The Voice

Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: news

Media Credit: Juli Kuebler A table located on the first floor of Bakeless, offers students information on why recycling is important, as well as showing items, often trashed, that could instead be recycled.

BU's environmentally friendly organization Campus Green is out in full force this week. The organization has been busy sponsoring a Recycling Awareness Week this week on campus to teach students the importance of recycling.
Students and faculty may have noticed the tables set up in buildings around campus hosting a collection of recyclables. These recycling displays were set up by the Civic Engagement Learning Community to point out the importance of recycling to students and to inform them of how to recycle correctly.
"The goals of Recycling Awareness Week are to motivate the BU community to recycle more and especially to do it correctly," said Claire Lawrence, English professor and director of Campus Green.
Lawrence explains that simple recycling mistakes are made often. Coffee cups, glossy paper and window envelopes are just some of the things that can NOT be recycled and shouldn't be thrown away with recyclables. Also, when recycling bottles or cans, all liquid should be drained from the container and the caps are also NOT recyclable and should be thrown in the trash.
There is a rumor on campus that the custodians just throw away the recycling along with the trash. Another goal of Recycling Awareness Week has been to diminish, or correct, this rumor.
"It is true that recyclables have to be just thrown away sometimes, but this is most often because the recycling gets some kind of liquid in it and is no longer able to be recycled," said Lawrence, "It's our responsibility to recycle correctly to prevent this from happening."
Vince DiLoretto, the assistant director of facilities services, has been working closely with the custodial staff and grounds crew to correct any remaining problems with recycling on campus.
"So now you can pretty much be assured that what you put in a recycling bin will get recycled," said Lawrence.
Students can get involved in recycling on campus by walking just a few extra steps to throw their soda bottle in the recycling bin. They can also use reusable water bottles or coffee cups to reduce waste.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools