Campus recycling simplified
Adam Wheeler
Issue date: 1/27/10 Section: News
The UMD Sustainability Office has issued a new recycling system for students to use. New signage on all garbage and recycling bins has been issued in an attempt to simplify the process throughout campus.
The stickers that can now be seen on nearly all trash cans on campus feature a symbol with the phrase, "UMD and you."
"The system is wonderful, the flaw is the lack of education with students," Jordan Cataldo said, one of the students responsible for the change.
The idea is to adopt a co-mingled stream, which is to allow all recyclables to be disposed of in one place, as opposed to the old way, which consisted of three separate bins that were used for three different forms of waste.
According to Cataldo, "New bins were just too expensive." The need for a new recycling system, as well as several budget constraints, made this the best option.
The progress made so far is only the beginning, according to UMD Sustainability Coordinator, Mindy Granley.
"Currently we send our waste and recycling to the Twin Cities to be sorted," she said. "The next step is to find a way to have that done more locally."
Although the new system intends to make recycling easier for students, Granley said that recycling should not be your first option.
"Try to avoid waste first, then recycle," she said.
The stickers that can now be seen on nearly all trash cans on campus feature a symbol with the phrase, "UMD and you."
"The system is wonderful, the flaw is the lack of education with students," Jordan Cataldo said, one of the students responsible for the change.
The idea is to adopt a co-mingled stream, which is to allow all recyclables to be disposed of in one place, as opposed to the old way, which consisted of three separate bins that were used for three different forms of waste.
According to Cataldo, "New bins were just too expensive." The need for a new recycling system, as well as several budget constraints, made this the best option.
The progress made so far is only the beginning, according to UMD Sustainability Coordinator, Mindy Granley.
"Currently we send our waste and recycling to the Twin Cities to be sorted," she said. "The next step is to find a way to have that done more locally."
Although the new system intends to make recycling easier for students, Granley said that recycling should not be your first option.
"Try to avoid waste first, then recycle," she said.
Be the first to comment on this story