Earthkeepers aims at reducing rubbish

Giving new meaning to the adage "one man's trash is another man's treasure," Project Rubbish Redemption kicked off yesterday, launched by Earthkeepers to raise awareness about recycling and to reduce rubbish by increasing recycling and reuse on campus. During the next month, all proceeds from EMU recycling will benefit Mennonite Central Committee disaster relief - without costing students anything.

According to Cheryl Heatwole, who comprises one of the three members in Earthkeeper's Triumvirate, "Our goals are to educate and increase awareness about the economics of recycling." Heatwole stated that they seek to "improve the overall system" and "help people find ways to produce less trash."

EMU currently makes $70 for each ton of recycled paper. Recycling not only reduces landfill costs ($56 per ton), but will net a profit to be used for disaster relief.

Besides financial benefits, recycling "is an easy way to preserve and protect the community you live in and the earth as a whole," says Triumvirate member Jason Hostetter. Becka Rankin, the third member Earthkeeper's Triumvirate, is most excited about "the prospect of dressing up like a giant [aluminum] can."

Students and faculty should watch for posters and fliers (crafted on recycled paper, of course) that present little-known facts about recycling. For example: Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to power your TV for three hours; throwing that can in the garbage is equivalent to pouring out half the can's volume in gasoline.

Project Rubbish Redemption, supported by SGA, is also addressing use of paper among EMU's departments. "We want offices in general to recycle all paper that would normally be thrown away, and also encourage professors to reduce their use of paper, such as printing double-sided," comments Heatwole.

Interaction between students and professors can encourage resourcefulness; professors can encourage students to print scaled-down powerpoints with lighter backgrounds, for example, or accept documents printed on reused paper.

Project Rubbish Redemption will also include more accessible recycling facilities. Brown paper bags will be available for students to collect recyclable paper in their rooms separate from rubbish.