A Dutchess County-based grass roots recycling company is on a new mission thanks to social media and a new kind of bicycle. Time Warner Cable News reporter Michael Howard has the details on a new project that will be hitting the streets soon.
BEACON, N.Y. -- Many people don’t think about where trash ends up, but for Sarah Womer her mission is to change that.
Wormer is the founder of Zero to Go, a Beacon-based company hired by numerous outdoor events in the area, that collects waste to avoid sending as much trash to landfills as possible.
“We separate bottles and cans from the garbage and just keep the grounds clean and talk to the public about what goes into the recycle bin,” said Womer.
Her company is on a new mission, to homes and businesses in Beacon on one of a kind bicycles.
It’s called the Beacon Compost Project, Womer and her small team will collect waste year-round from signed up homes and businesses in Beacon, on electric assisted bicycles.
The waste will go to local farms and compost facilities.
“They’re the best vehicles for the job, they allow us to go places and do things and do them inexpensively whereas we would need trucks or other big vehicles,” said Jon Miles, owner of People’s Bicycle.
The project wouldn’t have gotten rolling without the help of social media. In under three weeks, Womer and her volunteers raised more than $20,000 online to purchase and help maintain the bikes, along with cash to help hire staff.
Womer says they hope to be hitting the streets within the next two weeks.
“The public is so excited to see it happen and the kids can learn so much and grow up in a culture where this is commonplace and that’s what I’m really excited about," said Womer.