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by RYAN SAUNDERS
Intern News Reporter
Boone, Watauga County and Appalachian State University have combined forces in order to maximize the presence of recycling and increase awareness for the environment.
“America Recycles Day,” a day to promote recycling and the hard work of community members towards protecting the environment all year long, was celebrated Saturday.
“We started a
committee in order to coordinate amongst town, county and university in
order to offer the most complete recycling service possible,” Kendal B.
McDevitt, coordinator of the Office of Off-Campus Community Relations
said. “Apartment complexes with facilities had dropped from 80 percent
to 30 [percent] because students were not using them properly.”
America
Recycles Day is a culmination of promoting awareness, appreciation for
volunteers and providing examples of how small changes in behavior can
affect the environment.
Boone
Recycling Coordinator Marsha O. Story said in celebration of the day,
she handed out reusable shopping bags at grocery stores and
participated in the recycling initiative during Saturday’s football
game against Elon University.
Story also asked students to sign recycling commitment pledges.
“We
understand [recycling] is a habit change but it is important to take it
one step at a time,” she said. “We are working to make it easier for
everyone by increasing recycling opportunities and promoting practices
that will decrease our [carbon] footprint.”
The “Recycling at the Rock” initiative has completed its first season in operation on campus.
Jennifer B. Maxwell, resource conservation manager for the Appalachian Physical Plant, said the initiative was a success.
“[We]
recycled 12,000 pounds, keeping it out of the landfill,” she said. “We
believe people are now more aware of recycling. By the end of [football
season] people were coming up to us asking for the bags before we could
hand them out.”
Members of all aspects of these three entities are working to broaden the conservation effort.
Eric
Gustaveson, Boone Facility Maintenance superintendent, said as a part
of the “Every Drop Counts” water conservation program they developed a
500-gallon system in which rainwater is stored for washing vehicles and
equipment.
The rainwater can even be used to make salt brine in the winter.
“Cleanup
day went ‘green’ this year for the first time,” Story said. “At our
fall litter sweep we recycled 500 pounds of garbage in less than five
hours.”
The
commitment to recycle and make lifestyle changes will take time, but
every step makes a difference and provides a platform for continuation.
“Thank
you to all the volunteers. They are the ones who make it a success,”
Maxwell said. “We have to work together and make a commitment, but it’s
events like this that move us in the right direction.”
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