BECKLEY — As people across the country celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day today, students, faculty and staff at Mountain State University will be doing their part by keeping the Beckley campus green.
Members of the school's newly formed Green Team, along with Sherrie Hunter, director of education for the Raleigh County Solid Waste Authority, gathered Wednesday to unveil the school's new campus-wide recycling initiative.
"We decided that it's time for us to take a strong initiative and move forward with going green, campus -wide," said Dan Judy, director of facilities for MSU.
As part of the initiative, 210 recycling stations have been placed throughout campus, enabling MSU faculty, staff, students and visitors an opportunity to place unwanted paper, plastic and aluminum in a recycling bin rather than a trash can.
Green Team member Everette Steele, director of security and campus operations, said campus safety officers will play an important role in the initiative as well.
"It's a part of our function to enforce all policies and procedures, and we have citations we can write for littering violations on campus," he said, adding the citations will carry fines. "Everybody plays their role in keeping the campus as neat and clean as it can be."
Judy said the team began working about three weeks ago and, to date, has already recycled 3,600 pounds of cardboard, paper and office waste products.
Now, Judy said, the plan is to recruit students in an effort to gain more ideas and better communicate the message throughout the school.
"From here, it's onward and upward with our recycling and sustainability initiatives," he said, adding the team will begin looking at other ways to make the campus "more green."
Judy said he is pleased with the efforts so far and that the initial goal of the program is to reduce the amount of waste the school sends to the landfill by 30 percent.
"This is the responsible and the right thing to do," he said. "As a leader in the community, the university takes this very serious."
Hunter expressed pride in the school's efforts and commitment.
"Mountain State University is going to be an unbelievable generator of recyclables that won't enter the landfill," she said. "I am delighted.
"Mountain State University is a true steward today."
Reprinted by permission:
http://www.register-herald.com/todaysfrontpage/x993508614/Mountain-State-University-initiates-campus-wide-recycling-program
Comments