Since I did a read "n" seed, I figured that I would do a photo essay on a eco chic behavior change with recycling! Through this class, I've learned to believe in environmental change at the individual level. All of the small changes we do adds up to a big impact for the better. This post's objective was to show what a little effort can do for the environment.
This is a really cool video to watch about why we should recycle and reduce paper use
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g087a8vclig
One example of this video is that we can reduce on 587lbs of air pollution and 58% of water usage.
This is my trash bin, and I wondered if I dug through it how much stuff I could find that could be recycled. By the looks of it, there is a lot of paper in this trash bin that could be reused or recycled.
One way for me to get me change in recycling is to make it an easy change. For example, I'm probably not going to want to do a lot of traveling up and down the stairs just to recycle paper, so I've got to make it easy for myself. My bedroom where this trash can is in the basement and the main recycling bin is upstairs. I was realistic with my laziness, and realized that every time I have paper to recycle, I'm not going to go all the way upstairs to make it happen per sheet of paper.
The amount of paper I took out of my trash bin took up at least 50% of the room. To think, this is what I normally throw away???? I'm glad I've chosen this to change.
How much paper do Americans waste? According to the EPA, 29% of our solid waste is from paper! THis site also has recycling help for citizens, students, teachers etc. I found it really cool how they have power points on recycling already made for environmental educators
This is the amount of paper that I took out of the trash can. If I have a recycle bin right by my trash can, I'm more likely to separate the recyclables from the true trash.
Ok, I'm a college kid on a college budget. I don't have the money to spare for a fancy recycling bin. I used a little brain action and decided to use a paper bag to put right next to my trash bin. I know for myself, if I label things to remember that they have a specific job I'll keep the behavior change. I used some left over paper and taped it on the bag to say, "recycling paper."
I also started to try other things out with recycling paper. As students, at the end of the semester we have left over notebooks with some used paper and left over paper that's blank and useable. This is a picture of my five star notebook. I took the time to rip out the used paper, and keep the blank paper in this book. I can use this for another semester, plus I don't have to buy another $7 notebook!! Woo hoo!
If we want to recycle, it might help to make it easier on ourselves, have 1 recycling bin for every trash bin. Just fyi, MPIRG is also going to do a trash audit on this tuesday around campus. I'll be telling the results of how much stuff is still not being recycled on campus. It should be interesting!
The end!
Good idea to keep going with your read n seed on recycling. I like how you made the recycling change easy for you, putting another trash can, or paper bag haha, in your room so you don't have to go upstairs. In order for people to make changes they need to start out small and realistically so this was good, I should put another trash can in my room for the same purpose....
ReplyDeleteHi Shannon!
ReplyDeleteHow long did it take you to go through the garbage and recycle all that paper? What a difference recycling makes, the room looks a lot better. You have inspired me to start going through the millions of papers I have in my room lol...Is it amazing how your thought process changes since this class. It's like you see a way to be more environmental friendly, more-so than you have before. Nice essay.
I love how you put this post together...the before and after pictures really say a lot. Like Chnice, I also have TONS of paper and notebooks just laying around. I know it would be way easier to just toss them, but I after reading this I'll be sure and recycle them. nice job!
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