Sea Scouts offer free tire maintenance kit
Team Tyres meets with Bay Village Police Chief Rob Gillespie to discuss the distribution of the tire maintenance kits. Pictured with the chief, from left: Hannah Bergmann, Paul Moody, Layla Meaux and Joe Beauchesne.
Not content to research the problem of pollution from tire wear (see the Observer issue of Feb. 3, 2021, article: “How dangerous are vehicle tire microplastics?”), Team Tyres applied for and received a $5,000 grant to act upon our newly gained knowledge. Having learned that 1.8 million tons of microplastics are shed by tires in the U.S. each year, 15-20% of which end up in our lakes and streams, the team resolved to tackle the problem.
Our research project for the Army Educational Outreach Program, eCyberMission, placed Team Tyres State Champions, Regional Finalists, and winners of the STEM-in-Action grant. We learned that proper tire maintenance reduced wear and increased safety, and so with our funding, we purchased 500 each of the Victor tire pressure gauges and Morton tire depth gauges. Consumer Reports rated the Victor gauge as No. 1 in stick gauges, and we purchased the Morton gauge because of its ease of use.
Bay Days gave us the perfect opportunity to practice community service. The Bay Village Chief of Police, Rob Gillespie, agreed to encourage community engagement and distribute the tire maintenance kits at the Bay Days Fair. To help forward the mission of the Bay Village Green Team, “to improve the quality of life by decreasing our city’s environmental footprint,” Team Tyres handed out the tire maintenance kits at the Green Team fair booth during a busy Saturday afternoon. The community appreciated the research and concern the scouts show for the environment.
Hannah Bergmann, Joe Beauchesne, Layla Meaux and Paul Moody
Hannah, Joe, Layla, and Paul are members of B.S.A. Explorer Club sponsored by Bay Sea Scouts, Inc.