activities to teach community, youth and whenever I can since 2018. I am always excited to act on when I can reduce landfills.
During last Summer staying in Alpine, NJ not able to find a compost drop off location, I discussed with local parents and I volunteered to initiate a workshop to form youths to learn the value of sustainable living through composting. Now, they have a compost site at the community garden, and three teams of volunteers are rotating to process the materials. This was an accomplishment.
A couple of months though, I noticed an important missing piece in the current system. I realized students are banking their volunteering hours to collect prizes by their parents’ recommendations and not able to fully understand the bigger picture of being part of the solution to sustainable living. Their interests are weighed on more to get credits and recognition and instead of gathering their own brown materials purchasing mulch to add on.
I found myself once again frustrated, uncomfortable wanting to find a solution. I suggested to two local parents whom I am close to that I would reengage volunteering. I strongly felt they need Spodek Method one on one practice to connect with their intrinsic motivations and go beyond and joyfully compost and be able to teach others. I travel this Sunday in Fort Lee to meet youths and parents to start.