Iowa State University promotes a conscious effort to “live green” on campus. A large aspect of this is the recycling services on campus.
Alongside solar-powered trash compactors, ISU has similarly designed recycling bins. Students are also encouraged to make use of Recycling Services’ single-stream recycling system within the dorms.
This system entails a blue trashcan in every dorm, with guidelines posted on the bin for what can be recycled. Students place all their recycling in that bin, take it to the green dumpster labeled single-stream recycling, and it is then sorted elsewhere.
Karina Davis, a freshman in mechanical engineering, makes use of the recycling system.
“I follow the guidelines that are posted on the outside of the recycling dumpster and the signs that say to break down boxes. I try to be conscious in my recycling efforts,” Davis said.
Katherine Meusburger, a freshman studying early childhood education, said the dorm recycling is useful but also unclear.
“I like that we all have recycling bins in our rooms and that it is an option to use but I feel like the policies on what can be recycled aren’t clear,” Meusburger said.
The following items can be recycled in any bin on campus or the dorms: white paper, colored paper, newspaper, magazines, paperboard, paper bags, cardboard, glass bottles, milk cartons, plastics, aluminum and tin/steel cans. The only other rule is to rinse out containers and flatten boxes.
While some students think the dorm recycling is useful and efficient, others do not feel the same about on-campus recycling services.
“I feel like if they pushed it a bit more for us to use more people would,” Meusburger said. “I strongly believe that the only people currently recycling are the ones who did it back home. ISU doesn’t educate their students on the basic guidelines for recycling.”
Davis feels that there is room for greater attention on recycling at ISU and that through education and more containers around campus more students would recycle.
“I wish there were more recycling containers around campus and in buildings/classrooms. I wish it was better advertised and the student population was more aware of their options and benefits,” Davis said. “When I first got to campus, I held onto my recycling for a while because I couldn’t figure out where I should put it and there was very little communication and direction on it.”
Dr. Thomas Greenbowe, Morrill Professor of Chemistry Emeritus, gave his thoughts on campus recycling and “live green” initiatives compared to the other universities he has taught at in his career.
“The University of Oregon is a green campus, and their chemistry department invented green chemistry, so they are really into [it].” Greenbowe said. “They do have recycling bins, just like we have here on our campus. Our campus, I think the bins are a bit better marked. I mean, it’s very visible what they want you to do with things.”
Greenbowe shared what he sees on campus regarding how and if students actually utilize the recycling bins.
“I do [use the recycling bins] because I’m conscious of it. I have seen people read [the guidelines] and put their trash in the different bins,” Greenbowe said.
Greenbowe also spoke on how the campus has changed over his time here, specifically the attitude towards litter.
“There is certainly less trash in terms of plastic containers compared to me being here 30 years ago. Over the years, everybody is more conscious on a university campus to keep it looking less junky.”
Finally, Greenbowe talked about what he felt the campus could be doing better for recycling.
“It is messaging, and it is having the recycling bins in buildings and outdoors where people feel that they see other people doing it, they’re going to do that,” Greenbowe said. “Specifically, it’s community messaging, intertwined with the university campus. It’s making it visible.”
