Talking Trash: Rethinking What You Toss, Recycling Right, and Why It All Matters!

Do you ever feel like you are drowning in "stuff"? Garbage, recycling, even food scraps...what is recyclable and what's not? It's overwhelming. Do individual efforts even matter?

Darien Library, in partnership with the Darien Nature Center will welcome members of the Darien Advisory Committee on Sustainability who will ‘talk trash’ and explain how important your part is. They will demystify the ongoing challenges of waste disposal in Connecticut as well as its rising costs. Did you know that Connecticut now exports more trash than any other state except for New Jersey? 

Once you understand the big picture it’s easy to understand why what we do at home matters and how we must all play a part in solutions to reduce, reuse and recycle. The speakers will offer reasons to "recycle right", and help you navigate the services available in Darien to make it easy in your daily life. They will also explain why food scrap recycling is one of the most important keys to solving the current waste crisis and how you can participate at home today. "Talking Trash" has never been so interesting and fun!

About the Presenters

Kathy Finnegan is a 35 year resident of Darien and is the Chair of the Darien Advisory Committee on Sustainability since 2019. As an ACS member, Kathy has coordinated the town of Darien's efforts to apply for and achieve Bronze and Silver Certification from Sustainable CT. She participates in multiple sustainability-oriented organizations including Sustainable Fairfield County (sharing best practices among local communities), Roton Point Sustainability (implementing food scrap recycling), and the Climate Reality Project, (receiving Climate Leadership certification in 2016). Kathy has been an active volunteer in the Darien Public Schools, (including Chair of the CDSP budget committee), the Darien YMCA, and as a Director at Roton Point Club. Following her professional career as an National Account Manager consulting with marketers in the consumer packaged goods industry, Kathy also ran a small jewelry design and instruction business in Darien.

Carolyn Bayne has served on the Darien Advisory Committee on Sustainability since 2012, where she led the effort to start Darien’s Food Scrap Recycling Program. She is also a Board member of the Darien Nature Center and serves as a Commissioner on Darien’s Environmental Protection Commission. Carolyn was an active volunteer and Board member of the Darien Environmental Group and Darien League of Women Voters for many years, and served for sixteen years on Darien’s Representative Town Committee (RTM) on the Planning, Zoning and Housing subcommittee. She served as a Water Resources Specialist with the League of Women Voters of CT, and was later appointed Director of Natural Resources. Carolyn also co-chaired several different committees on the Holmes School PTO.