Recycling Awareness Week
November 13, 2017
Roanoke is taking steps to become more green. The recycling program on campus has been revitalized and is getting ready to host RC Recycling Awareness week. The first event is a Campus Trash Audit and Awareness Raising on Monday, Nov. 13th on the Back Quad from 9:40 am - 4:00 pm.
During this event participants will work on sorting trash from the dorms into categories, weighing the bags, and sorting out what can be recycled, reused and re-purposed.
While this will be a hands-on event, there is also an educational opportunity. Environmental Science students will share information on how to manage waste.
This event is the first in many steps the Outdoor Recycling Program has taken to encourage students to be more eco-minded. Over the summer single stream recycling bins were added to most major buildings on campus.
For bins that are marked single stream recycling, you can dispose of everything that is recyclable (paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass) in the one bin. Some of the recycling bins on campus have separate labels, so recycling should be placed into the appropriate receptacle.
The Outdoor Recycling Program is led by Chad Heddleston, the coordinator of adventure programs. While Heddleston oversees the program, he gives all the credit to the students. Morgan Heckman '19 in particular has been instrumental to sustainability efforts on campus.
Heckman serves as the student recycling supervisor for the program. She is dedicated to increasing the availability of recycling for students on campus and educating students as to why sustainability matters.
"I believe we have a responsibility as people to do what we can to mitigate the negative impacts our society causes," said Heckman, as she shared why she wants to see sustainability efforts on campus.
She hopes that when students see the recycling bins and see the expansion of the program, it will allow students to reflect on what they can do within their own lives to help protect the environment that surrounds us.
I would certainly encourage others students to get involved.
Austin Bane '18
Heckman says it's a group effort with all the recycling students to make sure things run as smoothly as possible.
Another student who works with the program, Breanna Wolf '18, encourages students to become involved in sustainability efforts on campus.
"We definitely need to get more people working for the recycling program," Wolf said.
Other student workers, like Austin Bane '18, agreed that more students could become active in changes on Roanoke's campus.
"I would certainly encourage others students to get involved," said Bane.
The Recycling Program is not only focused on recycling. The program aims to provide the campus community with a simple and effective way to be engaged with the process of sustainability.
So, please join the Recycling Program in RC Recycling Awareness week Nov. 13-17.