logorrhead
Registered: June 2008
City/Town/Province: Sonoma
Posts: 2
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Ah, nothing compares to that singular odor of fermenting, rotting trash improperly disposed of in a bin clearly labeled “Recycling Only.” Nothing compares to sorting recycling from said rotting trash daily. Nothing compares to scraping grime from the lids and the bottoms of recycling receptacles on the last day of the school year. Yes, these are the joys of instituting an entirely student organized, student maintained, campus wide recycling program. I learned this as I, working as vice-president of Sonoma Valley High School’s (SVHS) Earth Club, helped to implement such a program at my school. While it was not easy, it was certainly worthwhile.
The most difficult stage of fostering the recycling program was the planning stage. Because student organizations have unsuccessfully attempted to initiate recycling programs on SVHS’s campus in the past, the school’s administration was skeptical when the Earth Club approached them about reintroducing a recycling program to campus. Therefore, we had to extensively plan every detail of the project before executing it to convince the school officials that our program would thrive. First, we had to find funding for the purchase of recycling bins. The Earth Club, while able to purchase several bins, lacked the funds to purchase the many needed to adequately cover the campus. Therefore, we applied for grants and discounts, as well as asked for donations from local green businesses and organizations. After much work, we received the money necessary to purchase the necessary recycling receptacles. Furthermore, we received from the Department of Conservation free bilingual stickers to identify recycling containers.
Next, we had to determine how were were going to execute the recycling program. The most daunting problem was the fact that Earth Club lacked the man-power to sort and empty the recycling containers each day. We decided to ask the Leadership class and the SVHS Key Club (of which many Earth Club officers are members) if they would be willing to assist us. They agreed and have since served as an invaluable asset to our club in maintaining the recycling program.
After immense work, we did it! Early one morning, the officers of the Earth Club assembled at SVHS to distribute those iconic blue recycling canisters, being sure to carefully chain them to nearby surfaces, as the administration thought the students would take steal the lids to play frisbee with and roll kids across campus in the cylindrical bases.
But the work was not done. We still had that little task of collecting the recycling from each bin and sorting out the trash each day. Key Club and the Leadership class cooperated with us to make these tasks possible. Still, it wasn’t “nice” work. Despite clear labels, student felt the need to throw food, liquids, dirty containers, and other non-recyclables into the canisters. This meant we had an exceeding amount of sorting to do. However, everyday at least four people volunteered to sort and transport the recycling to the recycling dumpster, and always with smiles on their faces; and everyday, we recycled an incalculable number of plastics. To me, this serves as a testament to the tenacity and passion to help the environment of many SVHS students.
I have certainly learned an immense amount about collaboration, planning, and transforming abstract goals into concrete reality. I hadn’t the faintest idea that so much work had to be done simply to start a recycling program when we began the project. I now have a better grasp on what it takes to trigger change. One needs more than merely a gaol - one needs to develop a goal AND to actively and tenaciously work to achieve this goal. This is what we did at SVHS and we succeeded.
Despite the foul odors and unnatural stickiness of the recycling program, it was unquestionably worth the effort. I am proud to have been an integral part of this groundbreaking (for our school) and comprehensive program to better my campus - and in a small way - the earth as a whole. Since the program was instituted, the campus has visually appeared cleaner, and the school is certainly more ecologically green. The Earth Club has no intention of ending the recycling program and is excited about expanding it next year.
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