In our fast-paced 10-week terms at Drexel University, it’s easy to get lost in the daily struggle for survival. When rushing from class to class or commuting back-and-forth from co-op, do we ever really think about what happens with our trash? Many times, it can be easy to just throw all garbage into the nearest waste bin, but shouldn’t we take the extra few seconds to decide what we can recycle?
As students at a university, we go through countless sheets of paper. Despite utilizing technology for note-taking, assignments and tests, there is still an abundance of paper being used which makes the importance of recycling even more crucial. If these materials aren’t recycled, they will likely end up adding to the monstrous amounts of waste already piling up at the local junkyard.
Thankfully with Drexel’s participation in the RecycleMania initiative, the campus’ single-stream recycling program and recycling bins alongside many of the trash cans across campus it isn’t too hard for Drexel students to live a green lifestyle. The Drexel Green initiative by Campus Services is also a great reference for basics to follow. They outline the best practices in order to follow as students on an urban campus.
The benefits of recycling are numerous and in an environment such as Drexel’s campus, there’s really no excuse to be wasteful. That’s not to say that the programs always come with a few exceptions. Recycling old batteries, computer ink, cell phones and other electronics can turn into a hassle, but when that’s the only aspect to worry about you’ve got nothing to fear. Just a quick email to Drexel’s recycling program can reward you with the next viable date to drop those electronics off to somewhere nearby. There are also often bins specifically for battery disposal within many of Drexel’s buildings throughout the year.
By recycling, we are creating less water and air pollution since the materials that you recycle go into new products, thus saving space in landfills as well. Although recycling is possibly the largest form of giving back to the environment, there are many other areas in which an individual can make a difference such as reducing your energy consumption and using reusable grocery bags to minimize plastic and paper bag consumption. Our planet won’t last forever, so finding ways to reduce our impact on the environment is the crucial mark. With all of these methods combined, there’s a good chance that Earth has a fighting chance of survival.
It’s great to see that we attend a university whose focus on sustainability, and recycling is truly apparent compared to many other institutions of education. They could easily sweep this sort of practice under the rug, but they don’t. Instead, they strive to be an innovative and environmentally-friendly school that knows the quality of the school’s area depends on these programs.