When I was in high school, I was a member of the student council. Every Friday, the student council collected the recycling and organized it into large bins to be taken to the recycling center. The school, however, rarely took it to the center. Instead, they threw it out with the rest of the trash. When I first learned about this I was indignant. I talked to the teachers I perceived to be most environmentally cautious and presumed that they would respond with rage. I hoped that together we could storm the principal’s office and demand that a change be made. Instead, they all responded with a simple phrase, “I know.”
After that I lost faith in institutional recycling. I couldn’t believe that my school was united in a conspiracy against the environment. Furthermore, almost all the teachers I talked to encouraged me to remain silent on the issue so that the school could continue pretending they recycled. This lack of institutional support led me to stop recycling at school and I even cared less about recycling at home. I was more likely to throw plastic bottles away then to drop them in my parents carefully marked green bins.
Donald Trump’s election has left many Americans feeling similarly listless. According to Amanda Marcotte of Salon.com, President Elect Trump has promised numerous times to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency and has dismissed most climate science as “a bunch of bunk.” While Trump will not be able to repeal the EPA, his presidency will be able to seriously restrict its powers and set our progress in controlling climate change back dozens of years.
All of this may seem disheartening as it feels like little can be done by individuals to prevent Trump’s drastic actions, however, here are three small ways college students can work to protect their planet for future generations.
1. Recycling
According to a Linkedin article by Wynn Sarden, the CEO Of Operations at Wynn Plastic Recycling, recycling helps to preserve natural resources and it helps reduce pollution from rotting waste in landfills. If you are worried your institution is not actually recycling, (Ursinus does!) you can keep recycling bins in your room and bring them to the recycling center yourself! Better yet organize a group of friends to recycle and bring all of your bins to the center together in order to emit less fuel from numerous trips to the center.
2. Use Reusable Materials Whenever Possible
Instead of buying plastic water bottles get a reusable one and a filter. Instead of putting groceries and school supplies in plastic bags use reusable ones. According to Ecowatch.com, 50 percent of plastic products are used a single time and thrown out. Being consumer savvy and buying products made from 100% recycled materials can also help reduce waste. It also sends the message that you, as a consumer, are not interested in companies that aren’t environmentally conscious. You can also wrap gifts with fabric and reuse gift bags during the holiday season to cut down on waste.
3. Be Loud and Don’t get Complacent
This tip applies to multiple issues people have been concerned with in the upcoming months. Sign petitions, start positions, call your local congressmen, start initiatives at your school and workplace. Let the people around you know that you care at about the environment and that you will not stand for policies that attack it. The phone numbers for PA Senator Pat Toomey’s offices can be found here: http://www.toomey.senate.gov/?p=offices and you can email Senator Bob Casey’s offices here: https://www.casey.senate.gov/contact.
