SCSU Water Bottle Survey: In 2017, Rebecca Pejinsky, a public health major at Southern Connecticut State University received a $500 grant to fund an event to gauge the student population's opinion on Poland Spring bottled water vs. SCSU’s hydration station water. SCSU’s hydration stations can be found all around campus and were designed to promote the usage of reusable water bottles. The usage of these funds was used to purchase reusable water bottles to hand out as positive incentives for participating.  

Pejinsky’s  event ran in multiple residence halls during SCSU’s “recycle-mania '' and had a blind taste test between the two. At each event container “A” was filled with water from Poland Spring water jugs and container “B” was filled with water from the hydration station.  Participants were then asked to complete a survey, either digitally or on paper answering a slew of questions.

 The results showed that 41% of participants preferred the hydration station water, 19% noticed no difference, while 37% preferred Poland Spring. This study took place in 2016 and as of 2021, SCSU plans on installing more of these stations as acceptance and utilization are constantly improving. 

Additionally, SCSU recently reached over 1,000,000 refills over all of the aforementioned hydration stations. 

The success of SCSU’s water bottle grant illustrates that the GNHGF is able to make an impact on a small scale as well. This micro-grant is just as profound as our other recipients, and show how communities and campuses can come together to lessen our carbon footprint.

---

Peels & Wheels: In 2015, the Peels & Wheels Compost Program received a $1,000 grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund to build compost bins. The goal of this project was to was to expand the three-bin compost system in operation to a total of six bins.

Although Peels & Wheels originally planned to build six bins, they were only able to use the grant money to build one compost bin.
​ However, after one year of starting the program, they reported that they had diverted and processed 26,243 lbs of food scraps. In addition to diverting these food scraps, Peels & Wheels was able to provide some of the compost to New Haven Farms, distribute some to program members and donate compost to some gardens around the community.

Peels and Wheels subsequently became a LLC in New Haven soon thereafter.  Visit their website for more information: 
www.pwcomposting.com
​

Photos courtesy of Peels & Wheels

Photos courtesy of Massaro Community Farm

​Massaro Community Farm: In 2019, Massaro Community Farm was awarded a $5,500 grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund in order to install a vermicomposting operation at the farm. Massaro Farm worked with the company, Wiggle Room, a vermicomposting company based in Wilton, CT, to create a 3x6 worm composting bin. 
This 3x6 bin made of durable aluminum and steel and has a hand crank, allowing individuals to ‘rake’ the compost out the bottom for easy capture and re-use in the garden.
Massaro Farm then used more of the grant fund to purchase a scalable high tunnel from the Connecticut Greenhouse Co. These tunnels are covered steel frame structure that provides additional weather protection of crops for farmers
The remaining grant money was used to purchase worms from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm and signs that were placed at the farm.