University's celebration of America Recycles Day promotes greener campus

As the University celebrates America Recycles Day today, officials are hoping to bring to light campus efforts to go green.

“I think more and more people are interested in recycling than they have been in past years,” said Amy Preble, outreach coordinator for the office of waste reduction and recycling.

“Half of the University’s waste is recycled, which is good,” she said.

Her office and student government’s environmental affairs committee are co-sponsoring America Recycles Day festivities at Polk Place.

The event, which lasts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will include recycling drives and information sessions.

The Sustainability Office will also be handing out recyclable water bottles to the first 1,000 people who sign the Carolina Green pledge, which was made available to students and faculty Oct. 27 for Campus Sustainability Day.

The pledge is made up of a series of statements that promote a more sustainable lifestyle, such as “I will double-side printouts and copies.”

Cindy Shea, director of the Sustainability Office, said she was pleased with the enthusiasm of the students and faculty who took part in the pledge.

“Over 2,100 people have taken that pledge, a combination of students, faculty and alumni,” Shea said. “So we’re really pleased that so many different groups on campus want to take the sustainability pledge.”

America Recycles Day is not the University’s only initiative that promotes a greener campus.

Sara Rafalson, co-chairwoman of student government’s environmental affairs committee, said outreach and awareness are only part of Student Body President Hogan Medlin’s platform for a more sustainable campus.

She said one of the committee’s goals was to increase recycling at athletic events, joining forces with both the office of waste reduction and recycling and the Carolina Athletic Association.

She added that planned initiatives include a recycling program for tailgates at next year’s football games and putting more recycling bins in the Smith Center.

Preble said increased interest in green issues has made it more difficult to accommodate new recycling projects.

“We can’t expand everywhere all at once,” she said.

Shea said that while recycling is important, it is also important for students to know that all environmentally sound practices, such as turning off unused lights and taking shorter showers, are encouraged.

“I think that sustainability is a core value at UNC,” she said. “Do people need to step up their efforts? Definitely.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.