EcoReps Assist With Disposal

In conjunction with the EcoReps program and EcoPledge club, students have been monitoring Corcoran Commons to educate their peers about proper recycling and composting practices and to encourage them to be more environmentally conscious.

The EcoReps program began last semester and has promoted sustainability in the residence halls, said Jacqui Geaney, Corcoran Commons EcoRep and A&S '10. EcoReps plan monthly events and put up posters to encourage students to make environmentally conscious choices. "I've been doing the same thing [in Corcoran Commons]," Geaney said. "The goal is to get students to sort stuff correctly."

The program's goal is to make sure trash, recycling, and compost are sorted into their appropriate bins in the dining halls, something that can be confusing to some students, Geaney said. This program was first implemented for a week in January, and has recently been occurring on a more regular basis. Typically, Geaney tries to get students to volunteer their time during the lunch and dinner rushes. "We stand by the recycling and have a t-shirt, and approach people to ask if they know how the system works," Geaney said. "It's to educate people, because it can be confusing."
The monitors can help even those students who know about recycling and compost, because the systems differ slightly. "Our compost, you can put meat in, which you wouldn't if you were composting at home, because it's industrial and is treated," Geaney said.

It is important to compost food because when it decomposes, it is harmful to the environment, Geaney said. "The reason you'd want to compost food is because rotting food in a landfill creates greenhouse gases that are bad for the environment."
EcoReps places students in Corcoran Commons because they believe students might be less inclined to recycle, considering the newer system. "It's hard, because [at Corcoran Commons] it's upperclassmen who may be a little more set in their ways," Geaney said.

In addition to coordinating monitors in the dining hall, Geaney has been in contact with dining hall managers, she said. "I want to find out what their goals are and help reduce the use of disposable things. If you keep using disposable things throughout the year, it adds up."

Getting people involved has proved difficult, Geaney said. She has sent e-mails out through EcoPledge at the suggestion of the dining hall managers, though she has been underwhelmed by the response. "It's like pulling teeth," she said. In the future, Geaney hopes to get organizations, such as Real Food BC involved.

Currently, Geaney is trying to get students to cover the lunch and dinner rush, though she wants to coordinate a peer education group. Ideally, this group would go to different clubs on campus to educate them about recycling and compost. "That could be more efficient than catching people in a rush," she said.

Divya Prakash, EcoPledge member and A&S '13, is involved with the program. "People need to be more responsible about where they throw their trash," she said. "I look in the trash all the time and see milk bottles, and you can recycle or compost the brown to-go containers." n