2008 Woodie Awards
Vicious process of reducing, reusing
Andrea Padamonsky
Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: News
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Many students at Mount St. Mary's have been practicing recycling since the inception of the recycling bins around campus.
"I like to recycle at school. I just assume that the things I recycle get taken to a recycling plant," says junior Christine Homburg. When asked about what happens to the recycled items, she laughs and comments,"I never really think about what really happens to it after that."
What does happen to these recyclable items after they leave the Mount and "get recycled"? Do people really buy recycled items? The Mount St. Mary's Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship Committee (ESSC) has recently constructed a new "buy recycled" proposal, which has been discussed in the University Council meeting, and is awaiting approval.
The proposal states, "Recycling is more than just dropping your cans, bottles, and newspapers in a recycling bin. Diverting recyclables from the waste stream is only the first of three steps in the recycling process. The second step occurs when companies use these recyclables to manufacture new products. The third step comes when you purchase products made from recovered materials. That's how we close the loop. For instance, if we want to recycle paper, we need to be willing to buy recycled content paper."
It also explains, "Buying recycled products results in many environmental benefits. It supports local recycling programs by creating markets for the collected materials that are processed and used to manufacture new products. This creates jobs and helps strengthen the economy; conserves natural resources; saves energy; and reduces solid waste, air and water pollutants, and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming."
"This proposal is an important part of the University's efforts to make its operations more sustainable and to enact the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, signed by President Powell this year," Dr. Brian Henning, Chair of the ESSC, comments. "By committing ourselves to buying recycled content material we are decreasing carbon emissions, increasing efficiency, and supporting the growth of environmentally sustainable companies."
"I like to recycle at school. I just assume that the things I recycle get taken to a recycling plant," says junior Christine Homburg. When asked about what happens to the recycled items, she laughs and comments,"I never really think about what really happens to it after that."
What does happen to these recyclable items after they leave the Mount and "get recycled"? Do people really buy recycled items? The Mount St. Mary's Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship Committee (ESSC) has recently constructed a new "buy recycled" proposal, which has been discussed in the University Council meeting, and is awaiting approval.
The proposal states, "Recycling is more than just dropping your cans, bottles, and newspapers in a recycling bin. Diverting recyclables from the waste stream is only the first of three steps in the recycling process. The second step occurs when companies use these recyclables to manufacture new products. The third step comes when you purchase products made from recovered materials. That's how we close the loop. For instance, if we want to recycle paper, we need to be willing to buy recycled content paper."
It also explains, "Buying recycled products results in many environmental benefits. It supports local recycling programs by creating markets for the collected materials that are processed and used to manufacture new products. This creates jobs and helps strengthen the economy; conserves natural resources; saves energy; and reduces solid waste, air and water pollutants, and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming."
"This proposal is an important part of the University's efforts to make its operations more sustainable and to enact the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, signed by President Powell this year," Dr. Brian Henning, Chair of the ESSC, comments. "By committing ourselves to buying recycled content material we are decreasing carbon emissions, increasing efficiency, and supporting the growth of environmentally sustainable companies."
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