PROVIDENCE — It may be surprising to know that it wasn’t a group of recycling-savvy adults, but rather a group of fifth graders that established the state’s only non-profit entity that collects and donates used cooking oil to heat the homes of those in need.
Now all freshmen in high school, members of the Westerly Innovations Network (WIN) continue to inspire other young students and advocate for the environment. The WIN team visited the third, fourth, and fifth graders of Veazie Street Elementary School on Oct. 26 to demonstrate their successful initiative, Project Turn Grease Into Fuel (TGIF), and to donate $25,000 worth of BioHeat to five charities.
According to the WIN team, some restaurants may produce between 100 and 300 gallons of cooking oil per month and typically pay a company to dispose of the used oil. The young innovators imagined a way that companies could donate their oil to be recycled and then shared with charities that help individuals heat their homes.
The team works with 117 restaurants that donate used cooking oil to TGIF. Newport Biodiesel collects the grease from participating restaurants, and then transports the future fuel to their refinery where it is converted into biodiesel fuel. Once refined, the fuel, known as bioheat, is donated to charities.
So far, the team has donated 21,000 gallons of bioheat — worth close to $81,000 — to help 210 families stay warm throughout winter months. Among the charities that will benefit from the donation is the diocesan Keep the Heat On program, for which WIN has pledged to provide 1,000 gallons of home heating oil to serve those in need. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin said that the heating assistance would help struggling individuals and families who have exhausted all other means to heat their homes.
“The Keep the Heat On campaign is very important for many individuals and families in our state,” Bishop Tobin said. “The contribution of the students in Westerly will be extremely helpful, and we are all grateful for their thoughtfulness and generosity.”
Miles Temel, a freshman at Bishop Hendricken High School, explained it was imperative for his teammates to take action and help those struggling. They did this not only by starting project TGIF, but also through modifying people’s recycling habits by changing the law. The team asked their local town council to set up public receptacles for all local residents to recycle their waste oil. The initiative has gained traction. Currently, there are nine public receptacles in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
“We also drafted a bill that mandates that all businesses recycle their waste cooking oil and then we worked with local legislators to get it passed,” said Temel. In March of 2011, the group testified at the Statehouse on behalf of their bill.
In July of 2011, the team was thrilled when Governor Lincoln Chafee signed the Used Cooking Oil Recycling Act into law.
John Perino, a parishioner of St. Clare Church in Westerly, added that his team also experimented using the biofuel in school busses. It was another success for their team and the environment.
“We have been able to put this fuel into the Westerly bus fleet,” said Perino. “Not only is it better for the environment, it is better for the students to breathe in.”
During the presentation, the WIN team demonstrated how to recycle waste oil with students from Veazie School and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, who shared that he is grateful that the young adults from Westerly traveled to Providence to share how they “help heat the homes of local families in need.”
“I’m joined by the residents of Providence in saying congratulations to the team for their efforts to promote a healthy environment and to increase humanitarian aid in our community.”
WIN Director Barbara J. Perino has coached the students from the beginning, helping them to be ambassadors to their community through their mission of assisting those struggling to heat their homes. She expressed pride in all they have accomplished in just a few years.
“They are all amazing young individuals,” she said. “They care deeply about helping the community.”
Temel said that through his experience with the TGIF program he really learned the importance of charity and helping people.
“I feel that everyone needs to understand this,” he said. “We have so many things that we take for granted. We should do as much as we can to help those less fortunate. We formed a team to help fight this problem.”
Perino added that he is grateful to be a part of a program that is dedicated to finding solutions to real problems, especially helping local families who might otherwise not be able to heat their homes.
“I couldn’t imagine going through these winters without heat and struggling day to day,” he said. “It’s huge that we can help them and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
For more information, please click here.
