Karla Sorto
A new campus recycling program is in effect this fall, making Pierce College and West Los Angeles College the first of the nine colleges in the Los Angeles Community College District to implement it.
“The main priority is to green our campuses,” Pierce President Robert Garber said. “The recycling program will help to get faculty and students environmentally conscience in an orderly and responsible way.”
Banners and flyers have been brought by the district to be placed throughout the mall and classrooms. Garber said the idea to get recycling receptacles in classrooms is a step to add visibility and engage students and staff to participate.
“By adding bins in every possible area, it’s a way to take this matter seriously. If the bins aren’t available or noticeable, they won’t be used,” said Diane Marshitelli, criminal justice major. “This prompts the idea that Pierce gives a damn about recycling.”
Receptacles are already placed in offices, classrooms and outside areas. The bins are positioned in pairs – one for recyclables and one for trash.
Materials such as paper, glass, plastic bottles and cans can be recycled. Wet materials like food scraps and sandwich wrappers would go into the trash bins.
The cafeteria has been separating cardboard into different containers, and keep bottles for recycling.
“Here in the cafeteria a lady gathers all the recyclable bottles and takes it all to be recycled,” said food service supervisor Joanne Benson.
Though Pierce and West L.A. are the first colleges in the district to implement the program, other colleges including Citrus College in Glendora had already started recycling programs. “We recycle almost anything we can, like cardboard, bottles, scrap metals, printer cartridges, fluorescent light tubes and automobile parts, like tires,” Jeff Eichler, environmental health and safety programs supervisor at Citrus. Citrus promotes their recycling program by putting up fliers and weekly news bulletins.
“We do our best to inform the students to participate in keeping our campus green,” Eichler emphasized. “This has been cultivated into the campus life and is almost automatic for most people.”
The receptacles will be gathered Monday through Friday and will be deposited into larger containers.
“They will be held by an outside company that will take them to the process of separating and classifying recyclables,” said Paul Nieman, plant facilities director.
Faculty and students can now contribute to making Pierce a healthier and cleaner environment.
“Changing people’s behavior is tough. But I believe students want to do the right things,” Garber said. “By giving them the option, we’ll be successful with the recycling program.”
KEEPING CLEAN ()