Recycling returns to campus

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Recycling returns to campus
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The Tri Beta biology honorary resumed its recycling program last week after being put on hold due to the ongoing pandemic. 

In the past, the honorary has had multiple drop-off stations throughout campus for paper recycling. This year, however, the program will have only one drop-off at Mossey Library. From there, the recycling will go to Key Opportunities, Inc., an organization that provides working opportunities for those with handicapping conditions or disabilities, where the paper is repurposed. 

Drop-offs will happen every other Thursday, the next being Oct. 29. Buildings that have been holding on to their recycling all semester are encouraged to bring their paper recycling to the drop-offs. 

The recycling program’s start was delayed this semester due to the unexpected cancellation of last semester, which limited the number of members participating in the honorary. 

“Because of COVID-19 last semester, we couldn’t initiate any members, so we only have five members and all of this is through volunteering,” said Carmen Botha, president of Tri Beta. “So we have a maximum of five volunteers, but not all of them are able to volunteer so it is me and a few other officers right now.”

Botha said nearly every building participates in the recycling program and the honorary is looking to reach out to Bon Appetit in hopes of working with them, due to the increase of waste created by coronavirus precautions with food this semester. 

Key Opportunities only accepts regular paper, newspaper, and cardboard, so the volunteers have to sort through all of the recycling after the drop-off and make sure there is nothing, such as magazines, that Key Opportunities wouldn’t accept. 

“The people we pick up the recycling from are so appreciative and it’s really encouraging to be able to serve them like that,” senior Tri Beta membery Lily Erickson said.  “I know it’s good for the community too, which makes it more encouraging.”

To make up for the late start, the program will accept recycling every two weeks,  which is more frequent than it has been in the past years. 

Items for recycling can be placed in bins all around campus, which are mainly for professors and staff. Bins are also located by all the printers in the science building.