Sustain Mizzou tries to improve recycling
Halfway through RecycleMania, an annual recycling competition among universities, MU remains in the lower half of rankings in almost every category.
Published March 14, 2006
MU remains in the lower half of rankings in almost every category halfway through RecycleMania, an annual recycling competition among universities.
"I think that we have done better than last year," Sustain Mizzou President Adam Saunders said, "but I definitely think that we can do better than what we have done."
Sustain Mizzou is an organization that aims to promote environmental awareness on campus. It has entered MU in the competition for the past two years, and last year MU finished second to last in the overall standings.
"This year we have added 150 beverage containers," Saunders said. "That has really helped in boosting beverage recycling rates, but we are still close to last place, and that is the area that we can make the biggest improvement in."
Saunders also said one of the biggest things holding MU back in recycling is educating students on what materials are recyclable.
Sustain Mizzou Secretary Marybeth Brubaker, a former Maneater staff member, said the organization has implemented the Recycling Ambassadors program to improve knowledge of recycling on campus.
"We have held four events for Recycling Ambassadors that so far have been fairly successful," Brubaker said. "Students can come, learn about how to improve recycling on campus. We have pizza available and recycled T-shirts. So far we have had 35 non-Sustain Mizzou people show up for meetings, and I hope to see more."
The next meeting for Recycling Ambassadors is Thursday night in Conservation Auditorium at 6 p.m.
Saunders also said better recycling opportunities are needed on campus.
"It is in my opinion that when there is a recycling bin for cans next to trash cans students take advantage of these," Saunders said. "I rarely see cans in these trash cans. But when a trash can stands alone, students are not going to walk and find a separate recycling bin."
Recycle mountain Coordinator Chris Burrows said Sustain Mizzou probably would organize its "recycle mountain" on Lowry Mall on April 5. "Recycle mountain" is formed by taking items from trash bins that could have been recycled.