Biology honorary tries recycling
John Krudy
Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: News
Members of the Beta Beta Beta honorary independently formed and have run a campus-wide recycling program since November of last year.
"All our members volunteer to pick up once a week," said senior Ali Lanctot, one of the group's leaders. "It's easy. We just take it to the recycling center on M-99."
Lanctot said she and senior Meghan McDonald, Tri-Beta's president, thought their group should try to help the school after reading a Collegian article on Hillsdale's environmental record last semester (see "Group: College's green behavior get's failing mark," Oct. 2, 2008).
"We were trying to get the Tri-Beta name out there, in a way that would benefit the college and help the environment," McDonald said. "We thought it would be a good idea, since we are the biology honorary."
Lanctot said Tri-Beta received permission from the Dean of Student Affairs Diane Philipp and Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé before beginning the program, but have had not asked for or received support from the school.
Former Student Federation President Craig Kreinbihl said the federation identified a recycling program as a possible way to improve the campus, and he contacted Lanctot last semester to offer help.
"I called to say, 'How can we help you?'" Kreinbihl said. "But Student Federation hasn't granted money, because they wanted to get off the ground on their own and see if they could make progress."
So far, they have. Lanctot said the recycling program incurs few costs: the gray or green tubs beneath or near printers across campus, the gas to get to the recycling center, and the time it takes to make pick up. And the returns have been significant: From stations in all four computer labs and the library, Tri-Beta rescued 60 lbs. of paper from the trash cans in November, and 40 lbs. in December. McDonald said the group plans to add and service a bin for plastic and cans near A.J.'s Café this semester as well.
Associate Professor of Biology Anthony Swinehart said he gave some advice to Tri-Beta as they started the project last semester.
"Students will try to start a recycling program every three, four, five years and it will always peter out and die," Swinehart said. "And the college will probably not see it as profitable, at least from a dollars and cents standpoint. That's true, but the more habitual it becomes, the more likely it will be profitable and useful in the future."
While the project has been successful, not everyone knows what the bins are for, or that they are even there. Assistant Professor of Biology Angie Pytel said she has seen and used various bins, but isn't sure the whole campus knows about them.
"It's there, but no one communicates it, at least to the faculty," she said. "Communication is key with a recycling program, and even advertising. It seems counterintuitive, but you have to let people know it's there."
"All our members volunteer to pick up once a week," said senior Ali Lanctot, one of the group's leaders. "It's easy. We just take it to the recycling center on M-99."
Lanctot said she and senior Meghan McDonald, Tri-Beta's president, thought their group should try to help the school after reading a Collegian article on Hillsdale's environmental record last semester (see "Group: College's green behavior get's failing mark," Oct. 2, 2008).
"We were trying to get the Tri-Beta name out there, in a way that would benefit the college and help the environment," McDonald said. "We thought it would be a good idea, since we are the biology honorary."
Lanctot said Tri-Beta received permission from the Dean of Student Affairs Diane Philipp and Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé before beginning the program, but have had not asked for or received support from the school.
Former Student Federation President Craig Kreinbihl said the federation identified a recycling program as a possible way to improve the campus, and he contacted Lanctot last semester to offer help.
"I called to say, 'How can we help you?'" Kreinbihl said. "But Student Federation hasn't granted money, because they wanted to get off the ground on their own and see if they could make progress."
So far, they have. Lanctot said the recycling program incurs few costs: the gray or green tubs beneath or near printers across campus, the gas to get to the recycling center, and the time it takes to make pick up. And the returns have been significant: From stations in all four computer labs and the library, Tri-Beta rescued 60 lbs. of paper from the trash cans in November, and 40 lbs. in December. McDonald said the group plans to add and service a bin for plastic and cans near A.J.'s Café this semester as well.
Associate Professor of Biology Anthony Swinehart said he gave some advice to Tri-Beta as they started the project last semester.
"Students will try to start a recycling program every three, four, five years and it will always peter out and die," Swinehart said. "And the college will probably not see it as profitable, at least from a dollars and cents standpoint. That's true, but the more habitual it becomes, the more likely it will be profitable and useful in the future."
While the project has been successful, not everyone knows what the bins are for, or that they are even there. Assistant Professor of Biology Angie Pytel said she has seen and used various bins, but isn't sure the whole campus knows about them.
"It's there, but no one communicates it, at least to the faculty," she said. "Communication is key with a recycling program, and even advertising. It seems counterintuitive, but you have to let people know it's there."
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