Inside the FLX: Protest coordinator gives update on march

Katie Bennett Roll joined Finger Lakes Zero Waste eight years ago, when most of this debate about municipal solid waste was in its infancy. While the fight against “big” and “imported” garbage has been looming for decades, it wasn’t until the last few months that the movement really began gaining public’s attention.Dozens of speakers have become regulars at area board meetings, protests have been organized and executed, and the desire for more change – has become overwhelmingly apparent.Bennett Roll discussed what it’s been like organizing an event, which they largely mirrored from the Seneca Falls protest against trash trains, which took place earlier in March. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the many people who have been working tirelessly to make this event a reality,” she told FingerLakes1.com before the cameras started rolling for this week’s episode of Inside the FLX with Josh Durso.She said that many of the individuals taking part, organizing, and donating their time to this debate – are the same ones who helped make the Seneca Falls march possible. Bennett Roll believes that now is the time for tangible change though, explaining that the protests like this march will eventually lead to a trip to Albany. “Governor Cuomo will have to listen,” she explained. One of the major problems, in her estimation, is that the landfills continue to grow, due to inaction by the DEC and EPA. Many have laid significant blame with these organizations – in addition to the companies that own, or operate area landfills.The “Geneva March Against Big Garbage and Trash Trains” is set to start at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 30th, with marchers and organizers meeting near the skating rink in downtown Geneva. A rally will be held to close the event at Bicentennial Park, which will include a number of speakers old and new.Two of those speakers will be students, which will fit with the theme of the Seneca Falls protest, which saw a number of local young people speak out against the Seneca Meadows Landfill. A Hobart student, as well as a Geneva High student will be in attendance to speak at the protest, which organizers believe could bring more than 1,000 to Geneva.Watch the entire interview with Katie Bennett Roll in the video above on this week’s episode of Inside the FLX.