Tackling recycling on campus, changes needed

Anthony Fantano
Staff Writer

Administrators and Southern’s Environmental Futurists agree the university’s recycling program is in need of some essential changes.

Representatives from facilities, food services, housing and the Student Center were all in attendance to discuss what improvements could be made last Tuesday.

“We’re probably not hitting things to the beat that we should be,” said Director of Student
Center Operations Mark Ceneviva.

Food Services representative Peter Harkness said Connecticut Hall and the dining services located in the Student Center do not currently recycle glass, plastic or metal.

According to the Northeast Recycling Council, both cans and glass containers fall under the list of 11 items that must be recycled under Connecticut State Law.

“We’ll recycle whatever the university wants us to recycle as long as we get the bins,” said Harkness.
There are currently no recycling bins for metals, glass or plastics because there is a lack of space in Connecticut Hall and Student Center parking lots for the containers, he said.

Environmental Futurists member Collin Bennett made suggestions, such as pairing recycling containers with trash containers around campus so students can recycle and dispose of their trash and recyclables in one spot.

“There are two sides to this: the student side and the administration side,” Bennett said. “The administration is supposed to provide the infrastructure, and the students need to recycle; both could be doing better.”

Basically, he said, recycling has to be made easy and convenient for students in order to work.
“It’s going to take one person talking to another and another, and setting an example,” said Bennett.

Bennett also said he has heard reports of custodians mixing recyclables with trash.

Student Center Director Brad Crerar said there have been issues of this nature; but, if these occurrences are reported, they will be dealt with immediately.

“Those things,” said Ceneviva, “please bring them to our attention, because we’re paying for that service.”

To deal with the issue, Cohane proposed retraining custodians, in regards to the new recycling procedures, and the purchase of new disposal containers for custodians allowing them to separate trash from recyclables more easily.

There was a general consensus at the meeting that recycling isn’t advertised well on Southern’s campus.

For example, on-campus residents have the ability to take paper items to their hall director to be recycled, but Interim Housing Director Christopher Piscitelli said residents most likely aren’t aware of this option.

“I don’t think it’s well advertised at all,” he said.

Though there were changes to be made to Southern’s recycling program, there were positive points to discuss at the meeting.

“It opened up a good conversation between the students and administrators,” said Environmental Futurists member Christopher Cornell.

The meeting began with Bill Cohane, Southern’s assistant director of Facilities Operations, describing Southern’s recycling efforts since the start of the program.

“We had a lot of interest in the beginning, and we’ve had help from the Environmental Futurists on and off since 1992,” said Cohane. “As the years went on, interest waned and now we’re trying to put interest behind the program again.”

Cohane said some of Southern’s most recent improvements have been the purchase of 400 new paper recycling containers to be placed in campus offices. New labels informing students and faculty of what is and isn’t recyclable material, Cohane said, will be placed on the containers because magazines and newspapers are being added to the list of recyclables.

The university is also in the process of creating a new administrator position—a part-time recycling coordinator—an employee who will work under Cohane, and keep Southern’s recycling efforts in order.

According Bennett, it’s important for students to be involved in this.

“Students forget that they have all the power at this university,” he said. “Preferably, we’ll try to hire someone who is familiar with the campus, maybe a graduate.”

Though there were positives to be highlighted, the discussion eventually focused on where improvements could be made.

Cohane said the university is in the process of purchasing signs promoting the idea of recycling on campus and highlight areas where students can recycle.

Administrators and the Environmental Futurists set their next meeting for Tuesday, April 24 at 11 a.m. in ASC 233.

“We’re going to try to get the more, if not the same amount of students, to come to the next
meeting,” said Cornell.

According to Bennett, the Environmental Futurists will try to push several ideas at the next meeting, such as hiring several students part time to pick up trash and recyclables around campus.

“I imagine students driving around in little golf carts while wearing plastic suits, and diving into dumpsters to grab recyclables,” he said with a smile.

Though, according to Cohane, the interest of the Environmental Futurists working with the administration has decreased before. Bennett said this would not be the case again.

“We’ve empowered ourselves. As people go to graduate, we make sure seniors pass their knowledge down to newer members,” he said. “We’re well organized and the university is starting to take notice.”

Comments

[Justin]

Like the article says, it's a student responsibility too. I think one of the problems is that a lot of people just don't care. For instance, the entrance to Engleman coming from Builey. There is a trash can and a recycling bin, both right by the entrance. I find so many cans and bottles in that trash bin, even though the recycling bin is right next to it. The situation seems as if people are choosing not to recycle! As frustrating as that is, I think more people would recycle if they were more aware of the benefits to recycling. If that doesn't work, then trash cans and recycling bins could be moved so that it is more convienent for people to get to recycling bins and trash cans more out of the way. That way people will throw their bottles in the correct place without even thinking about it.

[Colin Bennett]

Students definitely need to do better, no question about it, but it's up to the administration to provide the ability to recycle in the first place. How many classrooms have you seen that have containers that you can recycle cans or bottles? I have not seen any. Yet, at the end of the day, the classroom garbage cans will be full of empty soda and water bottles. Thanks to the Environmental Futurists the administration is finally beginning to do something about the situation but we have a long way to go.

n the meantime, do me a favor: the next time you see someone throw a can or bottle in the garbage (or garbage in a recycling bin) say something to the person that did it. Don't be rude, just remind them that recycling is easy and it's the right thing to do. Maybe the next time they will remember you and actually recycle. Then again, maybe they won't. But the other option is to do nothing. Is that really what you want? Not me. I want people to recycle and that means I am going to have to do everything I can to convince them that it's the right thing to do. Hopefully other people will do the same.

[Dissertation Sample]

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