Recycling program benefits dorms

April 7, 2005
By Katie Voelliger
Staff Writer

Housekeeping at St. Ambrose University has had a recycling program for quite some time, but they only recycled paper. Last year, when Green Life, a campus environmental club, found out that housekeeping has been recycling paper for the offices, they decided to do something about it.

“We decided to recycle paper, plastic, tin and glass in residence halls,” recycling chair Rachel Carpenter said. “Green Life started the recycling program last year, but the program did not seem to be as strong as it is now.”

Other students involved in the dorm recycling program are Amber Barr (Cosgrove), Kristen Blake (Tiedemann), and Jessica Imm (Hagen). They are responsible for gathering the recyclables in the assigned dorms and putting them at the pick-up spots. Carpenter picks up Rohlman and she will be doing Bechtal as soon as she receives another recycle bin.

“St. Jude does Davis Hall for the first eight weeks of each semester, and then I make sure the bins in Davis are emptied after that. The recycle bins are emptied every Sunday,” Carpenter said. “I pick up the recyclables and take them to the Scott County Area Recycling Facility in Davenport.”
 
On average, there is usually one big bag per dorm. Therefore, four to five dorms recycle, and Carpenter can easily fill up the back of the pickup truck she uses.

The recycling bins were given to Green Life by housekeeping, and they also provide clear plastic bags. Carpenter had laminated signs made for the top of the bins, but those signs have disappeared.

Since the signs are missing, people have been placing other things in the bins as well as not recycling all their recyclables, Carpenter said.

A member of Green Life thinks it’s natural to have a recycling program at St. Ambrose. Barr was part of the environmental club in high school and believes that recycling does make a difference with the environment.

“I think it's great for every school to have a paper recycling program, because obviously many students print off numerous pages that go unused in the long run,” Barr said. “I think it's great for Ambrose to be recycling cans and plastic in the dorms because once a person sees how much does go into the recycling bins, he or she realizes how much space those materials would be taking up in a garbage dump.”

Another Green Life member considers recycling to be a lifelong habit.

"I think the recycling program is great to have because a lot of kids leave their parents house where they can recycle,” Blake said. “Then they come to college, and since a lot of people already have made a habit of recycling, all that is needed are the facilities. Also college students will be more likely to carry out these habits once they have left SAU and have their own family."

There is a twist to this recycling program though. Recycling bins are in almost every dorm, but only on the girls’ floors.

“I decided not to put bins on guys floors for a couple of reasons. First, the recycle facility doesn't recycle chewed spit, and the pop cans must be somewhat clean. Second, you never know what you will find garbage, clothes and occasionally worse items,” Carpenter said. “Lastly girls are more responsible when it comes to cleanliness and seem to care more about separating out the recyclables.”

Back to the FEATURES-PAGE or "The Buzz" HOMEPAGE