UnPlastic Westport: Halftime Report

Sustainable Westport says:

The World Cup is moving toward the final matches. But right here at home, another team is huddling up for the second half.

July marks 6 months since Sustainable Westport launched UnPlastic Westport – a community initiative aimed at reducing single-use plastics across town.

Like any good team at midpoint, they have some first-half highlights to savor.

From purging plastic from our kitchens and rethinking our closets to swapping out bathroom plastics, Westport has stepped up big time.

But that impact isn’t just happening at home; it’s transforming public spaces too.

Thanks to resident contributions, UnPlastic Westport has funded, secured town approval for, and installed 2 new water bottle filling stations. They’re at the Compo Beach basketball courts, and Winslow Park.

Water bottle filling station at Compo Beach …

We’re positioned to knock thousands of single-use plastic bottles out of our parks and beaches this summer.

But the game isn’t over. This month is Plastic-Free July.The global movement inspires millions to take simple steps to reduce plastic waste. Sustainable Westport is handing the playbook over to residents to score the next big win.

To fund the next wave of infrastructure, they’re launching a town-wide competition to decide where Westport’s next water bottle filling station should go.

Every dollar donated counts as one vote (or point scored) for your favorite location. If you chip in $1, that’s one vote. $5 = 5 votes, helping stack the deck for your favorite park, beach or sports field.

Whichever Westport location puts the most points on the board by the end of the month wins the championship, and the next water bottle filling station.*

… and Winslow Park. 

How to Vote:

  1. Click this donation link.
  2. Select your donation amount (e.g., $5 = 5 votes).
  3. Under “Additional info”, select your desired location from the list: Town Farms Ball Complex, Old Mill Beach, PJ Romano Field, or Wakeman Park

PS: Where does our town need a hydration upgrade? Is it athletic fields, a spot downtown, or closer to the beach? Click “Comments” below to rally your neighbors.

*All locations are subject to approval by the Planning & Zoning Commission, Parks & Recreation Commission and Department of Public Works, as applicable. The cost and feasibility of each location vary.

(“06880” reports regularly on Westport’s environment. If you enjoy coverage like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!) 

5 responses to “UnPlastic Westport: Halftime Report

  1. While all the suggested sites are deserving, I think it would be more equitable and inclusive if each donor, regardless of amount, had an equal chance of winning. Also, it would be good for some data on dehydration incidents at each of the proposed sites.

  2. Man’s greatest most versatile invention: The plastic grocery store bag.

  3. Why not just refill your water containers anywhere you can find a water faucet? What am I missing here?

  4. Back in ‘58 (when I was a Cub Scout at Greens Farms School), we’d drink from a hoof print and been glad to get it. These Westporters are sissies.

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