Residential Services is working to place recycling bins in Greek housing, a part of campus that currently does not have containers to place recycled items in, said the director of Residential Services. Recycling bins for paper, aluminum and plastic are located in the trash rooms of non-Greek residence halls, said Craig Allen, director of Residential Services.
Jenna Lewis, a chapter resident assistant for Pi Beta Phi, said Greek residents would probably use recycling bins if they were available.
“There’s no reason for recycle bins to not already be in Greek halls,” said Lewis, a junior management major.
The AV Environmental Club’s president agreed that increasing recycling options on campus is important and said the club is working to improve the current recycling system.
Bethanne Edwards, president of the AV Environmental Club, which focuses on recycling and community clean-up, said the club is looking into working with Residential Services to promote recycling but have not yet contacted them.
“Expanding recycling on campus is on our short list of priorities,” Edwards said. “It’s the gateway to opening people up to caring about other environmental issues.”
Edwards said this is the club’s second semester on campus so it is still working on developing relationships with administration officials.
If students give feedback to the university about recycling they could help increase recycling on campus, Edwards said.
“Individual students have a lot of power,” Edwards said. “If students show they have a desire for something, the administration is usually pretty responsive.”
Allen said he would be glad to work with the AV Environmental Club to improve recycling.
“If they have ideas about awareness and publicity, I’d be happy to pay to put posters up in residence halls,” Allen said.
Allen said he would like to see students initiating recycling awareness programs. Students should work with their resident assistants to promote responsibility in their halls and encourage each other to recycle, he said.
“There’s a lot of things we could tell students to do,” Allen said, “but if students tell each other to do things, they listen.”
Freshman business major Chase Daigle, said he recycles because it is convenient.
“The trash cans and recycle bins are right outside my door so it’s easy,” said Daigle, who is a resident of Clark Hall.
Joey Bryce, a freshman business major, said he doesn’t recycle but would consider it if other students promoted recycling.
“I love our environment,” said Bryce, who is a resident of Brachman Hall. “It’s just a hassle to take that extra minute to sort through trash.