HARRISBURG, Pa. — For many state residents, maybe even the majority, throwing an item into the trash can be an ingrained habit, almost like a reflex.
“Most of us put our trash in the trash can and never give it another thought,” Taylor Fetterman, 14, of Somerset County, said. “However, our trash can contaminate water, soil and even our own air.
“Waste harms wildlife. Animals consume trash and become ill or even die.”
“So, how can you help? You can encourage people around you to recycle. You can set a good example by doing it yourself.”Aurielle Miller, of Clinton County,
Fetterman, alongside 15-year-old Aurielle Miller, of Clinton County, on Tuesday presented “Trash to Treasure — Recycling and the Art of Upcycling,” at the PA Farm Show.
The 110th PA Farm Show opened last weekend. The weeklong event includes competitions and demonstrations celebrating agriculture across the commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show is one of the largest indoor agricultural events in the country, attracting families, farmers, food enthusiasts and more.
Fetterman and Miller, both 4-H state project ambassadors for expressive arts, focused their presentation on strategies to reduce waste.
They also underscored the positive impact from transforming seemingly unusable items into something new.
“So, how can you help?” Miller asked the audience of about two dozen. “You can encourage people around you to recycle. You can set a good example by doing it yourself.”
The problem with trash
The average person generates more than 4 pounds of trash per day, Fetterman said.
“When you think about it, each and every one of us use a lot of items every day, and many of those things end up in the trash,” she said, listing paper, junk mail, shipping boxes — even old furniture and a broken washing machine.
Choosing to recycle — items such as plastic, glass, paper, cardboard and aluminum — interrupts the process, taking out of the waste stream items that can be used again and diverting them from landfills.
After a brief explanation of recycling, Fetterman called for two volunteers to participate in a race.
Each participant was given a box full of recyclable materials — excluding glass, for safety — and had to sort them, one at a time, into containers marked with different recycling categories.
After the race, Fetterman spoke about how trash becomes a problem for the environment, including people and animals.
“When an animal eats trash, their stomach feels full, but they are actually starving,” she said. “Toxins in trash can poison wildlife.
“Some trash or litter can cause dangerous fungi and bacteria to grow. Trash can damage animals’ homes/habitats. Trash can lure in animals and cause them to travel into urban locations.
"Trash can even contaminate the food chain.”
Improper waste disposal can cause even more issues, she said, including contributing to climate change.
“Trash goes to landfills, where it sits and rots. When it rots, it releases a gas called methane. Methane pollutes the air. This gas gets into our water, and it can even cause the atmosphere to get hotter.”Taylor Fetterman, 14, of Somerset County
“Trash goes to landfills, where it sits and rots,” she said. “When it rots, it releases a gas called methane. Methane pollutes the air. This gas gets into our water, and it can even cause the atmosphere to get hotter.”
‘Have fun, help the environment'
Recycling has been around for centuries, but it didn’t look anything like it does today, Miller said.
“Instead of throwing something out when it was old or broken, they would make it or use it for something else,” she said.
“For example, the sleeves of your shirt get too short. Instead of throwing it out, cut them off and make a vest. You can almost always make something new out of something.”
Through upcycling, items that are seemingly useless or broken are turned into something usable.PA Farm show presentation
For food scraps and other organic waste, residents can try composting, she said.
“It is extremely low-maintenance,” she said. “All you do is throw your scraps in a pile, aerate it once in a while and constantly keep adding to it.
“The benefits of composting are countless, but a few ways: It's way less you have to throw away, it creates rich soil and it turns into fertilizer you can use for next year's garden.”
For those items that can’t be recycled or composted, upcycling is another option. Through upcycling, items that are seemingly useless or broken are turned into something usable.
Miller described it as “a great way to have fun and help the environment at the same time.”
‘Things we already have’
She identified two different types of upcycling, high value and everyday.
“High value upcycling is creating something more expensive and better quality out of recycling,” she said. “It is more complicated and more valuable than everyday upcycling.”
For example, supermarket chain Giant Eagle has partnered with Trex Company to take clean, used plastic bags and turn them into eco-friendly outdoor products, such as benches.
Residents can take similar action by refurbishing an old piece of furniture, she said. Another example was using an old tablecloth to make a tree skirt or dress.
“Everyday upcycling is a lot simpler,” she said. “Maybe you have a jar that is slightly cracked. Instead of throwing it away, decorate it and put your pencils in it, or make a candle order.
“Have an old T-shirt? Make it a bag or a dog toy. Old wine cork? Make it a coaster. You have lots of old newspapers and magazines? Instead of throwing them out, make a collage for the front of your sketchbook. You have old clothing hangers you don't know what to do with? Make necklace holders.
“There is all sorts of cool stuff we can make out of the things we already have.”
The presentation ended with another activity — this time taking toilet paper rolls and decorating them to create cows, pigs and chickens.
“We live on an amazing planet,” Fetterman said. “Every one of us can do our part to take care of it.
“We need to protect our world, because our lives depend on it. We have the knowledge and the tools to make an impact. We can learn to dispose of our waste in the most responsible ways possible.
"Together, we can make a difference.”
The PA Farm Show runs through Saturday at the PA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center, 2300 N. Cameron St. General admission is free, but parking costs $15.
This year’s theme is “Growing a Nation,” a nod to the 250th anniversary of American independence.
For more information, go to the PA Farm Show's website.
