Recycling was the topic for our third and final themed week of Earth Month last week. On Thursday, students from the Sustainability Club (with support from staff) collected plastic bottles and aluminum cans outside the Cardinal Club over the lunch hour. The Cardinal Club used to have separate containers for recyclables and trash, but the level of contamination (things being put in the wrong containers) was so high that it was not feasible to continue. From 12:00-1:00, students stood next to a designated garbage can to make sure only recyclables were placed in it. In just one hour, they collected half a garbage can of plastic and aluminum that was then taken to the recycling instead of the trash! The Sustainability Club also promoted their end-of-the-semester swap event (April 27-29), where the campus community can give and take items such as clothes, furnishings, school supplies and more.
Plastic facts (from MIT Technology review 2023):
– Around 430 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide annually
– 95% of the plastic used in packaging is thrown away after one use
– Only 9% of the plastic ever produced has been recycled (8-11 million tons enter the ocean every year)
– 95% of the plastic used in packaging is thrown away after one use
– Only 9% of the plastic ever produced has been recycled (8-11 million tons enter the ocean every year)
