Community Corner

Woman Who Made Framingham Better in 2011: Barbara Sherman

Barbara Sherman was recognized for her efforts to recycle Styrofoam and educate Framingham residents the environmental impacts of Styrofoam.

Editor's Note: For her efforts to recycle Styrofoam in Framingham and throughout the Commonwealth and her efforts in town to encourage Framingham residents to be greenier and take Styrofoam out of the trash stream, Framingham Patch chose Barbara Sherman as the Woman Who Made Framingham Better in 2011

Barbara Sherman is dedicated to helping the environment - by recycling one piece of Styrofoam at a time. Sherman and her husband Dave run ReFoamIt, a company that recycles everything from Styrofoam packing peanuts to takeout containers.

“She’s done a great job of mobilizing a broad combination of support throughout our community,” said Linda Dunbrack, who knows Sherman through and has helped out with the Styrofoam recycling efforts.

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The Shermans and their business partner have created a patent pending machine that uses intense pressure to turn loose Styrofoam into dense blocks. According to the ReFoamIt website, those blocks can then be processed into pellets which are then used to make new products, from picture frames to car bumpers.

“They got excited about promoting the recycling of Styrofoam to get it out of the landfills,” said Sherman’s mother, Jean Burr. Burr said Styrofoam takes up a lot of space in landfills and, when burned, turns into toxic ash.

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Just a few years ago, most people in Framingham didn't realize Styrofoam could be recycled, but Sherman made it her mission to educate residents. She held a Styrofoam recycling event in conjunction with Grace Church, and it was successful enough that she’s hosted an event with the church every quarter. Their upcoming Jan. 7 event will be the group’s 10th Styrofoam recycling day.

“We have probably collected an average of 800 to 1,000 pounds each time, which is a lot when you consider how light it is,” Burr said.

According to her mother, Sherman has always been concerned about the environment. She attributes her interest in the earth partly to living on a pond, and also from actively participating in the Girl Scouts, going camping, and spending time outdoors.

Ronda Yeomans got to know Sherman about five years ago through Grace Church. Sherman needed volunteers for her Styrofoam recycling project, and it was a perfect fit for the church.

“We like to involve our Sunday school kids in active stewardship of the earth projects,” Yeomans said. Both of her children, now 11 and 13, have helped out with the Styrofoam recycling project.

Sherman is patient with kids and very sweet, Yeomans said. “She’s very warm and down-to-earth and funny and fun.” 

Sherman visited Yeomans’ daughter Eleanor’s class at when Eleanor was in fourth grade. Sherman gave a PowerPoint presentation about recycling Styrofoam.

“It got the kids psyched about it,” Yeomans said.

In fifth grade, Eleanor tried to harness that enthusiasm with an effort to get kids to recycle their school lunch trays. Ultimately, that didn’t work out, but it didn’t stop the Yeomans family from jumping on the Styrofoam recycling bandwagon.

“It’s been a nice way for the community to come together because you get to meet people you wouldn’t otherwise get to meet,” Yeomans said.

The Styrofoam recycling program has now expanded to other towns, and Sherman continues to push to educate the public about Styrofoam recycling.

“She’s a strong, incredibly hard-working woman. She really perseveres. She just fights for what she believes in,” Yeomans said. “She’s very dedicated to the environment in general and to the earth and getting Styrofoam out of landfills.”


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