Are you just about finished reading this issue of the Record? When you are, don’t throw it away — recycle it!
Recycling keeps trash out of landfills, helps the environment and allows materials to be reused.
The University’s Committee on Environmental Quality (CEQ) was restructured last academic year to better serve the WUSTL community and more directly involve faculty, staff and students from the Hilltop Campus in recycling efforts. Last year was, by far, the most productive year in the committee’s five-year history.
“We live in a very disposable society, but we need to remember that resources are limited,” said Steve Hoffner, assistant vice chancellor for students and director of operations and chair of the committee. “Recycling will extend the lifetime of landfills, reduce the costs of waste collection and disposal, and enable materials to be used again rather than simply discarded.”
Some of the new recycling initiatives started or continued last year include:
• Recycling container replacement. With funding provided by Student Union and the University’s Sesquicentennial Commission, the committee was able to purchase approximately 25 additional outdoor recycling containers, which have been placed at high-traffic, strategic locations around the Hilltop Campus.
• Recyclemania. For the second year, University students competed in a national campaign to increase recycling awareness and participation by competing in a month-long recycling contest with students from 11 other universities across the country.
• Operation Redirectory. Several hundred pounds of phone books and course listings were diverted from area landfills thanks to a special program to collect these materials from students, faculty and staff and have them sent to recycling centers.
• Recycling information is being posted in all residence hall trash rooms this summer.
The increased recycling efforts have been largely driven by student interest and commitment.
“Students come here from all over the world,” Hoffner said. “Many have been surprised at how far behind we are in the Midwest in terms of recycling and overall environmental awareness. They have taken the lead in telling us that we can and should be doing more.
“This past year, Chancellor Wrighton asked that we undertake a number of environmental initiatives as part of the University’s Sesquicentennial. That gave us a boost and hopefully laid the groundwork for future efforts.”
There are numerous ways University community members can get involved in the recycling effort.
“Start by getting a small recycling bin from the facilities department and keep it under your desk for all the paper that would otherwise be thrown away,” Hoffner suggested. “All paper, including colored and glossy paper and envelopes, can be put in the blue recycling bin.”
Other avenues include:
• Recycle old computers, monitors, keyboards, printers and other technical components through the program offered by the Office of Residential Technology in the South 40.
• Dispose of phone books through Operation Redirectory, which will be offered again in the spring.
• Purchase office supplies and other materials that are made with recycled contents.
• Make use of the various outdoor recycling containers placed around the Hilltop Campus.
• Learn how to recycle so the efforts of some aren’t contaminated by others discarding improper materials. The most common mistake is mixing plastics with paper or aluminum and throwing food waste in with paper or cans.
For more specifics on the do’s and don’ts of recycling at the University, go online to ceq.wustl.edu.