Spirit Squad
Get your FREE Virginia Wesleyan decal.
PEIC
Learn about campus greening initiative.
See Also:
by Beth Clarke
Virginia Wesleyan students, faculty and staff are talking trash this semester. Trash recycling, that is.
The physical plant signed an annual recycling pick-up contract with Tidewater Fiber Corporation in August and by mid-September large recycling bins were placed in key areas around campus.
Recycling was on the Virginia Wesleyan campus before partnering with Tidewater Fiber Corporation, but recyclable items were limited. The new program allows aluminum, #1 and #2 plastic, paper/newspaper, corrugated cardboard, steel food cans and clear, brown and green glass bottles to be recycled.
Dr. Maynard Schaus, assistant professor of biology and advisor to the Student Environmental Awareness League (SEAL), believes the “ease” of the new recycling initiative is crucial. The contract includes weekly pick-up and allows all acceptable items to be collected in the same bin without the hassle of sorting.
“The new program is much easier,” said Kevin Wright, Student Government Association president. “People do not have to think as much when throwing their trash away. They can just throw everything into the same bin.”
Before the physical plant volunteered to take over the program, SEAL organized recycling pick-up. But when students were on break from classes, the recycling would pile up in bins around campus.
“SEAL did a great job of raising awareness,” said David Hopper, director of the physical plant. “Now you can place items in the bins, housekeeping pulls out the disposable plastic bags and the grounds department picks up the bags and empties them in the dumpster. We’re encouraging faculty and staff to contact the physical plant with suggestions for bin placement. The cost of the new program is relatively inexpensive.”
The approximately $2,000-per-year contract includes an eight cubic yard dumpster located by the physical plant and 42 large bins. Thirty-two of the bins have already been placed, with one bin on each residence hall floor and at least one bin in each classroom building and the Batten Center.
Hopper plans to track the amount of recycling picked up each week and determine if the increased recycling reduces the amount of landfill trash leaving the campus. He also monitors use of florescent lights on campus and is considering the possibility of recycling these items in the future.
Recycling is only the first step in an initiative to promote a sustainable campus environment. “Sustainable” is defined by Schaus as, “Interaction that maintains the health and integrity of a natural system.”
“For example, sustainably logged trees could continue to provide that amount of resource indefinitely, and sustainably harvested fishes could be caught at that level presumably indefinitely,” said Schaus.
Future plans for implementing additional sustainable environment initiatives on campus are still under discussion.
In the meantime, SEAL president April Gallagher says that club members are working on a campaign to educate the students about the new program and the benefits of recycling. In addition, resident assistants are promoting use of the recycling bins in the residence halls and are encouraged by the initial positive campus response to the recycling efforts.
“Almost every time I add items to the bins or just check to see how we're doing, the bins are full,” said Kristen Getka, Village II coordinator. “All in all, it is a very successful program this far, and we are hoping to keep the momentum going throughout the year.”