In an effort to promote environmental awareness on campus, Boston University student organizations gathered Tuesday morning as part of America Recycles Day to collect used clothing, hand out recycling information and raffle off prizes on Marsh Plaza.
Organizers, including BU’s Environmental Health and Safety Office, provided free coffee for attendees with their reusable mugs to minimize the waste of paper cups.
The donated goods went to Planet Aid, an organization that will send clothing overseas or sell them to raise funds for developing nations. Students who donated clothing received a raffle ticket, and winners received gift certificates and prizes, including toothbrushes made from recycled plastic.
Tables at the event were stocked with information pamphlets and staffed with volunteers who talked about recycling.
College of Arts and Sciences junior Noah Goldstein, who volunteered at the event, said he views recycling as a feasible way to deal with the pressing problem of waste.
“I think America as a society and BU specifically is very wasteful,” he said. “The way things are now, the U.S. is not a sustainable society. The amount of waste produced goes far beyond the capacity of the planet to reabsorb. One of the easiest ways to reduce waste is recycling.”
CAS junior Hannah Schoenwald said the amount of non-recyclable waste produced at BU is a serious issue.
“Raising environmental awareness is important,” she said, “because the campus is not necessarily as sustainable as it could be.”
CAS junior Ben Anderson dropped off a bag of clothing at the EHS Office’s table. Like most of the students who attended, he said understands the importance of recycling.
“We use a lot of resources that we tend to throw away and not think about,” he said. “They can be recycled and used again, effectively.”
Most of the attendees said they recycle whenever possible. CAS junior Stephanie Wood said she believes most students could do the same but are either uninformed or unmotivated.
“A lot of people don’t realize how important recycling is,” she said. “Right now, conditions at BU are not ideal. It’s actually really easy to recycle. Students are just lazy sometimes.”
According to CAS junior Katie Glodzik, EHS student recycling coordinator, her organization is working very hard to increase awareness, even though the process can be slow.
“The Environmental Health and Safety Office got recycling bags into dorms,” she said. “Both the Student Union and EHS have recently given a proposal to President Brown on recycling.
“There’s a lot to be done, because right now we’re not in compliance with waste ban laws,” Glodzik continued. “Up until the last few years, that didn’t seem to have been a big concern to BU. But things might change, thanks to President Brown and Provost Campbell.”
CAS junior Cherry Junn, ESL Recycling Committee member, said the university held a trash audit last summer.
“BU’s recycling is pretty dismal,” she said, “especially compared to other colleges around here. The amount of recyclable trash was 3 to 4 percent, compared to Tufts, which was around 30 to 40 percent. It’s pretty sad.”
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