Logan: Improve the pool’s ecological footprint through effective recycling
Candidate: Logan Sklare
Mentor: Hope Mocogni
Details
Logan Sklare’s Final Goal: Improve the pool’s ecological footprint by reducing the amount of inappropriate items entering the recycling bins on deck.
We met during one of Logan’s breaks in his swim instructor shift. He expressed interest in becoming a head guard next year so he sought out Katherine for possible next steps. She passed him along to me because I had more recent hands-on experience with Head Guard responsibilities. There had been a few specific issues that he had noticed throughout the season while working that he wanted to tackle for his mentorship. We discussed them and I had him text me a revised “thesis” for each of the 4 goals he was interested in pursuing (we did not come up with the revised goals during this meeting due to limited time).
Related Tasks:
Logan: Placing signs with the LRS guidelines on all recycling bins at both pools.
Was the task completed: Yes
Task evaluation:
Create an all staff meeting station that teaches our staff about what can be recycled and what cannot.
We decided to come up with a task that was more interactive for our staff rather than the patrons. At the next all staff meeting we are going to play a sorting game. This will help teach the staff the basics of recycling. If we teach the staff the difference between what can and can’t be recycled thy should be able to teach patrons what they have learned. This is to help prevent improper items from going in the recycling. This is an issue because LRS has very strict guidelines that we are expected to follow. When LRS receives improper items in the recycling they have to sort through the items and resort them back to where they are supposed to go. This then reflects poorly on the pools as we are making their lives harder. Therefore, it is important for our staff to know the difference between recycling and regular waste. TO prepare for the All Staff Meeting, we created a 10 item list that we will use at the station.
5 Things Found at a Pool That Can Be Recycled:
- Plastic water bottles – Rinse them out and toss them in the recycling bin.
- Aluminum cans – Like soda cans; fully recyclable.
- Cardboard packaging – From snacks, goggles, or pool toys.
- Plastic containers – For sunscreen or snacks (check the recycling symbol).
- Paper towels/cardboard tubes – If clean or dry.
5 Things Found at a Pool That Cannot Be Recycled:
- Used paper plates or napkins – Once soiled, they go in the trash.
- Choclate/candy Bar Wrappers – Most wrappers still have leftover residue, cant be recycled.
- Inflatable pool floats – Made from mixed plastics or vinyl, not curbside recyclable.
- Sunscreen bottles with leftover product – Contaminated containers can’t be recycled.
- Pizza Boxes – Pizza containers are covered in oils and grease, they cannpt be recycled.
We will implement this on Friday August 8th!
Was the task completed: No
Task evaluation:
Related Meetings:
Logan Sklare: Meeting 5
For our 5th meeting Hope and I discussed how we could help the lifeguards and staff recognize the difference between trash and recycling. I came up with the idea that we should have a station at one of the upcoming all staff meetings. at this station, I would help distinguish the difference between trash and recycling. We would use real examples and play games to help people catch on. The goal is to help the lifeguards understand so that they would be able to teach patrons the difference if need be. If the recycling protocols are improved then the ecological footprint of the pools will be too.
Action items:
- Come up with a detailed plan for the all staff station.
- Execute this plan.
Logan Sklare: Meeting 1
We brainstormed a couple of ideas but ended up deciding to continue the ecological goal from the end of last summer. Although the environment doesn’t directly affect our daily functioning, the pool staff deals with food waste, recycling, water usage, and patron littering. It is important that we are doing our best to be environmentally conscious. This goal opens up a lot of possibilities for tasks!
Action items:
Continue to develop a game plan for what tasks need to be accomplished and how I am going to do them.
Related Updates:
Information about the Goal
Logan Sklare arrived at their goal through a series of meetings and refinement. Learn how that process happened.
What should we improve?
The candidate chose items in the aquatics program and department to improve. Goals are broad targets that we will work towards. Every meeting and task done will be in service of that goal. Goals should be large enough to encompass many tasks. Goals may not be attainable. Goals are our guiding direction; our North Star.
Logan Sklare's brainstormed ideas:
Improve our ecological footprint by reducing the amount of inappropriate items that go into the recycling bins.
Increase necessary rule enforcement while also minimizing negative staff/patron interactions.
Provide our staff with the skills and strategies they need to demonstrate quality customer service.
Develop cleaning strategies that hold ALL the employees on the closing shifts accountable.
Goal Evaluation:
We implemented the pictures and posted them around the pools on all the recycling bins.
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Responses