Tuesday, October 16, 2001

TCU campus can do more for environment
By Antoinette Vega
Skiff Staff

The phrase “a little goes a long way” doesn’t apply when it comes to TCU’s efforts to be environmentally conscious. On the surface, the green grass and the neatly-kept grounds give TCU the appearance of being an environmentally conscious school, but is it? Students may think that they are doing all they can for the environment on campus, but the fact is they could be doing much more.

Waste not

Everyday activities of TCU students create waste that can be recycled, reduced and reused. They drink beverages out of aluminum cans and glass and also use paper regularly in classes and work.

Cheryl West, manager of residential housekeeping, said each building makes an effort to participate in a recycling program placing recyclable materials in recycling bins. The residence halls participate in an unofficial recycling program, she said.

“The students and housekeeping work together to maintain a recycling system,” West said. “The students recycle the items and the housekeepers empty them.”

Kendall Hartung, president of the TCU chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, said the community service group used to participate in a recycling program but had to stop because they could no longer access golf carts to pick up recycling bags in each dorm.

“It was frustrating to see the program end,” Hartung said. “It was the members’ favorite service project and the pick-up was more organized and consistent when it was run by students.”

A bin for recycling is easily accessible in most buildings for students, faculty and staff, but personal bins can be created for the purpose of being recycle conscious.

Leo Newland, director of environmental sciences, uses a small brown box next to his desk because he said he could not find the public recycling bin in Sid W. Richardson Building.

While this recycling effort is a start, there are currently no recycling bins for glass or Styrofoam products, which are used regularly on campus.

Robert Sulak, assistant director of landscaping and grounds, said there have been increased efforts to minimize litter by placing trash cans in areas that have large amounts of student traffic. Trash cans are visible beside every elevator and outside every building on campus and are also in various places such as next to bus stops, he said.

Littering does not seem to be a growing problem. Housekeeper Ray Brown said he has noticed that campus littering has decreased significantly since his arrival to TCU five years ago.

“There is less trash on the grounds and in the buildings,” Brown said. “Students should realize that it is their responsibility to help maintain the cleanliness of the campus because housekeeping has many other things to do.”

Just say, “for here”

Workers in The Main wear purple and white buttons that read, “Ask me for a plate.”

They are worn to remind students to ask for a plate if they are dining in The Main instead of creating waste by eating out of to-go Styrofoam containers.

Some students say they don’t understand the purpose of the buttons, but some students just ignore them altogether.

Aaron Marez, a sophomore political science major, said he eats out of the Styrofoam plates even when he dines in The Main because he prefers them to plates.

“I like them better because they are divided into sections and hold more food than the plates,” Marez said. However, some students say that they were unaware of this conservation measure because the workers don’t ask.

“I just grabbed what the food worker handed me,” said Jennifer Melrose, a freshman mathematics major. “I wasn’t asked if I needed a to-go plate — I just received one.”

Stephanie Dickerson, supervisor of dining services, said workers are supposed to ask students if they would be needing a plate or a to-go container.

“The buttons were created this semester and many students do ask for a plate on their own,” Dickerson said.

Rebecca Mann, purchasing supervisor, said 1,600 to-go containers are used daily and 1,500 soup containers, 1,000 salad bowls and 2,500 cups are used in both The Main and Edens.

Newland said Styrofoam is not biodegradable and is difficult to recycle, but the alternatives of paper or plastic have just as many problems.

“Paper and plastic are recyclable, but the chemicals and oils used in the recycling process release toxins unhealthy for the environment,” said Newland. “Porcelain is the best because it is washable and can be reused time after time. But the university would have to put up the (money) for it, which is unlikely to happen.”

The answer is change

From changing our daily activities and product usage to taking the initiative to create programs enforcing recycling, students need to work together to achieve a more environmentally friendly campus. Starting organizations that make students more environmentally aware, such as the Greening of Campuses, a program aimed at setting recommendations for an environmentally sustainable future, is a way to get started.

“TCU should be more proactive to find better ways to be environmentally conscious and the Greening of Campuses would be beneficial to the campus and the environment,” said Newland.

Students and faculty members need to be aware of the environment and should work hard to contribute to its improvement. It is an individual decision one has to make to benefit society as a whole.

“The environment is constant,” Newland said. “It is the students and the faculty that have to change.”

Antoinette Vega
a.c.vega@student.tcu.edu