Recycling campus efforts
The Fresno
State Recycling club is hoping to expand its efforts from residence halls
to campus-wide
Joseph Vasquez /
The Collegian
The Recycling Club sucessfully
recycled 1,600 pounds of material last year.
Jeanette Dorantes, a psychology major, far right with her sister,
said she recycles everything. |
By Angelita Caudillo
The Collegian
Students in the Fresno State
Recycling Club have focused their efforts on starting a campus wide program
so other students will have the option to recycle their cans and plastic
bottles and help the environment.
In fall of 2003 Fresno State student Megan Bailey and one other fellow
student noticed there were no recycling options on campus. As most of
us are aware there are often trash cans full of cans and bottles.
Since both Bailey and the other student were on the Recycling Advisory
Board they brought the problem to the board’s attention. They were
told there was no money in the budget to start a recycling program.
Instead the two started the Recycling Club on campus. The club started
out in 2003 with only 12 members and only had recycling bins in the residence
halls on campus.
“We started out that year by placing six small bins in the community
dorms,” said Bailey.
Last year the group grew having 16 large cans and six small ones for paper
as well as 40 members. The group successfully recycled over 1,600 pounds
of material last year.
This year the members along with Vice President of On-Campus Recycling
senior psychologyand philosophy major, Mike Olsen, are trying to start
a recycling program for the entire campus.
“Together we can make a huge difference,” Olsen said, “Recycling
will generate money that can pour back into the campus.”
Members of the group just met with the Chief of Operations from the City
of Fresno’s solid waste division who are going to donate 50 bins
for the campus as well as a trash bin. The group is now waiting for approval
to place the bins on campus grounds.
Olsen said he also hopes Fresno State will be able to compete in “Recycling
Mania” in January. He said in this competition colleges from across
the nation compete to recycle the most materials for a prize.
Club president Jenny Fortel said the club plans on doing a number of things
this year and not just recycling. The club will be participating in Light
The Night, an anual march that memorializes those who battle leukemia,
as well as helping with blood drives and other community services.
The club also plans to take a trip up to Yosemite and hike with the Sierra
Club. Fortel said the club has a lot of fun activities in mind such as
bowling, movie nights and pizza parties.
At almost 50 members, the group welcomes anyone who wants to help. Every
semester the club donates $100 to an environmental cause that the club
votes on. In previous years the group has sponsored planting trees, awareness
booths on campus and has taken a trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium. This year
the group said it plans on doing more community service and many more
activities.
Anyone interested in the club can send an e-mail to [email protected].
The next meeting will take place on Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. in USU 311.
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