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Volume CXXXII, Number 9 |
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Reusing and recycling: Bowdoin style
NUPUR JHAWAR
STAFF WRITER
As recycling blue bins around campus filled up with bottles, cans, paper and plastic this week, the Recycling Subcommittee of Sustainable Bowdoin oversaw a variety of programs designed to enhance Bowdoin students' awareness of the importance of recycling both on campus and off. The programs runs from November 8 through November 15, which coincides with Maine Recycles Week
In the "Can War," affiliates and members of each social house collected returnables, like bottles and cans, in boxes given by the Recycling Subcommittee. An additional set of collection boxes were placed in David Saul Smith Union for each of the six college houses. The house that collected the most returnables will receive all the money from all the returnables collected throughout campus. In addition, each house will be able to display an outdoor banner designed with their name and recycling.
On Thursday, teams of five students and faculty participated in a recycling-themed scavenger hunt, with prizes including a Bowdoin t-shirt-made from 100 percent recycled materials. They also manned a table in Smith Union to answer questions about recycling and general Bowdoin sustainability policies.
In addition, the Bowdoin community will build sculptures out of recycled products on the quad to further raise awareness. The sculptures will later be recycled. Keisha Payson, Coordinator for a Sustainable Bowdoin, is trying to promote enthusiasm for recycling among Bowdoin students by introducing a "Bowdoin Recycles Pledge." Students who sign the pledge commit to recycling office paper, newspaper, cardboard, plastic, bottles and cans.
Along with the Recycling Subcommittee, the Energy Subcommittee has sponsored a competition between dorms and houses on campus. Whichever dorm saves the most energy by turning lights off and shutting down computers receives $200.00. Another sustainability project, organized by Environmental Science 101, involves students and professors carrying their garbage for a week before consolidating all their waste and discussing reduction strategies.
In the past, it has done trash audits, table presentations informing students about recycling, visits to Bowdoin's Children's center to teach about recycling, and "Dorm Storm"-door-to-door efforts raising students' awareness of recycling.
Head of this subcommittee, Meg Boyle '05 stated, "I think [student awareness] is getting better."
Members of the Recycling Committee meet every week and all of Sustainable Bowdoin meets once a month to consolidate their ideas and put them into action. Erin Carney '05, an active member of the Recycling Committee, hoped that the Bowdoin community took Maine Recycling Week seriously and participated in the activities. In speaking on behalf of the subcommittee, she left one message for the Bowdoin community-"Continue to recycle."