GreenWaySquad Turns Trash into Teaching

A team of high‑school juniors in Basking Ridge is turning everyday waste into lessons about climate change. They call themselves GreenWaySquad, a group that started in May 2024 and has already reached more than 1,200 kids.

From Junk to Art

The idea began with a love of art made from old clothes and other discarded items. The founder, who grew up turning junk into room décor, realized that art could also raise awareness about the planet.

Workshops & Creative Recycling

• Workshops in local libraries and schools
  Students cut up plastic bottles and other trash to create new pieces, showing how waste can be reused in creative ways.

• Classroom talks at elementary schools such as Liberty Corner and Cedar Hill.
  These sessions explain the science behind waste, recycling, and climate change.

Digital Tracking with Wasteway

The group offers a website tool called Wasteway that lets students follow the path of their trash from curb to landfill, making the journey tangible and educational.

Community Collaboration

• Shared canvases at events where community members add painted plastic pieces, fostering a collaborative spirit.
• Open chapters: The squad invites new members and lets people start their own chapters through the website.

Educational Resources

GreenWaySquad produces videos, articles, and educational guides, hoping to make sustainability feel doable for children.

Growing Beyond New Jersey

They now have chapters in Belgium and India and plan to keep growing across New Jersey and beyond.