The decision by SGA to increase the budget for its on-campus recycling program is encouraging.
A lot can be done with an additional $9,000.
The stated goals of the financial increase include reducing the use of plastic bags and making it more convenient to recycle on campus.
The budget increase also included a provision to study the need and want for recycling on campus.
Hopefully, proponents of increased recycling on campus will find this to be their time to shine. The fact that SGA is advocating increased recycling may be indicative of what the general student body thinks.
But SGA decisions alone do not constitute official university policy. Not by a long shot.
All Big 12 universities have recycling programs in place. OSU’s official program includes white paper and cardboard, among other material like scrap metal and wooden pallets.
Campus organizations such as ECO-OSU and Environmental Science Club have supported expanding recycling to include plastic bottles, glass and aluminum.
But it may be difficult to expand OSU’s existing program to include these items.
Increased labor costs and lack of storage space can contribute to reasons why OSU does not officially recycle this material.
But most Big 12 schools are recycling these things. Baylor is the most recent school to expand their program to include these items.
The University of Colorado has one of the most well-established programs. A 2003 study on the UC Web site claims $235,000 a year is saved by recycling instead of letting stuff stay in the dumpster, which could inflate landfill fees. The study can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/reports/recycling/.
Other arguments against expanded recycling at OSU have included lack of companies to take collected material.
But a new company in town, R&E Recycling, is positioning itself to be in the recycling business with OSU and Stillwater. But the recycling collection must first begin.
Perhaps SGA’s action is a start.
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