What began as a small initiative to promote recycling in the residence halls has grown into a student organization known as GreenHouse Group.

“I was part of the beginning group, and it’s just amazing to see a project start from the beginning and go to end being successful,” said Allison Kraft, president of GreenHouse Group and junior in environmental science.

GHG started as a small group of recycling chairs in the residence halls two years ago. Originally, students were responsible for their own recycling and transporting it to the Ames Area Redemption Center, 1822 E. Lincoln Way.

“The recycling in the residence halls used to be kind of chaotic,” said Molly Slattery, GHG vice president and senior in kinesiology and health.

The Department of Residence eventually decided that a centralized recycling program was needed, along with a group that would work on recycling and sustainability projects in the residence halls and on-campus housing. So began the GreenHouse Group.

“[The DOR] felt the spark to start the recycling program when we did a trial beforehand, and in five weeks we recycled 15,000 pounds of material,” Slattery said.

This initial trial surprised many and led to questions of what the department as a whole could do in a unified fashion, Slattery said.

GHG strives not only to pursue a more recyclable residency on campus, but a sustainable one as well.

Last year during Veishea, the group made history as the first to initiate recycling at the event. Placing bins all over Central Campus, the group recycled 2,000 to 3,000 cans.

This year, the group is bringing RecycleMania Tournament to Iowa State for the first time. The tournament is a nationwide competition where colleges participate to see who can recycle the most. GHG is interested in the event in order to see where the ISU campus stands compared with other universities.

“Merry Rankin, [the program manager of Sustainability and adviser of GHG], has come and worked with our group and we are focused; we’re out of the residence halls and we’re focused on the residence halls,” Slattery said. “We’re certainly not objected to offer guidance to other groups and then maybe working collaboratively in the future.”

GHG is planning events to get students involved this fall. It will be hosting a leaf-raking event Oct. 24 to promote the message of sustainability in a fun, fall-friendly way. The group will also be helping other green student organizations host a recycling event at Jack Trice Stadium, which will take place Oct. 30 during the Homecoming game against Kansas.