We recycle printer cartridges, compost and batteries, but we can’t figure out a way to recycle bottles and cans on campus.
For more than a decade, groups on campus have been trying to start a recycling program, and we can’t understand why this is difficult or a bad idea.
The construction on campus has proven that we are interested in going “green.”
Some of the new buildings are up to “green” standards and are meant to reduce the college’s carbon footprint.
For example, according to the president’s newsletter, the new Social Science Building uses recycled and eco-friendly materials wherever possible.
If we put that much money and effort into making eco-friendly buildings, we should put money and effort into getting some recycling bins around campus.
The reason the administration says we don’t have a recycling program for bottles and cans is due to people not utilizing them correctly and leaving more trash than there was before.
It has been said that anyone who wants to, can go through trash bins and take whatever recyclable goods out for their own use.
But if every student just took the extra second to put their bottle or can in the proper place rather than tossing it on the ground or in the nearest bucket, we might be able to get this recycling program up and moving.
It won’t take much time and effort, and would greatly help the environment overall. Other community colleges around the L.A. area have gone green and have more environmentally friendly campuses.
Why shouldn’t EC follow that as well? EC should be a leader and set an example that is environmentally friendly.
For whatever reason, it has not yet happened; maybe the recycling bins can be placed on campus as a trial run.
Since it has been 15 years that faculty and students have tried getting bins on campus, maybe it is up to the students to take matters into their own hands and recycle on their own.
Save water bottles and cans until you get home to dispose of them properly.
Bring your own environmentally friendly water bottle and reuse it whenever possible to eliminate the piling up of cans and plastic bottles around campus.
Remember, this is a campus that is here for students and their education. No one wants to attend a filthy campus.
