Looking for help: Campus Recycling Programs

~Hello everybody! I'm Jonathan, 20 years old, and a student at SIC - a community college in Saline County, Southern Illinois. I am somewhat of an amateur composer and have a year of classical training for piano but have recently shifted my focus to Renewable Energy Technology.

- I would like to preface by saying that i have absolutely no experience in, "activism." Over the course of my life, until now, I have witnessed or been made aware of a vast number of problems with the practices of our society and done absolutely nothing to fix them. I've continuously defaulted to a passive mindset and frequently uttered the phrase, "Well... I can't really do anything about it.. ," or something to that effect.

- Over the past couple of weeks I have been undergoing a sort of ideological transformation. I've begun to realize, pardon the cliché, that there is potentially something I can do, a difference I can make. A few days ago, I arrived at the affirmation that I was absolutely going to do something about something- I just had no idea what that latter something would be.

- Two days ago, I was walking from one class to another and finished a drink that I had which was in a plastic bottle. I began looking around for a recycling receptacle of some sort but, surprisingly, I found none. I asked a woman who was working in the cafeteria if she knew where one was or if there was one. She didn't have any idea but directed me to the Environmental Services Office. I spoke with a woman and a man there who told me that there was no recycling program in place at the college for reasons mostly to do with funding.

- I went to the library and read a little bit about grants and such for recycling programs in colleges. There is actually quite a bit of information out there, but here is my problem: I have no experience in the majority of areas that i will need to know about if i am to get a recycling program started on campus.

- From some things i have read I get the idea that what i need to do is present a plan to the college detailing how it could have a recycling program that would be cost efficient or why it would want to pursue such an option on its own. I've also read about a number of grants, the details of which i am fuzzy on at best. I also understand from reading about the basics of organizing for change that i should probably develop some contacts with members of the faculty, professors, students, and activist groups in the region. I plan to begin developing these contacts tomorrow morning, in just a few hours. But this forum, will be another contact, i hope.

- So here is what i am looking for from you as a collective community:

--Advice from anyone with experience in Waste Management Systems.
--Advice on gaining attention from local media sources or the like, if it becomes necessary for me to do so.
--Advice pertaining to gaining support from the student population if it becomes necessary.
--Help of any kind that anyone thinks is applicable or helpful in any way.
--Names of organizations either specializing or participating in the installation of recycling programs.
--Wise words / warnings / encouragement.

- I appreciate anything that anyone can do to help me out here. I'm really hoping that i can get something done on this issue not only because it will undoubtedly benefit the environment and its inhabitants but also because i think this is a really great project for me, personally, to get started with and provide experience so that i can be a part of making a difference on potentially bigger issues on a larger scale later on in my life.

I look forward to hearing what anyone and everyone has to say,

Jonathan DeLapp

 

First off besides helping at a few venues I have no experience in getting a program up and running. I know it's alot of work. Here is a good link with alot of the info you will need. Good Luck!
www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/rogo/resource/index.htm
also
www.recyclingcenters.org
As far as getting other students involved maybe make a flyer and post it on the campus community board?

 

That EPA link has some awesomely useful stuff. You have my thanks!

 

No problem, thank you for taking the time and effort to make a difference. Mother Earth thanks you :love:
It's alot to go thru but some of the foundation has been layed out for you. The campus outlines for UC looked good and That CocaCola bin program looked really neat. I'm sure if you set up a small table with a go green and your campus name take pride sorta deal you would get people to join ranks and volunteer. Start a petition to get a recycling program on campus. I know its a bad word here but maybe start a fb page linked to your campus with a recycling initiative. Lots of ideas man just throwing them out there...

 

If your college has a daily bulletin you could put in a notice about starting a student group. Some campuses do give small funding or benefits (like photocopying or such) for campus groups. Set up a meeting time and place and see if others interested in the same work show up.

It might be helpful to have a professor or staff member as an adviser /mentor. Perhaps you could find out why your campus does not have such a program. Have they tried and failed in the past?

Is SIC a residential college? If not, often students are non-traditional and are trying to fit courses into working or otherwise busy lives and perhaps do not have the time to fit in extra curricular activities.

Best wishes on your success. Keep us posted.